Busjack Posted January 7, 2016 Report Share Posted January 7, 2016 11 minutes ago, jajuan said: Some buses are out there with triangles in the display. Just like in 2001. I guess buses have their baby and adult diaper stages, too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted January 7, 2016 Report Share Posted January 7, 2016 12 minutes ago, jajuan said: Yeah the signs are increasingly more screwed up on those buses. There are buses with the head signs giving the correct route while the side signs were stuck showing routes the bus previously ran and vice versa. Some buses are out there with triangles in the display. Some signs are frozen and don't flip to the destination. Some don't change to the opposite direction readings. And others don't display anything at all. It's getting to a point that I'm seeing more FG operators out on their routes with paper signs on the windshields kind of like how NP was doing during the final year and months of the MAN Americanas. They need to stock up on printer cartridges and paper because now some buses won't get replaced until 2020. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jajuan Posted January 7, 2016 Report Share Posted January 7, 2016 1 hour ago, Busjack said: Just like in 2001. I guess buses have their baby and adult diaper stages, too. True. 1 hour ago, BusHunter said: They need to stock up on printer cartridges and paper because now some buses won't get replaced until 2020. Yeah but the question is how many. You already noted in the 700s thread that Chicago doesn't really need 8178-99 to go there once deliveries begin again. Those and 8200-8324 can easily go to FG to cut the 6400 count by 150 buses or more taking into account not as many spares should be needed. And some adjustment of route assignments at the other seven could take care of bloat at individual garages. That's after accounting for what would be needed for the upcoming 2016 restorations of #11 and #31 that CTA plans to experiment with in coming months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted January 8, 2016 Report Share Posted January 8, 2016 7 hours ago, jajuan said: True. Yeah but the question is how many. You already noted in the 700s thread that Chicago doesn't really need 8178-99 to go there once deliveries begin again. Those and 8200-8324 can easily go to FG to cut the 6400 count by 150 buses or more taking into account not as many spares should be needed. And some adjustment of route assignments at the other seven could take care of bloat at individual garages. That's after accounting for what would be needed for the upcoming 2016 restorations of #11 and #31 that CTA plans to experiment with in coming months. Yeah but this document TCMetro linked to said the magic number is 125 buses, so that is what CTA is projecting. It doesn't sound like FG is getting the 23 Chicago buses, Chicago is getting them. And we still don't really know if fg's destiny is to receive #1000's or #8200's. This all sounds like a game of keep away that i used to play in grammer school. Unfortunately fg draws the small straw. At least we have Pace NW over here, I can't get over how new things look at NW, golf mill was a sea of blue tonight. it must be a nice time to work at NW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 8, 2016 Report Share Posted January 8, 2016 6 hours ago, BusHunter said: Yeah but this document TCMetro linked to said the magic number is 125 buses, so that is what CTA is projecting. It doesn't sound like FG is getting the 23 Chicago buses, Chicago is getting them. And we still don't really know if fg's destiny is to receive #1000's or #8200's. This all sounds like a game of keep away that i used to play in grammer school. Unfortunately fg draws the small straw. At least we have Pace NW over here, I can't get over how new things look at NW, golf mill was a sea of blue tonight. it must be a nice time to work at NW. What I dont understand is if FG has the best maintenance crews. This is how CTA rewards them by sending them the most beat up equipment in the fleet??? This is how CTA rewards NW side riders??? Makes absolutely no sense at al!!! CTA has become such a backwards, politically correct agency!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted January 8, 2016 Report Share Posted January 8, 2016 1 hour ago, CTA5750 said: What I dont understand is if FG has the best maintenance crews. This is how CTA rewards them by sending them the most beat up equipment in the fleet??? This is how CTA rewards NW side riders??? Not the riders, but there were references in the ATU 241 newsletter about Forest Glen being scheduled to lose maintenance positions. It doesn't look like the union members are complaining that they have work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted January 8, 2016 Report Share Posted January 8, 2016 4 hours ago, CTA5750 said: What I dont understand is if FG has the best maintenance crews. This is how CTA rewards them by sending them the most beat up equipment in the fleet??? This is how CTA rewards NW side riders??? Makes absolutely no sense at al!!! CTA has become such a backwards, politically correct agency!!! Probably what is even more mind blowing is that they intend to leave them with half a fleet of 14 year equipment slated to be around when they are 18 years old. Why don't they just give them New Looks to drive around. Then they speak of new buses in 2020 to replace the #1000 series like they forgot they still have 125 buses to replace. Realistically some of the #6400's sound like they might make 700 or 800 thousand miles. Maybe they can flip them over at 1,000,000 miles and say they're new or they could have million milers like Pace only it's not the crew it's the buses that went a million miles. (not that the crew didn't do that of course) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sw4400 Posted January 8, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2016 1 hour ago, BusHunter said: Probably what is even more mind blowing is that they intend to leave them with half a fleet of 14 year equipment slated to be around when they are 18 years old. Why don't they just give them New Looks to drive around. Then they speak of new buses in 2020 to replace the #1000 series like they forgot they still have 125 buses to replace. Realistically some of the #6400's sound like they might make 700 or 800 thousand miles. Maybe they can flip them over at 1,000,000 miles and say they're new or they could have million milers like Pace only it's not the crew it's the buses that went a million miles. (not that the crew didn't do that of course) Well if they didn't do the "gut" rehabs of the New Flyers, retirement might've been planned to commence in 2018(12th year of service for the oldest New Flyers) if they are following the FTA guidelines for buses(oldest ones built in 2006). With the rehab, 2020-2022 would be the target date for replacements to arrive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted January 8, 2016 Report Share Posted January 8, 2016 1 hour ago, BusHunter said: Then they speak of new buses in 2020 to replace the #1000 series like they forgot they still have 125 buses to replace. We went through this before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted January 11, 2016 Report Share Posted January 11, 2016 On 1/3/2016 at 1:21 AM, andrethebusman said: Remember in the late 80's when 301 and 9228 (the Phoenix) were the two regular buses on 90N? And a bit earlier when 8499 was the regular on 89-Northeastern Illinois U-Bus, covering 32-West 31st during the summer when school was out? I found a picture of #9228 and it looks pretty normal to me. I did note myself in my own research that was one of the final #9200's that came from Limits and ultimately retired from FG, to make way for more #9800's from Limits a few years later. http://busdrawings.com/Transit/illinois/chicago/1976t8h5307a/9228.jpg I can only think you mean the phoenix to mean #9532. Mel Bernaro has some shots under his flickr account https://www.flickr.com/photos/mbernero/6817323673/in/photostream/ (just scroll through it, there about 6-7 shots) I do remember they used to run that bus all the time on #90N and it's rear destination sign actually got stuck on #90N, but it got transferred to Lawndale garage cause i remember it on the #53. I think the transfer occured when Fg got the #5300's in '91 and the #9500's all went to Lawndale. Those buses were all retired in 1996. I think Chicago opened in '94 so possibly they could have ran it out of Chicago, but I don't remember it if it did. The frankenbus , #3091 was also a one bus rehab, but I have no idea if it ever ran in service or not. It would have to be in the old livery to do that, cause the new livery was around '86 to '88. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrethebusman Posted January 11, 2016 Report Share Posted January 11, 2016 You're right. 9532 was the full Phoenix treatment. 9228 got a 6V-92TA engine instead of a 8V-71. 3091 was rebuilt using spare body panels for MAN artics, but was strictly a training bus by that time. It was basically a shop "experiment". Officially it was BT-8, I believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ibebobo Posted January 12, 2016 Report Share Posted January 12, 2016 On 1/6/2016 at 2:25 PM, BusHunter said: That almost sounds like what they did with #9532. I'll have to see if i have a shot of it, but I swear i have seen #9228 before and it was normal. I almost want to say it was painted red or blue for the museum service the CTA used to have, I have fleet numbers of those, off the top of my head I think #9247 and #9697 were two of them, something from Limits and probably something from Archer. I saved shots of all the oddballs I could find. I actually have shots at Fg of the #800's sitting in the yard from either you or Mel, I fished off the net because those were something I was fascinated with from my childhood. They looked really old, I believe they had the old tail lights like the original #100's used to have. (early 60's vintage) I also have shots of the oddball buses from Fg that were the Flyer #9800's replacements. I know I have one on the #84 at the Caldwell terminal and i believe there was one at Milwaukee/Imlay on the #56A. Hopetunnel has shots of the #800's at West towns but they weren't blue, west towns must have already been gone by then. So did you find any of the pics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted January 12, 2016 Report Share Posted January 12, 2016 18 minutes ago, ibebobo said: So did you find any of the pics? There are some on the forum here and here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted January 13, 2016 Report Share Posted January 13, 2016 7 hours ago, ibebobo said: So did you find any of the pics? If you look under Mel Bernaro's flickr account he has a whole bunch of pictures from Macks to Fords to the replacement buses for the NF's during the crack fiasco. Just google CTA 9532 and it should take you right to his flickr account if you can't find it. About the only thing he doesn't have are pictures of #800's in the blue West towns livery but you can find those as well googling but the shots are more rare. Here's a few in the West towns era There are like none at FG, but i do have that one picture, let me see if I can find it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garmon757 Posted January 19, 2016 Report Share Posted January 19, 2016 It's official; ex-6402 (WB-1) and ex-6404 (WB-2) are going to be retired (not sure about scrapping but it's a possibility). Ex-6632 will be WB-2. I'm not sure which retired bus is going to replace WB-1. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jajuan Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 9 hours ago, garmon757 said: It's official; ex-6402 (WB-1) and ex-6404 (WB-2) are going to be retired (not sure about scrapping but it's a possibility). Ex-6632 will be WB-2. I'm not sure which retired bus is going to replace WB-1. Speaking of ex-revenue buses, did Olive Harvey I believe it was ever get the bus they were supposed to get for that program they were supposed to be developing teaching maintenance of heavy vehicles? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garmon757 Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 48 minutes ago, jajuan said: Speaking of ex-revenue buses, did Olive Harvey I believe it was ever get the bus they were supposed to get for that program they were supposed to be developing teaching maintenance of heavy vehicles? I seriously doubt it because if that was the scenario, then why they didn't receive one already? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 8 hours ago, garmon757 said: I seriously doubt it because if that was the scenario, then why they didn't receive one already? Claypool announced they got two buses, so the question is whether anyone knows that it did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garmon757 Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 Just now, Busjack said: Claypool announced they got two buses, so the question is whether anyone knows that it did. Makes me wonder if that's news worthy as I type this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.cta85 Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 3 hours ago, Busjack said: Claypool announced they got two buses, so the question is whether anyone knows that it did. Well I do the 106 which goes through Olive Harvey of course and they have a lot for training purposes for those who want a cdl liscense. They have a truck, a school bus, and I believe a ambulance truck back there lol but no cta nova bus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jajuan Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 5 hours ago, Mr.cta85 said: Well I do the 106 which goes through Olive Harvey of course and they have a lot for training purposes for those who want a cdl liscense. They have a truck, a school bus, and I believe a ambulance truck back there lol but no cta nova bus. Well it I remember correctly, CTA was supposed to be giving them an ex-500. I just asked about it here because of the brief mentions from Garmon about the two Nova workbuses getting retired and replaced by a couple more ex-6400s and because the 500s thread is buried down by the big multitudes of threads and discussions we've had on here in the almost two years since the 500s were last in service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted January 21, 2016 Report Share Posted January 21, 2016 23 minutes ago, jajuan said: Well it I remember correctly, CTA was supposed to be giving them an ex-500 That was to the sheriff. Press Release in 2013 said 2 Novas to Olive Harvey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jajuan Posted January 21, 2016 Report Share Posted January 21, 2016 22 minutes ago, Busjack said: That was to the sheriff. Press Release in 2013 said 2 Novas to Olive Harvey. Oh okay. Thanks. Momentary brain freeze. Now that you mention it, I do remember BusHunter asking what was going on when the original Nova work buses' prior vehicle numbers as revenue buses used to be because he was saying that one of those was supposed to be one of the two Olive Harvey buses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wordguy Posted January 27, 2016 Report Share Posted January 27, 2016 Has anyone noticed that the entire block of 6440s hasn't shown up on the trackers for the past couple of weeks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted January 27, 2016 Report Share Posted January 27, 2016 7 hours ago, wordguy said: Has anyone noticed that the entire block of 6440s hasn't shown up on the trackers for the past couple of weeks? I've noticed the whole #6400 block is running less. Probably down for maintenance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.