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6400-series Nova LFS - Updates & Retirements


sw4400

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I'd be laughing if CTA purchased more electric buses.

It depends. Maybe if this test works and maybe if it convinces the feds to cough up the requested $30 million for 25. Definitely not if CTA has to cough up twice as much per bus from other capital sources.

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I'd be laughing if CTA purchased more electric buses.

They'll be purchasing more, it's just a matter of time. I would hang on though until I could get an extended range electric bus. Using 25-30 buses for tripper service is too hectic and it doesn't really serve a good payoff, plus they would have to build facilities at several garages. Over time though with a gas free bus, they would really cut into the gasoline budget and repair budget. Owners of other electric vehicle fleets say that maintenance goes down 80 percent with these vehicles. So if you could get a full lifespan out of them in block run service, that could really help the CTA. CTA seems to have the money for grandiose projects like 95th and Wilson Red line, so why couldn't they come up with a 30 million dollar project? Ultimately if the buses are ever going to be a real competitor for it's gas rivals, it has to move up to the next level or it will always be an experimental vehicle.  

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Title has changed because all Novas are yet to be retired. Also, 32 posts from the 7900s thread have been moved to this thread for relevancy. Let's try not to confuse our guests and some members between the two bus series.

I was confused for a moment when I saw the title.... I was like "Is that the thread I started? I thought it was 6400-series Nova LFS - Retirement List." But your post cleared up this.... thank you, garmon.

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....CTA seems to have the money for grandiose projects like 95th and Wilson Red line, so why couldn't they come up with a 30 million dollar project? ....

Mostly borrowed money. For that matter 4000-4149 are on leases, which also proves that CTA would have to prove a payback to justify financing these in that manner.

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I was confused for a moment when I saw the title.... I was like "Is that the thread I started? I thought it was 6400-series Nova LFS - Retirement List." But your post cleared up this.... thank you, garmon.

I sure am glad I linked these topics on my rosters because it will be hard to find them now. While I might be ok, future viewers who are not as frequent on the site may be lost and lose interest. I think I might break the record on renamed topics that I didn't rename, there's got to be around 8 topics renamed. Now it's just another #6400 topic. 9_9 All I can say is follow my rosters and you will never be lost as to where anything equipment wise is located past or present, at least as long as I'm here.

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I sure am glad I linked these topics on my rosters because it will be hard to find them now. While I might be ok, future viewers who are not as frequent on the site may be lost and lose interest. I think I might break the record on renamed topics that I didn't rename, there's got to be around 8 topics renamed. Now it's just another #6400 topic. 9_9 All I can say is follow my rosters and you will never be lost as to where anything equipment wise is located past or present, at least as long as I'm here.

In which that's perfectly fine. There's just too many duplicate topics but hell I don't have a magic wand to rectify them! :P If there's changes you need to fix then go for it!

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They'll be purchasing more, it's just a matter of time. I would hang on though until I could get an extended range electric bus. Using 25-30 buses for tripper service is too hectic and it doesn't really serve a good payoff, plus they would have to build facilities at several garages. Over time though with a gas free bus, they would really cut into the gasoline budget and repair budget. Owners of other electric vehicle fleets say that maintenance goes down 80 percent with these vehicles. So if you could get a full lifespan out of them in block run service, that could really help the CTA. CTA seems to have the money for grandiose projects like 95th and Wilson Red line, so why couldn't they come up with a 30 million dollar project? Ultimately if the buses are ever going to be a real competitor for it's gas rivals, it has to move up to the next level or it will always be an experimental vehicle.  

If they do purchase more, I wonder what bus manufacturing company they'll be coming from.

 

 

 

 

Edited by ChicagoNova
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FG in the middle of the night is VERY crowded. There is a small lot that they park buses in at the end of Armstrong Av that used to be part of the taxi yard property.

I feel that at some point in the future FG may have to relocate. Its outdated, antiquated, overcrowded and IMO, not equipped to handle the bus storage capacity. Especially if they want to bring artics there in the future. The new housing that has sprung up east of the yard on Armstrong as well as the housing on the north side of the north yard. Im sure those residents would want that. 

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I feel that at some point in the future FG may have to relocate. Its outdated, antiquated, overcrowded and IMO, not equipped to handle the bus storage capacity. Especially if they want to bring artics there in the future. The new housing that has sprung up east of the yard on Armstrong as well as the housing on the north side of the north yard. Im sure those residents would want that. 

In that FG got the hoist replacement project, and CTA bought the garden center and Pyramid building, it isn't going anywhere.

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I feel that at some point in the future FG may have to relocate. Its outdated, antiquated, overcrowded and IMO, not equipped to handle the bus storage capacity. Especially if they want to bring artics there in the future. The new housing that has sprung up east of the yard on Armstrong as well as the housing on the north side of the north yard. Im sure those residents would want that. 

They just need to build them an indoor facility. That could be done on the current property but they would need two buildings. I don't know, if they build on the pyramid property and the existing elston side, would that be enough to store buses? They could expand the armstrong side buildings and just make that whole side dedicated to maintenance with a more state of the art wash bay and mechanics garage, but now that they did the hoist project they would have to build around that. It's possible and you never know what CTA's long term plans are, but I would say it's to stay on the same fg land at least.

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They just need to build them an indoor facility. That could be done on the current property but they would need two buildings. I don't know, if they build on the pyramid property and the existing elston side, would that be enough to store buses? They could expand the armstrong side buildings and just make that whole side dedicated to maintenance with a more state of the art wash bay and mechanics garage, but now that they did the hoist project they would have to build around that. It's possible and you never know what CTA's long term plans are, but I would say it's to stay on the same fg land at least.

I didn't see anything in the current budgets like I saw in the ones about 15 years ago about how CTA has to replace its [then] 40-45 year old garages at Forest Glen and North Park. For that matter nothing recently about its 108 year old garage at 77th. Heck, that goes back to when the Cubs won the World Series.

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They just need to build them an indoor facility. That could be done on the current property but they would need two buildings. I don't know, if they build on the pyramid property and the existing elston side, would that be enough to store buses? They could expand the armstrong side buildings and just make that whole side dedicated to maintenance with a more state of the art wash bay and mechanics garage, but now that they did the hoist project they would have to build around that. It's possible and you never know what CTA's long term plans are, but I would say it's to stay on the same fg land at least.

I hear you....  Although lets say they do rebuild FG.... I think the residents in the area would protest the building of a new bus facility in a growing residential neighborhood.  And on another note  I saw an 8100 on #12 Roosevelt today. Dont tell me Kedzie is getting the next batch of new Novas!!! I wouldnt be surprised if it did!

 

Edited by Guest
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I hear you....  Although lets say they do rebuild FG.... I think the residents in the area would protest the building of a new bus facility in a growing residential neighborhood.  And on another note  I saw an 8100 on #12 Roosevelt today. Dont tell me Kedzie is getting the next batch of new Novas!!! I wouldnt be surprised if it did!

 

The #12 does a few Chicago runs i believe. Kedzie would be one of the places that could shift mega amounts of NF's FG's way if that was what was up, but i can't help remember the statement by someone that did state the novas with their long front overhang do not fit right in the wash pit at kedzie. They bottom out? I know one thing Kedzie is like the anti nova garage, so it would be a first, but I doubt it. CTA seems to be working their way north with the deliveries, so if Fg got the snafu, it would probably be by NP.

As far as the garage building, the residents would be shielded from the heavy exhaust, but I don't know why CTA maintains the oldest buses at fg with the worst emissions. It's almost like they are spiting the neighbors. I would say some hybrids would help too but by the time fg got hybrids, 3/4 of the system would probably have them first!! xD

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#6632 I saw at Chicago ave with all its markings save for the stripes removed. 

 

The #12 does a few Chicago runs i believe. Kedzie would be one of the places that could shift mega amounts of NF's FG's way if that was what was up, but i can't help remember the statement by someone that did state the novas with their long front overhang do not fit right in the wash pit at kedzie. They bottom out? I know one thing Kedzie is like the anti nova garage, so it would be a first, but I doubt it. CTA seems to be working their way north with the deliveries, so if Fg got the snafu, it would probably be by NP.

As far as the garage building, the residents would be shielded from the heavy exhaust, but I don't know why CTA maintains the oldest buses at fg with the worst emissions. It's almost like they are spiting the neighbors. I would say some hybrids would help too but by the time fg got hybrids, 3/4 of the system would probably have them first!! xD

All in all CTA dosent put much emphasis on 

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I hear you....  Although lets say they do rebuild FG.... I think the residents in the area would protest the building of a new bus facility in a growing residential neighborhood.  And on another note  I saw an 8100 on #12 Roosevelt today. Dont tell me Kedzie is getting the next batch of new Novas!!! I wouldnt be surprised if it did!

 

Well this time around, there's no reason to freak. The bus you saw on the #12 is from Chicago which indeed still does AM rush runs on that route. So no CTA did not come out of left field and put 7900 series Novas at Kedzie. 

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Spotted #6538 without an updated clever device and #6634 without one too. I think #6600 doesn't have one and possibly #6587. i think the #6630's might be missing some just like the #6530's. I've been adding what I see on the rosters. A few trips to Fg could really unearth them, but the weather is crappy. ¬¬

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On 11/22/2015, 9:51:46, BusHunter said:

I located a few more buses without updated clever devices at fg, #6523 and #6622. It seems most of the lower #6500's have been not been done and some of the lower #6600's as well along with a few #6400's here and there.

There a few more buses without updated clever devices at fg, #6567 and #6623. The list is growing. :P

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