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Finally Headed to Chicago...


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Headed into the city during the week of the 10th for Auto Show press days. I won't have a whole lot of time, but I would like to (ultimately) photograph some remaining Flxibles (pity about the 5300 series being gone) for a possible book project.

Also, any suggestions on the best place to catch a PACE Orion VI or Nova Classic? Anything good hanging out at Bus & Truck or Jimmy Diesel?

Appreciate your help...

-Evan McCausland

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Also, any suggestions on the best place to catch a PACE Orion VI or Nova Classic?
Orion VI in the NW, W, and SW divisions. Orion VIs comprise about 80% of SW, 66% of NW, but only about 25% of W.

Classic in the SW and North Shore Divisions.

From a CTA orientation, the best place to get SW buses would be the Midway Orange Line station. Most also stop at Ford City.

The best confluence of Orion VIs and Classics would be at the Dempster Yellow Line station. However, North Shore seems now to scatter its Classics around its routes, but some still run on 626, along with the NABI 6200s. Orion Is and VIs also congregate around the Jefferson Park Blue Line Station, Rosemont Blue Line Station, and Golf Mill Shopping Center.

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Headed into the city during the week of the 10th for Auto Show press days. I won't have a whole lot of time, but I would like to (ultimately) photograph some remaining Flxibles (pity about the 5300 series being gone) for a possible book project.

Also, any suggestions on the best place to catch a PACE Orion VI or Nova Classic? Anything good hanging out at Bus & Truck or Jimmy Diesel?

Appreciate your help...

-Evan McCausland

Evan let me give you some advice when you come over bring a heavy jacket and gloves LOL :P

On the bus's,I rode a Nova Classic (My favorite PACE bus by the way <_< )on the 331 last December but haven't seen one since.So you might wanna check out the far west suburbs.Pace Orion VI's are EVERWHERE !! :rolleyes: Jefferson Park Terminal or Davis St Station in Evanston is your best bet.Pretty much any PACE NW route has a ton of Orion VI's on it.

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Headed into the city during the week of the 10th for Auto Show press days. I won't have a whole lot of time, but I would like to (ultimately) photograph some remaining Flxibles (pity about the 5300 series being gone) for a possible book project.

Also, any suggestions on the best place to catch a PACE Orion VI or Nova Classic? Anything good hanging out at Bus & Truck or Jimmy Diesel?

Appreciate your help...

-Evan McCausland

If you want some Orion VI action Jefferson Pk CTA Station. Youll get a bonus as well, some Pace Orion Is. Nova Classics probably Pace North Shore in Evanston Ill or if not Pace South in Bridgeview Ill. Flxible 5300s could still be in the dead storage area at the rear of the Chicago ave. garage.

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On the bus's,I rode a Nova Classic (My favorite PACE bus by the way <_< )on the 331 last December but haven't seen one since.So you might wanna check out the far west suburbs.

This did remind me that West has 3 Classics, but trying to find them out of about 140 buses won't be easy. The other 19 in SW and NS might be slightly more conspicuous.

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If you want some Orion VI action Jefferson Pk CTA Station. Youll get a bonus as well, some Pace Orion Is. Nova Classics probably Pace North Shore in Evanston Ill or if not Pace South in Bridgeview Ill. Flxible 5300s could still be in the dead storage area at the rear of the Chicago ave. garage.

Not big on the Orion Is, myself. VI's are oddities and Classics always have a place in my heart.

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Headed into the city during the week of the 10th for Auto Show press days. I won't have a whole lot of time, but I would like to (ultimately) photograph some remaining Flxibles (pity about the 5300 series being gone) for a possible book project.

Also, any suggestions on the best place to catch a PACE Orion VI or Nova Classic? Anything good hanging out at Bus & Truck or Jimmy Diesel?

Appreciate your help...

-Evan McCausland

I have some time I could swing by the last CTA garage (Chicago Ave) that operated the retired Flxible 5300s to see if any are left on the property.

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This did remind me that West has 3 Classics, but trying to find them out of about 140 buses won't be easy. The other 19 in SW and NS might be slightly more conspicuous.

Only 3 at west ?? Wow,I guess I was lucky to ride it then :)

But speaking about the devil,I saw Nova 2379 entering Old Orchard mall last night,DEST sign was blank so I couldn't tell what route it was on. :(

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Only 3 at west ?? Wow,I guess I was lucky to ride it then :)

But speaking about the devil,I saw Nova 2379 entering Old Orchard mall last night,DEST sign was blank so I couldn't tell what route it was on. :(

West got 2398, 2399, and 2400 to run route 767 when that went from a contract operation to Pace West. However, they probably were not restricted to that assignment.

A Classic on 215 or 422 occasionally happens, but 2379 would be unusual, as North Shore's allotment was 2390-2397. Doesn't mean a shift didn't happen, however, as some North Shore Orion Is have been dropping. I'll have to keep a look out.

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I did see a classic that wasn't 2398-2400 on the 307 route last week, so I'm thinking they have more than the three. This does bring up the point that I have seen 6300's and 6600's run that 767 route in the past.
There might have been moves out of SW, some time subsequent to 835 being killed, especially now that Pace appears to be a bit short on equipment.
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Any advice for catching CTA Flxibles? I'll be staying mostly towards Navy Pier for a few days.
Odds downtown aren't that good, although there seemed to be some on the 157 Streeterville. You could check Bus Tracker for that.

The people at Chicago Garage can tell you the odds of getting one on 65 Grand or 66 Chicago. One of those drivers reported driving one earlier today.

The 50% odds are basically on 47, 52A, 53A, 55, 59, 63, and 67, but you would have go get to the south side or southwest side for most of them. The far northwest side or crosstown routes between Belmont and Lawrence would be the other bet.

Come to think about that, the places mentioned in the previous paragraph are congruent with the places previously mentioned in connection with Pace Orion VIs: Midway Orange Line and Jefferson Park Blue Line.

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Any advice for catching CTA Flxibles? I'll be staying mostly towards Navy Pier for a few days.

For Forest Glen's stock(6000's,6100's)

56(Milwaukee)

80(Irving Park-Strong possibility of some here)

X80(Irving Park Express-Same as local, possibility-wise)

152(Addison-Strong possibility of some here)

77(Belmont)

78(Montrose)

81(Lawrence)

85(Central)

For 74th's stock(6200, 6300's, and Cummins Flxibles 6305-6329)

9(Ashland-I see many during daytime hours)

X9(Ashland Express-Same as local, possibility-wise)

Not really sure about other 74th St. routes(as this is the only one I ride)

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