NABIs Pulled from Service

[speedracer1407]

I must say, I like those Allisons. I rode my first "1930" if you will (1992) tonight, and that bus sure did move. Plus, the engine/transmission combo sounds much neater than the old ZFs. That, and the gear selector keypad for those Allison transmissions are neat to watch has the bus shifts between gears.

I'd like to see them in action. But I haven't seen any 1930+ on the 147. Does NP have any? I'm curious about whether or not the Allisons can actually maximize acceleration any better than the ZFs. To me, the ZF is perfectly geared for a transit bus, with very closely stacked ratios that get the bus moving quickly from a stop through 3rd gear.

[Buslover88]

I haven't seen any 1930+ on the 147. Does NP have any

If I'm not mistaken, NP only has up to #1905.

[Guest]

Hey, come on were veering off topic here! :)

[sw4400]

Let's try to get BOT here...

Any news on if/when these rolling junk piles will grace our streets with their presence again?

If not, YAHOO!!!

If so, AW CRAP!!!

If unsure, .... :huh:

[Buslover88]

Let's try to get BOT here...

Any news on if/when these rolling junk piles will grace our streets with their presence again?

If not, YAHOO!!!

If so, AW CRAP!!!

If unsure, ....

Well, we don't like the NABIs (I certainly don't), but what will happen to service if they didn't come back? The NABIs need to come back in service so we don't have all of these extra buses being used on routes. Not to mention that the buses are getting so packed now that's it getting beyond ridiclous. Again, I'm not a fan of CTA's NABIs, but we're going to need them back (at least until, and if, CTA orders up to 900 New Flyer Artics).

[tonytavell]

if the NABIs retire, will the TMCs,91 Flxs, and the 95 New Flyers go back into service ?

[jajuan]

if the NABIs retire, will the TMCs,91 Flxs, and the 95 New Flyers go back into service ?

Not likely.

[sw4400]

Well according to the Sun Times http://www.suntimes.com/news/transportatio...ride09b.article , the NABI's aren't coming back anytime soon... They've been sitting for 19 days now and still no word from CTA Brass or the Inspectors... I think the inspections on the other NABI's are serious enough that the Inspectors are red-flagging each and every bus inspected, but the CTA doesn't want to tell the general public that(the inspectors had to have started their inspections already, right?). I guess will find out more in the continuing episodes of.... "As The NABI Wheels Don't Turn" all this week on Transportation Soap Opera Network... :lol:

[santran]

Well surprise, surprise all the NABI's on property at NP have the fare boxes removed. I think it is safe to say they will def. be gone for a long time if not forever. The Radios are still in but I will keep my eye on them.

[Busjack]

Well surprise, surprise all the NABI's on property at NP have the fare boxes removed. I think it is safe to say they will def. be gone for a long time if not forever. The Radios are still in but I will keep my eye on them.

• Huberman said (in connection with the DesignLine) that CTA doesn't run a bus without a fare box.
  
• But this would seem to disprove that ALL of them were sitting for inspection at 103 (even though we received photographic evidence that 103 had other than its fleet number range).
  

[Guest]

Well surprise, surprise all the NABI's on property at NP have the fare boxes removed. I think it is safe to say they will def. be gone for a long time if not forever. The Radios are still in but I will keep my eye on them.

Usually a bus sitting dead with the farebox removed signifies the bus has been removed from service, permanantly! But then that might not always be the case.

[BusHunter]

Well surprise, surprise all the NABI's on property at NP have the fare boxes removed. I think it is safe to say they will def. be gone for a long time if not forever. The Radios are still in but I will keep my eye on them.

I'm surprised they haven't been moved from the yard yet. If all NP NABI's were there it would mean there's about 327 buses at NP (120 artics!!) Kedzie would have a tally of around 330. I remember before they wanted to stay below 300 there. Probably the bigger question would be where to shift 200 buses. Collectively they take up alot of space.

[RIPTA42]

Usually a bus sitting dead with the farebox removed signifies the bus has been removed from service, permanantly! But then that might not always be the case.

It could mean the buses are going off the property for inspection or repair, and/or the fareboxes are needed to put retired buses back in service. This is purely speculation.

[Busjack]

It could mean the buses are going off the property for inspection or repair, and/or the fareboxes are needed to put retired buses back in service. This is purely speculation.

Probably not retired buses, but may as well put them into a 4100. CTA hasn't bought a new farebox series in decades, and you can't pull them from 6000s.

[artthouwill]

Probably not retired buses, but may as well put them into a 4100. CTA hasn't bought a new farebox series in decades, and you can't pull them from 6000s.

Hey maybe CTA can"sell" spare NABI parts to Pace!

[Busjack]

Hey maybe CTA can"sell" spare NABI parts to Pace!

If the buses are junked, you can sell remanufactured parts, but, again, there is no evidence that the Pace ones have the same powertrains as CTA's.

However, one probably could resell them to someone who has DDs (and maybe they are usable in the Novas, too).

[T8H5307A]

If the buses are junked, you can sell remanufactured parts, but, again, there is no evidence that the Pace ones have the same powertrains as CTA's.

However, one probably could resell them to someone who has DDs (and maybe they are usable in the Novas, too).

Engine parts wouldn't be considered NABI parts to begin with. They would be Detroit Diesel parts. NABI parts would be specific to the bus , glass, body panels, doors, etc.

[qwantae]

I drove by 79th/ Perry (77th Garage) yesterday, I seen bunch of 7500s with their bick racks already taken off, what is the reason of that? Is that mean that they are retiring them? Or did they took them off to put them on upcoming 4000s/1000s?

PS> I've seen couple 4900 TMCs (#4901 and 4905) in that yard too with scrapped 5300s/5800s.

[tonytavell]

I drove by 79th/ Perry (77th Garage) yesterday, I seen bunch of 7500s with their bick racks already taken off, what is the reason of that? Is that mean that they are retiring them? Or did they took them off to put them on upcoming 4000s/1000s?

PS> I've seen couple 4900 TMCs (#4901 and 4905) in that yard too with scrapped 5300s/5800s.

do they let you go back there and see the retired buses ?

[sw4400]

If the buses are junked, you can sell remanufactured parts, but, again, there is no evidence that the Pace ones have the same powertrains as CTA's.

However, one probably could resell them to someone who has DDs (and maybe they are usable in the Novas, too).

Parts other than the engines, perhaps... NABI's, according to you and maybe some others on the board, have a Detroit Diesel Series-50(which I would require photographic or technical data stating this due to problems with the Series-50 engine with the New Flyer D40LF's we had). I believe they have a Cummins ISL engine. As for the NOVA LFS, they have a Cummins ISC engine. Either way, you cannot interchange engine parts for two different engines. It'd be like giving Cummins Engine parts from a Dodge Ram to a Ford Powerstroke Engine...

[andrethebusman]

I drove by 79th/ Perry (77th Garage) yesterday, I seen bunch of 7500s with their bick racks already taken off, what is the reason of that? Is that mean that they are retiring them? Or did they took them off to put them on upcoming 4000s/1000s?

PS> I've seen couple 4900 TMCs (#4901 and 4905) in that yard too with scrapped 5300s/5800s.

Wasn't 4905 the "Command Bus"? I understand it was replaced by a 5300 now?

Andre

[trainman8119]

Any official update on what is going on?? Has there been any comments made by the inspectors ???

Last info of note was the finding of NABI's minus fare boxes. Will the CTA ever make public what exactly is going on here. It still seems to be awfully hush hush !!!!!

[dann]

Any official update on what is going on?? Has there been any comments made by the inspectors ???

Last info of note was the finding of NABI's minus fare boxes. Will the CTA ever make public what exactly is going on here. It still seems to be awfully hush hush !!!!!

I think it's hush-hush because the CTA knows deep down that they cut corners in terms of maintenance on these buses, so their case against NABI may be diluted as a result.

[Guest]

I think it's hush-hush because the CTA knows deep down that they cut corners in terms of maintenance on these buses, so their case against NABI may be diluted as a result.

Not knocking on anyone elses remarks here but your statement makes more sense than anything else Ive read so far.

[Busjack]

I think it's hush-hush because the CTA knows deep down that they cut corners in terms of maintenance on these buses, so their case against NABI may be diluted as a result.

Also, probably

• Kruesi apologists trying to figure out how to spread the blame (they are already working on the ctatattler, under the name of "simple").
  
• Figuring out a story to tell the feds.
  

As far as trainman's comment, if the intent were to inspect the buses and get them back on the street, you would have seen at least a few back in service by now. Lack of evidence about that, combined with the report that the fareboxes were yanked would indicate the contrary conclusion. Of course, those who thought they had to get their pictures by summer (and why would you want pictures) were out maneuvered. In any event, I said that there was too much circumstantial evidence of CTA's intent for me to think that the purpose of the inspections is to get the buses back on the street.