The Breakdown Thread

[Erin Mishkin Jr.]

2 minutes ago, YoungBusLover said:

You can hear the whine and fans all start meshing together as one as the video progresses. 

Yooo that bus sounds like a pre rehab to me. Love those whines too. 

[artthouwill]

2 hours ago, YoungBusLover said:

I could only assume that speed and the angle might of been a factor if the bumpers were hitting the ground but it was probably a combination of both, repairs were made and operators began being more careful coming out of there knowing what could happen if they didn't. Now as far as South LSD is concerned the bridge at 47th is a night mare during the AM runs on the 2 for a nova but not as bad as it once was years  ago. You should take a trip on the 2 and you'll see why they shouldn't be on that route especially if you sit close to the front.

Is that all 40ft buses or specific to Novas or New Flyer?

[Mr.NewFlyer1051]

1 hour ago, YoungBusLover said:

You can hear the whine and fans all start meshing together as one as the video progresses. 

1375 has something similar to that

[BusHunter]

2 hours ago, Erin Mishkin Jr. said:

Wow 300k that’s a lot of miles they’re getting trying to match with the D40LF’s now at just less than 7 years old lol. I’d imagine one bus hitting a million miles if the buses are out on the streets a lot. The only bus I’m thinking that has less than 50k miles is 8327 due to how long it’s been out of action for but idk what else has been gone for so long I’m thinking almost all of them have passed 100k by now 

You would think that CTA would have rotated those by now, but I think there waiting for the new novas and they'll do just that. The #7900's at 77th should be getting a break since the pandemic.  They run so many artics out south at 77th. I'm wondering if they are not going run those into the ground, there always driving. 77th just has too many customers. Been thinking. I think the #8325's will come back to fg once the new novas arrive. I think almost for sure 77th and 103rd will get some.

CTA actually took a couple steps back with these electric buses. They spent alot of time purchasing and testing when they should have been concentrating on the fleet. Building the electric towers has been so long, could you imagine having those on all lines. They won't even get half done by 2040. For some reason NF is getting underbid by nova. They have to get a handle on that, if they want their buses here.

[Shannoncvpi]

2 hours ago, YoungBusLover said:

Yeah we have some now approaching close to having 300k miles on them while other that sat dormant for months and got major work done have less than 50k miles on them, the ones that have the most will most likely ride into retirement in the next year or two while others will go as far as the CTA will let them go.  

Wait some 7900's gone go into retirment next year???

[Shannoncvpi]

3 hours ago, Erin Mishkin Jr. said:

It’d feel like south side soon

Yea it will but just know that 7 buses gone end up at fg sooner or later

[Erin Mishkin Jr.]

5 minutes ago, Shannoncvpi said:

Wait some 7900's gone go into retirment next year???

No they'll go to a different garage

 

1 minute ago, Shannoncvpi said:

Yea it will but just know that 7 buses gone end up at fg sooner or later

Oh yea

 

38 minutes ago, BusHunter said:

You would think that CTA would have rotated those by now, but I think there waiting for the new novas and they'll do just that. The #7900's at 77th should be getting a break since the pandemic.  They run so many artics out south at 77th. I'm wondering if they are not going run those into the ground, there always driving. 77th just has too many customers. Been thinking. I think the #8325's will come back to fg once the new novas arrive. I think almost for sure 77th and 103rd will get some.

CTA actually took a couple steps back with these electric buses. They spent alot of time purchasing and testing when they should have been concentrating on the fleet. Building the electric towers has been so long, could you imagine having those on all lines. They won't even get half done by 2040. For some reason NF is getting underbid by nova. They have to get a handle on that, if they want their buses here.

Yeah I think I agree with u

[Shannoncvpi]

3 hours ago, YoungBusLover said:

They're most likely not going to get what #1000's got but more so just patch ups here and there.

Aw the 10's aint get a full rehab

[Shannoncvpi]

3 hours ago, YoungBusLover said:

They're most likely not going to get what #1000's got but more so just patch ups here and there.

Aw the 10's aint get a full rehab

[Shannoncvpi]

41 minutes ago, BusHunter said:

You would think that CTA would have rotated those by now, but I think there waiting for the new novas and they'll do just that. The #7900's at 77th should be getting a break since the pandemic.  They run so many artics out south at 77th. I'm wondering if they are not going run those into the ground, there always driving. 77th just has too many customers. Been thinking. I think the #8325's will come back to fg once the new novas arrive. I think almost for sure 77th and 103rd will get some.

CTA actually took a couple steps back with these electric buses. They spent alot of time purchasing and testing when they should have been concentrating on the fleet. Building the electric towers has been so long, could you imagine having those on all lines. They won't even get half done by 2040. For some reason NF is getting underbid by nova. They have to get a handle on that, if they want their buses here.

I know they gone go to a different garage but they will all end up at FG FG always get the beat up rides 

[YoungBusLover]

1 hour ago, artthouwill said:

Is that all 40ft buses or specific to Novas or New Flyer?

More so Nova, there is a similar issue at the Halsted orange line where the either end of the bus will hit the pavement when leaving out of the terminal but it could happen with any model of bus though.

[artthouwill]

11 minutes ago, YoungBusLover said:

More so Nova, there is a similar issue at the Halsted orange line where the either of the bus will hit the pavement when leaving out of the terminal but it could happen with any model of bus though.

At Halsted Orange Line,  I haven't experienced that with the New Flyers.  I haven't been on a Nova on the 8 nor 44.

[YoungBusLover]

48 minutes ago, BusHunter said:

You would think that CTA would have rotated those by now, but I think there waiting for the new novas and they'll do just that. The #7900's at 77th should be getting a break since the pandemic.  They run so many artics out south at 77th. I'm wondering if they are not going run those into the ground, there always driving. 77th just has too many customers. Been thinking. I think the #8325's will come back to fg once the new novas arrive. I think almost for sure 77th and 103rd will get some.

CTA actually took a couple steps back with these electric buses. They spent alot of time purchasing and testing when they should have been concentrating on the fleet. Building the electric towers has been so long, could you imagine having those on all lines. They won't even get half done by 2040. For some reason NF is getting underbid by nova. They have to get a handle on that, if they want their buses here.

The #7900's are slowly approaching towards having 200k miles on them and while they've made it this far they're falling apart from the inside out. The #4000s we have are slowly falling apart as well at this point the only blocks that seem reliable right now are the #1200/#1300s and that's really saying something. If 77th gets a piece of that 100 base order I will be highly upset because they'll get torn up within the first year, 103rd and FG need them than any other garage right now, i'll gladly take more Flyers over those Novas any day. Hell send the rest of the #7900s to Kedzie and NP for all I care ?. To your point though about CTA spending its time and resources on testing electric buses wasn't a smart move. They haven't focused on maintaining the fleet since really 2014 and even though they're gearing up towards rehabbing the #4300s they represent only a small portion of the fleet. You would think after purchasing 1000 buses from New Flyer and seeing how durable they've been you would go another round with the manufacture because a lot of operators don't like the LFS series at all and it shows. 

[YoungBusLover]

2 minutes ago, artthouwill said:

At Halsted Orange Line,  I haven't experienced that with the New Flyers.  I haven't been on a Nova on the 8 nor 44.

Yeah its more noticeable on the Novas when leaving the terminal, the bus will dip and you'll hear and feel the dip for a split second before getting back on Archer. 

[YoungBusLover]

25 minutes ago, Shannoncvpi said:

Aw the 10's aint get a full rehab

Yeah from my memory during that rehab process each bus got similar work done but only a few got major work done on them. 

[artthouwill]

6 minutes ago, YoungBusLover said:

Yeah its more noticeable on the Novas when leaving the terminal, the bus will dip and you'll hear and feel the dip for a split second before getting back on Archer. 

The dip is definitely there.   O was only saying I never experienced the bumpers hitting the ground there like I did at Forest Park  where there's also a dip

[YoungBusLover]

1 minute ago, artthouwill said:

The dip is definitely there.   O was only saying I never experienced the bumpers hitting the ground there like I did at Forest Park  where there's also a dip

Ahh I gotcha. ?

[Shannoncvpi]

33 minutes ago, YoungBusLover said:

The #7900's are slowly approaching towards having 200k miles on them and while they've made it this far they're falling apart from the inside out. The #4000s we have are slowly falling apart as well at this point the only blocks that seem reliable right now are the #1200/#1300s and that's really saying something. If 77th gets a piece of that 100 base order I will be highly upset because they'll get torn up within the first year, 103rd and FG need them than any other garage right now, i'll gladly take more Flyers over those Novas any day. Hell send the rest of the #7900s to Kedzie and NP for all I care ?. To your point though about CTA spending its time and resources on testing electric buses wasn't a smart move. They haven't focused on maintaining the fleet since really 2014 and even though they're gearing up towards rehabbing the #4300s they represent only a small portion of the fleet. You would think after purchasing 1000 buses from New Flyer and seeing how durable they've been you would go another round with the manufacture because a lot of operators don't like the LFS series at all and it shows. 

Naw send those 7900's to FG or to NP I'm still waiting on y'all to come get 7903-07 back from us & give us are artics back y'all keep keep those 7900's

[artthouwill]

1 hour ago, YoungBusLover said:

The #7900's are slowly approaching towards having 200k miles on them and while they've made it this far they're falling apart from the inside out. The #4000s we have are slowly falling apart as well at this point the only blocks that seem reliable right now are the #1200/#1300s and that's really saying something. If 77th gets a piece of that 100 base order I will be highly upset because they'll get torn up within the first year, 103rd and FG need them than any other garage right now, i'll gladly take more Flyers over those Novas any day. Hell send the rest of the #7900s to Kedzie and NP for all I care ?. To your point though about CTA spending its time and resources on testing electric buses wasn't a smart move. They haven't focused on maintaining the fleet since really 2014 and even though they're gearing up towards rehabbing the #4300s they represent only a small portion of the fleet. You would think after purchasing 1000 buses from New Flyer and seeing how durable they've been you would go another round with the manufacture because a lot of operators don't like the LFS series at all and it shows. 

I don't think surveying CTA drivers and mechanics is part of the bid review process.  Most of the time,  cost is the  determining factor in who wins the bid, especially when federal funds are paying for the equipment.    It's too bad CTA and Pace have radically different specs.  In a perfect world,  the RTA would put out RFPs for both agencies.  Maybe New Flyer gets the bid for the 85 Pace buses at West AND the 600 bus order that Nova got from CTA.   Then again, Nova could have won it all, but I think negotiating for two agencies may yield a better per bus cost.  The only RTA order I remember for both agencies was the 8000s/9600s.  The suburban agencies got the 35' 8000s in RTA livery and CTA received 200 9609 series 40 GMC fishbowls in CTA livery. The  buses had some  different specs, most notably the engines.  RTA  had the standard T engines and VTA went with the 8Vs. I think RTA ordered Grunman Flxs for suburban bus divisions in 1979 while CTA started receiving those Flyers in 1983.

I also would have preferred New Flyers too, but we're stuck with Novas again.  O don't think North Park will get any New Novas, but I do think 103rd, 77th, 74th, and C will get them, assuming all of the options are exercised. 

[Shannoncvpi]

2 hours ago, YoungBusLover said:

The #7900's are slowly approaching towards having 200k miles on them and while they've made it this far they're falling apart from the inside out. The #4000s we have are slowly falling apart as well at this point the only blocks that seem reliable right now are the #1200/#1300s and that's really saying something. If 77th gets a piece of that 100 base order I will be highly upset because they'll get torn up within the first year, 103rd and FG need them than any other garage right now, i'll gladly take more Flyers over those Novas any day. Hell send the rest of the #7900s to Kedzie and NP for all I care ?. To your point though about CTA spending its time and resources on testing electric buses wasn't a smart move. They haven't focused on maintaining the fleet since really 2014 and even though they're gearing up towards rehabbing the #4300s they represent only a small portion of the fleet. You would think after purchasing 1000 buses from New Flyer and seeing how durable they've been you would go another round with the manufacture because a lot of operators don't like the LFS series at all and it shows. 

Of course 7 gone get the new buses they are the spoiled child all of the other garages are just the normal child with FG being the stepchild 

[YoungBusLover]

13 minutes ago, artthouwill said:

I don't think surveying CTA drivers and mechanics is part of the bid review process.  Most of the time,  cost is the  determining factor in who wins the bid, especially when federal funds are paying for the equipment.    It's too bad CTA and Pace have radically different specs.  In a perfect world,  the RTA would put out RFPs for both agencies.  Maybe New Flyer gets the bid for the 85 Pace buses at West AND the 600 bus order that Nova got from CTA.   Then again, Nova could have won it all, but I think negotiating for two agencies may yield a better per bus cost.  The only RTA order I remember for both agencies was the 8000s/9600s.  The suburban agencies got the 35' 8000s in RTA livery and CTA received 200 9609 series 40 GMC fishbowls in CTA livery. The  buses had some  different specs, most notably the engines.  RTA  had the standard T engines and VTA went with the 8Vs. I think RTA ordered Grunman Flxs for suburban bus divisions in 1979 while CTA started receiving those Flyers in 1983.

I also would have preferred New Flyers too, but we're stuck with Novas again.  O don't think North Park will get any New Novas, but I do think 103rd, 77th, 74th, and C will get them, assuming all of the options are exercised. 

Yeah that is understandable but at some point the higher powers that be have to start taking in some sort of feedback from the very people that use this equipment on a daily basis. 

[BusHunter]

3 hours ago, YoungBusLover said:

The #7900's are slowly approaching towards having 200k miles on them and while they've made it this far they're falling apart from the inside out. The #4000s we have are slowly falling apart as well at this point the only blocks that seem reliable right now are the #1200/#1300s and that's really saying something. If 77th gets a piece of that 100 base order I will be highly upset because they'll get torn up within the first year, 103rd and FG need them than any other garage right now, i'll gladly take more Flyers over those Novas any day. Hell send the rest of the #7900s to Kedzie and NP for all I care ?. To your point though about CTA spending its time and resources on testing electric buses wasn't a smart move. They haven't focused on maintaining the fleet since really 2014 and even though they're gearing up towards rehabbing the #4300s they represent only a small portion of the fleet. You would think after purchasing 1000 buses from New Flyer and seeing how durable they've been you would go another round with the manufacture because a lot of operators don't like the LFS series at all and it shows. 

Yeah well I wouldnt like it either sweating my rump off. The ac is what really has me going against the novas. CTA will most likely get some nfs in time unless they are nuts. Unfortunately with 600 new novas and 450 middle age novas this is going to be nova country, and theyll probably send the nfs to fg but fg will probably keep what it has it will just be newer nfs. Actually the fg novas look new. I kind of hope they keep them. Someone will get dealt with the 77th #7900 novas and it will probably be fg or np. Hopefully they dont start consolidation for your sake or you might have all novas some new some old. The nfs could only go to 2 garages systemwide, so that would kind of suck. You have to figure we have been enjoying a majority nf era and now it will be flipped to novas.

[artthouwill]

4 hours ago, BusHunter said:

You would think that CTA would have rotated those by now, but I think there waiting for the new novas and they'll do just that. The #7900's at 77th should be getting a break since the pandemic.  They run so many artics out south at 77th. I'm wondering if they are not going run those into the ground, there always driving. 77th just has too many customers. Been thinking. I think the #8325's will come back to fg once the new novas arrive. I think almost for sure 77th and 103rd will get some.

CTA actually took a couple steps back with these electric buses. They spent alot of time purchasing and testing when they should have been concentrating on the fleet. Building the electric towers has been so long, could you imagine having those on all lines. They won't even get half done by 2040. For some reason NF is getting underbid by nova. They have to get a handle on that, if they want their buses here.

I understand why CTA looked into electrics.  For one. It is the future.  Cars will eventually be electric.   I'm not sure if the feds we're giving grants for agencies to try alternatives to diesel fuel.  I do know private companies were getting tax credits for alternative fuels such as propane and cng.  I do think going all electric will be a massive undertaking.  I think they should have at least tested the aforementioned alternative fuels.  Building special tanks for those buses at garages do have a cost and some garages are space constrained.  But building charging stations all over town isn't a walk in the park either.  Maybe there will be some improvement in mileage by the time 2040 gets here.  But the tests for 700 and 701 have been going on for quite some time.     Proterras have been here for months and are just now starting to get tested.  

Then again government plays a role.  I don't think Illinois has managed anything, but California has that law that starting at a certain time,  some vehicles bought have to be electric.  If Illinois enacted something similar,  CTA would be ahead in the game and Pace would be scrambling. 

[BusHunter]

56 minutes ago, artthouwill said:

I understand why CTA looked into electrics.  For one. It is the future.  Cars will eventually be electric.   I'm not sure if the feds we're giving grants for agencies to try alternatives to diesel fuel.  I do know private companies were getting tax credits for alternative fuels such as propane and cng.  I do think going all electric will be a massive undertaking.  I think they should have at least tested the aforementioned alternative fuels.  Building special tanks for those buses at garages do have a cost and some garages are space constrained.  But building charging stations all over town isn't a walk in the park either.  Maybe there will be some improvement in mileage by the time 2040 gets here.  But the tests for 700 and 701 have been going on for quite some time.     Proterras have been here for months and are just now starting to get tested.  

Then again government plays a role.  I don't think Illinois has managed anything, but California has that law that starting at a certain time,  some vehicles bought have to be electric.  If Illinois enacted something similar,  CTA would be ahead in the game and Pace would be scrambling. 

I get it. What strikes me as odd is other cities get electrics and away they go. Here it takes 2 years, then its run so sporadically you have to be the lucky dog to ride it. I understand it's the future but there are other ways to do it, with different forms of energy. Electric may be clean to expel but it not clean to generate.

[Guest]

21 hours ago, Shannoncvpi said:

Naw send those 7900's to FG or to NP I'm still waiting on y'all to come get 7903-07 back from us & give us are artics back y'all keep keep those 7900's

No Thanks! Dont want to the 7900s up at FG! They can keep them where theyre at!