More Bus Moves

[Mr Downtown]

19 minutes ago, Busjack said:

Some operator walks in, another walks out of the same train, so what's so hard about that?

On the SB platform at Howard?  How would I know whether the operator stepping out is the one who brought the train from 95th?

As for classifying this as a "fantasy post," whatever that is, maybe this forum isn't all about you.

[NewFlyerMCI]

https://www.transitchicago.com/notice-of-public-hearing-discontinuation-of-bus-route-132-goose-island-exp/

 

https://www.transitchicago.com/cta-to-seek-corporate-sponsorships-for-iconic-cta-assets/

[artthouwill]

3 hours ago, Mr Downtown said:

Do you ever answer a simple question without finding some way to imply that the questioner is stupid?

Standing on a platform at Howard, I have no way of knowing who's an operator who just came in from 95th, who's a relief operator, and who's a hostler.  From mere observation, I have no way of knowing which trains are rush-period trippers that just pulled in with split-shift operators and which are baseline service runs headed back south.  I don't know if operators arriving from 95th run their trains around the loop and back to the SB platform, or if some other employee has that duty while the operator gets a bathroom break.

If the operator pulls a Red Line train to the SB platform, he more than likely either came from 95th or pulled it from the yard.  Forest Park had a similar setup at one time whereas the operator that came from O'Hare had to pull the train around to the inbound track.  

Usually if the train is from the yard, a yard person will bring the train to the SB platform or pull it in from the NB platform.

My question is why does it matter ?

[Mr Downtown]

My original question (which has inexplicably been moved here instead of in the accurately titled thread I started) was about whether an operator on a particular run uses the same consist all day long—or does a consist being turned back at the terminal just go out with whatever operator/run is up next on the schedule?  Busjack—in the post he's now deleted—immediately snarked that I should already know the answer just from visiting Howard sometime.

[artthouwill]

4 hours ago, Mr Downtown said:

Thinking of a normal ~8.5-hour run, would the operator normally shuttle back and forth his entire shift with the same set of equipment?  During his meal break, would it be put on a layup track somewhere at the terminal, or would another operator take his original train out under a different number while he falls back three or four trains and takes a set of equipment that had just arrived when he returns?

Under normal  circumstances usually the latter.  Operators usually have to  write  down which cars they are taking on each trip.  Some operators (on other lines) may start off with a four car  consist and wind up with a 6 or 8car consist.  The reverse is also tue.

[Johnny 5]

Here it is again! 3200 = Blue Line

[jajuan]

On 9/18/2018 at 12:49 PM, NewFlyerMCI said:

https://www.transitchicago.com/notice-of-public-hearing-discontinuation-of-bus-route-132-goose-island-exp/

 

https://www.transitchicago.com/cta-to-seek-corporate-sponsorships-for-iconic-cta-assets/

Even though it says that CTA is making this move because Mars Wrigley notified them they would no longer reimburse CTA for the route, I'm actually not surprised that CTA is looking into making this move from the low ridership angle given how the few people on each bus operating as a 132 these days seem to a fraction of what was already a handful of passengers per bus I remember observing in the route's earlier years. That's coupled with the fact that during select pick changes in recent years, CTA has been gradually and quietly decreasing the number of full trips along the entire route to the point that on the website CTA doesn't even mention first bus/last bus service times for full trips any longer on the route's schedule page. It instead essentially treats the route as two separate routes under the same route number: 132 between Blackhawk/North Branch and Michigan/Congress and 132 between Clybourn Metra Station and Union Station. 

[NewFlyerMCI]

4 hours ago, jajuan said:

Even though it says that CTA is making this move because Mars Wrigley notified them they would no longer reimburse CTA for the route, I'm actually not surprised that CTA is looking into making this move from the low ridership angle given how the few people on each bus operating as a 132 these days seem to a fraction of what was already a handful of passengers per bus I remember observing in the route's earlier years. That's coupled with the fact that during select pick changes in recent years, CTA has been gradually and quietly decreasing the number of full trips along the entire route to the point that on the website CTA doesn't even mention first bus/last bus service times for full trips any longer on the route's schedule page. It instead essentially treats the route as two separate routes under the same route number: 132 between Blackhawk/North Branch and Michigan/Congress and 132 between Clybourn Metra Station and Union Station. 

I'd noticed the same thing! I'd been wondering why we didn't have a 132/133 or 132A/132B. In terms of special service routes, the 132 lasted longer than the X99 at least ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

[andrethebusman]

20 minutes ago, NewFlyerMCI said:

I'd noticed the same thing! I'd been wondering why we didn't have a 132/133 or 132A/132B. In terms of special service routes, the 132 lasted longer than the X99 at least ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

X99 had a fatal flaw. The Ford support industries do not have fixed start/end times, but every day's schedule is based on what Ford needs that day. One day they work 6 hours, next day 10, day after 7. I saw this when I drove a supply truck at Chrysler Belvidere.

[NewFlyerMCI]

What do these Block IDs mean? Searching for it just returns a lot of links for the CTA bus tracker. It's set up like: S(H/R/S)-###

• SR (Routes 2, 3, 4, 26 & J14)
• SH (Routes 8 & 120)
• SS (Routes 28, 66, 151)

 

[Sam92]

13 hours ago, NewFlyerMCI said:

What do these Block IDs mean? Searching for it just returns a lot of links for the CTA bus tracker. It's set up like: S(H/R/S)-###

• SR (Routes 2, 3, 4, 26 & J14)
• SH (Routes 8 & 120)
• SS (Routes 28, 66, 151)

 

SR- bus left on lower Randolph midday

SH- Is a halsted buses left at division

SS- a bus coming out of south shops but doing a run on a route before returning to related garage usually the same route and run I.e SS - 251 will always be a 126 run I think

SN- bus stored midday at Navy Pier

[NewFlyerMCI]

12 hours ago, Sam92 said:

SR- bus left on lower Randolph midday

SH- Is a halsted buses left at division

SS- a bus coming out of south shops but doing a run on a route before returning to related garage usually the same route and run I.e SS - 251 will always be a 126 run I think

SN- bus stored midday at Navy Pier

Thanks! I have to believe now that the 120 and the 8 have some form of interlining if they both share that Block ID. Also weird that none of them show up when I checked just now except for one SH occurrence.

[Sam92]

1 hour ago, NewFlyerMCI said:

Thanks! I have to believe now that the 120 and the 8 have some form of interlining if they both share that Block ID. Also weird that none of them show up when I checked just now except for one SH occurrence.

I'm assuming you checked midday.  They can't be tracked cause they're parked and therefore "off the grid" if you will until rush hour when a driver comes and retrieve it for their trips. It's usually about 8-13 buses stored at these locations to cut dead heading costs

[andrethebusman]

Correct - these are rush only. Also, a SS block number does not tell you what route its on. AM SS' s all end in 01 or 02, PM's in 51 or 52.

[NewFlyerMCI]

6 hours ago, andrethebusman said:

Correct - these are rush only. Also, a SS block number does not tell you what route its on. AM SS' s all end in 01 or 02, PM's in 51 or 52.

 

11 hours ago, Sam92 said:

I'm assuming you checked midday.  They can't be tracked cause they're parked and therefore "off the grid" if you will until rush hour when a driver comes and retrieve it for their trips. It's usually about 8-13 buses stored at these locations to cut dead heading costs

First time I saw them, it was around 9am CST and saw about 20+ buses with the ID. When I looked again it was definitely past 10:30am CST and I only saw 1. Thanks for all the clarification!

[ThirdRailVision]

95th-bound Red Line trains rerouted via elevated tracks 21:00 hrs Saturday 09/22 to 21:00 hrs Sunday 09/23.. by chance I caught the first train of the reroute, and took it to Sedgwick. The operator actually yelled at me about taking photos, and I had to quickly explain the CTA photo policy 

[Aiden Tabucic]

Update= 

1374-1379 From C To FG

1368-1369 From C To 103rd

1377 tracker is broke idk when it will be fixed I rode it last night on the 85 Central And the driver said the tracker don’t work and even showed me 

[NewFlyerMCI]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/wisniewski/ct-biz-bus-driver-assault-getting-around-20180919-story.html

[MTRSP1900-CTA3200]

Maybe this belongs in the 700 Series thread, since you’ll be able to get a miniature 701 delivered to your home (albeit in a box! ), but this seemed more random than anything.

Models of 701 are supposedly going to be released sometime in October.

[NewFlyerMCI]

3 minutes ago, MTRSP1900-CTA3200 said:

Maybe this belongs in the 700 Series thread, since you’ll be able to get a miniature 701 delivered to your home (albeit in a box! ), but this seemed more random than anything.

Models of 701 are supposedly going to be released sometime in October.

I see the Route 82, but what does that text say?

[MTRSP1900-CTA3200]

Just now, NewFlyerMCI said:

I see the Route 82, but what does that text say?

On the side it says “MY KIND OF TOWN” on the upper text line and “CHICAGO IS” on the lower text line.

[Busjack]

20 hours ago, NewFlyerMCI said:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/wisniewski/ct-biz-bus-driver-assault-getting-around-20180919-story.html

Why waste good tequila?

[NewFlyerMCI]

3 hours ago, Busjack said:

Why waste good tequila?

Well, that was disheartening, especially since it was random.

[NewFlyerMCI]

42 minutes ago, jco14 said:

Google forms is a better media for surveys, since it compiles the data as it is entered.

Interesting that you didn't respond to @Busjack however

[Mr.cta85]

 I heard this from another operator but the word is 103rd might get at least 10 novas. Mainly for Operators who do night cars. That's probably due to the recent assaults that happened to the last 2 drivers who are both from 103rd. But well see if that come to pass.