More Bus Moves

[Sam92]

54 minutes ago, NewFlyerMCI said:

Hmm. Would there have been a difference if Red went to West 63rd only?

Uhhhhh yeah the whole south will be on your @$$ ??

[artthouwill]

2 hours ago, Tcmetro said:

There is still work being done at 95th, I doubt they will keep the current arrangement once it is finished. 

The reduced service to 95th has really made the Red Line on the South Side unreliable, infrequent (upwards of 10 mins between trains at the peak 8 am and 5 pm hours), and crowded. The few times I have taken a 63/Ashland Red Line in the peak direction, it has been almost empty - so I suspect that the extra service there hasn't improved ridership at all. 

Actually service is NOT reduced.  If you read the notices, peak direction service from 95th in the a.m. and to 95th in the p.m. is UNCHANGED.  While those peak services are at 5 minute intervals, from Howard a.m. trips and to Howard p.m. trips are at 2 to 3 minute intervals.  Since 98th Yard and 95th station can't accommodate that many trains, the off peak end or beginning means some trains that normally go to or from 95th go to Ashland/63 instead so that peak direction Howard service remains unaffected.  Also that notice states that during the p.m. rush, some additional SB trains will run between Howard and Ashland/63 so 95th bound passengers don't lose service, but CTA can run enough trains south to maintain the higher frequencies northbound..

If service becomes unreliable,  it's not due to the Ashland/63 trains.  I've seen those type of delays BEFORE Ashland/63 service was implemented. As I've stated before,  passengers from 63rd northward can use the Ashland/63 service and still transfer to any east west bus route they normally use on the Dan Ryan except 51st St.  And if one lives near Halsted or Ashland between 63rd and 79th. Ashland/6 service is an option too.  But some people don't appreciate improved service or viable options.  People are creatures of habit and can't or don't want to change.

[artthouwill]

2 hours ago, NewFlyerMCI said:

Hmm. Would there have been a difference if Red went to West 63rd only?

Before 1969, it was only Loomis/63 and Stony Island/63 service.  The SSM lost riders to the new Dan Ryan service, one seat express bus ridership along Jeffery Blvd, White flight in Englewood, West Englewood, and Marquette Park, and competing bus service along King Drive and Cottage Grove.  Also there was the list of employment and population on the south side, particularly along the now Green Line route. 

Some have advocated abolishing the south side Green Line,  but without it, the south Side Red doesn't get rebuilt in a timely fashion, the groundwork for the 130th extension doesn't happen without serious effects on south side Red Line service .  While not the busiest line, South Side Green Line gives CTA operational flexibility.

[Tcmetro]

Ah - I didn't remember that the pre-construction Red Line schedule was every 6 minutes for peak-direction trains to/from the South Side. I do think that there are some operational difficulties with the construction, but this will be ending soon now. I hope that CTA can expand Red Line service once 95th is done, but only time will tell.

The big problem with using the 63/Ashland Red Line trains is that they are scheduled every 18 minutes for only one-and-a-half in the peak direction. The extra service is really only useful if going in the reverse direction. Also, all of the AM runs from 63/Ashland only arrive downtown after 9 AM.

[artthouwill]

33 minutes ago, Tcmetro said:

Ah - I didn't remember that the pre-construction Red Line schedule was every 6 minutes for peak-direction trains to/from the South Side. I do think that there are some operational difficulties with the construction, but this will be ending soon now. I hope that CTA can expand Red Line service once 95th is done, but only time will tell.

The big problem with using the 63/Ashland Red Line trains is that they are scheduled every 18 minutes for only one-and-a-half in the peak direction. The extra service is really only useful if going in the reverse direction. Also, all of the AM runs from 63/Ashland only arrive downtown after 9 AM.

Remember it really is supplemental and its primarily for the benefit of maintaining Howard frequency.  However, p.m. service FROM Ashland/63 is every 6 minutes as is p.m. peak service from 95th.  The alternating trains arriving at Roosevelt produce 3 minute intervals going to Howard.  The 18 minute p.m. service frequency to Ashland/63  is complemented by the Reds that are laid up midday in Loomis Yard.

[NewFlyerMCI]

When did CTA start getting technical with the destination signs. I remember when things were changed from stuff like "12 to Austin" and "77 to Harlem" and now then seeing "12 to MONITOR" & "77 to OCTAVIA". I know the 65, 74 & 76 all used to say "to HARLEM/to GRAND/HARLEM" as well, before it changed to Nordica & Neva. Was there any reason in particular?

[artthouwill]

1 hour ago, NewFlyerMCI said:

When did CTA start getting technical with the destination signs. I remember when things were changed from stuff like "12 to Austin" and "77 to Harlem" and now then seeing "12 to MONITOR" & "77 to OCTAVIA". I know the 65, 74 & 76 all used to say "to HARLEM/to GRAND/HARLEM" as well, before it changed to Nordica & Neva. Was there any reason in particular?

Well the 12 now goes to Centraal and Harrison via Central.  The 65 and 74 terminal is east of Neva and almost a block from Harlem.  At one time, the 90 terminated there also, so the Harlem sign made sense in that you could connect from the 65 and 74 to the 90 at the bus turnaround.  Since the 90's southern terminal was extended to the Harrlem Green Line, the aforementioned connection now requires a walk.

[Shannon CVPI]

Did FG knock off a couple more 6400 Nova's I liked seeing the 6466-68-70-73-74&88 still kicking it even tho 70 had the broke back sign that was stuck on 72 lol

[Aiden Tabucic]

6 minutes ago, Shannon CVPI said:

Did FG knock off a couple more 6400 Nova's I liked seeing the 6466-68-70-73-74&88 still kicking it even tho 70 had the broke back sign that was stuck on 72 lol

I think they did it’s been over 2-3 weeks or maybe more they weren’t in service 

[busfan2847]

1 hour ago, Shannon CVPI said:

Did FG knock off a couple more 6400 Nova's I liked seeing the 6466-68-70-73-74&88 still kicking it even tho 70 had the broke back sign that was stuck on 72 lol

Everything below 6675 were taken out of service 2/23-24. 6466 did make it out on 2/25 but has not been out since.

[BusHunter]

18 hours ago, NewFlyerMCI said:

When did CTA start getting technical with the destination signs. I remember when things were changed from stuff like "12 to Austin" and "77 to Harlem" and now then seeing "12 to MONITOR" & "77 to OCTAVIA". I know the 65, 74 & 76 all used to say "to HARLEM/to GRAND/HARLEM" as well, before it changed to Nordica & Neva. Was there any reason in particular?

Sounds like the signs have more memory. Maybe a software upgrade. Before they didnt have the memory to put all those destinations. Surprised they would do that because not the everyday joe knows where Octavia is. 

[NewFlyerMCI]

4 hours ago, BusHunter said:

Sounds like the signs have more memory. Maybe a software upgrade. Before they didnt have the memory to put all those destinations. Surprised they would do that because not the everyday joe knows where Octavia is. 

That's what I was thinking. Even if it was one or two blocks away, it makes more sense to just say Austin, or Harlem instead of where the turnaround technically is. There are other weird instances similar to this, like when the 3 had Fairbanks/Ohio for a brief period (still confused as to why Michigan/Chicago is still on there), when the 147 said Michigan/Congress, when the 4 used to say 94th or when the 3 & 4 just used to say 95th before they added 95th/St Lawrence & Chicago State University to it as well.

[artthouwill]

33 minutes ago, NewFlyerMCI said:

That's what I was thinking. Even if it was one or two blocks away, it makes more sense to just say Austin, or Harlem instead of where the turnaround technically is. There are other weird instances similar to this, like when the 3 had Fairbanks/Ohio for a brief period (still confused as to why Michigan/Chicago is still on there), when the 147 said Michigan/Congress, when the 4 used to say 94th or when the 3 & 4 just used to say 95th before they added 95th/St Lawrence & Chicago State University to it as well.

The 4 used to say 94th because of the turnaround at Burnside, which is between 94th and 95th, north of the railroad viaduct.  This was before the extension to Chicago State University.

[Shannon CVPI]

14 hours ago, Aiden Tabucic said:

I think they did it’s been over 2-3 weeks or maybe more they weren’t in service 

I seen 6466 or 68 on Central last week at division i could've sworn it was one of them 

[Shannon CVPI]

12 hours ago, busfan2847 said:

Everything below 6675 were taken out of service 2/23-24. 6466 did make it out on 2/25 but has not been out since.

Ok that was the last one I seen on Central & division just a lil min ago then 

[geneking7320]

On 3/12/2019 at 6:57 PM, artthouwill said:

The 4 used to say 94th because of the turnaround at Burnside, which is between 94th and 95th, north of the railroad viaduct.  This was before the extension to Chicago State University.

I can remember when it said 4 COTTAGE GROVE - 93. That was prior to the creation of the Dan Ryan rapid transit. Also back in that day many buses went to 115th street.

[BusHunter]

Some guy was telling me he almost got struck by lightning at belmont red line. He said the bolt was like 2 feet above his head. Guy was too distraught to ride the L so he caught an uber. Was wondering if the stations were grounded. I dont know but theres alot of electronics on the platform. I saw the lightning bolt I was down the street. It was a healthy surface to ground strike. He said it sounded like a bomb. I was about 40 feet from a strike once I heard this crash of sound and the feel of tremendous wind. Could have just been the energy. Be careful out there guys!!

Kind of interesting they claim the sound of the lightning is the breaking of the sound barrier. The lightning is traveling fast.

 

[andrethebusman]

Remember when lightning pretty much dismantled Medical Station on the Blue Line about a year ago?  A station is very much grounded and can become a lightning target.

[BusHunter]

1 hour ago, andrethebusman said:

Remember when lightning pretty much dismantled Medical Station on the Blue Line about a year ago?  A station is very much grounded and can become a lightning target.

Thought that was wind. Station was pretty old though 50 years. Probably never had an upgrade. Paulina has the lesser volume of the 3 exits so it probably was neglected. Then it's on the forest pk branch which is not state of the art either. 

[MTRSP1900-CTA3200]

5 hours ago, BusHunter said:

Some guy was telling me he almost got struck by lightning at belmont red line. He said the bolt was like 2 feet above his head. Guy was too distraught to ride the L so he caught an uber. Was wondering if the stations were grounded. I dont know but theres alot of electronics on the platform. I saw the lightning bolt I was down the street. It was a healthy surface to ground strike. He said it sounded like a bomb. I was about 40 feet from a strike once I heard this crash of sound and the feel of tremendous wind. Could have just been the energy. Be careful out there guys!!

Kind of interesting they claim the sound of the lightning is the breaking of the sound barrier. The lightning is traveling fast.

 

I’ve heard a lot of interesting things about storms. They say you’re more likely to get struck by lightning if you’ve just been struck by lightning, as opposed to the dude standing 5 feet away who was standing around with his hands in his pockets and was fine. If you can’t run for some reason, a generally accepted “brace” position is to squat down but make sure you’re only standing on the balls of your feet to minimize contact with the ground, and make sure to cover your ears to reduce hearing damage. The sound from close thunder is ten times worse than using a jackhammer without hearing protection, and the shockwave from thunder alone can cause property damage.

[NewFlyerMCI]

4000 on the 52. Unusual for a Saturday at almost 7pm

[mel bernero]

1 hour ago, NewFlyerMCI said:

4000 on the 52. Unusual for a Saturday at almost 7pm

Actual bus number was 1594.

[Nova's at 103rd]

If CTA goes through with the Red Line Extension and build the 4 stations already said (103rd Street, 111th Street, Michigan Avenue, and 130th Street) then with the extension of the 111A to 103rd/Stony Island it should operate from Michigan Avenue Red Line (when built) the go to 103rd/Stony Island to provide service from a possible major station to a popular shopping center, a new community center, and several other bus routes, and trains.

Connections to buses and trains:

• 4 Cottage Grove
• J14 Jeffery Jump
• 15 Jeffery Local
• 26 South Shore Express
• 28 Stony Island
• 34 South Michigan
• 106 East 103rd
• 111 111th/King Drive
• 115 Pullman/115th
• 119 Michigan/119th
• Pace Bus 353
• Red Line
• Metra Trains

[NewFlyerMCI]

2 hours ago, mel bernero said:

Actual bus number was 1594.

Wdym? How?

[NewFlyerMCI]

What do the late night 47 extensions to Midway achieve? Or rather, who is it serving?