More Bus Moves

[jajuan]

Interesting that confirmed sightings of bus moves to either of those two garages were of 40 foot New Flyers. One would think the noticeable moves would have been among the artics given all the buzz that the shuttles would be operated using artics.

[dann]

A quick Saturday scan of Bus Tracker indicates that the following bus moves have recently occurred, setting the table for the Red Line shutdown.

To 77th: 1273-1274 from FG

1309 from NP (just within the past day or two)

1347 from K

To 103rd: 1271-1272 from FG

1592-1597 from K

Also: It looks as if the 4300s at Kedzie were held in Saturday, except for 4347, which could have

been an oversight. Otherwise, all Roosevelt Road and short-turn Sheridan runs were filled

by 4000s. Could the 4300s be migrating southward?

So far, there doesn't seem to have been any movement of artics from NP; 4000s were out

in abundance on Clark Street. None of the 4106-4207s seem to have been disturbed either.

But, there's still Sunday.

I'm surprised none of the buses moved were hybrids. Didn't I hear something about CTA officials wanting to use hybrids on the Red Line shuttle routes?

[RJL6000]

I'm surprised none of the buses moved were hybrids. Didn't I hear something about CTA officials wanting to use hybrids on the Red Line shuttle routes?

It's more likely that all four artic garages (103, 77, K and NP) will contribute some of their artics to those shuttle routes. These shuttles will not show up on BusTracker.

Besides, the CTA has only twenty 40-foot hybrids altogether - but 241 60-foot articulated hybrids.

And a scan of BusTracker yesterday showed two 4300s operating on the #79. That's a bit unusual for a Saturday.

And after those 40-foot NF moves down south, I am very surprised that 77th did not send any Novas it picked up from FG during last December's pick back up north.

[jajuan]

I'm surprised none of the buses moved were hybrids. Didn't I hear something about CTA officials wanting to use hybrids on the Red Line shuttle routes?

Hybrid artics, not the 40 footers.

[RJL6000]

Hybrid artics, not the 40 footers.

They will be a mixture of 4000s and 4300s, sent from all four artic garages (as I noted in my previous post). And of the 4300-series hybrids, only one of them (4321) is not based at a South Side garage.

[jajuan]

They will be a mixture of 4000s and 4300s, sent from all four artic garages (as I noted in my previous post). And of the 4300-series hybrids, only one of them (4321) is not based at a South Side garage.

I gathered that. He made reference to what Sam mentioned he read in a Red Line alternatives report, and from what I understood Sam to have said he read the report was referring to hybrid artics which still would mean any of 4000-4207 and 4300-4332.

[RJL6000]

77th also picked up 1930 and 1931 from Chicago Garage (in addition to picking up 1273 and 1274 from FG, 1347 from Kedzie and 1309 from NP).

And so far this pick, 1347 is the only ex-Kedzie 1300 confirmed to be on a 77th route. 77th might have also picked up 1348 from Kedzie - but we'll have to wait until tomorrow morning to confirm whether or not that bus really got moved to that garage. If in fact more of Kedzie's 1300s get reassigned to 77th, Kedzie may get a few Novas in return.

[dann]

77th also picked up 1930 and 1931 from Chicago Garage (in addition to picking up 1273 and 1274 from FG, 1347 from Kedzie and 1309 from NP).

And so far this pick, 1347 is the only ex-Kedzie 1300 confirmed to be on a 77th route. 77th might have also picked up 1348 from Kedzie - but we'll have to wait until tomorrow morning to confirm whether or not that bus really got moved to that garage. If in fact more of Kedzie's 1300s get reassigned to 77th, Kedzie may get a few Novas in return.

I don't know why 77th (and 103rd for that matter) would be giving up buses. One would think that those garages would need to get every roadworthy bus they can get their hands on to cover the shuttles AND their usual routes.

[jajuan]

I don't know why 77th (and 103rd for that matter) would be giving up buses. One would think that those garages would need to get every roadworthy bus they can get their hands on to cover the shuttles AND their usual routes.

On that one I would agree. CTA made the promise they would be up certain routes on the south side, not all of which is usually served by articulated buses though in this case of replacing rail service that won't be there south of 63rd it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing to see an artic or two on routes from those two garages south of 63rd Street. But either way I would think bus shifts south would be one sided this time around. The question then becomes how many buses could be spared from among any of the other five garages without hurting remaining service on those garages' usual routes?

[renardo870]

I saw NP 4110 @ 95th running R63 route...

[RJL6000]

I saw NP 4110 @ 95th running R63 route...

As I stated earlier, all four artic-equipped garages are contributing some of their artics to the Red Line shuttle routes.

[renardo870]

Yes I see that...and today 103rd Run numbers were used. NP can definitely help out

[RJL6000]

77th also picked up 1930 and 1931 from Chicago Garage (in addition to picking up 1273 and 1274 from FG, 1347 from Kedzie and 1309 from NP).

And so far this pick, 1347 is the only ex-Kedzie 1300 confirmed to be on a 77th route. 77th might have also picked up 1348 from Kedzie - but we'll have to wait until tomorrow morning to confirm whether or not that bus really got moved to that garage. If in fact more of Kedzie's 1300s get reassigned to 77th, Kedzie may get a few Novas in return.

As of now, 1348 is still a Kedzie bus: It is on the #60 tonight.

Transfers of any more 40-foot buses from the South Side back up North is unlikely at this time.

And yes, 4110 is on the #6 tonight. This means that a few NP 4100s might have been temporarily transferred to 103rd.

[dann]

Driving SB on LSD, I saw 4112 on #6. Obviously they are also moving artics south until the Red Line project is finished.

[renardo870]

4106 nb on the 14 this morning @ 67th and Jeffrey.

[patbarn350]

I'm new to the boards here. According to the Bus Tracker, 1222 is on the 206 to ETHS.

[RJL6000]

I'm new to the boards here. According to the Bus Tracker, 1222 is on the 206 to ETHS.

Actually, most 206 runs are from Forest Glen. 1222 has been a Forest Glen bus since at least 2010.

[RJL6000]

A quick Saturday scan of Bus Tracker indicates that the following bus moves have recently occurred, setting the table for the Red Line shutdown.

To 77th: 1273-1274 from FG

1309 from NP (just within the past day or two)

1347 from K

To 103rd: 1271-1272 from FG

1592-1597 from K

Also: It looks as if the 4300s at Kedzie were held in Saturday, except for 4347, which could have

been an oversight. Otherwise, all Roosevelt Road and short-turn Sheridan runs were filled

by 4000s. Could the 4300s be migrating southward?

So far, there doesn't seem to have been any movement of artics from NP; 4000s were out

in abundance on Clark Street. None of the 4106-4207s seem to have been disturbed either.

But, there's still Sunday.

Actually, only 1592, 1593 and 1597 made it to 103rd. 1594-1596 are still at Kedzie. In addition, 77th picked up 1928-1931 from Chicago, while 103rd picked up 1476 from Chicago.

And 4106 to at least 4112 (and possibly 4113) were shifted from NP to 103rd. Kedzie got back 4051-4053 from NP to compensate for the loss of most (but not all) of its 4300s down south (if not assigned to the far south side Red Line shuttles, the Kedzie 4300s are running at least on the R22 Roosevelt-to-Cermak shuttle route).

The side effect from the loss of a few artics from the north side is that the 148 and 151 are operated mostly with 40-footers this morning. And one of the 800-series 40-foot hybrids (805) was on the 151 full trip between Union Station and Devon/Clark this morning.

[jajuan]

Actually 148 always operates with 40 ft buses in the morning now. If we see more 40 footers in the evening rush then that would be a significant change.

[patbarn350]

Actually, most 206 runs are from Forest Glen. 1222 has been a Forest Glen bus since at least 2010.

This particular run is usually out of North Park.

[RJL6000]

This particular run is usually out of North Park.

In this case, it was a fill-in run from Forest Glen. You see, this morning North Park was short on operable 40-footers: A run on the full 151 to Devon run was filled in with a Kedzie 40-foot hybrid bus (805) while a run on the #49 Western was filled in with another Kedzie 40-footer (1647).

[jajuan]

Well it looks like the the operation of the shuttles are having very little effect with how Kedzie and North Park do post December 16th deployment of artics on the north side express routes, 151, or 156 in the PM rush from my quick scan of Bus Tracker. 136 will has two trips in place with a third waiting to start that are covered by 1000s though. That doesn't really say much though as that route can normally have a few 1000s series NFs doing trips occasionally anyway. But it doesn't look like 103rd has put any artics on 26 or downtown express trips of the 28. The 6 has a few more trips done with 40 foot buses though when it has been all artic daily for the past few weeks prior. I'm not surprised on this though as the reports are North Park's contribution to bus replacements has been the transfer of at least one 1000 series bus to 77th and a few artics to 103rd with 77th operating the R79 and R87 using artics and 103rd operating R95 using artics.

[jajuan]

Verified that there is an interline between afternoon 136 and 148 buses in my observations on BusTracker of how bus movements for the Red Line shuttles may have effected artic use at the four artic garages. Observed 1778 finish a trip on 148 and now it's on a deadhead back downtown to do the final 136 trip of the evening.

[jajuan]

NP still short buses on the 40 ft side. Physically spotted 805 on the 146. And looks like the last three or four trips of the 136 will be done with 1000 series this morning.

[pete6125]

1647 is running on route 22 Clark at this time.