More Bus Moves

[BusHunter]

34 minutes ago, BusOps said:

I believe #8199 is still going to be assigned to Chicago, since this morning I saw the C sticker on the windshield. It's more then likely being loaned to FG.

Yeah I know it's chicago's bus. Just having some fun assigning it to the glen. We've been waiting a long time over here for something new. Probably on the official garage lists it's assigned to Chicago but it should be marked as loaned to FG. The 5 oddball #1000's should be marked that way too. They still hold their "C" stickers too. #1689 on the #152 did yesterday at least. They came over for those last low #6600's that didn't have updated clever devices. Those have been taken off my roster now since early in the week. Only thing though, now that makes them unreturnable because FG will be short, so if they leave it will be either for #8200's or more #1034's. Probably the first choice.

[jajuan]

2 hours ago, MTRSP1900-CTA3200 said:

This almost made me as happy as when they reopened Lower Wacker Drive.

And it just dawned on me that the city knocked out a traffic lane in each direction to facilitate bike lanes that were not there on the original bridge.

[BusHunter]

8 minutes ago, jajuan said:

And it just dawned on me that the city knocked out a traffic lane in each direction to facilitate bike lanes that were not there on the original bridge.

Yeah that's what the city is good for. They claim to have the most bike lanes in the city but I bet their almost the worst in traffic congestion.

[sw4400]

16 minutes ago, BusHunter said:

Yeah I know it's chicago's bus. Just having some fun assigning it to the glen. We've been waiting a long time over here for something new. Probably on the official garage lists it's assigned to Chicago but it should be marked as loaned to FG. The 5 oddball #1000's should be marked that way too. They still hold their "C" stickers too. #1689 on the #152 did yesterday at least. They came over for those last low #6600's that didn't have updated clever devices. Those have been taken off my roster now since early in the week. Only thing though, now that makes them unreturnable because FG will be short, so if they leave it will be either for #8200's or more #1034's. Probably the first choice.

I concur.... when the 8200's start to arrive, we'll see a shakeup of more 6400's retiring, and maybe more 1000's coming in. FG might need a roster of about 200-250 buses to maintain service levels(75% on-the-route and 25% spares in case of emergencies-breakdowns, accidents, etc...). So eventually(be it in 2017 or 2018), FG might have a 125/125 split of Novas and New Flyers or 125/75 split. Even though 125 brand new buses sounds great, I don't think that'll cover service. I don't see any amount of 6400's hanging much longer than 2017 or mid-2018 if they push it, as CTA wants to keep the fleet relatively current and not beyond FTA life expectancy(that's their goal with the railcars and the buses, hence why they put 1 million plus into a gut rehab of the New Flyers, but talking replacements for them around 2020-ish is about when they begin or are just a little beyond the 12-year FTA mark.

[MTRSP1900-CTA3200]

17 minutes ago, jajuan said:

And it just dawned on me that the city knocked out a traffic lane in each direction to facilitate bike lanes that were not there on the original bridge.

Oh boy. Let's see how that works out.

[jajuan]

7 minutes ago, BusHunter said:

Yeah that's what the city is good for. They claim to have the most bike lanes in the city but I bet their almost the worst in traffic congestion.

Yeah it's like the city refuses to make the connection that part of the reason traffic congestion is in part made worse by the overkill made in throwing up all these extra bike lanes at the expense of motorized vehicular traffic.

[BusHunter]

5 minutes ago, sw4400 said:

I concur.... when the 8200's start to arrive, we'll see a shakeup of more 6400's retiring, and maybe more 1000's coming in. FG might need a roster of about 200-250 buses to maintain service levels(75% on-the-route and 25% spares in case of emergencies-breakdowns, accidents, etc...). So eventually(be it in 2017 or 2018), FG might have a 125/125 split of Novas and New Flyers or 125/75 split. Even though 125 brand new buses sounds great, I don't think that'll cover service. I don't see any amount of 6400's hanging much longer than 2017 or mid-2018 if they push it, as CTA wants to keep the fleet relatively current and not beyond FTA life expectancy(that's their goal with the railcars and the buses, hence why they put 1 million plus into a gut rehab of the New Flyers, but talking replacements for them around 2020-ish is about when they begin or are just a little beyond the 12-year FTA mark.

Yeah, like I said before these #8200 deliveries will be much slower than the base order. It might take them a month to get 10 buses. But yeah once 125 buses are here they'll basically run most of the service as that's mostly all we'll see on the weekends over here. The big heavy routes will probably get them for the block runs during the week and the trippers will get what's left which is the #6800's or #1000's. They need the #8325 option though, but CTA will probably execute it. If they can sneak out 69-70 #1000's total to FG, they have a chance to retire all old nova buses, cause you know 150 new buses plus 70 newly rehabbed buses will shrink the fleet down 30 buses. the #1000's are good buses though. You know they are good when people are driving those over new buses and there 10 years old. 

[Busjack]

6 minutes ago, jajuan said:

Yeah it's like the city refuses to make the connection that part of the reason traffic congestion is in part made worse by the overkill made in throwing up all these extra bike lanes at the expense of motorized vehicular traffic.

The whole point is that Rahm doesn't want anyone driving in the city, and hopes they use Uber or a bike. If the 755 bus can get through there, fine.

[jajuan]

7 minutes ago, BusHunter said:

Yeah, like I said before these #8200 deliveries will be much slower than the base order. It might take them a month to get 10 buses. But yeah once 125 buses are here they'll basically run most of the service as that's mostly all we'll see on the weekends over here. The big heavy routes will probably get them for the block runs during the week and the trippers will get what's left which is the #6800's or #1000's. They need the #8325 option though, but CTA will probably execute it. If they can sneak out 69-70 #1000's total to FG, they have a chance to retire all old nova buses, cause you know 150 new buses plus 70 newly rehabbed buses will shrink the fleet down 30 buses. the #1000's are good buses though. You know they are good when people are driving those over new buses and there 10 years old. 

You beat me to making the point that retiring a large enough number of the remaining 6400s will most likely reduce the spare ratio as brand new and recently rehabbed buses should theoretically break down less than a bus two to three years beyond the FTA retirement age.

[BusOps]

#8197 is also parked at FG.

[jajuan]

10 minutes ago, Busjack said:

The whole point is that Rahm doesn't want anyone driving in the city, and hopes they use Uber or a bike. If the 755 bus can get through there, fine.

True, but we already know folks are not going to give up their cars for Uber to the degree he may be hoping. Plus Uber cars still have to negotiate  city traffic just like any other car.

[jajuan]

2 minutes ago, BusOps said:

#8197 is also parked at FG.

Now things are really starting to get interesting.

[BusHunter]

26 minutes ago, BusOps said:

#8197 is also parked at FG.

Damn what the hell? John Wayne just said on TV "I hate tricks Pilgram!!" LMAO. (Liberty Valance)

Just as long as you don't tell me #8194 is at the glen. Or we might have a Nova roast. Will the mystery guest please sign in, where in the heck is #8198?

I can't believe I'm saying this but these may go into service soon now, especially #8197 because it has been ran in service. #8199's probably sticking around the garage. I might have to head to FG to see what's up.

Now that I'm thinking of it I think Fg had two trainers the last time #6712 and something else. So #8197 is probably subbing for #8198. So what happened to #8198. Somewhere I'm hearing Marv Albert say rejected!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsT9TuOfT80

[dann]

Saw 1689 on #77 an hour ago. Sorry no pictures, I was driving.

[jajuan]

4 minutes ago, dann said:

Saw 1689 on #77 an hour ago. Sorry no pictures, I was driving.

1689 is one of those five random oddball NFs at FG that BH referenced minutes ago and that Chicago sent over and have been running on FG routes since last Thursday. It's been there with along with 1329, 1419, 1421, and 1799.

[Dawnlight]

So who will be the first person to post a pic of a 7900 series bus on a FG route?

[Busjack]

5 hours ago, jajuan said:

Plus Uber cars still have to negotiate  city traffic just like any other car.

Again, true, but it theoretically reduces the number of cars needed (actual car sharing, such as iGo, does more). And once he gets the Russian taxi companies out of business...

[Busjack]

5 hours ago, BusHunter said:

6712 and something else

6715.

[jajuan]

58 minutes ago, Busjack said:

Again, true, but it theoretically reduces the number of cars needed (actual car sharing, such as iGo, does more). And once he gets the Russian taxi companies out of business...

Touche.

[ChicagoNova]

7 hours ago, BusOps said:

#8197 is also parked at FG.

WHAT!?

[BusHunter]

3 hours ago, Dawnlight said:

So who will be the first person to post a pic of a 7900 series bus on a FG route?

Hell I'm still looking for it at the garage!! I didn't see it, I was there at 5:30. I was shocked they actually had all those junk buses in service, nothing in the front or back yard??? Huh??? They did have 4 or 5 old novas outside the transportation building. I think Andre mentioned a 3rd yard in the back that holds the castoff buses. Maybe they were there.

I was trying to figure out what was going on in the neighborhood behind FG, do you know that is a gated community complete with a put your card in the machine and the crossing gate rises??? I was like wth??? Who lives there??? I was going to go around and approach it from the east side, this gate was on the north side. I got to look that up on googlemaps cause that was unbelieveable. I just looked it up it exists LMAO

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9851996,-87.7615528,3a,75y,320.04h,62.11t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sO7fOEBkJJSGAFrtZhtwzrA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

At least I got to see the bike bridge they are trying to construct at Indian Head/Ardmore. they have a concrete pier over there that's high up like half the height of the Orange line's piers. They are supposed to be building a bike path that crosses the Milw/North line. It's the extension from the edgebrook trail.

As far as #8197 or #99, it must have been inside the shop. I came away thinking though about what I said earlier "I hate tricks, Pilgram" Maybe I can try again tomorrow.

[ChiTown]

8 hours ago, BusOps said:

#8197 is also parked at FG.

Aren't #8197-#8199 buses coming to Chicago Ave garage and #8200-#8325 buses are most likely coming to Forest Glen?

[sw4400]

1 hour ago, ChiTown said:

Aren't #8197-#8199 buses coming to Chicago Ave garage and #8200-#8325 buses are most likely coming to Forest Glen?

8197,8198(when it goes into service) and 8199 are probably loaners for training purposes for FG Operators and Mechanics. I'm sure with all the high tech computer technology, the Prevost people will have Technicians at FG showing the Mechanics the ins and outs of how to diagnose and read codes put out by the computer systems on the buses. Buses of today are far more advanced than the buses from the Fishbowl, D901 & even RTS and Metro-eras. Back then, you just needed simple ohm meters and other mechanic tools to diagnose a engine problem on a bus.... today, you get some random 035-018-00853822 code and you're like "What the.....???" Until you hook the computer to the engine, you're probably unsure of what 035-018-00853822 is telling you the problem is with the bus.

[sw4400]

12 hours ago, dann said:

Saw 1689 on #77 an hour ago. Sorry no pictures, I was driving.

 

 

[BusOps]

9 hours ago, BusHunter said:

As far as #8197 or #99, it must have been inside the shop. I came away thinking though about what I said earlier "I hate tricks, Pilgram" Maybe I can try again tomorrow.