More Bus Moves

[jajuan]

I guess #6608 moved to Chicago Garage because I saw it on the South Cicero route @ the Midway bus terminal.

No. Quite likely a loan. Even though loans happen all year round, they occur in higher numbers, it seems, during spring and summer months.

[qwantae]

I beg to differ. You have three garages with all the 6400's. I think 77th could've manned up for another month and dealt with slow Novas(they're not that slow, BTW... they're just used to the New Flyers there, but each has a different powertrain. Run a Nova on Irving Park between Oak Park and Harlem without a stop and it goes as fast as it did in the early 2000's). I think this was a command decision from CTA Corporate, as they are "setting the table" for the 7900's. This setup gives all sides of the city equal spread of 7900's... Forest Glen(North/Northwest Side & Evanston), Chicago and 74th(South Side routes, including #9 Ashland... the longest route in Chicago). 77th is getting rehabbed buses, faster buses. So now they want even faster buses? Now the New Flyers aren't good enough for them after pulling them from Forest Glen for a lame reason? Deal with what you got, 77th!

I still believe Forest Glen, 74th and Chicago will get the 7900's. Forest Glen should be first to get them because they have a fleet age of 12+ years, then it's just a question of whether 74th or Chicago gets the next batch after Forest Glen is done. If they split the 300 three ways, then 100/garage.

77th has 47 rehabbed New Flyers with more being done. They're in good shape there...

77th:

#1048 (11/28/13), #1051 (2/28/14), #1054 (3/12/14), #1056 (2/24/14), #1058 (2/11/14), #1061 (3/11/14), #1068 (12/20/13), #1069 (1/11/14), #1073 (3/3/14), #1083 (3/19/13), #1085 (1/30/14), #1087 (3/3/14), #1089 (3/9/14) mechanical rehab only, #1091 (12/13) mechanically rehabbed, #1092 (2/19/14), #1093 (2/17/14) mechanically rehabbed only, #1094 (1/20/14), #1095 (1/8/14), #1096 (12/28/13), #1097 (12/16/13), #1098 (11/13), #1099 (3/15/14) mechanically rehabbed only, #1102 (3/8/14), #1103 (1/22/14), #1112 (1/21/14), #1152 (3/7/14), #1156 (2/17/14), #1158 (1/29/14), #1161 (1/6/14), #1191 (3/11/14), #1196 (2/23/14), #1197 (12/28/13) mechanical rehab, just missing LED interior lights), #1221 (2/17/14), #1222 (3/16/14), #1226 (3/20/14, mechanical rehab only), #1227 (3/23/14), #1230 (3/22/14), #1232 (1/2?/14) mechanical rehab only, #1233 (1/24/14), #1234 (1/29/14), #1236 (3/5/14), #1239 (3/3/14), #1258 (3/17/14), #1259 (late 1/14), #1260 (12/13) mechanical rehab only, #1263 (3/5/14), #1275 (3/5/14), #1276 (3/22/14), #1284 (3/3/14), #1285 (3/7/14), #1286 (12/31/13), #1288 (3/7/14) mechanical rehab only, #1291 (2/27/14), #1292 (11/7/13) mechanical rehab only, #1294 (12/14/13), #1296 (3/12/14), #1298 (2/27/14), #1941 (3/17/14), #1955 (12/15/13 just has the upgraded LED interior lights), #1961 (just has the updated interior LEDs lights early 1/14)

From Kevin's Chicagobus article on the 1000's here:

Delivery of the new buses will begin in January 2006 and continue through the rest of next year. The buses will replace more than half of the 1991 Flxible Metro series buses currently in use.

The New Flyers first were assigned to Flxible(5300) assigned garages to retire them, then they were assigned to TMC(4400) assigned garages to retire them. That was the CTA's intention, that's where they went to.

From Kevin's Chicagobus article on the 7900's here:

This is the CTA’s second purchase of LFS models from manufacture Nova Bus. From 2000-2002, CTA received delivery of 484 Nova LFS models, dubbed the 6400-Series. Those buses will largely be retired upon delivery of the new models.

Like the New Flyers in 2006, look for these buses to be assigned wherever the 6400's lie. As was with the New Flyers, this too is the CTA's intention. If 77th really wants to get 7900's, bite the bullet and swap 6400's for 1000's from FG now!

One time I rode #6700 on the 146 when it was loaned to NP 2 years ago, it rode as fast on Lake Shore Dr as NF1000s. It was one of Fastest Nova I've ever rode on.

[Mr.cta85]

I just saw 4206 heading eastbound as a 79

[TripleTransit1]

I just saw 4206 heading eastbound as a 79

Could be a loaner from North Park, which a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNG deadhead from 77th/South Shops.

[BusHunter]

Looks like a transfer for more #4300's to NP or Kedzie. The lowest #4300 on 79th is #4354 and now #4207 and #4204 are on 79th. Probably the trade buses are on the Blue line shuttle right now. If so I'll be finding out soon, I'm headed over there in a couple hours.

Looking on bustracker, #4344 is on the #147 up around Jarvis right now. The highest #4200 at NP I can find is #4200 so far.

[jajuan]

Looks like a transfer for more #4300's to NP or Kedzie. The lowest #4300 on 79th is #4354 and now #4207 and #4204 are on 79th. Probably the trade buses are on the Blue line shuttle right now. If so I'll be finding out soon, I'm headed over there in a couple hours.

Looking on bustracker, #4344 is on the #147 up around Jarvis right now. The highest #4200 at NP I can find is #4200 so far.

Yeah I saw that 4344 is on 147 today. After getting accustomed to seeing 4300 series clean diesels on North Park routes, I hadn't even thought about 4344 previously being at 77th. But one thing I had been thinking about before today was that if 4300s going to North Park was for the purpose of running the Blue Line shuttles as needed over the next four years, they hadn't been using them for that purpose much out of North Park. So far most of the artics out of North Park on the shuttle runs were 4000s, and most 4300s I saw doing shuttle work were Kedzie run shuttle buses.

[ajm522]

This supports my theory that CTA is trying to use 4300's for blue line work. Look for more to travel north.

[artthouwill]

I think the 4300s going to NP are for better viaduct clearances. Most of NP area viaducts are low and most south side viaducts are at least 12'.

[jajuan]

I think the 4300s going to NP are for better viaduct clearances. Most of NP area viaducts are low and most south side viaducts are at least 12'.

I'm not so sure about that theory because the 136, 146, 147 and 151 would have had issues with 4000s making under the Red Line's concrete viaducts long before now. Those are the only artic routes remaining on the north side that pass under low viaducts and the viaducts they come across are Red Line's concrete ones north of Lawrence. The only north side artic routes that ever ran into viaduct clearance problems were the 145 and 148 at Metra's UP North Line viaduct over Wilson which CTA solved by rerouting both off Damen and to go to Wilson/Ravenswood by way of a counterclockwise loop via Ashland, Lawrence, Raveswood West, Leland and Ravenswood East back to Wilson. They further fixed that issue by eliminating 145 and pulling 148 off Wilson to serve as a replacement for 144.

[ajm522]

4347 and 4349 are on 79th right now.

[wordguy]

Looks like a transfer for more #4300's to NP or Kedzie. The lowest #4300 on 79th is #4354 and now #4207 and #4204 are on 79th. Probably the trade buses are on the Blue line shuttle right now. If so I'll be finding out soon, I'm headed over there in a couple hours.

Looking on bustracker, #4344 is on the #147 up around Jarvis right now. The highest #4200 at NP I can find is #4200 so far.

4345 was operating on the Blue Line Shuttle yesterday (Saturday). So it's probably safe to assume that it was involved in the swap.

[jajuan]

4396 is on the 147 today. Don't tell me Chicago is also going to lose some 4300 diesel artics. Also the 22 hasn't used many artics this weekend. Most of the buses on the route yesterday were 40 foot buses and the same is the case today. And few artics if any on the 151 NP runs. Perhaps the Blue Line project is going to start affecting how artics at North Park are deployed on the weekends.

[Sam92]

4396 is on the 147 today. Don't tell me Chicago is also going to lose some 4300 diesel artics. Also the 22 hasn't used many artics this weekend. Most of the buses on the route yesterday were 40 foot buses and the same is the case today. And few artics if any on the 151 NP runs. Perhaps the Blue Line project is going to start affecting how artics at North Park are deployed on the weekends.

wow just when the 4300's had some since of orginization after the Dan Ryan they get all scattered again. Ill check to see if Chicago got any hybrids in return.

UPDATE: Well, since its sunday of course its too early to make an official judgement on what I'm about to say but just pointing out:

I only see hybrid artics on running from Chicago garage idk if they are still running part of the Blue Line shuttle so some diesels may be over there.... spotted #4201 on either 146 or 147, and I seen 4153 up north on one of those as well so if NP did trade hybrids to Chicago I doesnt look like any more stimulus artics were traded as was done woth 77th. However some of NP's lower numbered hybrids may have been traded because so far the lowest I see is #4069. Of course like I said its Sunday so maybe the questionable moves are really just buses that didnt need to be pulled out since its not a busy day. We can see tomorrow in the rush along but at least we have a few things to keep an eye out for :P

[TripleTransit1]

4396 is on the 147 today. Don't tell me Chicago is also going to lose some 4300 diesel artics. Also the 22 hasn't used many artics this weekend. Most of the buses on the route yesterday were 40 foot buses and the same is the case today. And few artics if any on the 151 NP runs. Perhaps the Blue Line project is going to start affecting how artics at North Park are deployed on the weekends.

I didn't even know that 4000s/Non-hybrid 4300s were on the Clark St. route until I saw a 4000-series bus @ Clark and Lake. Must be for rush periods only.

[Sam92]

I didn't even know that 4000s/Non-hybrid 4300s were on the Clark St. route until I saw a 4000-series bus @ Clark and Lake. Must be for rush periods only.

well up till recently 22 has been nearly all artic on weekends following the 2010 cuts along with seeing some in the rush periods

[BusHunter]

#4202 was on the blue line shuttle yesterday so it's just a matter of finding out what happened with #4203 and #4346. Maybe #4396 just is a bus that either is loaned or just got misplaced at np. Are we seeing any other #4390's at np yet?

[jajuan]

#4202 was on the blue line shuttle yesterday so it's just a matter of finding out what happened with #4203 and #4346. Maybe #4396 just is a bus that either is loaned or just got misplaced at np. Are we seeing any other #4390's at np yet?

That's the only one so far. I checked 146 (the only other regular route at NP operating artics today) and saw no 4390s there. In fact the only artics on 146 today are 4000 series hybrids from NP's usual complement. Sam is right about the only artics Chicago operating on the being 4000s, but they're all 4000s that are already assigned to Chicago garage. The rest of the buses in place on the 66 today are some of Chicago's NF 1000s. So no visual evidence that 4396 is anything more than a loan to NP at this point.

[ajm522]

4395 on 147 along with 4396. On another note I saw 4336 on the 22, thought that was odd. I could understand if they needed 4300's for Blue Line shuttles but putting them on other routes doesn't make sense to me as NP has the most 4000's.

[jajuan]

4395 on 147 along with 4396. On another note I saw 4336 on the 22, thought that was odd. I could understand if they needed 4300's for Blue Line shuttles but putting them on other routes doesn't make sense to me as NP has the most 4000's.

Not so odd if you consider that the shuttles are weekends only and that so far NP only has a few 4300s (given there isn't yet any confirmation that 4395, 4396 and any other possible Chicago garage 4300s are reassignments). Outside of the weekends where you have more of a point, do you really expect that North Park is just going to park what 4300s it has when the shuttles aren't running?

[Sam92]

4395 on 147 along with 4396. On another note I saw 4336 on the 22, thought that was odd. I could understand if they needed 4300's for Blue Line shuttles but putting them on other routes doesn't make sense to me as NP has the most 4000's.

Even if they are being moved for the purpose of keeping 4300's more for shuttle use that doesn't nessecarily mean they'll only be used for that purpose.... Going back to the Red Line shutdown, the 4300's were suppose to be the 100 buses used for shuttles but that didnt stop 4000's from showing up on 103rd's R55, R63 and R95 where as a few 4300's were out on regular routes. I think its more of whats available when people need to grab a bus when in a rush. Also I think it may be more of a move to just get some newer buses into NP period going off their recent artic assignment history up till the 4300's. Before the 4300's NP has pretty much kept the highest 4000's once the even/odd splitting died away. I figured once the Dan Ryan was reopen that NP was gonna get 4300's at some point and always had a gut feeling that the stimulus artics weren't gonna spend all 12 years of service at NP, just couldnt figure where but now we know :lol:

[Sam92]

#4202 was on the blue line shuttle yesterday so it's just a matter of finding out what happened with #4203 and #4346. Maybe #4396 just is a bus that either is loaned or just got misplaced at np. Are we seeing any other #4390's at np yet?

I just walked past #4346 on 79th. If NP and 77th traded 1 for 1 on diesels and hybrids then 4203 should be down here cause 4203-4207 would be an equal trade for 4341-4345 being sent north otherwise we lost an artic in the process

[garmon757]

I just walked past #4346 on 79th. If NP and 77th traded 1 for 1 on diesels and hybrids then 4203 should be down here cause 4203-4207 would be an equal trade for 4341-4345 being sent north otherwise we lost an artic in the process

Well it's about time #4346 is back on the streets because it's been idle outside the South Shop since the beginning of winter!!!

[BusHunter]

Hmm interesting. If Np is getting #4300's from Chicago I wonder if Chicago could be getting a few pre #4377 buses from 77th or are they just taking a loss or gained some #6600's, thinking of #6608 on #54B lately. I noticed the #66 yesterday had 40 footers on it. Man those 40 foot buses do not belong on that route, that bus was packed and so was it's follower which was also 40 foot. I noticed on the return trip an artic led the pack out from Navy Pier.

Well I just happened to be in the neighborhood of Loyola yesterday and saw #4344 was coming so I snapped some pics of it.

[artthouwill]

I saw a few 4300s on 79th Street today and also saw 4207 running 79th.

[jajuan]

Hmm interesting. If Np is getting #4300's from Chicago I wonder if Chicago could be getting a few pre #4377 buses from 77th or are they just taking a loss or gained some #6600's, thinking of #6608 on #54B lately. I noticed the #66 yesterday had 40 footers on it. Man those 40 foot buses do not belong on that route, that bus was packed and so was it's follower which was also 40 foot. I noticed on the return trip an artic led the pack out from Navy Pier.

Well I just happened to be in the neighborhood of Loyola yesterday and saw #4344 was coming so I snapped some pics of it.

cta 4344howard.png

cta 4344.png

I mentioned the 40 footers on the 66 this morning. And one has to wonder if any of those buses were behind schedule in some way because the artics tend to be half full at most and any 40 footers perhaps three quarters full during off peak times of the week when all artics are in place on the route. But it does look like North Park may have given 4000s to Chicago for some 4300s as it also apparently did with 77th because 4121 is on the 66 right now and up until this weekend that was a North Park bus.