Weekend Flxible Service?

[Nabinut]

I'm visiting in two weeks and i'm wondering, what are the chances of seeing a Flxible particularly on a Saturday? And if they do run, what lines would I have the best luck on?

[Busjack]

Odds are down on the weekend, especially since it appears that FG keeps a lot of them in the yard. Also, you are talking about 290 of about 2100, and the 290 least likely to be on the street when maybe only 900 are required to maintain service citywide.

I suggest that this Saturday, you go to BusTracker, and then plug in the routes from the following garages (basically in that order):

74

FG

C

K

Of course, look for buses in the 6000-6329 range.

Also, I suggest that you know you neighborhoods, as many buses go crosstown, and traverse those of diverse socio-economic conditions (to put it politically correctly).

[cta 5555]

Your luck of seening them on Any Chicago av routes in none,Also 103rd and K doesnt run them on weekends.

[cta_44499_FG]

I'm visiting in two weeks and i'm wondering, what are the chances of seeing a Flxible particularly on a Saturday? And if they do run, what lines would I have the best luck on?

Forest Glen is the best bet, as it doesn't seem to really matter there. However, with the slow replacement of Flx with NF...this may become unlikely as time progresses.

The ABSOLUTE best time to see them is on Cub's game days, as they tend to use Flxibles to fill the 152 extras for the game service. Other good routes to spot a few are the 77, 86 and 91. For some reason it's always been that way.

Of course as Busjack stated....watch where you go if you don't know the area.

With that said, here are the routes to watch: (Note: 'Wk' notes routes that run M-F only)

---------------------------------------------

54A North Cicero/Skokie Blvd (WK)

56 Milwaukee

56A North Milwaukee (Wk)

64 Foster/Canfield (Wk)

68 Northwest Highway

69 Cumberland/East River (Wk)

77 Belmont

78 Montrose

80 Irving Park

X80 Irving Park Express

81 Lawrence

81W West Lawrence

84 Peterson

85 Central

85A North Central (Monday thru Saturday only)

86 Narragansett/Ridgeland (Wk)

88 Higgins

90 Harlem

90N North Harlem (Monday thru Saturday only)

91 Austin

92 Foster

152 Addison

[pudgym29]

Forest Glen garage routes are your best shot.

Others are telling you to be cautious where you try to view | photograph them. You'll be fine if you stick to its east-west routes. Route #77 Belmont, #80 & #X80 Irving Park, and #81 Lawrence are likely to have a Flxible on them at some time of day. I think some more senior operators are opting to pull out a Flxible rather than anything else in the garage.

Some routes will have service by the 35-foot Opus Optimas on weekends. If you go to the Jefferson Park terminal, you should see a handful of them on routes #81W, #85A, #56A, and perhaps even #68, and #88.

I should mention somewhere that I saw bus #1219 used as an "Instruction Bus" on Thursday afternoon {Sorry - no camera then.}. It was turning left (north) onto Central from Montrose.

[jajuan]

Like others have said, Forest Glen is currently your best shot of finding Flxible 6000s in service on the weekend because it is the garage that now has the most assigned in service. The other garges that have them in service now have them in small enough numbers that they all get parked on the weekends.

[cta5658]

Odds are down on the weekend, especially since it appears that FG keeps a lot of them in the yard. Also, you are talking about 290 of about 2100, and the 290 least likely to be on the street when maybe only 900 are required to maintain service citywide.

I suggest that this Saturday, you go to BusTracker, and then plug in the routes from the following garages (basically in that order):

74

FG

C

K

Of course, look for buses in the 6000-6329 range.

Also, I suggest that you know you neighborhoods, as many buses go crosstown, and traverse those of diverse socio-economic conditions (to put it politically correctly).

Don't Forget the 103

1

[Busjack]

Don't Forget the 103

1

Except that cta 5555 said to forget 1, C, and K.

Also, scoping BusTracker, jajuan is correct about 74, at least with regard to its major routes (9, 47, 55, 63).

However, my suggestion seems to have laid an egg. FG buses are generally not showing up on the system. 3 77s, 1 or 2 80s, and no 56s, 78s or 81s. You know the latter is wrong. Also, even on the south side, there were so few buses that arrival times were not available at the stops. As Pace used to say, try again later.

[BusExpert32]

Except that cta 5555 said to forget 1, C, and K.

Also, scoping BusTracker, jajuan is correct about 74, at least with regard to its major routes (9, 47, 55, 63).

However, my suggestion seems to have laid an egg. FG buses are generally not showing up on the system. 3 77s, 1 or 2 80s, and no 56s, 78s or 81s. You know the latter is wrong. Also, even on the south side, there were so few buses that arrival times were not available at the stops. As Pace used to say, try again later.

Yes, Bustracker is still messed up now. There's only a few buses out there and no arrival times.

[Busjack]

Sunday, it appears that BusTracker is working better. However. on FG routes, while mostly Novas, it seems like they would rather send out a 1200 than a 6000.

[daerah]

Hmm..I particularly like to pull out odd buses on odd lines (buses you wouldnt normally see on the route)

For example.

I've taken a 4000 on the (82 Kimball-Homan) on the Weekend lol...talk about "turning heads" even the passengers were in Aww. lol On week days, you're more than likely to see anything out there...Ive had a 6000, 800 and 900 as well.

I've also taken a 7500 NABI on the (8 Halsted) as well as a 800 and 900 series too. Never a 6000...but I have seen a couple 6000s out there...but its a RARE thing.

Good luck

[BusHunter]

Hmm..I particularly like to pull out odd buses on odd lines (buses you wouldnt normally see on the route)

For example.

I've taken a 4000 on the (82 Kimball-Homan) on the Weekend lol...talk about "turning heads" even the passengers were in Aww. lol On week days, you're more than likely to see anything out there...Ive had a 6000, 800 and 900 as well.

I've also taken a 7500 NABI on the (8 Halsted) as well as a 800 and 900 series too. Never a 6000...but I have seen a couple 6000s out there...but its a RARE thing.

Good luck

You must have had a blast when driving your #4000 through Lincolnwood Town Center. It looks challenging for a 60 footer, then with the saturday traffic at the mall and the narrow mall drives it just adds to the toughness. I haven't really seen any #4000's go through there yet. It probably would be rare to see that.

[jajuan]

You must have had a blast when driving your #4000 through Lincolnwood Town Center. It looks challenging for a 60 footer, then with the saturday traffic at the mall and the narrow mall drives it just adds to the toughness. I haven't really seen any #4000's go through there yet. It probably would be rare to see that.

Come to think of it, I don't think I've seen an artic on 82 since it started serving the mall. I'd see the occasional 4000 on weekdays before that but not after.

But for the topic at hand, I too noticed FG has started to send out a 1000 more likely than a 6000 on weekends.

[BusExpert32]

Today, there are about 25 FG Flxibles in service- 10 Flxs on Belmont alone, so its not that bad with Flxibles out of Fg on weekends yet. You just have to scan Bustracker first to make it as easy as possible to track one down.

[cta_44499_FG]

You must have had a blast when driving your #4000 through Lincolnwood Town Center. It looks challenging for a 60 footer, then with the saturday traffic at the mall and the narrow mall drives it just adds to the toughness. I haven't really seen any #4000's go through there yet. It probably would be rare to see that.

The only artics you should or would see on the 82 would be the North Park runs serving either Von Steuben or Northside Prep High School's and ending their trips at Congress and Homan to deadhead downtown for a 135 136.

[sht6131]

You are absolutely correct regarding the southbound artic school trips. However, last week I did notice on the 82 Tracker a northbound Kedzie artic at Belmont at approximately 4PM. This run continued into the evening hours, One exception to the rule that I noticed that day.

[BUSANGEL#1]

Kedzie usually puts at least 1 artic on a am or pm rush run on the #82 daily, the same with the #52

[Nabinut]

Just a brief update. I will be in chicago during the week and the 152 (From Bustracker) looks to be the best bet despite seeing one assigned to the 124 last night ;)

[cta5658]

Just a brief update. I will be in chicago during the week and the 152 (From Bustracker) looks to be the best bet despite seeing one assigned to the 124 last night

if you have a chance to come south during the week, go to 95th/Dan Ryan and you might see some 6000's

[Nabinut]

I love going down to 95th/Dan Ryan. My best shots have come from there. I plan to hit the AM rush next Wednesday, crossing my fingers ;)

[jajuan]

I love going down to 95th/Dan Ryan. My best shots have come from there. I plan to hit the AM rush next Wednesday, crossing my fingers

If you're making your trip during the week, route 82 out of Kedzie is a good candidate for 6000 sightings. Up to half the weekday runs (shudders at the thought) are covered by them.

[Busjack]

If you're making your trip during the week, route 82 out of Kedzie is a good candidate for 6000 sightings. Up to half the weekday runs (shudders at the thought) are covered by them.

Seems like, with 157 being mostly NFs, the 6000s are being concentrated there and on 52. I wonder if that was what was intended.

[cta5658]

sometimes 103 will put at least one 6000 on the #29

[Nabinut]

Interesting note. I checked Bustracker this morning and saw at least 3 6000s (6006, 6007 & 6013) assigned to the 151 and another assigned to the 125

[jajuan]

Seems like, with 157 being mostly NFs, the 6000s are being concentrated there and on 52. I wonder if that was what was intended.

Yes but 52 hasn't been as consistant weekdays as 82 in terms of volume against numbers of NFs assigned. There are still weekdays where there may be few 6000s compared to NFs on 52.