New Flyer D40LF #1000 Photos & Assignment Information

[Busjack]

Actually, the way I understood the news article shown here:  

http://www.chicagobus.org/archives/18/

I believe that only a little more than half of the 5300 series buses will be retired and the rest will continue to be operated unless the Legislator comes up with more money...

You also have to consider that CTA said it now has 426 5300s, when it originally did have 470, so 44 are already off the roster (a few less than the 50 or so NABI articulateds in excess of the 7100, 7300s and 4000s replaced in 2004, but as documented here, it has also been destroying other series with engine and brake fires and the like). Also, take into account the order for 50 to 125 Optimas, to replace 13 Orions, which means that maybe there are equipment orders to replace about 420 of the original 470. In 2 years, could be like the current situation with Pace, which has some straggler 2000 Orions and 2200 Ikarus still left, but not much.

I'm sure the ones with mechanical problems (such as the ones reported here that won't go more than 5 mph) will go first. Also, the ones at K and 77 appear to be in the worst shape (at least on the outside).

But, as all the service boards indicate, there won't be any expansion of capital programs until the legislature comes up with matching funds.

[Busjack]

20 hybrids. 10 with a series hybrid drive from ISE Research and 10 with a parallel hybrid drive from Allison. The buses cost $500,000 each. There was talk of batteries and capacitors and the benefits and drawbacks of both. It sounded like capacitors were getting played up quite a bit though.

The ISE site has a good description of their series hybrid system. They also have a gasoline hybrid system. The site also talks about capacitors.

The GM/Allison system is described in a fact sheet.

The main difference is that the series systems (ISE and BAE, used by Orion) use a small diesel engine to charge the batteries or capacitors, but the drive motors are all electric (sort of like a locomotive). The parallel system has the electric motor in the transmission (like in most hybrid cars). The series systems use a much smaller engine, the same one as in a Dodge Ram pickup.

[sw4400]

Still no word on if #1000 will stay on the CTA Lots indefinately, or if it's going back until early 2006?

[ryanbytes]

It's supposed to be here for two weeks and then go back. At least that's what was said in the meeting. It'll only get a taste of city life.

Just wanted to add that I'm pretty sure I heard that it was supposed to move to different garages. Don't hold me to it! :P

[CTA 9537]

I saw it last night at Washington and Wacker on one of the Northwestern station rush hour routes so it was still at Kedzie as of last night

[sw4400]

According to the New Flyer website, the initial 265 buses will have a Stainless Steel Frame(the 5800 Style Frame), the options after that the CTA can opt for more Stainless Steel Frames or Carbon-Steel Frames(I bet my bottom dollar that is the restyled New Flyer Body Type).

Here's the link:

http://b2b.newflyer.com/index/cta_award

[ryanbytes]

I think they were going to go with Stainless for all options if they picked up any. There were problems with carbon steel corroding. I have no idea if this is from current CTA experience or experience from another agency. Somebody else here should know what buses have what frames.

[Busjack]

If you look around some Toronto sites, such as http://come.to/torontobus, you will find various comments that while the New Looks have held up (and are still being used there), that is because they had beam construction, and the carbon tubular frames of subsequent buses (primarily late 1980s Flyers) have rusted through to a dangerous condition. CTAs 9800s weren't much better. New Flyer's release said that CTA could specify carbon frames, but they don't appear to conform to the Standard Bus Procurement Guidelines. Also, I'm sure that New Flyer wouldn't put a redesigned front on an obsolete frame, although anything is possible.

[sw4400]

Chicagobus.org members.... Watch for #1000.  I'm trying to keep a current log what garage it's currently at as it moves from Garage to Garage.  If you see it, get it's 1st run #(The Garage Code)

Garages #1000 has been at:

A(Archer Garage)

5(Chicago Garage)

K(Kedzie Garage)

Garages #1000 has not visited:

F(Forest Glen Garage)

P(North Park Garage)

6(74th St. Garage)

7(77th St. Garage)

1(103rd St. Garage)

[Buslover88]

Was it on Diversey yet?

[cta6085]

Although it is due, and they are beat up and tired, the bad part about saying good bye to the 5300's is that it is really the beginning of the end of Flxible forever in Chicago. This is what many of us grew up with and saying good bye is somewhat a sad thing

I Grew Up With Those Soon To Be Retired 5300's Flxibles And I Was Very Close With Them And I Loved Them Since The Day I First Saw Them And I'm Very Sad To See Them Go But I'll Still Have The 6000's Flxibles. I Rode Those 5300's From Archer,103rd And Forest Glen And I Rode Them On The 51 51st,119 Michigan/119th,34 South Michigan,56 Milwaukee,54B South Cicero

[pace2322]

saw it on the 6 today so now is down south

[RJL6000]

saw it on the 6 today so now is down south

1000 is now assigned to the 77th Street Garage (the garage which operates the #6 bus route).

[RIPTA42]

1000 was parked outside CTA headquarters today. Testing is complete, and it's going back to New Flyer.

[Kevin]

1000 was parked outside CTA headquarters today.  Testing is complete, and it's going back to New Flyer.

Thanks for the update.

[Buslover88]

I'll miss it, it never came on Diversey...hope it comes back in 2006

until then,

R.I.P.

[ryanbytes]

I wonder what it looked like after the little trip to our fair city.

[Buslover88]

Me too, but our City is good

[ryanbytes]

I hope so. When I saw it at CTA HQ after the Navy Pier unveiling it already had a scratch on the back of one of the plastic seats. I hope that, along with my head mark on a light cover over the right rear seat, are the only blemishes we gave it!

[MetroShadow]

Well, we'll wait until January until it comes back...until then, any takers on what garage the first buses will set forth on?

[CTA 9537]

I think Kedzie will be one of the first garages to get them and 74th st They dont have any low floors. Maybe North park and 103rd

[RJL6000]

I think Kedzie will be one of the first garages to get them and 74th st They dont have any low floors. Maybe North park and 103rd  

As I said earlier, Kedzie's only low-floor buses are the 7500-series NABI artics. Also, although 103rd has a few 6400-series NovaBus low-floors, most of that garage's low-floor fleet consists of the 7500-series NABI artics. North Park has all of the 5800-series 1995 New Flyer D40LF buses, as well as some 7500-series NABI artics. 74th does not currently have any low-floor buses at all whatsoever.

[trainman8119]

There is always the possibility that the new buses could be assigned to, say 77th or Archer (for example) and then doled out as new arrivals come in. That is how it was done with the TMC's when they came in. They all started out at 77th and then got dished out to North Park, Chicago and Kedzie as buses were delivered.

[sw4400]

The 245 New Flyer buses that will be coming in early next year will be given to garages with 5300 Series Flxibles only, so they may start to retire those buses that have seen better days.  Those Garages are...

Archer, Chicago, Kedzie, 77th, and 103rd.  North Park, Forest Glen, and 74th will not be getting any of these buses.  Instead, some of the surplus buses from the aformentioned garages will be sent over.  That might explain why 6703 was on #11 Lincoln.  So the North Park Drivers can get a feel for the NOVABuses they will probably be getting.  74th will probably get some of these NOVABuses as well, giving them their first low-floor buses.  Some 5300's may also be sent to these garages.  I saw a 5300 Series Flxible turn from Pulaski onto Irving Park and stop for passengers a while back.

[Busjack]

The 245 New Flyer buses that will be coming in early next year will be given to garages with 5300 Series Flxibles only, so they may start to retire those buses that have seen better days.  Those Garages are...

Archer, Chicago, Kedzie, 77th, and 103rd.  North Park, Forest Glen, and 74th will not be getting any of these buses.  Instead, some of the surplus buses from the aformentioned garages will be sent over.  That might explain why 6703 was on #11 Lincoln.  So the North Park Drivers can get a feel for the NOVABuses they will probably be getting.  74th will probably get some of these NOVABuses as well, giving them their first low-floor buses.  Some 5300's may also be sent to these garages.  I saw a 5300 Series Flxible turn from Pulaski onto Irving Park and stop for passengers a while back.

Do you have any official source for this apparent assertion of fact (as opposed to your prediction)? This would be totally contrary to the CTA Service standards and past practice, as noted elsewhere in this forum. For instance, while the Service Standards say that the average age should be maintained across the system, you are saying that Archer and Chicago are entitled to an almost new fleet, while 74 is entitled to only 11 to 15 year old rehabs? As others have predicted, it is more likely that some of the 4400s or 6000s will go to Archer and Chicago.

In any event, Kedzie is the only one that would qualify under either scenario (and since its buses are the most beat up, especially after the swap with Forest Glen, deserves the first batch, imo).