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Nova Classic Retirement


jesi2282

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Pace has recently put 4 Nova Classics up for sale: 2386, 2388, 2394 and 2395, as well as a number of Orions ranging from 8912 to 2377 and whats left of the Ikarus 416's.

You know the funny thing is I forgot the Novas are the next buses up for retirement. Sounds like they could be retired pretty quick. Wonder who would buy them?

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Jesi, you are always one step ahead of me in finding these.:lol:

This might explain why (1) some Novas went to SW, and (2) I'm not seeing many of them on NS routes, two on the list being from there, and nothing obviously replacing them at the moment.

However, considering their comparatively light use, I am surprised that at least 4 of them bit it before most of the post 2272 Orion Is

And with regard to who is going to buy them, who is going to buy 2307 if it is as represented by 5750 (no motor).

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Ohh No!!! Now my Novas are retiring? I'll buy one of them with my tax refund if I can. As for who's going to buy them, I would guess one of Canada Transit Agencies would buy them, otherwise sell them to Quebec.

I wasant expecting this. Ughhhh!!! Well so much for my hopes and dreams of seeing these buses retire from Academy. :(

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Maybe the CTA should buy these Orions Is and Nova Classics in order to get some new routes running. :lol: Although it is kind of laughable, it makes sense too. Pace won't need them if they cut all those routes soon (they're receiving new Eldos too),and CTA could get more buses to run routes that were ready to go ages ago (I mean, customers could be lost this way- the big pushes for Clybourn and 31st in local communities and now what?). So no, it's not for nostalgia this time, but to increase the fleet for a solid purpose.

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Maybe the CTA should buy these Orions Is and Nova Classics in order to get some new routes running. :lol: Although it is kind of laughable, it makes sense too. Pace won't need them if they cut all those routes soon (they're receiving new Eldos too),and CTA could get more buses to run routes that were ready to go ages ago (I mean, customers could be lost this way- the big pushes for Clybourn and 31st in local communities and now what?). So no, it's not for nostalgia this time, but to increase the fleet for a solid purpose.

Except we are getting to the end of the year, and except for the 67 extension, nothing happened. And, if CTA is in a similar financial condition as Pace (i.e. Peterson and Rodriguez complaining that they project a $300 M deficit) it is hard to project them opening new routes, if finances result in hearings similar to Pace's.

I also see from a later report that they are suggesting fuel hedging again. Worked real well about this time last year, when they locked in $4.50 a gallon when the pump price fell to around $2.50. But maybe they will have better luck this year.

Getting back to a Pace topic. there must be some mechanical reason for getting them off the roster now, since the Novas were not that heavily used, and the exteriors still looked pretty good. The Orion Is, at 16 years, and belching black smoke through most of that time, seem to have had it. Since CTA is always complaining about maintenance expenses....

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Jesi, you are always one step ahead of me in finding these.:lol:

This might explain why (1) some Novas went to SW, and (2) I'm not seeing many of them on NS routes, two on the list being from there, and nothing obviously replacing them at the moment.

However, considering their comparatively light use, I am surprised that at least 4 of them bit it before most of the post 2272 Orion Is

And with regard to who is going to buy them, who is going to buy 2307 if it is as represented by 5750 (no motor).

Maybe that helps explain why I keep seeing #2392 at North Shore Pace's Garage and it never seems to move (it hasn't moved at least in two weeks.) Is North Shore still running any? I can only seem to find these running at SW.

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Maybe that helps explain why I keep seeing #2392 at North Shore Pace's Garage and it never seems to move (it hasn't moved at least in two weeks.) Is North Shore still running any? I can only seem to find these running at SW.

2390 and 2393 generally show up on WebWatch, usually on 626. However, 626 was previously mostly 2390s, but is now pretty much 6200s. It seems like most of the 6200s (6238-6240, 6257-6267, 6322) get out on the street (or at least on Webwatch), but the 2390s don't.

To the extent I have looked, I sure haven't seen any 2390s on local North Shore routes, either physically or virtually. There used to be a couple on 213. Maybe looking around school time might help, but it appears not.

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Except we are getting to the end of the year, and except for the 67 extension, nothing happened. And, if CTA is in a similar financial condition as Pace (i.e. Peterson and Rodriguez complaining that they project a $300 M deficit) it is hard to project them opening new routes, if finances result in hearings similar to Pace's.

I also see from a later report that they are suggesting fuel hedging again. Worked real well about this time last year, when they locked in $4.50 a gallon when the pump price fell to around $2.50. But maybe they will have better luck this year.

Getting back to a Pace topic. there must be some mechanical reason for getting them off the roster now, since the Novas were not that heavily used, and the exteriors still looked pretty good. The Orion Is, at 16 years, and belching black smoke through most of that time, seem to have had it. Since CTA is always complaining about maintenance expenses....

I thought that Clybourn and 31st were supposed to run with money just for that purpose, but the CTA hasn't had the equipment or work force to do so.

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I thought that Clybourn and 31st were supposed to run with money just for that purpose, but the CTA hasn't had the equipment or work force to do so.

Or CMAP or RTA posting a press release that certain applications for JARC or ICE money have been approved not necessarily meaning that the money has been released, especially with ICE money being diverted to paratransit. I guess, unless we are insiders in those agencies, we will never know the real reason.
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2390 and 2393 generally show up on WebWatch, usually on 626. However, 626 was previously mostly 2390s, but is now pretty much 6200s. It seems like most of the 6200s (6238-6240, 6257-6267, 6322) get out on the street (or at least on Webwatch), but the 2390s don't.

To the extent I have looked, I sure haven't seen any 2390s on local North Shore routes, either physically or virtually. There used to be a couple on 213. Maybe looking around school time might help, but it appears not.

2393 is still out there, it's on the 626 today.

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Does anyone have any real connections at North Shore where we can get 5750 on one of those Novas so he can tool around the parking lot at least and fulfill his dream of commanding a Nova Classic ????

Also, not much of any parking lot at North Shore. Just the garage tucked up against the Skokie Swift.
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Does Pace have these Classics out only on weekdays?

Do they run these on weekends as well? If so where would be the best place to find them.

It would be sad to see them start retiring these.

North Shore runs its only on weekdays (and only 1 or 2).

I don't know about SW (check WebWatch), but, if so, the places would be Ford City or Midway.

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North Shore runs its only on weekdays (and only 1 or 2).

I don't know about SW (check WebWatch), but, if so, the places would be Ford City or Midway.

I've never seen a Nova at SW on the weekends through Webwatch. The only place that one could show up would be very early in the AM running route 390 UPS route. Also since route 381 doesn't show up on Webwatch, there is a small chance one could show up there. But given a couple of routes do not run on weekends at SW, I can't see a Nova Classic showing up there.

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To answer a question about Nova Classic maintenance, a friend of mine that superintendent at North Shore (Also a friend through the Boy Scouts- he is a Scoutmaster), tells me that he would rather have Orion I buses than a Nova Classic anyday. He claims the Novas are a maintenance pain. So I am gathering they are hard to keep running.

Saw a Nova Classic earlier today coming back from UIC doctor appointment.

I'll have to talk to Chris and see how soon he can get me into his garage to take pictures, as he has promised this for some time.

Come to think of it, I will also have to see if he can scrounge any parts, like the farebox or runbox, off one of those buses for me when they go.

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  • 3 months later...

To answer a question about Nova Classic maintenance, a friend of mine that superintendent at North Shore (Also a friend through the Boy Scouts- he is a Scoutmaster), tells me that he would rather have Orion I buses than a Nova Classic anyday. He claims the Novas are a maintenance pain. So I am gathering they are hard to keep running.

Saw a Nova Classic earlier today coming back from UIC doctor appointment.

I'll have to talk to Chris and see how soon he can get me into his garage to take pictures, as he has promised this for some time.

Come to think of it, I will also have to see if he can scrounge any parts, like the farebox or runbox, off one of those buses for me when they go.

I saw 2 Nova Classics blacked out&on tow trucks headed south on I-294 this afternoon, no doubt headed to their "final resting" place. :(

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I saw 2 Nova Classics blacked out&on tow trucks headed south on I-294 this afternoon, no doubt headed to their "final resting" place. :(

I wonder if it's the ones from North Shore because I've seen several Novas still kickin it at SW including 2400 and 2398 in recent days. But the end is very near for them. Haven't seen 2393 as of late on Webwatch.

****UPDATE**** 2397 is on route 213 today so apparently it's not over quite yet.

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  • 4 months later...

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