Jump to content

ex-CTA New Flyer #5858/CFD


Guest

Recommended Posts

Here are some pics taken today at Engine #44 at Kedzie and Lake. CFD 8-8-11 New Flyer bus, this was CTA #5858. You can see it still has its North Park designation. The firemen were asking me to show them the basics and operation of the bus. Its been outfitted with emergency lights, fire dept radios. Plans on how to use this bus are not certain.

post-158-12699988240455_thumb.jpgpost-158-12699989151477_thumb.jpgpost-158-1269999018573_thumb.jpg

post-158-12699988684221_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here are some pics taken today at Engine #44 at Kedzie and Lake. CFD 8-8-11 New Flyer bus, this was CTA #5858. You can see it still has its North Park designation. The firemen were asking me to show them the basics and operation of the bus. Its been outfitted with emergency lights, fire dept radios. Plans on how to use this bus are not certain.

post-158-12699988240455_thumb.jpgpost-158-12699989151477_thumb.jpgpost-158-1269999018573_thumb.jpg

That's real interesting! What used to be a CTA bus is now a CFD bus.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's real interesting! What used to be a CTA bus is now a CFD bus.

Well, that's happened before. Krambles's book had a picture of a New Look, and then someone posted a couple of a 4900 RTS that was also so converted.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

what are the questions did the fireman asked you, and what did you answered, CTA5750?

First, I told them I drove this particular bus when I worked at North Park Garage and that I was familiar with it. They were asking me about how does it start? They just got the bus recently and the fireman havent been trained on it yet. Where the battery compartment is, how to get it going, since it operates differently than regular fire apparatus vehicles, particularly the brake pedal release. Since the guys there know I have a CTA background naturally they were looking to me for info. That was really cool! :) The crazy busfan I am, I wanted to talk about the bus all night to them! But I was at that firehouse for only about 20 minutes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Forgive what may be a dumb question, but, what is the 8-8-11? Is that a unit number? Awfully strange one if it is.

At first I thought it was short for August 8 2011 or something, but I don't think it means that...

Not a dumb question by no means! 8-8-11 is the vehicles unit designation. just like Engine company or Truck company numbers were used to seeing on the doors of fire trucks. This bus is designated 8-8-11, it is also referred to as CFD292. The TMC RTS bus at the fire academy is designated CFD290. From what Im told this bus will be used for mass casualty incidents. There is another 5800 New Flyer in the CFD fleet, at this point I havent found out where that bus is. There is also another exCTA bus stationed at another firehouse.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not a dumb question by no means! 8-8-11 is the vehicles unit designation. just like Engine company or Truck company numbers were used to seeing on the doors of fire trucks. This bus is designated 8-8-11, it is also referred to as CFD292. The TMC RTS bus at the fire academy is designated CFD290. From what Im told this bus will be used for mass casualty incidents. There is another 5800 New Flyer in the CFD fleet, at this point I havent found out where that bus is. There is also another exCTA bus stationed at another firehouse.

where is CFD291 and other CFD series exCTA buses?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not a dumb question by no means! 8-8-11 is the vehicles unit designation. just like Engine company or Truck company numbers were used to seeing on the doors of fire trucks. This bus is designated 8-8-11, it is also referred to as CFD292. The TMC RTS bus at the fire academy is designated CFD290. From what Im told this bus will be used for mass casualty incidents. There is another 5800 New Flyer in the CFD fleet, at this point I havent found out where that bus is. There is also another exCTA bus stationed at another firehouse.

Interesting...

Here in Waukegan, our fire trucks and ambulances all have four digit numbers, just like a bus would. I only venture to Chicago once a month usually, for an appointment at UIC medical center for a refill of my seizure meds, and don't pay much attention when I see an ambulance or fire truck.

I hope they never have a need for that bus, if it is for mass casualties. But I suppose it is good to have if the need should ever arise.

Do you know if it will be fitted with basic medical attention apparatus, sort of like a mobile triage? That would make the most sense, to be able to start treating maybe 20 people (I imagine that is all you could comfortably fit in a horizontal position, and still have some work room), before arriving at a hospital.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interesting...

Here in Waukegan, our fire trucks and ambulances all have four digit numbers, just like a bus would. I only venture to Chicago once a month usually, for an appointment at UIC medical center for a refill of my seizure meds, and don't pay much attention when I see an ambulance or fire truck.

I hope they never have a need for that bus, if it is for mass casualties. But I suppose it is good to have if the need should ever arise.

Do you know if it will be fitted with basic medical attention apparatus, sort of like a mobile triage? That would make the most sense, to be able to start treating maybe 20 people (I imagine that is all you could comfortably fit in a horizontal position, and still have some work room), before arriving at a hospital.

One thing the bus is outfitted with is O2 tanks, non-rebreathers and cannulas. It has two CFD radio systems, emergency lights. It was pretty interesting to look at. Hopefully it will never be needed but it is good to have just in case. I could see this bus being used at events such as Taste of Chicago, Navy Pier 4th of July fireworks. Any event in Chicago where high concentration of people would gather.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I could imagine during summer events, the bus could be used at events, such as the Taste, as a treatment center for heat exhaustion or similar. Do you think that could be a possibility too?

I can actually see it as being handy like that for large gatherings.

That bus I think will have many tasks put to it. First I think the use of CTA buses as warming buses will stop now that the CFD has its own dedicated vehicle.

On another note, inside it still has the bus number on the interior dest. sign panel door, #5858.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One thing the bus is outfitted with is O2 tanks, non-rebreathers and cannulas. It has two CFD radio systems, emergency lights. It was pretty interesting to look at. Hopefully it will never be needed but it is good to have just in case. I could see this bus being used at events such as Taste of Chicago, Navy Pier 4th of July fireworks. Any event in Chicago where high concentration of people would gather.

I gotta ask, since you said it has emergency lights... does it also have sirens? And if so, which(the ones you hear on Police Cars and Private Ambulances, or the "Q" Siren)

It would be cool and odd to hear a ex-CTA Bus heading down the street with sirens :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I gotta ask, since you said it has emergency lights... does it also have sirens? And if so, which(the ones you hear on Police Cars and Private Ambulances, or the "Q" Siren)

It would be cool and odd to hear a ex-CTA Bus heading down the street with sirens :)

I dont know exactly if it has emergency sirens installed, I didnt see the standard siren control panel that is used in all CFD vehicles, but as you can see in the pics it has new updated LED emergency flashers. I will check the next chance I get to see if it is equipped with sirens. When I went to to see it, I was only there about ten minutes so I didnt get a chance to get a good look. Me personally I think the bus looks really cool in the CFD graphics, hopefully I will get a chance one day to drive it. Ill keep tabs on it and keep providing updates on this bus as well as the #4900 RTS that is assigned to the academy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would link the pic,But not sure if it's allowed ?? unsure.gif

The link is certainly allowed (i.e. using the insert link button, above the full editor, and also using the insert image button if you give proper attribution).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok here she is from copcar dot com Greg Reynolds webiste

cool.gifMarch2007039-vi.jpg

Id love to see this bus in action! Chasin down bad guys!! LOL!! This would be my police car! :)

The difference between this bus and our CFD buses, I think CTA drivers operate the police bus when its needed.

If one of our buses is needed, it is operated by our own people. On my trips to the fire academy lately Ive even seen a couple of firefighter candidates operating both the New Flyer and RTS buses. That wasant the case when I was in the academy. But at that time we didnt have these buses, we were using a temporary school bus because that was the time when that beautiful GMC 5307 fishbowl (#290) we had, was wrecked. And more recently the word is I hear is that the fire dept may be recieving a couple more buses to put to use. I will try to find out more on this.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...