RIPTA42 Posted December 14, 2005 Report Share Posted December 14, 2005 I saw 5820 on the 93 this morning, and at the upper right hand corner of the Cheaper by the Dozen 2 wrap on the rear end was a blue "CNG" diamond. It didn't have a tank on the roof like every C40LF I've seen (though I suppose it could be under the bus), and I'm not aware of any CTA natural gas filling stations (though it could be filled off-site). Is this an experiment, a mistake, or a hallucination? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted December 14, 2005 Report Share Posted December 14, 2005 Probably a mistake, since it would need a roof tank (does not have a space in the roof like an Orion VI), and CTA had said all 5800s had been rebuilt with clean diesel. Was the diamond on the bus or the wrap? Also, there was a request for proposal to repower the 3 fuel cell buses (5900-5902) as clean diesel; anything ever come of that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sw4400 Posted December 14, 2005 Report Share Posted December 14, 2005 That might explain why 5862,5863,and 5864 had different engines than the other 5800's. Whatever happened to these buses, I don't really know as 5862 now has the same engine as the other 5800's. Does 5820 have a Cummins Diesel sound with a small tailpipe in the back like the Flxible 6000's have with a cap on top? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetroShadow Posted December 16, 2005 Report Share Posted December 16, 2005 Wait a minute, I saw 5855 with the same CNG diamond on the upper right side of the bus when I was downtown today... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPTA42 Posted December 16, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2005 I don't know from engine sounds, but I think the tailpipe was slightly rounded, with no cap. Did 5855 also have a wrap on the rear? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetroShadow Posted December 16, 2005 Report Share Posted December 16, 2005 I don't know from engine sounds, but I think the tailpipe was slightly rounded, with no cap. Did 5855 also have a wrap on the rear? Yes it did. It was a white one (CByTD 2?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPTA42 Posted December 18, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2005 That's the one; it must be an error on the wrap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetroShadow Posted December 19, 2005 Report Share Posted December 19, 2005 I think that the new flyers with the "Cheaper By the Dozen 2" wrap have the CNG label, if its already appearing on 3 or 4 of the buses. The Novas have the wrap of the same movie, just without the CNG label... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buslover88 Posted December 20, 2005 Report Share Posted December 20, 2005 What's a CNG anyways? BTW:I saw a CNG Diamond on #5800 today on #97. It had a La Salle Bank Wrap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetroShadow Posted December 21, 2005 Report Share Posted December 21, 2005 CNG = clean natural gas. Instead of propane/diesel fuel, it uses a different blend of gasoline. I know the elders of the board can explain it better than I can, but CNG is a cleaner alternative than diesel/propane, and is used on many of L.A.'s MTA fleet as well as the recently "shutdown" NYC's MTA system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted December 21, 2005 Report Share Posted December 21, 2005 Compressed natural gas. Same as in your stove, but compressed before put into the tanks. Not gasoline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetroShadow Posted December 22, 2005 Report Share Posted December 22, 2005 I stand corrected. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RailBus63 Posted January 10, 2006 Report Share Posted January 10, 2006 That's weird. The blue CNG diamond is not a decoration - it's there to alert emergency crews in the event of an accident. I've seen Neoplan CNG buses with frame-mounted tanks and no roof hump - it seems unlikely, but is it possible the CTA buses have been retrofitted with CNG engines? Jim D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted January 10, 2006 Report Share Posted January 10, 2006 No. The CTA said in 2003: The Chicago Transit Board approved the nearly $7.3 million contract with Bus & Truck of Chicago, Inc., to provide the labor and material for the mid-life overhaul of up to 65 New Flyer (5800 Series) low floor buses. The overhaul includes a new 2000 model year Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) engine, the addition of a particulate filter and a new transmission. The CNG logo is only on the wrap, not on the bus. Also the couple I saw (including 5851, mentioned in another connection) sure smelled like diesel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RailBus63 Posted January 10, 2006 Report Share Posted January 10, 2006 I didn't think so, given the lack of a roof tank (not to mention why anyone would even think of attempting such a conversion). It appears to be an oversight on the part of the company who made the wraps. Still, someone at CTA should cut off or cover over the CNG labels - they could confuse rescue crews and cause needless delays if one of these buses ever is involved in an accident. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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