More New Flyers

[Mr.cta85]

This is slightly off subject but I wanted to tell you guys I saw a MTA new flyer bus earlier this evening right off Roosevelt and Canal as I was doing the 192. I wonder what the heck was it doing here? Unless it was heading to the express way but It was really cool and surprising to see a MTA bus in Chicago.

[RJL6000]

And 77 is still completely out of FG, so any shot of artics might be less than 10%?

Actually, a few weekday #77 runs were with Kedzie-based artics (at least until earlier this year). These were typically an interline with either the #156 or those #151 short trips between downtown and Belmont.

[Busjack]

This is slightly off subject but I wanted to tell you guys I saw a MTA new flyer bus earlier this evening right off Roosevelt and Canal as I was doing the 192. I wonder what the heck was it doing here? Unless it was heading to the express way but It was really cool and surprising to see a MTA bus in Chicago.

Unless they can ford Lake Michigan, any bus going from one of the Minnesota assembly plants for delivery east of here has to go through here. There were a whole bunch of WMATA sightings a year or two ago.

[MetroShadow]

This is slightly off subject but I wanted to tell you guys I saw a MTA new flyer bus earlier this evening right off Roosevelt and Canal as I was doing the 192. I wonder what the heck was it doing here? Unless it was heading to the express way but It was really cool and surprising to see a MTA bus in Chicago.

Those CNG buses have gone through this area on more than one occasion (and about 6 personal sightings) since Summer 2011.

[jajuan]

Actually, a few weekday #77 runs were with Kedzie-based artics (at least until earlier this year). These were typically an interline with either the #156 or those #151 short trips between downtown and Belmont.

I was going to make that point but wasn't sure if it was still the case at present.

[sw4400]

Actually, a few weekday #77 runs were with Kedzie-based artics (at least until earlier this year). These were typically an interline with either the #156 or those #151 short trips between downtown and Belmont.

This is the case in point... Belmont needs artics at most times(probably between 6a-8p, at least 2-3/run). Kedzie is located at 358 S. Kedzie Ave, while North Park is located at 3112 W. Foster Ave. North Park would have less deadheading to spare a few extra artics for the Belmont runs. Could you interline a artic to run on Belmont and turn it into a 1XX going downtown? Yes, but I think it would be better to have the artics run east on Belmont to Lake Shore, west to Harlem/Cumberland, whatever the final stop is, and back east and so on, keeping 2-3 artics on Belmont between the hours of 6a-8p at all times. Adding a few extra 40' buses will not solve this overcrowding issue, as wave after wave of people come up from that Kimball Blue Line Subway to catch the #77 Belmont bus and will overcrowd a 40' bus in a matter of minutes. If you can't put articulateds on Belmont, implement a skip stop A/B service where the Belmont "A" buses make all stops including the Kimball Subway and the Belmont "B" buses make all stops but do not go to the Kimball Subway.

[jajuan]

This is the case in point... Belmont needs artics at most times(probably between 6a-8p, at least 2-3/run). Kedzie is located at 358 S. Kedzie Ave, while North Park is located at 3112 W. Foster Ave. North Park would have less deadheading to spare a few extra artics for the Belmont runs. Could you interline a artic to run on Belmont and turn it into a 1XX going downtown? Yes, but I think it would be better to have the artics run east on Belmont to Lake Shore, west to Harlem/Cumberland, whatever the final stop is, and back east and so on, keeping 2-3 artics on Belmont between the hours of 6a-8p at all times. Adding a few extra 40' buses will not solve this overcrowding issue, as wave after wave of people come up from that Kimball Blue Line Subway to catch the #77 Belmont bus and will overcrowd a 40' bus in a matter of minutes. If you can't put articulateds on Belmont, implement a skip stop A/B service where the Belmont "A" buses make all stops including the Kimball Subway and the Belmont "B" buses make all stops but do not go to the Kimball Subway.

All that A/B setup does is make the problem worse by a factor of two because now you're cutting the number of buses serving the L station in half and therefore doubling the wait time of anyone who gets on at Belmont/Kimball. And the only way they make that possible with having no extra money to pay for is to shave off half the current buses stopping at Kimball to set up those that wouldn't in your scenario.

[MetroShadow]

All that A/B setup does is make the problem worse by a factor of two because now you're cutting the number of buses serving the L station in half and therefore doubling the wait time of anyone who gets on at Belmont/Kimball. And the only way they make that possible with having no extra money to pay for is to shave off half the current buses stopping at Kimball to set up those that wouldn't in your scenario.

Short-turns would have to be most appropriate (at what ends is another question). Another alternative to skip-stop is throwing a limited on that route (however the street wouldn't allow for traffic flow).

[YoungBusLover]

Saw two 4300`s on the north side of 77th where they wash buses. But they in between the wash garage and the maintenance garage.

Also they had a weird looking destination sign it had something something con on it .

[New Flyer]

4311 and 12 now on the fence at 77th.

[BusHunter]

If you can't put articulateds on Belmont, implement a skip stop A/B service where the Belmont "A" buses make all stops including the Kimball Subway and the Belmont "B" buses make all stops but do not go to the Kimball Subway.

Don't worry it will be a skip stop service when they have five or six buses in a bunch. (passing each other at stops) That's what's going to happen especially if they add buses. My question is why run 30-35 buses on routes like the #77 or #79 when they could run artics and trim that down to 20-25 buses?

[New Flyer]

4333 is also at 77th

[cta5658]

4333 is also at 77th

so all of the 33 hybrids are at 77th waiting to go in service?

[Kevin]

so all of the 33 hybrids are at 77th waiting to go in service?

No. At least one is at 103rd.

[Sam92]

4333 is also at 77th

How do we have 4333? I thought we had 33 hybrids. It should be 4300-4332 right?

[cta5658]

No. At least one is at 103rd.

Question, Kevin. How do you know one is at 103rd?

[jajuan]

Don't worry it will be a skip stop service when they have five or six buses in a bunch. (passing each other at stops) That's what's going to happen especially if they add buses. My question is why run 30-35 buses on routes like the #77 or #79 when they could run artics and trim that down to 20-25 buses?

Why are you stuck on Huberman's questionable 2 for 3 proposal? That's TWO CTA presidents ago. Not to mention the idea such as it is, is to decrease the crowds and decrease intervals on the heavier routes and route segments, not hold roughly the same crowds by throwing artics on a route for the excuse of increasing bus intervals. You're proposing in the wrong direction.

[sw4400]

4333 is also at 77th

This doesn't make sense... according to the Seattle options, it should be 4300-4332(33 buses) with 67 D60LFR's also. The only way there can be a 4333 is if there are more DE60LFR's than 33, perhaps an even 50/50 split?(4300-4349 & XX00-XX49)

[jajuan]

This doesn't make sense... according to the Seattle options, it should be 4300-4332(33 buses) with 67 D60LFR's also. The only way there can be a 4333 is if there are more DE60LFR's than 33, perhaps an even 50/50 split?(4300-4349 & XX00-XX49)

Or even odder maybe they aren't doing separate number series at all even though these are two different bus models.

[Mr.cta85]

103rd now have some 4300's I saw one pull in earlier and once I finished my route I saw about a good 8 to 10 of em parked looks like they'll be in service real soon I also got a chance to get a look inside they are some nice buses I must say. Can't wait to drive them ;)

[sw4400]

Or even odder maybe they aren't doing separate number series at all even though these are two different bus models.

They would have to, jajuan. You can't have two different sets of buses with the same number blocks. A few examples...

Flxible Metro-B 5300-5769

Flxible Metro-E 6000-6329

They could've started the Metro-E models with 5800 or 5770, but they didn't.

The New Flyer D40LF's could've went from 8000-9029

The DE60LFR's are 4300-4332(supposedly) and the D60LFR's are TBD-TBD(my guess 7800-7866)

[sw4400]

103rd now have some 4300's I saw one pull in earlier and once I finished my route I saw about a good 8 to 10 of em parked looks like they'll be in service real soon I also got a chance to get a look inside they are some nice buses I must say. Can't wait to drive them

They look all spiffy and new, but they're nothing different than the DE60LF's. They all have Allison EP-50 HybriDrive System, the only difference is 4000-4207 have the Cummins ISL engine and 4300-4332 have the Cummins ISL9 engine.

[cta5658]

They look all spiffy and new, but they're nothing different than the DE60LF's. They all have Allison EP-50 HybriDrive System, the only difference is 4000-4207 have the Cummins ISL engine and 4300-4332 have the Cummins ISL9 engine.

will they be wrapped for the jeffery jump or might be used on the #6, #26, #29, #34?

[twyztdmynd]

Also they had a weird looking destination sign it had something something con on it .

Bus Con Expo... Which was held at Navy Pier a few months back.

[artthouwill]

They would have to, jajuan. You can't have two different sets of buses with the same number blocks. A few examples...

Flxible Metro-B 5300-5769

Flxible Metro-E 6000-6329

They could've started the Metro-E models with 5800 or 5770, but they didn't.

The New Flyer D40LF's could've went from 8000-9029

The DE60LFR's are 4300-4332(supposedly) and the D60LFR's are TBD-TBD(my guess 7800-7866)

Not Necessarily true. Consider Pace's 6000z Oriins which ends at 6161 and NABIs that start with 6162 & end at 6321. Their new Eldorados start at 6323, so even though CTAs past history would suggest a new number series for the different models, Pace has taught us the same set of numbers can.be used in two different models. CTA had 9000 series and 9600 series GM fishbowls that ended with 9799, then the Flyers came and started at 9800. Thus 4300 thru 4332 could be the hybrids and 4333 thru 4399 could be the clean diesels. The question is what will they do if/when the next set of artics arrive?