jajuan Posted January 23, 2014 Report Share Posted January 23, 2014 I think that was discussed before, and certainly recently with respect to the electric buses. There seems to be a difference between running the fuel cell buses in an experiment and then putting them in in the 78th and Perry Pasture, and what I thought they said about the hybrids, which was "we'll test them for a year to see if we should order others." As it was, they exercised the Seattle option for the 150 before a year was over, but I think Kevin also wrote that off as that the 900s didn't pass, notwithstanding that they certainly had not been in service for a year. What might be a current knock against the 900s was this New Flyer announcement essentially that ISE was in bankruptcy, although NF was making contingency plans to support the buses. ISE Corporation liquidated and sold its assets. To make the long story short, maybe there is now a problem getting parts. However, unless someone working at South Shops, one can't tell. Now that I'll accept. If there's going to be an issue with getting parts then that's their loophole for sidelining them before 12 years is up, otherwise the fact that they stayed on the road for 7 years instead of getting mothballed after a year indicates to me they were set to keep them going for the standard 12 years at minimum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wordguy Posted February 3, 2014 Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 1471 showed up this afternoon (Sunday) on #66. I don't know whether it migrated to 103rd and returned, or it never left Chicago Avenue. In any event, it's assigned to C rather than 103rd. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJL6000 Posted February 3, 2014 Report Share Posted February 3, 2014 The FG, K, 77th and 103rd rosters need a little updating, as of 2/2/14 (today is 2/3/14). Forest Glen Garage(Updated: 2/2/14) Garage Code: F6400-Series NOVA LFS(2000-2002) (178 Buses Total) 6498-6520,6574-6593,6692-6725,6727-6737,6739-68281000-Series New Flyer D40LF(2006-2009) (58 Buses Total) 1083-1087,1090-1098,1189-1199,1202-1203,1205,1207,1209,1214-1215,1218-1222,1224, 1226-1245500-Series Optima Opus(2006) (16 Buses Total) 523-528,530,532-534,536-537,539-540,543-544(Not all buses are in operation. Some are on Long-Term Hold/Retired)800 & 900-Series New Flyer DE40LF(2006-2007)No Buses Assigned To This Garage4000-Series New Flyer DE60LF(2008-2009)No Buses Assigned To This Garage4300-Series New Flyer DE60LFR(2012-2013)No Buses Assigned To This Garage 4333-Series New Flyer D60LFR(2012-2013)No Buses Assigned To This Garage xxxx-Series New Flyer XE40(2014) Prototype Bus Delivery Expected Sometime in 2014... 7900-Series NOVA LFS Smart Bus(2014) Prototype & Delivery Expected to Start February 2014 Kedzie Garage(Updated: 2/2/14) Garage Code: K 6400-Series NOVA LFS(2000-2002)No Buses Assigned To This Garage1000-Series New Flyer D40LF(2006-2009) (199 Buses Total) 1162-1188,1200-1201,1204,1206,1208,1210-1213,1216-1217,1223,1225,1277-1282, 1332-1334,1348-1374,1590-1596,1601,1603,1606,1608,1610,1612,1614-1723500-Series Optima Opus(2006)No Buses Assigned To This Garage800 & 900-Series New Flyer DE40LF(2006-2007) (16 Buses Total) 800-809,900,904-907,9094000-Series New Flyer DE60LF(2008-2009) (43 Buses Total) 4000-4042 4300-Series New Flyer DE60LFR(2012-2013) (11 Buses Total) 4321-4322, 4324-43324333-Series New Flyer D60LFR(2012-2013) (8 Buses Total) 4333-4340 xxxx-Series New Flyer XE40(2014) Prototype Bus Delivery Expected Sometime in 2014... 7900-Series NOVA LFS Smart Bus(2014) Prototype & Delivery Expected to Start February 2014 77th St. Garage(Updated: 2/2/14) Garage Code: 7 6400-Series NOVA LFS(2000-2002) (123 Buses Total) 6400-6401,6403,6405-6419,6421-6449,6451-6478,6489-6490,6829-6831,6833-68751000-Series New Flyer D40LF(2006-2009) (98 Buses Total) 1246-1247,1258-1265,1273-1276,1283-1300,1335-1347,1928-1973,1975-1981500-Series Optima Opus(2006) (4 Buses Total) 500-502,519800 & 900-Series New Flyer DE40LF(2006-2007)No Buses Assigned To This Garage4000-Series New Flyer DE60LF(2008-2009)No Buses Assigned To This Garage4300-Series New Flyer DE60LFR(2012-2013) No Buses Assigned To This Garage 4333-Series New Flyer D60LFR (36 Buses Total) 4341-4376 xxxx-Series New Flyer XE40(2014) Prototype Bus Delivery Expected Sometime in 2014... 7900-Series NOVA LFS Smart Bus(2014) Prototype & Delivery Expected to Start February 2014 103rd St. Garage(Updated: 2/2/14) Garage Code: 16400-Series NOVA LFS(2000-2002)No Buses Assigned To This Garage1000-Series New Flyer D40LF(2006-2009) (189 Buses Total) 1000-1040,1248-1257,1271-1272,1471-1481,1483-1544,1597-1600,1602, 1604-1605,1607,1609,1611,1613,1798-1854 500-Series Optima Opus(2006) (7 Buses Total) 505-507,509,511,512,517(Some Buses May Be On Long-Term Hold Or Retired) 800 & 900-Series New Flyer DE40LF(2006-2007)No Buses Assigned To This Garage4000-Series New Flyer DE60LF(2008-2009) (25 Buses Total) 4080-4097,4099-4105 4300-Series New Flyer DE60LFR(2012-2013) (21 Buses Total) 4300-43204333-Series New Flyer D60LFR(2012-2013) No Buses Assigned To This Garage xxxx-Series New Flyer XE40(2014) Prototype Bus Delivery Expected Sometime in 2014... 7900-Series NOVA LFS Smart Bus(2014) Prototype & Delivery Expected to Start February 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJL6000 Posted February 9, 2014 Report Share Posted February 9, 2014 Another update to the FG and 77th rosters as of 2/8/14 (today is 2/9/14). Forest Glen Garage(Updated: 2/8/14) Garage Code: F6400-Series NOVA LFS(2000-2002) (188 Buses Total) 6498-6520,6574-6593,6692-6725,6727-6737,6739-6828,6831,6833-68411000-Series New Flyer D40LF(2006-2009) (48 Buses Total) 1083-1087,1090-1098,1189-1199,1202-1203,1205,1207,1209,1214-1215,1218-1222,1224, 1226-1235500-Series Optima Opus(2006) (16 Buses Total) 523-528,530,532-534,536-537,539-540,543-544(Not all buses are in operation. Some are on Long-Term Hold/Retired)800 & 900-Series New Flyer DE40LF(2006-2007)No Buses Assigned To This Garage4000-Series New Flyer DE60LF(2008-2009)No Buses Assigned To This Garage4300-Series New Flyer DE60LFR(2012-2013)No Buses Assigned To This Garage 4333-Series New Flyer D60LFR(2012-2013)No Buses Assigned To This Garage xxxx-Series New Flyer XE40(2014) Prototype Bus Delivery Expected Sometime in 2014... 7900-Series NOVA LFS Smart Bus(2014) Prototype & Delivery Expected to Start February 2014 77th St. Garage(Updated: 2/8/14) Garage Code: 7 6400-Series NOVA LFS(2000-2002) (113 Buses Total) 6400-6401,6403,6405-6419,6421-6449,6451-6478,6489-6490,6829-6830,6842-68751000-Series New Flyer D40LF(2006-2009) (108 Buses Total) 1236-1247,1258-1265,1273-1276,1283-1300,1335-1347,1928-1973,1975-1981500-Series Optima Opus(2006) (4 Buses Total) 500-502,519800 & 900-Series New Flyer DE40LF(2006-2007)No Buses Assigned To This Garage4000-Series New Flyer DE60LF(2008-2009)No Buses Assigned To This Garage4300-Series New Flyer DE60LFR(2012-2013) No Buses Assigned To This Garage 4333-Series New Flyer D60LFR (36 Buses Total) 4341-4376 xxxx-Series New Flyer XE40(2014) Prototype Bus Delivery Expected Sometime in 2014... 7900-Series NOVA LFS Smart Bus(2014) Prototype & Delivery Expected to Start February 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted February 23, 2014 Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 First, with wordguy mentioning overnight transfers, I was thinking of The Midnight Skulker in the BC comic. Second, with only 14 NFs at FG, something is up. There aren't going to be 2 more 10 bus swaps. Finally, those you have as active (disregarding whether the others are really dead or not) add up to 1844, showing that freeing up buses at the end of the Red Line project certainly did not affect the number of Novas on the street, and, at most retired Optimas indirectly. Certainly, some buses must have been freed up by converting routes 66 and 79 to artics, but apparently not much. Is there any indication that there is more service on the street, or is this just covering for buses on rehab? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam92 Posted February 23, 2014 Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 First, with wordguy mentioning overnight transfers, I was thinking of The Midnight Skulker in the BC comic. Second, with only 14 NFs at FG, something is up. There aren't going to be 2 more 10 bus swaps. Finally, those you have as active (disregarding whether the others are really dead or not) add up to 1844, showing that freeing up buses at the end of the Red Line project certainly did not affect the number of Novas on the street, and, at most retired Optimas indirectly. Certainly, some buses must have been freed up by converting routes 66 and 79 to artics, but apparently not much. Is there any indication that there is more service on the street, or is this just covering for buses on rehab? I doubt converting 66 and 79 to artics freed up that many buses because they still use the same headway still (calling for about 30+ buses in the rush on 79th). Just more 40ft buses being moved around Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted February 23, 2014 Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 I doubt converting 66 and 79 to artics freed up that many buses because they still use the same headway still (calling for about 30+ buses in the rush on 79th). Just more 40ft buses being moved around I implied the latter. To clarify, there aren't any Novas or 1000s on 66 or 79 like there were in September, so those 1000s and Novas have to be somewhere else. However, the Novas certainly haven't been scrapped. So, the question essentially is whether there is more service elsewhere, or, more than likely, 50 more spares. For that matter, how did the 400 or so additional bus drivers get absorbed? They were needed on the R routes the third week of October, but certainly not the fourth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted February 23, 2014 Report Share Posted February 23, 2014 I implied the latter. To clarify, there aren't any Novas or 1000s on 66 or 79 like there were in September, so those 1000s and Novas have to be somewhere else. However, the Novas certainly haven't been scrapped. So, the question essentially is whether there is more service elsewhere, or, more than likely, 50 more spares. For that matter, how did the 400 or so additional bus drivers get absorbed? People do retire or quit, and some of the new hires don't last, some of those quit so there is turnover; that is expected. I think the fact that 77th has only 80 Novas now, shows that they are trying to get the old Novas out of service as much as possible, maybe to pass up new deliveries to other garages. If anything I would say now 74th has the most oldest buses that need replacement. I think FG is getting more #1000's before the spring pick. We should now start seeing that in the coming weeks, unless they want to do one more swap with 74th for #6883 - #6876. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pudgym29 Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 Is this likely a borrowed situation? Bus #6845 running on Chicago garage's #54 Cicero route today? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sw4400 Posted February 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 Is this likely a borrowed situation? Bus #6845 running on Chicago garage's #54 Cicero route today? Could be just a 54 turning into a 78... or... Stay tuned... it could be the beginning of a Chicago/Forest Glen swap of equipment. Check the Garage info on Pages 3-4 and BusHunter's roster to see what each garage has and watch for more of those buses on FG/Chicago routes and your answer will be clarified there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garmon757 Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 Could be just a 54 turning into a 78... or... Stay tuned... it could be the beginning of a Chicago/Forest Glen swap of equipment. Check the Garage info on Pages 3-4 and BusHunter's roster to see what each garage has and watch for more of those buses on FG/Chicago routes and your answer will be clarified there. It don't seem like that it's turning to #78 because it's near the 24th Place terminal right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 It don't seem like that it's turning to #78 because it's near the 24th Place terminal right now. Unless a swap, also could just be a loaner, FG not being that distant from Pulaski/Peterson. But I'm not in the supervisor's office this afternoon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jajuan Posted February 24, 2014 Report Share Posted February 24, 2014 Could be just a 54 turning into a 78... or... Stay tuned... it could be the beginning of a Chicago/Forest Glen swap of equipment. Check the Garage info on Pages 3-4 and BusHunter's roster to see what each garage has and watch for more of those buses on FG/Chicago routes and your answer will be clarified there. You just have to overthink every small detail don't you? If there was going to be a trade (presumably you have the reported upcoming reassignment of the 76 back to FG in mind), we should be seeing more than one bus misplaced from FG. Besides FG just recently got this bus back from 77th maybe one or two weekends ago, so don't you think that's a bit much on the bus swapping even for the CTA? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sw4400 Posted February 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 You just have to overthink every small detail don't you? If there was going to be a trade (presumably you have the reported upcoming reassignment of the 76 back to FG in mind), we should be seeing more than one bus misplaced from FG. Besides FG just recently got this bus back from 77th maybe one or two weekends ago, so don't you think that's a bit much on the bus swapping even for the CTA? Well it all goes back to the Smart Buses. There is talk of Chicago getting them first, and FG becoming Nova heavy makes me think, especially given garmon's sighting, that a 3-way trade might be in the works. Once 77th gets the New Flyers from FG in exchange for most of the Novas there, FG will trade away some Nova blocks(perhaps the lower number ones) to C in exchange for some New Flyer blocks(there's way too many to speculate which... it could be the some of the pre-1630's, some of the post 1630's... it could even be the Allison Transmission New Flyers). Then when the Smart Buses start to roll in, they'll replace the Novas at C. FG would get 74th's LED Novas. But one bus is not enough to say that's happening... I just said that the only way that could be a possibility is if we start seeing more FG Novas on C routes and also start seeing some C New Flyers on FG routes. Right now, the scales are even... but this could be the possible setup if this is the plan by CTA... C: 6489-6521,6523-6530,6532-6567,6569-6596,6692-6708(These will be retired by LFS Smart Buses) FG: 6709-6725,6727-6737,6739-6831,6833-6883 & A few # blocks of Chicago Garage New Flyers (TBD) 74th: Nova # 6876-6883(there is only 8 buses, so they might not be missed terribly. Chicago might be able to give some New Flyers to make up for the loss when the Smart Buses come in) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jajuan Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 Well it all goes back to the Smart Buses. There is talk of Chicago getting them first, and FG becoming Nova heavy makes me think, especially given garmon's sighting, that a 3-way trade might be in the works. Once 77th gets the New Flyers from FG in exchange for most of the Novas there, FG will trade away some Nova blocks(perhaps the lower number ones) to C in exchange for some New Flyer blocks(there's way too many to speculate which... it could be the some of the pre-1630's, some of the post 1630's... it could even be the Allison Transmission New Flyers). Then when the Smart Buses start to roll in, they'll replace the Novas at C. FG would get 74th's LED Novas. But one bus is not enough to say that's happening... I just said that the only way that could be a possibility is if we start seeing more FG Novas on C routes and also start seeing some C New Flyers on FG routes. Right now, the scales are even... but this could be the possible setup if this is the plan by CTA... C: 6489-6521,6523-6530,6532-6567,6569-6596,6692-6708(These will be retired by LFS Smart Buses) FG: 6709-6725,6727-6737,6739-6831,6833-6883 & A few # blocks of Chicago Garage New Flyers (TBD) 74th: Nova # 6876-6883(there is only 8 buses, so they might not be missed terribly. Chicago might be able to give some New Flyers to make up for the loss when the Smart Buses come in) All that is well and good sw, but I still think you're overthinking every minor detail that seems to arise. Buses still get loaned to other garages, and until there are more definitive observations made that was still very likely nothing more than a bus loaned to Chicago from FG. If I'm not mistaken, one of our members who works for CTA mentioned that we're not likely to see these buses begin to get delivered en masse until sometime in May at the earliest. And we don't know for sure which garage will get Smart buses first despite various members well constructed arguments for why they think their hypothesis is the correct one. So it's a bit too early to be making the huge leap that a big swap between Chicago and FG is beginning to happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 ...So it's a bit too early to be making the huge leap that a big swap between Chicago and FG is beginning to happen. If there is any rational conclusion from what has been posted in the past two weeks, it is that some buses will have to be transferred to FG to cover Diversey, rather than vice versa. Then it seems like some K work is being transferred to C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jajuan Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 If there is any rational conclusion from what has been posted in the past two weeks, it is that some buses will have to be transferred to FG to cover Diversey, rather than vice versa. Then it seems like some K work is being transferred to C. The other reason for why I don't think that this is some swap between Chicago and FG just yet. If it were, it would be going in the wrong direction since as BusHunter observed it would be FG that would need extra buses (although I disagree with his conclusion that the number FG needs would come close to 40 and note that his hypothesis relies on the thought that the deliveries of Smart buses somehow start by next month which as I mentioned above isn't going to be the case if what that one member said about May being the start is correct). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 The other reason for why I don't think that this is some swap between Chicago and FG just yet. If it were, it would be going in the wrong direction since as BusHunter observed it would be FG that would need extra buses (although I disagree with his conclusion that the number FG needs would come close to 40 and note that his hypothesis relies on the thought that the deliveries of Smart buses somehow start by next month which as I mentioned above isn't going to be the case if what that one member said about May being the start is correct). I said 20 buses not 40, most likely NF's unless FG is going to start getting the pre #6690's, which I don't believe is the case. Looks like long term Fg may get 100 NF's and 150 smart Novas. Regardless of what happens Fg will get either smart buses or NF's as a result of the smart bus order, because if they keep the 175 amber signed buses at Fg, they will still need 75-100 buses from some other source. So they may actually get some smart buses off the 300 bus order. Now as far as the #6845 sighting, it could be something as simple as a Fg mechanic brought out a bus at Montrose/cicero to fill in for a defect bus, I've seen that before or it's just a loan. What would be weird is if you saw a nova loaned to Kedzie or 103rd which has never had them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garmon757 Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 This is what I have as far as the current CTA bus roster: (starting from north to south, descending from newest to oldest) (last updated 2/23/14) Forest Glen (256 total) Optima Opus #500 series (2006) #526, #527, #533, #534, #536, #539, #540, (7 total) New Flyer D40LF #1000 series (2006 - 2009): #1083 - #1087, #1090 - #1098, #1189 - #1193 (19 total) Nova LFS #6400 series (2000 - 2002): #6498 - #6520, #6574 - #6593, #6692 - #6725, #6727 - #6737, #6739 - #6831, #6833 - #6856, #6858 - #6875 (230 total) Hey, you can now put #6857 to Forest Glen because it's operating #81 right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam92 Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 What would be weird is if you saw a nova loaned to Kedzie or 103rd which has never had them. Eh... 103rd and 77th have their weeks when they're constantly borrowing buses off each other, and 103rd does get a lot of novas around then. In fact I've seen a quite a few 1400-1500s from 103rd running on 77th's routes last few weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 Hey, you can now put #6857 to Forest Glen because it's operating #81 right now. #6853 and #6854 are out south on the #3 or #4. #6850 is on #79. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wordguy Posted February 25, 2014 Report Share Posted February 25, 2014 First, with wordguy mentioning overnight transfers, I was thinking of The Midnight Skulker in the BC comic. It looks as if the Midnight Skulker may be logging some overtime. 6857 was still operating out of 77th as of Saturday. But as a couple of posters have observed, it has since migrated to FG. Also, a few 1190s remain at FG, at least for now: 1190, 1192 (which I actually eyeballed on Belmont yesterday), 1193, and 1197 (a break in the sequence). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.cta85 Posted February 26, 2014 Report Share Posted February 26, 2014 I said 20 buses not 40, most likely NF's unless FG is going to start getting the pre #6690's, which I don't believe is the case. Looks like long term Fg may get 100 NF's and 150 smart Novas. Regardless of what happens Fg will get either smart buses or NF's as a result of the smart bus order, because if they keep the 175 amber signed buses at Fg, they will still need 75-100 buses from some other source. So they may actually get some smart buses off the 300 bus order. Now as far as the #6845 sighting, it could be something as simple as a Fg mechanic brought out a bus at Montrose/cicero to fill in for a defect bus, I've seen that before or it's just a loan. What would be weird is if you saw a nova loaned to Kedzie or 103rd which has never had them. As an operator Out of 103rd (for now until march 30th lol) I've seen a few Novas there I saw one as a 15 actually twice on that route, as a 28 and as a 106. I've always wondered why doesn't every garage have a piece of every bus in the fleet for the exception of artics cause I do understand some garages aren't capable of having them. But as far as Novas and new flyers why aren't they at every garage? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted February 26, 2014 Report Share Posted February 26, 2014 As an operator Out of 103rd (for now until march 30th lol) I've seen a few Novas there I saw one as a 15 actually twice on that route, as a 28 and as a 106. I've always wondered why doesn't every garage have a piece of every bus in the fleet for the exception of artics cause I do understand some garages aren't capable of having them. But as far as Novas and new flyers why aren't they at every garage? Yeah I forgot about 103rd not having novas; now that I think of it i believe someone reported some #6500's there, possibly from Archer garage but this was awhile ago. Why they are not at every garage? Consolidation most likely. Ever since Huberman was Pres. CTA is high on that concept. This is one of the reasons the Blue line is mired with antique trains. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garmon757 Posted February 26, 2014 Report Share Posted February 26, 2014 It looks as if the Midnight Skulker may be logging some overtime. 6857 was still operating out of 77th as of Saturday. But as a couple of posters have observed, it has since migrated to FG. Also, a few 1190s remain at FG, at least for now: 1190, 1192 (which I actually eyeballed on Belmont yesterday), 1193, and 1197 (a break in the sequence). #1193 is still at Forest Glen. It's operating #90 right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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