CTA Bus Garage Rosters

[sw4400]

Yeah Americana 4240 as mentioned by other members is still around as pretty much nothing more than a maintenance storage locker and photographed as such a few years ago in one of our past threads, but it's not sitting down at the South Shops area. And what few D901As that survived as work buses may have finally been retired from such usage with 6000s and now some 6400s being put into work bus uses.

Well, there still is the slight possibility one or two Flyers might be on property somewhere... I thought the Fishbowls were all long gone, but there are still some on site, and who knows why.

[sw4400]

Looks like FG is all Nova now... wonder what will it look like by the end of April? Novas go back to #6470 right now...

[BusHunter]

Looks like FG is all Nova now... wonder what will it look like by the end of April? Novas go back to #6470 right now...

Besides a few more Novas for the #76, not much difference. It will be nice when all these nova smart buses are delivered. They'll have some new buses for a change. I've been noticing since the change 103rd and 77th have been rehabbing buses like crazy. There's almost a new bus every day. NP's kind of dead as they have mostly newer buses and Kedzie too. I got to see #1681 and #1703 yesterday. They are complete rehabs. I wonder in the future if they might be transferring buses like the #1500's from 103rd up north or to Kedzie because at the rate they are going they are going to done with those soon at 103rd.

[jajuan]

Well, there still is the slight possibility one or two Flyers might be on property somewhere... I thought the Fishbowls were all long gone, but there are still some on site, and who knows why.

Yeah my point though was if there are still old buses around they might be somewhere else other than the lots on 77th/South Shops property like 4240 and a few old Flxible new look work buses are.

[garmon757]

Well BusHunter, Forest Glen somehow managed to get #1191 back on it's roster. It's currently on #81.

[BusHunter]

Well BusHunter, Forest Glen somehow managed to get #1191 back on it's roster. It's currently on #81.

Enjoy it while you can; hopefully it's a block run, (probably is at this time of day) if it is i'll see it.

[garmon757]

Enjoy it while you can; hopefully it's a block run, (probably is at this time of day) if it is i'll see it.

I couldn't get the run number of it because it pulled off right before I was about the get on the Brown Line @ Kimball.

[jajuan]

Well BusHunter, Forest Glen somehow managed to get #1191 back on it's roster. It's currently on #81.

Hmmm....I wonder if rehabbing work is playing a part in all those NFs going down to 77th after all if that's the case. The numbers just don't add up for making two garages 7900s only as one member in particular is vehemently trying to hold to even they got up to the full 450 when you add in the Optimas being phased out would work to leave FG at a shortage already and also adding in that FG has to make a net GAIN in buses by the start of the spring pick for it to take on the 76 with no reports that it will be giving up any current work to another garage.

[BusHunter]

Hmmm....I wonder if rehabbing work is playing a part in all those NFs going down to 77th after all if that's the case. The numbers just don't add up for making two garages 7900s only as one member in particular is vehemently trying to hold to even they got up to the full 450 when you add in the Optimas being phased out would work to leave FG at a shortage already and also adding in that FG has to make a net GAIN in buses by the start of the spring pick for it to take on the 76 with no reports that it will be giving up any current work to another garage.

That's what i thought, but that all went out the window the day the #1090's left as most are already rehabbed. The only reason I say some will come back now is because I don't see all new buses at the Glen. If it does happen it will be the first time in it's history. That garage always gets dogged. Like someone said on facebook, until Fg becomes an indoor facility it probably will always get shortchanged. I'm just surprised 77th is getting so much attention, I mean 74th is newer. But with no Archer garage, 74th I guess is the dog of the South side.

[Busjack]

That's what i thought, but that all went out the window the day the #1090's left as most are already rehabbed. The only reason I say some will come back now is because I don't see all new buses at the Glen. If it does happen it will be the first time in it's history. That garage always gets dogged. Like someone said on facebook, until Fg becomes an indoor facility it probably will always get shortchanged. I'm just surprised 77th is getting so much attention, I mean 74th is newer. But with no Archer garage, 74th I guess is the dog of the South side.

Forest Glen sure didn't get dogged in 2002. Kedzie then did--especially because FG was outdoors and K had the buses with preheaters. If any garage got dogged, it was 69/74 (as you belatedly noted). And from what you said in another thread, 74 didn't even get the 1700s new that it supposedly was allocated.

If the shaft were really out, 103 would be transferring its low 1000s to FG so 103 could get the Novas. Still possible, but given other tea leaves, not likely.

[garmon757]

Forest Glen sure didn't get dogged in 2002. Kedzie then did--especially because FG was outdoors and K had the buses with preheaters. If any garage got dogged, it was 69/74 (as you belatedly noted). And from what you said in another thread, 74 didn't even get the 1700s new that it supposedly was allocated.

If the shaft were really out, 103 would be transferring its low 1000s to FG so 103 could get the Novas. Still possible, but given other tea leaves, not likely.

Even though some 77th Novas was shared with 103rd a few years ago to operate #6 and #14 (in which that was kind of unusual but I'm guessing because of the 7500s' breakdowns).

[jajuan]

That's what i thought, but that all went out the window the day the #1090's left as most are already rehabbed. The only reason I say some will come back now is because I don't see all new buses at the Glen. If it does happen it will be the first time in it's history. That garage always gets dogged. Like someone said on facebook, until Fg becomes an indoor facility it probably will always get shortchanged. I'm just surprised 77th is getting so much attention, I mean 74th is newer. But with no Archer garage, 74th I guess is the dog of the South side.

I wouldn't say 74th is the dog because Archer is gone. Remember Archer was the first to get the 1000s, and the original intent under Huberman was to stock 74th only with 6000s, the oldest buses in the fleet at the time he put that idea in action. If not for so many 6000s dying at once, 74th wouldn't have gotten any 1000s at all. And had Archer not closed and the 6000s not been retired, 74th would have been restricted to only the 30 D40LFs it did get. 77th having some of the 1700s delivered there first I don't count as being a shaft against 74th because they didn't stay at 77th long enough to be an official assignment. That was pretty much CTA mixing up the buses a bit because the summer fests and big events like we used to see them do. Heck some of Kedzie's NFs popped up at NP for a little while for similar reasons but we still counted them as Kedzie buses and they did go back to Kedzie.

[BusHunter]

Forest Glen sure didn't get dogged in 2002. Kedzie then did--especially because FG was outdoors and K had the buses with preheaters. If any garage got dogged, it was 69/74 (as you belatedly noted). And from what you said in another thread, 74 didn't even get the 1700s new that it supposedly was allocated. If the shaft were really out, 103 would be transferring its low 1000s to FG so 103 could get the Novas. Still possible, but given other tea leaves, not likely.

What you always fail to add about 2002 is that fg got the preheater buses because it's what CTA had to do, not what it wanted to do. FG is where buses go to die. Almost every series has retired out of fg. Coincidence? I guess you don't think so.

[garmon757]

What you always fail to add about 2002 is that fg got the preheater buses because it's what CTA had to do, not what it wanted to do. FG is where buses go to die. Almost every series has retired out of fg. Coincidence? I guess you don't think so.

That's like saying Forest Glen is a "Welcome to Hell" garage!

[Busjack]

What you always fail to add about 2002 is that fg got the preheater buses because it's what CTA had to do, not what it wanted to do. FG is where buses go to die. Almost every series has retired out of fg. Coincidence? I guess you don't think so.

I don't see how that is failing to recognize anything.

If anything else, FG's 5500s went to die to Kedzie, where they didn't die for about 7 years. In the meantime, FG had newer buses than any Kedzie had--6000s and 6400s, while Kedzie only had beat up 4400s and 5500s. If the theory was in 2002 that the average age should have been equalized, K should have received the 6400s. I recall at that time K riders griping on other comment boards, not FG ones.

The only thing that can be consistently said is that after 2000, FG and NP got buses with preheaters, except that NP had to rely on rehabbed 4400s instead of getting anything new around 2000-2002, and thus had to wait for the odd-even replacement previously described.

And as for 6000s going to die, they died at 74, FG, C and any where else they were simultaneously, when Rich Rodriguez said so.

[jajuan]

What you always fail to add about 2002 is that fg got the preheater buses because it's what CTA had to do, not what it wanted to do. FG is where buses go to die. Almost every series has retired out of fg. Coincidence? I guess you don't think so.

Well the MAN 4000s didn't die there, even though they did help finish off the Flyers there. The Americanas died at North Park. We can't say the NABIs died there because FG has never really been much of an artic garage. I think the Fishbowls may have died at North Park like the the Americanas did. My memory is foggy on that being almost 18 years ago, but I don't think Flyers went back to FG until after Limits closed in 1995. Fishbowls were around till 1996 and NP had them till their last day if I remember right. Busjack's post above reminded me that the 5300 series Flxibles didn't die there. They died at Kedzie, Chicago and 103rd. The 4400s died at 77th. Yeah some 6000s died there, but they also died at Kedzie, 74th, and Chicago. I was going to say 103rd also but 103rd sent what 6000s it had to 74th as it got more NFs. So FG's not looking like much of a garage that bus's go to die after all.

[Busjack]

...Fishbowls were around till 1996 and NP had them till their last day if I remember right.

69 didn't get rid of those (including the leased ones from Pace) until 74 received 6000s when it opened, and some 4400s from NP freed up by an equal number of 5800s. If NP had any fishbowls by then, I would be surprised.

[garmon757]

74 didn't get rid of those (including the leased ones from Pace) until it received 6000s when it opened, and some 4400s from NP freed up by an equal number of 5800s. If NP had any fishbowls by then, I would be surprised.

I would've thought that Archer was partially involved of the Fishbowls being retired but I may be wrong.

[jajuan]

74 didn't get rid of those (including the leased ones from Pace) until it received 6000s when it opened, and some 4400s from NP freed up by an equal number of 5800s. If NP had any fishbowls by then, I would be surprised.

Oh I yeah that's right. See told you my memory was foggy on the fishbowls. But they still didn't die at FG since I 74th's 6000s weren't around until 1996 and our friend said FG was the garage that bus models go to die. .

[jajuan]

I would've thought that Archer was partially involved of the Fishbowls being retired but I may be wrong.

No you're correct because Archer had Fishbowls too, including some of the ex-Pace fishbowls as 69th/74th had. Once all those fishbowls were gone from Archer, that's when Archer got Flyers.

[garmon757]

No you're correct because Archer had Fishbowls too, including some of the ex-Pace fishbowls as 69th/74th had. Once all those fishbowls were gone from Archer, that's when Archer got Flyers.

Thanks. I was trying to be careful before I've post it because I have a good memory riding them a lot on #49 and #94 when I was like 4-5 years old. This may be random but I remember me and my mom was running for the #81 (Flxible #5454) by Weiss Hospital during the same year.

[jajuan]

Thanks. I was trying to be careful before I've post it because I have a good memory riding them a lot on #49 and #94 when I was like 4-5 years old. This may be random but I remember me and my mom was running for the #81 (Flxible #5454) by Weiss Hospital during the same year.

Oh you were a little guy then LOL...but yeah your memory is correct. It just slipped my mind how the 5800s first arriving played a role in freeing up TMCs for 69th/74th routes and helped bring about an end to Fishbowls on the south side, I just remembered Fishbowls left FG when Limits Garage closed and FG took on some Flyers again. Plus the fact that NP and 69th jointly operated the 49 before Archer got it was clouding my thoughts of whether Fishbowls were still at NP. But Busjack is correct that they died there which your memory of them on the 94 confirms. The ones on 49 were more likely from 69th. By the time Archer got the 49, I think Archer was already using Flyers for non-lift runs because I remember Flyers on the 49 after it went to Archer.

[garmon757]

Oh you were a little guy then LOL...but yeah your memory is correct. It just slipped my mind how the 5800s first arriving played a role in freeing up TMCs for 69th/74th routes and helped bring about an end to Fishbowls on the south side, I just remembered Fishbowls left FG when Limits Garage closed and FG took on some Flyers again. Plus the fact that NP and 69th jointly operated the 49 before Archer got it was clouding my thoughts of whether Fishbowls were still at NP. But Busjack is correct that they died there which your memory of them on the 94 confirms. The ones on 49 were more likely from 69th. By the time Archer got the 49, I think Archer was already using Flyers for non-lift runs because I remember Flyers on the 49 after it went to Archer.

Lol I was the little guy back then!!! Now it makes sense why #49 is being operated by 74th and North Park. Speaking of 69th (no wonder why 74th's run numbers starts with a 6), was the TMCs in the mid-high 4800s? I'd remember North Park had them starting at 4400-lower 4500s, Chicago (Lawndale) in the mid-high 4500s to lower 4600s, Archer mid-high 4600s, Forest Glen 4700s, and 103rd I'm not so sure about that one.

[Busjack]

Lol I was the little guy back then!!! Now it makes sense why #49 is being operated by 74th and North Park. Speaking of 69th (no wonder why 74th's run numbers starts with a 6), was the TMCs in the mid-high 4800s? I'd remember North Park had them starting at 4400-lower 4500s, Chicago (Lawndale) in the mid-high 4500s to lower 4600s, Archer mid-high 4600s, Forest Glen 4700s, and 103rd I'm not so sure about that one.

Originally for 74th roughly 4590-465? (somehow 4654 rings a bell).

4800s were 77th.

Originally (and apparently not original originally, since reportedly 77th got some first, and then they were sent to NP) NP had 4400 to 455?, K had 455?-47??. and 77 had 47??-4876.Then, supposedly the south side complained that they didn't have air conditioned buses, there was the swap of the upper 4700s to FG for some 5300s to 77.

When the 5800s and 6000s arrived, FG got its 5300s back, 74 got as indicated above, and K's 4400s were split between 103, A and C, again roughly speaking. That's about where your observations fall.

When the rehabs started, number blocks of 4400s got scattered, but the garages that got Novas (77, A, C, F) lost all 4400s.* For a while, NP got the rehabbed 4400s in about any order, because the rehabs included installing preheaters. As noted above, the 6000s already had them, but 6000s appeared at NP only as loaners. Also, it was basically after the rehabs and the swaps after the Novas that 74 got the roughly 4800s.

___________

*BTW, for the "where to go to die," 484 Novas were more than enough to replace 190 some Flyers, but while they also replaced some MAN Americanas, the garages with Americanas didn't get any Novas. The only exception was the interim between 2001 and late 2002 where FG got some Americanas to retire Flyers until it got Novas. K and NP were stuck with Americanas until they got NABIs, where is where that series died.

[sw4400]

With regards to the TMC's at FG, this is how I remember the assignments in 2001-2002(buses had A/C at the time) being a regular #80 rider. This was when FG had Flxibles in the 5500's up to 5619.

TMC's I saw servicing #80 during this time frame:

4567,4684,4700,4705,4708,4710,4713,4745,4758,4762,4787,4857,4859,4860,4862,4864,4865,4866,

4867,4868,4869,4870,4871,4872,4873

The upper 4800's stick out especially because of their interior numbers at the time... they looked like they were painted on with a stencil set for 4864-4870.

@ Busjack: TMC's range was 4400-4875(474 buses)