Bus garage refurbishment

[BusHunter]

Probably depends on the garage refurbishment project. Once you get past routes 3,4,79, and 87, the routes that seem to meet the criteria for artics are 9 and 49, between whatever remains of the 3 for 4 rationale, the buses being received starting now supposedly to replace Novas, and what if anything comes from the Western Corridor "project." Similarly, some Chicago routes (such as 66) and FG routes (such as 77) seem to qualify, but for the garage equipment problems.

BTW, there is a solicitation for roof, window, and masonry repairs for 77th garage, so I guess the refurbishment program doesn't mean a new 77th garage.

Fg, 77th and South Shops are in the process of getting their hoists rebuilt for phase one of the project according to February's construction report.. Link: http://www.transitchicago.com/assets/1/board_presentations/Construction_Report_-_February_2013.pdf It says phase one completion will be by 4/30/13. 77th could always use artics for the #8, so maybe they do have a use for 35 artics after all. We'll have to see what happens.

[Busjack]

Fg, 77th and South Shops are in the process of getting their hoists rebuilt for phase one of the project according to February's construction report.. Link: http://www.transitchicago.com/assets/1/board_presentations/Construction_Report_-_February_2013.pdf It says phase one completion will be by 4/30/13. 77th could always use artics for the #8, so maybe they do have a use for 35 artics after all. We'll have to see what happens.

How did I miss that one? I don't know.

Looking now, it appears a complete demolition through the floor. Thus, the project is clearly underway, and the only question is what kind of hoists will replace these, such as whether FG will get 60 foot ones in the conceivable future.

And I had also forgotten that 8 got moved to 77.

[Sam92]

Fg, 77th and South Shops are in the process of getting their hoists rebuilt for phase one of the project according to February's construction report.. Link: http://www.transitchicago.com/assets/1/board_presentations/Construction_Report_-_February_2013.pdf It says phase one completion will be by 4/30/13. 77th could always use artics for the #8, so maybe they do have a use for 35 artics after all. We'll have to see what happens.

3, 4, 79 and 87 alone definately justify 35-40. I've seen them get fairly crowded in the midday in the week. First day the 4 got 4300's, 4368 was packed front to back at 1:30 pm. I've seen 79th's crowds last till nearly midnight. And with summer coming expect #3 to start getting its crowds from the Water Tower and downtown events. 87? May have a question mark for that at the moment but between Jeffery and Halsted is really busy for that route in addition to CVCA students. And now that I think of it, #3 brings a bus for Chicago Military Academy-Bronzeville and up till my junior year there (when 77th lost its artics in the 2010 cuts) those were definately done with artics.

[jajuan]

3, 4, 79 and 87 alone definately justify 35-40. I've seen them get fairly crowded in the midday in the week. First day the 4 got 4300's, 4368 was packed front to back at 1:30 pm. I've seen 79th's crowds last till nearly midnight. And with summer coming expect #3 to start getting its crowds from the Water Tower and downtown events. 87? May have a question mark for that at the moment but between Jeffery and Halsted is really busy for that route in addition to CVCA students. And now that I think of it, #3 brings a bus for Chicago Military Academy-Bronzeville and up till my junior year there (when 77th lost its artics in the 2010 cuts) those were definately done with artics.

You're right Sam. A lot of folks keep harping on the 6 no longer being there. But they continually overlook 77th still has those four you brought up and also forget that it got the 8 in the last pick which makes up for long gone downtown routes due to garage transfer and recent scaling back of some others. The fact that K and NP use artics on 12, 22, 151, 152 and 156 collectively should remind anyone still bringing up the 6 that garages with artics do use them for more than just express routes, meaning 77th still always had busy local routes remaining where artics can assist what 40 foot buses that still might get used on those routes.

[BUSANGEL#1]

You're right Sam. A lot of folks keep harping on the 6 no longer being there. But they continually overlook 77th still has those four you brought up and also forget that it got the 8 in the last pick which makes up for long gone downtown routes due to garage transfer and recent scaling back of some others. The fact that K and NP use artics on 12, 22, 151, 152 and 156 collectively should remind anyone still bringing up the 6 that garages with artics do use them for more than just express routes, meaning 77th still always had busy local routes remaining where artics can assist what 40 foot buses that still might get used on those routes.

Last but not least we can't forget the 2, which is the last and only LSD route left at 77th that also can use artics, especially in the a.m rush into downtown.

[jajuan]

Last but not least we can't forget the 2, which is the last and only LSD route left at 77th that also can use artics, especially in the a.m rush into downtown.

Oh yes quite true. At the very least mix some in with the 40 footers on that route. All the trips may not need to be done with an artic as NP is finding with its express routes to varying degrees but some will be useful. 103rd is doing similar with 26 and the 28 Union Station trips. Not all trips are artic run but both have at minimum been evenly split artic and 1000s.

[Sam92]

Last but not least we can't forget the 2, which is the last and only LSD route left at 77th that also can use artics, especially in the a.m rush into downtown.

I've seen them pop up on that route in the NABI days. I'd say 60-80 is a decent number considering 3, 4, 79 and probably the 8 each use about 30 buses in the rush hous. And thats not counting 87th yet. And last I checked, 79th runs as often as every 6 minutes on a SUNDAY.

[jajuan]

I've seen them pop up on that route in the NABI days. I'd say 60-80 is a decent number considering 3, 4, 79 and probably the 8 each use about 30 buses in the rush hous. And thats not counting 87th yet. And last I checked, 79th runs as often as every 6 minutes on a SUNDAY.

Only problem with that is looks like all they're going to receive is half that.

[BusHunter]

From the looks of the April (http://www.transitchicago.com/assets/1/board_presentations/Construction_Report_-_April_2013.pdf )Construction Report, some of FG's hoists are complete. They appear to be all for 40 foot buses so far. The 77th hoists fixed so far include an artic lift, so they appear to be keeping some artics at 77th or they wouldn't have an artic lift. Next they will be moving on to Kedzie and then North Park in phase 2 (May construction report http://www.transitchicago.com/assets/1/board_presentations/Construction_Report_-_May_2013.pdf ) and lastly at 103rd, Chicago and 74th.

Also CTA has tipped their hand on the ballast that's going to be used in the Dan Ryan construction, (in the april report) it will be gray after all.

[Busjack]

....

They just sold off 52nd and Cottage a couple of years ago, even though that garage closed around 1983.

...

I guess we now know for what the land is now being used. U of C Facilities Service Building.

[andrethebusman]

The basic problem is that since Archer closed, all garages are overloaded with buses, CTA really does need one additional garage. Closing Archer was not a bad move - it was in a bad location in today's world, but it should have been replaced. At one point a new Archer was to be built at Archer/Pulaski, where Curie HS now is, as CTA had the property since CSL days. But no money, so at some point Board of Ed got it.

[wordguy]

If the funding ever becomes available, an ideal location for a new Southwest Side garage would be along 31st Street west of Western. Large tracts of land are available there; it's part of an industrial prairie, the former site of International Harvester. There would be ample room for a 250-300 bus facility as well as unlimited parking.

[jajuan]

The basic problem is that since Archer closed, all garages are overloaded with buses, CTA really does need one additional garage. Closing Archer was not a bad move - it was in a bad location in today's world, but it should have been replaced. At one point a new Archer was to be built at Archer/Pulaski, where Curie HS now is, as CTA had the property since CSL days. But no money, so at some point Board of Ed got it.

That's not entirely true about all garages being overloaded with buses. 103rd, Forest Glen, North Park, and 77th are actually still operating under their designed capacities based on what Bill V's page says what the current in service garages' capacities are said to be compared against sw and BusHunter's bus counts at the garages through their tracking the fleet assignments at the garages. FG for example has a designed capacity of 310 buses but currently has about 252 assigned. But if we look at routes assigned to the individual garages compared against the service capacity of those routes and the overall service levels of the areas where an individual garage may sit, both metrics probably being the better measures, then yes CTA would possibly need another garage if it ever got the funds to build one anytime soon. Kedzie is probably the one garage that's guilty of being overloaded consistently as it's been over capacity even before Archer closed. Chicago and 74th went over capacity fairly more recently.

[Busjack]

On the agenda (Word doc) is an item to buy or condemn land adjacent to the North Park garage.

I suppose that, as in the case of a similar resolution for the Forest Glen garage, somebody is next going to post a garage rumor that the garage is moving to Stickney.

There is also an item to upgrade the fuel system at 77th.