Unusual Workings

[BUSANGEL#1]

And on the subject of route #30, I don't think it was close enough to CVCA for artics to be used for.school runs. Maybe 30 had more moderate ridership when it was the express? (if you're mentioning that time... I'm too young to say for sure I just know at one time it was an express /limited stop route.

CVCA's eastern border on anthony is only 1 block from South Chicago, but most students take either 87th or Jeffery. When I went to CVCA, there were tons of school trips on #30 for Bowen which is 3 blocks away and Washington. So there was plenty of coverage.

[RJL6000]

Today, I noticed that due to the snowy weather, and the fact that this is a Sunday, that both 103rd and North Park have grounded their artic fleet for today (the routes that are normally operated with artics from those two garages are entirely run with 40-footers). Secondly, the other three artic garages (77th, Chicago and Kedzie) have been running a lot fewer artics than they normally do (in fact, only one artic showed up on the #66, with the remainder of the buses on that route being 40-footers).

[YoungBusLover]

Speaking of artics, On Thursday evening I saw #4096 working on route 30 for the pm rush which I thought was very unusual since I`d rarely see artics running that route during the pm rush. Also how long has #1488 been running without its proper exhaust cap on the top, It reminds of past buses in a sense that use to run those short exhaust caps.

[jajuan]

Today, I noticed that due to the snowy weather, and the fact that this is a Sunday, that both 103rd and North Park have grounded their artic fleet for today (the routes that are normally operated with artics from those two garages are entirely run with 40-footers). Secondly, the other three artic garages (77th, Chicago and Kedzie) have been running a lot fewer artics than they normally do (in fact, only one artic showed up on the #66, with the remainder of the buses on that route being 40-footers).

NP also grounded its artics on yesterday although there was no snowy weather until last night overnight into this morning. I had an errand that I needed to go into downtown for yesterday for which I used the 147, and the 1000s seemed to handle yesterday's coverage pretty well. I didn't really see any standees on either bus I rode even though downtown still had the usual crowds of people milling around the streets. The one annoying factor I did encounter was having an operator on the return trip home who drove like a bat of you know where on the local streets, but drove like a freaking snail on the Drive when we all know weekend traffic on the Drive is relatively light. 103rd did run artics yesterday but still not quite as many as we've usually seen on a Saturday since about half the buses on the 6 were 1000 series buses and the J14 saw about one or two on route as well.

[artthouwill]

Today, I noticed that due to the snowy weather, and the fact that this is a Sunday, that both 103rd and North Park have grounded their artic fleet for today (the routes that are normally operated with artics from those two garages are entirely run with 40-footers). Secondly, the other three artic garages (77th, Chicago and Kedzie) have been running a lot fewer artics than they normally do (in fact, only one artic showed up on the #66, with the remainder of the buses on that route being 40-footers).

Concur. The 12 Roosevelt route which normally runs artics on Sundays ran with 40 ft buses.

[artthouwill]

NP also grounded its artics on yesterday although there was no snowy weather until last night overnight into this morning. I had an errand that I needed to go into downtown for yesterday for which I used the 147, and the 1000s seemed to handle yesterday's coverage pretty well. I didn't really see any standees on either bus I rode even though downtown still had the usual crowds of people milling around the streets. The one annoying factor I did encounter was having an operator on the return trip home who drove like a bat of you know where on the local streets, but drove like a freaking snail on the Drive when we all know weekend traffic on the Drive is relatively light. 103rd did run artics yesterday but still not quite as many as we've usually seen on a Saturday since about half the buses on the 6 were 1000 series buses and the J14 saw about one or two on route as well.

First question is did the city lower the speed limit to 40 on LSD like they normally do in the winter? The fact that traffic was light yesterday probably made your driver be sure that he wasn't going too fast if he hit a slick spot of black ice. I promise you driving a sliding bus is no fun at all. At a slower speed you have time to correct the skid and not use the brakes or brake minimally. A higher speed skid is much harder to control and much more likely will result in an accident. The driver is in control of that bus. Kudos to him for being safe rather than sorry.

[jajuan]

First question is did the city lower the speed limit to 40 on LSD like they normally do in the winter? The fact that traffic was light yesterday probably made your driver be sure that he wasn't going too fast if he hit a slick spot of black ice. I promise you driving a sliding bus is no fun at all. At a slower speed you have time to correct the skid and not use the brakes or brake minimally. A higher speed skid is much harder to control and much more likely will result in an accident. The driver is in control of that bus. Kudos to him for being safe rather than sorry.

You misunderstand me. He was moving MUCH slower than the 40 MPH speed limit (which is now year round on the north end) and moving more like 10 to 15. This would have been fine had this been Sunday AFTER the snow started falling and blowing. But this was on Saturday afternoon, before the winds started kicking up the snow and before the additional 1 to 2 inches started falling and when the Drive was still relatively dry at the time. Had any of the weather factors been in play yet I and the other folks who were on the bus wouldn't have been befuddled as to why he was driving at a snail's pace on the Drive yet racing along the local parts of the route. One guy even said as a joke to his frustrated girlfriend, "Maybe he's trying to avoid that new invisible snow since the Drive is still clear and relatively dry right now."

[Chicago13]

About 8:55 this morning I saw #4083 sitting in front of the old Children's Memorial Hospital on Lincoln signed for the #74 Fullerton route.

First time I've ever seen an artic on Fullerton.

[RJL6000]

About 8:55 this morning I saw #4083 sitting in front of the old Children's Memorial Hospital on Lincoln signed for the #74 Fullerton route.

First time I've ever seen an artic on Fullerton.

The #74 does have a couple of artics during the AM rush period. What's unusual is that tonight, the #74 has #4077 on the route according to BusTracker. It is extremely rare for an artic to be operated on Fullerton this late at night, even if that artic is based at the same garage that handles the route.

Also, did you mean #4383? (#4083 was supposed to be still at 103rd.)

[Chicago13]

The #74 does have a couple of artics during the AM rush period. What's unusual is that tonight, the #74 has #4077 on the route according to BusTracker. It is extremely rare for an artic to be operated on Fullerton this late at night, even if that artic is based at the same garage that handles the route.

Also, did you mean #4383? (#4083 was supposed to be still at 103rd.)

Could have been. I only caught a quick glimpse of the number while driving in the opposite direction.

[Chicago13]

I've been seeing #82 Kimball/Homan buses going southbound with the destination signs showing they only go to Cermak. One day I saw 4 in a row (3 of them bunched together approaching Belmont). Are these buses interlined with another route? Doesn't seem to make sense they'd be pull-ins since those always terminated at Jackson.

Also, the other day, I saw a FG Nova (it was 68xx didn't catch the last 2 numbers) on northbound Lincoln turning left onto westbound Belmont. It was signed NOT IN SERVICE but had a run number in the F93X range. Anyone know what that one might have been all about?

[garmon757]

I've been seeing #82 Kimball/Homan buses going southbound with the destination signs showing they only go to Cermak. One day I saw 4 in a row (3 of them bunched together approaching Belmont). Are these buses interlined with another route? Doesn't seem to make sense they'd be pull-ins since those always terminated at Jackson.

Also, the other day, I saw a FG Nova (it was 68xx didn't catch the last 2 numbers) on northbound Lincoln turning left onto westbound Belmont. It was signed NOT IN SERVICE but had a run number in the F93X range. Anyone know what that one might have been all about?

I'm going to assume that #82's destination to Cermak are part-time runs during school days. The Nova you have spotted with F93X are #92 Foster part-time runs.

[jajuan]

I've been seeing #82 Kimball/Homan buses going southbound with the destination signs showing they only go to Cermak. One day I saw 4 in a row (3 of them bunched together approaching Belmont). Are these buses interlined with another route? Doesn't seem to make sense they'd be pull-ins since those always terminated at Jackson.

Also, the other day, I saw a FG Nova (it was 68xx didn't catch the last 2 numbers) on northbound Lincoln turning left onto westbound Belmont. It was signed NOT IN SERVICE but had a run number in the F93X range. Anyone know what that one might have been all about?

I'm going to assume that #82's destination to Cermak are part-time runs during school days. The Nova you have spotted with F93X are #92 Foster part-time runs.

The #82 southbound Cermak trips are regularly scheduled short turns that have been in place since Forest Claypool's Decrowd Plan went into effect. Not all of them are school runs as garmon legitimately hypothesized since they do show up on the 82 passenger schedule (which school trips don't always do; CTA would just put a notice on the schedule that there may be extra service along certain portions of the route on school days), the trips do start at Lincolnwood Town Center, and a few Cermak trips are also in place on weekends. They pretty much serve the purpose of keeping service on a smaller headway on the main core of the route. You'll also see that there are NB trips that begin at Cermak that also serve a similar purpose. (Note that half the weekday trips serve Devon/Kedzie terminal instead of the mall during the 2:30-3 PM half hour for this reason)

[garmon757]

The #82 southbound Cermak trips are regularly scheduled short turns that have been in place since Forest Claypool's Decrowd Plan went into effect. Not all of them are school runs as garmon legitimately hypothesized since they do show up on the 82 passenger schedule (which school trips don't always do; CTA would just put a notice on the schedule that there may be extra service along certain portions of the route on school days), the trips do start at Lincolnwood Town Center, and a few weekend Cermak trips are also in place on weekends. They pretty much serve the purpose of keeping service on a smaller headway on the main core of the route. You'll also see that there are NB trips that begin at Cermak that also serve a similar purpose. (Note that half the weekday trips serve Devon/Kedzie terminal instead of the mall during the 2:30-3 PM half hour for this reason)

That makes more sense and you're right about the northbound trips to Devon and Kedzie.

[artthouwill]

I'm going to assume that #82's destination to Cermak are part-time runs during school days. The Nova you have spotted with F93X are #92 Foster part-time runs.

I recentlly saw an 82 Kimball/Homan artic whose destination was Jackson. This wouldn't have been odd except that it was a NorthPark run with a North Park artic. I didn't catch the whold number but I know it started with a P.

[Chicago13]

I'm going to assume that #82's destination to Cermak are part-time runs during school days. The Nova you have spotted with F93X are #92 Foster part-time runs.

I know that's a Foster run number. But it doesn't explain why I saw that bus turning westbound on Belmont from northbound Lincoln.

[garmon757]

I know that's a Foster run number. But it doesn't explain why I saw that bus turning westbound on Belmont from northbound Lincoln.

Probably switching to another route or doing a test run. That's all I can think of.

[andrethebusman]

Probably switching to another route or doing a test run. That's all I can think of.

I would suspect a turnback, or a 77 being run light from Lake Shore via Diversey-Lincoln-Belmont to make up time.

[andrethebusman]

I recentlly saw an 82 Kimball/Homan artic whose destination was Jackson. This wouldn't have been odd except that it was a NorthPark run with a North Park artic. I didn't catch the whold number but I know it started with a P.

12/13 schedule:

P354 from Gar via Kedzie to Catalpa (North Side College Prep) then via Kedzie-Bryn Mawr-Kimball-#82 to Homan/Congress then via xway to LaSalle Sta to #36 (should have a 40-footer)

P167 from Gar via Foster-Kimball to Carmen (Von Steuben)then via #82 and as above to Congress/Franklin to #135 (should have artic)

[andrethebusman]

From 9/8/63 all services ran express between 63^rd and 92^nd and renamed 30 South Chicago Express, this service replaced 30X, Owl service north terminal cut back from South Chicago/71^st to 92^nd/Commercial. More stops were added on South Chicago in the express section over the years until service renamed 30 South Chicago from 3/22/76.

Before 9/8/63 South Chicago Exp was much more of an express - stops were 63rd-Keefe-71st-75th-79th-83rd-87th-Commercial only. 1963 added Marquette, 69th, 73rd, 76th, Dante, east End, Ridgeland, Bennett, 85th, 86th, Colfax, Exchange to compensate for no local. The various other adds are in the last 10 years, one at a time basically, so that now it makes almost all the old local stops (except interestingly Clyde)