5000 retirements

[andrethebusman]

Here is a real oldie - 5000-5499 Twin 52S2P's

Notes:

5312, 5481 were the two destroyed in the 1969 Kedzie explosion. Believe explosion originated in 5481.

5277 hit by train at Nagle/Avondale 1954 while on 91-Austin. No casualties.

5000-5062 were all retired 1966 when 3500's came in, but in reality most were "unretired" and replaced by higher numbers.

In the practice at the time, before 1972 most buses were sold on a "cash and carry" system where a junkman would come with his tow truck to South Shops, fork over some cash, and leave with a bus. By 1973, so many dead buses had accumulated at South (and West) shops that Pielet Bros was given a contract to remove 500 at $14.67 a piece.

Buses marked "LC" were among 120 sold to Lee Calan Imports (a car dealer) who planned to sell them to South Korea. The deal fell thru, the buses ended up sitting at Calumet Harbor until about 1976, when the city seized them and junked them.

5383 and 5441 converted to "suggestion buses" to model [planned interiors for 1000's in 1971. Both sold 1973, 5383 to Smith scrap 3/22/73 (who used it for an office for many years) and 5441 to Omnibus Society of America 4/14/73. 5441 repurchased by CTA 1975, renumbered "M", and used as a community outreach unit. later repainted silver/blue/red and r# 1976. After years of storage, sold back to Omnibus Society of America 8/19/86, resold to Melvin Bernero, then to David Buzek, then to Museum of Transportation (St Louis MO)where it is today.

5000.txt