7900-series Nova LFS - Updates

[jajuan]

23 hours ago, YoungBusLover said:

3 straight days of Nova fest on Ashland. I miss the Flyers, this reminds me of when the old Nova's took over Ashland and Metro E's before that.

Well if traffic signal priority on the south end of Ashland has anything to do with this, look for that to be the case on Ashland for the time being until 74th Garage higher ups decide whether something other than the Novas will be TSP equipped. I think they'd have to have more than just Novas equipped with Western Avenue getting TSP equipped by the end of the year and NP of course having no Novas but sharing 49/X49 and running 49B, which would be affected by TSP since it's supposed to be installed all the way to Howard. That's not counting my also before mentioned point that 74th would have few Novas to cover other routes if the Novas are the only model equipped for TSP since covering both Ashland and Western with nothing but Novas would take up 60-70 buses out of their total 100. Heck just covering Ashland alone with nothing but Novas uses roughly up to 35 buses per day.

[busfan2847]

8112 was on the 20 this morning so the Nova famine ends!

[andrethebusman]

I  strongly suspect that this lack of 8100's on Madison has to do with LoopLink and clearances at the platforms.

[jajuan]

2 minutes ago, andrethebusman said:

I  strongly suspect that this lack of 8100's on Madison has to do with LoopLink and clearances at the platforms.

Hmmm a small possibility looking at the tall back end of the 7900 series buses and the front fin. That's if the 20 were the only route with potential access to 8100s running through the Loop Link. However, that wouldn't explain 157 being covered by half to three quarters 8100s now that that route has moved from Kedzie to Chicago. Remember 157 also uses the Loop Link corridor. It also wouldn't explain the occasional 800 that often showed up on 157 when it was still Kedzie assigned or occasional 800 series that still occasionally shows up on the 60. Also J14 wouldn't be able to still run through there with all the 4000s and hybrid 4300s that are used on that route. 103rd would have to use a boatload of 1000s instead and further break the specially wrapped buses terms under which they got the grant to convert the former 14 to J14 when they already break those terms royally enough as is by using 4300s and unwrapped 4000s in high numbers on a daily basis. The nature of the buses that run on those other routes would seem to negate the tall bus clearance along Loop Link theory in regards to not as many 8100s being operated on the 20.

[BusHunter]

17 hours ago, jajuan said:

Well if traffic signal priority on the south end of Ashland has anything to do with this, look for that to be the case on Ashland for the time being until 74th Garage higher ups decide whether something other than the Novas will be TSP equipped. I think they'd have to have more than just Novas equipped with Western Avenue getting TSP equipped by the end of the year and NP of course having no Novas but sharing 49/X49 and running 49B, which would be affected by TSP since it's supposed to be installed all the way to Howard. That's not counting my also before mentioned point that 74th would have few Novas to cover other routes if the Novas are the only model equipped for TSP since covering both Ashland and Western with nothing but Novas would take up 60-70 buses out of their total 100. Heck just covering Ashland alone with nothing but Novas uses roughly up to 35 buses per day.

Yeah, I was checking out all these #8000's on the #9/#X9 and came across #4013 at the orange line on the #9. So there is at least one NF out there!!

Probably one reason for the Novas getting TSP, if that is what this is all about, is alot of the NF's are moving to other garages so they very well can't put the tsp on those, but yeah I agree they should have tried to do half and half at least, but I wouldn't doubt that whole garage gets tsp with Western coming online soon. That's too many buses to segregate anyway. Maybe when the fleet count gets settled we'll see this, but then that makes that garage fleet untransferable unless they want to put tsp on more buses!!  

Somehow I don't see these getting on NP buses, that would mean more TSP's yet. There's going to have to be a service supplied restructuring of routes when Western comes online.

[jajuan]

5 minutes ago, BusHunter said:

Yeah, I was checking out all these #8000's on the #9/#X9 and came across #4013 at the orange line on the #9. So there is at least one NF out there!!

Probably one reason for the Novas getting TSP, if that is what this is all about, is alot of the NF's are moving to other garages so they very well can't put the tsp on those, but yeah I agree they should have tried to do half and half at least, but I wouldn't doubt that whole garage gets tsp with Western coming online soon. That's too many buses to segregate anyway. Maybe when the fleet count gets settled we'll see this, but then that makes that garage fleet untransferable unless they want to put tsp on more buses!!  

Well don't forget that Western TSP is going to be installed up to Howard. So that affects not only the 49/X49 but also 49B. That means buses at NP are going to have to be equipped either way it goes. 49/X49 was already going to bring NP into play very likely since it shares those two with 74th. But the TSP going up to Howard brings 49B into that mix and solidifies that NP will be involved. And it's not very likely that NP is getting Novas. So that means NFs will need to get TSP equipped. That also means if 74th needs to trade buses in the future for pick changes after this current swapocalypse settles down, it could be done with NP. Either way, the Nova take over of Ashland can't last for too long given Western is going to get TSP as well especially if they want to have enough Novas at 74th to use on their other routes outside of Western and Ashland.

[BusHunter]

On Tuesday, March 15, 2016 at 5:13 PM, Busjack said:

 

They could always  make the #49 run to howard or a few x49's In that case they wouldn't have to Involve np.

[Busjack]

6 minutes ago, BusHunter said:

They could always  make the #49 run to howard or a few x49's In that case they wouldn't have to Involve np.

74th seems to have capacity issues, and that would result in the same unbalanced schedule as on 9 and X9 that everything has to end on the south side. If I were recommending anything, it would be that some 9/X9 end on the north side, but Limits garage is not coming back.

[jajuan]

13 minutes ago, BusHunter said:

They could always  make the #49 run to howard or a few x49's In that case they wouldn't have to Involve np.

It's highly doubtful they'd have 49 or X49 go to Howard and in essence kill 49B. And as Busjack points out, 74th has capacity issues. So that makes it even less likely they'd do that especially when we just had the scenario of Kedzie shedding routes and runs of routes to Chicago because of Kedzie's capacity problems (C taking on 157 and from the looks of things a few more morning rush runs on the 12). The only way you keep NP out the picture is having 74th give up enough routes to have enough buses to cover 49/X49 by itself as it already does the 9/X9. And that's not very likely to happen either. Like it or not, NP is in the mix with equipping more buses for TSP later in the year. So I stick to my thought that something other than Novas has to get TSP equipped after the current crazy NF swaporama dies down.

[mel bernero]

Transit Signal Priority starts on Ashland Avenue on Sunday, April 17, 2016 using all Novas for the time being.

G06-16_Transit Signal Priority for 9 & X9 Ashland Buses.pdf

[BusHunter]

3 minutes ago, mel bernero said:

Transit Signal Priority starts on Ashland Avenue on Sunday, April 17, 2016 using all Novas for the time being.

G06-16_Transit Signal Priority for 9 & X9 Ashland Buses.pdf

It says they intend to do all 74th buses, so soon there will be more than just Novas on Ashland. 74th probably needs to be the second garage then to get it's NF fleet straightened out. It's already well on it's way.

I also notice the tsp will not work unless the bus is late. I don't see many buses using tsp going nb because they will probably be all or mostly on time, but the north end of the sb tsp will get hit most likely the hardest as the buses have the highest chance there to become late. Also if there is a reroute somewhere, the tsp will be highly used as most buses are then late. The only question I have is how far from a signal does tsp work? Also it seems some lights are omitted. I don't see Archer on there and it's south of 2400 south.

[artthouwill]

Nova Bus 8200 is parked next to 8199 on the west fence at South Shops

[jajuan]

23 hours ago, mel bernero said:

Transit Signal Priority starts on Ashland Avenue on Sunday, April 17, 2016 using all Novas for the time being.

G06-16_Transit Signal Priority for 9 & X9 Ashland Buses.pdf

Well this confirms Busjack and my initial thoughts that the Nova takeover of Ashland had to do with TSP getting started on the southern end of Ashland. It also confirms my thought that something other than the 74th assigned 7900 series has to get TSP equipped when we take into account that all of the CTA covered portion of Western up to Howard comes into play for TSP by the end of this year and that therefore getting into NP's share of Western coverage not only through 49/X49 but through the 49B. 

23 hours ago, BusHunter said:

It says they intend to do all 74th buses, so soon there will be more than just Novas on Ashland. 74th probably needs to be the second garage then to get it's NF fleet straightened out. It's already well on it's way.

I also notice the tsp will not work unless the bus is late. I don't see many buses using tsp going nb because they will probably be all or mostly on time, but the north end of the sb tsp will get hit most likely the hardest as the buses have the highest chance there to become late. Also if there is a reroute somewhere, the tsp will be highly used as most buses are then late. The only question I have is how far from a signal does tsp work? Also it seems some lights are omitted. I don't see Archer on there and it's south of 2400 south.

He kind of already alluded to the Ashland Nova takeover being temporary when he said "for the time being". At any rate, the Nova takeover on Ashland at this point will carry on at this point for however many weeks or months it takes 74th to get the NFs assigned there TSP equipped since their fleet numbers are indeed close to being straightened out numerically. It's probably not going to be a relative snapping of the fingers in getting that done. Between getting whatever further transfers done to get the NF numbers in order and the actual work of installing the TSP equipment, it's probably going to be a few weeks at minimum before we see NFs trickle back into Ashland service. We know MRCTA85 will be in Nova heaven for these next few weeks at least whenever he does Ashland runs. He better enjoy it now while it lasts until the NFs there get TSP equipped

 Also since we know in the coming months they're going to get started with getting Western TSP ready, that would suggest that NP needs to have its 40 foot NF numbers straightened out soon after 74th. That means they have to work out how they want to divvy up the 1700s, 1800s and 1900s primarily as well as work out if they want to leave what lower 1300s and lower 1400s at NP at that garage as the recent transfers appear to have left those untouched outside of some 1340s at NP heading south most recently. They've got lower 1700s divided between Kedzie and NP, midrange 1700s between 74th and NP and higher 1700s also divided between 74th and NP. The lower 1800s are scattered mainly between Chicago and NP with a few until recently showing up at 74th. Midrange 1800s seem concentrated Chicago and NP, and the higher 1800s mainly 74th and NP assigned. The 1900s are basically all over the place scattered between Chicago, NP, and 77th primarily. 

[ajm522]

2 hours ago, artthouwill said:

Nova Bus 8200 is parked next to 8199 on the west fence at South Shops

Interesting. Let the games begin! 

[ChicagoNova]

3 hours ago, artthouwill said:

Nova Bus 8200 is parked next to 8199 on the west fence at South Shops

Now here's the question: Where's it gonna go?

[BusHunter]

4 hours ago, artthouwill said:

Nova Bus 8200 is parked next to 8199 on the west fence at South Shops

Uh Oh!! "To be or not to be, that is the question"

I wonder what's taking so long with #8198 and #8199? CTA could have been holding those until the #8200's arrive but now they are here. Maybe they'll finally go into service this week and if #8200 is here some of it's kin might be showing up this week at south shops. Looks like they hit it on the head May will be the month these go out and the biggest question this year will have an answer.

[Mr.cta85]

I really dont believe FG will get those New novas. They May be all NF the way things seem to be set up. But hopefully I'm wrong ??

[jajuan]

1 hour ago, Mr.cta85 said:

I really dont believe FG will get those New novas. They May be all NF the way things seem to be set up. But hopefully I'm wrong ??

Hmmm the way things are setting up suggest you could be wrong at least on FG going all NF. If they wished FG to get more NFs during this time, they could have easily done so for these past few weeks instead of realigning your former home garage 103rd to have buses 1034-1210 after getting FG settled with 1000-1033. Why go through the trouble of giving FG a numerical sequence and place the next numerical sequence of NFs at 103rd going up to about the number of 40 foot buses that garage needs if they wanted to make FG all NF and keep with the current apparent moves of getting the rest of the garages in a contiguous alignment of their assigned NFs? They could have worked on FG being all NF for the past several weeks by continuing past 1033 instead of lining up 1034 and up going through to 1210 at 103rd. So being all NF is not the CTA's plan for FG as the current evidence of NF assignments and continual shifts in their assignments show. Don't be so quick to count FG out of the game for 7900 series just yet. Let's actually see what happens with 8200 and up as more new Novas come in and get checked at South Shops before we go too far in predictions about what's going to happen at FG.

[sw4400]

7 hours ago, artthouwill said:

Nova Bus 8200 is parked next to 8199 on the west fence at South Shops

 

5 hours ago, ajm522 said:

Interesting. Let the games begin! 

The battlelines have been drawn.... the time is closing in..... who will get the coveted Novas???

 

[ChicagoNova]

I actually saw 8198 parked next to 8199 at South Shops.

[jajuan]

Well looks like the Nova takeover of Ashland has eased up tonight at least from what I see of the night car runs. Currently riding #1431 on the N9, and #1352 is working the N9 run behind this one. A quick check shows the other owl runs are NFs again from what I can tell. So looks like the game plan has shifted to day and evening runs on Ashland are done with Novas, the NFs take over for owl service.

[Busjack]

17 minutes ago, jajuan said:

Well looks like the Nova takeover of Ashland has eased up tonight at least from what I see of the night car runs. Currently riding #1431 on the N9, and #1352 is working the N9 run behind this one. A quick check shows the other owl runs are NFs again from what I can tell. So looks like the game plan has shifted to day and evening runs on Ashland are done with Novas, the NFs take over for owl service.

Probably no reason to preempt a traffic signal at night.

[Mr.cta85]

2 hours ago, jajuan said:

Well looks like the Nova takeover of Ashland has eased up tonight at least from what I see of the night car runs. Currently riding #1431 on the N9, and #1352 is working the N9 run behind this one. A quick check shows the other owl runs are NFs again from what I can tell. So looks like the game plan has shifted to day and evening runs on Ashland are done with Novas, the NFs take over for owl service.

You know what actually for the past few days its been a few NF on ashland again. I saw 3 or 4 myself today alone. Still heavy nova activity on the 9 but tbe flyers are coming back lol.

[jajuan]

4 hours ago, Busjack said:

Probably no reason to preempt a traffic signal at night.

True which is why I didn't understand why owl service at first had to be all Nova too.

[jajuan]

On 4/18/2016 at 4:51 AM, jajuan said:

True which is why I didn't understand why owl service at first had to be all Nova too.

Well the Ashland Nova takeover at night is back on as the Novas have taken back the owl service again. Guess the NFs handling owl service this weekend was a fluke.