7900-series Nova LFS - Updates

[Mr.cta85]

7900 was on the 2 this morning and 7904 was on the 79 heading eastbound.

[andrethebusman]

7924, 7925 added at 77th as of this week's sheets

[pudgym29]

7900 was on the 2 this morning and 7904 was on the 79 heading eastbound.

I have photographs of both 7900 and 7904 on PM rush service on #2 Hyde Park @ State & Lake while waiting 25 minutes for a southbound #6 Jackson Park Express bus. {I didn't get to my destination in time. } I can post them here later if there is an interest.

[Mr.cta85]

Spotted 7925 in service on the 2 downtown this morning heading northbound. Also 7904 at 95th and King Dr as a 3 heading back north.

[Mr.cta85]

I have photographs of both 7900 and 7904 on PM rush service on #2 Hyde Park @ State & Lake while waiting 25 minutes for a southbound #6 Jackson Park Express bus. {I didn't get to my destination in time. } I can post them here later if there is an interest.

Yea bus pics are welcomed on this site lets see those photos lol.

[garmon757]

Shots of #7925 on #2 @ State/Van Buren

[sw4400]

While far from getting a first ride on the 7900's, one thing I can say I like thus far is the change numerically on the buses. When 7900 first came in, the number placement was terrible. The back makes it really impossible to locate the number anywhere else on it, but I think they were right to remove it from the window. The thing that I really disliked that I'm glad they fixed was the placement of the side numbers. I don't know why Nova Bus put the numbers all the way at the back near the reverse lights on 7900 initially, but I'm glad CTA brass suggested they fix that and now it's near the window that has a slight angle to it.

[jajuan]

While far from getting a first ride on the 7900's, one thing I can say I like thus far is the change numerically on the buses. When 7900 first came in, the number placement was terrible. The back makes it really impossible to locate the number anywhere else on it, but I think they were right to remove it from the window. The thing that I really disliked that I'm glad they fixed was the placement of the side numbers. I don't know why Nova Bus put the numbers all the way at the back near the reverse lights on 7900 initially, but I'm glad CTA brass suggested they fix that and now it's near the window that has a slight angle to it.

It took me a second to realize that you were actually saying is that the structure of the rear makes it difficult for the fleet number to be placed anywhere else besides what they came up with over initially placing it on the rear window. Your use of locate made it seem like you were saying that it's impossible to glance at the rear and spot the number from that glance. But I would imagine the height of the rear would also facilitate some a little more adjusting of the camera than for previous CTA low floor models to get the rear fleet number into the shot when standing closer to the bus.

[sw4400]

It took me a second to realize that you were actually saying is that the structure of the rear makes it difficult for the fleet number to be placed anywhere else besides what they came up with over initially placing it on the rear window. Your use of locate made it seem like you were saying that it's impossible to glance at the rear and spot the number from that glance. But I would imagine the height of the rear would also facilitate some a little more adjusting of the camera than for previous CTA low floor models to get the rear fleet number into the shot when standing closer to the bus.

Another possible location would be on the engine hood above the blue stripe and below that black line, but I believe that area is strictly for advertising, otherwise that would make for a great location for the rear number on the Novas.

[jajuan]

Another possible location would be on the engine hood above the blue stripe and below that black line, but I believe that area is strictly for advertising, otherwise that would make for a great location for the rear number on the Novas.

I initially thought that too but dismissed it because as you point out that's where they put advertisements. But then again the Americanas presented the opposite situation. Remember on those, the advertisements originally were placed on the engine hoods and the fleet number placed on the lower part of those black panels where a window would have been if CTA's Americanas had rear windows as King County Metro's Americanas did (as well as the MAN SL202s, the European version of the model upon which the Americanas' design was based). But when CTA modified the engine hoods to include those gratings seen in my profile photo I believe as a way to vent out heat from the engines, they placed the advertisements on the black panels (at first by simply moving the advertisement slots from the engine hoods up to that position but later covering the whole panels in an ad) and moved the fleet number to the lower part of the engine hood, at the lower right corner if I remember correctly.

[BusHunter]

Shots of #7925 on #2 @ State/Van Buren

Hey no fair taking pictures with me on the bus!! Lol!! I was going to upload my picture but yours is better.

[jajuan]

Hey no fair taking pictures with me on the bus!! Lol!! I was going to upload my picture but yours is better.

cta 7925.png

The shots from both of you guys look good.

[garmon757]

Hey no fair taking pictures with me on the bus!! Lol!! I was going to upload my picture but yours is better.

cta 7925.png

No way!!!!

The shots from both of you guys look good.

Thanks man!

[BusHunter]

No way!!!! Thanks man!

Yeah see that guy with the striped shirt in one of your photos of #7925 yesterday at the front door? He just checked his card at the ventra card reader and got off almost like he knew it wasn't working. Couldn't have been on the bus for more than a second. I was so distracted with him I didn't even see you taking pictures!!

[pudgym29]

Here are the four best images I got while waiting diligently for my #6 bus @ State & Lake Sts.

Edited August 6, 2014 by pudgym29

[geneking7320]

Today I saw 7920 southbound at 24th working #3 King Dr around 6:00pm.

[garmon757]

Yeah see that guy with the striped shirt in one of your photos of #7925 yesterday at the front door? He just checked his card at the ventra card reader and got off almost like he knew it wasn't working. Couldn't have been on the bus for more than a second. I was so distracted with him I didn't even see you taking pictures!!

Well, it's always another day to catch me somewhere. :p

[Mr.cta85]

I got a chance to ride the new nova today 7925 on the 52A heading northbound. Like I said many times what a great bus but it's even better close and in person both inside and out side. The lighting inside the bus is great and I bet it's even better at night. Got to talk to the operator to get his take on the new equipment and he said they're just like the old Novas just a updated version of course and he showed me all the similarities on the bus as far as th switches go in comparisons with the 6400's. But he said they best thing he likes about them are of course the new protective shield which in person looks a lot better in person and more roomy than I thought. Also I asked about the brakes and he said theyre fine of course they are new so yea the brakes are a little tight at times but overall good. He said he was suprised 77th got them 1st cause even he thought FG as going to get them too considering FG gave all their New Flyers to 77th. But I didn't ride for too long the engine sounds great too but once you get off they're so quiet you can barely hear it pull off. The 7900's get a 10 out of a 10 in my book lol.

[BusHunter]

Yeah, when I was on it on the #2, the operator went to the last lane. I thought this was unusual. Until I saw him pass about 3 other buses. They seem to have a higher governor setting.

[sw4400]

I got a chance to ride the new nova today 7925 on the 52A heading northbound. Like I said many times what a great bus but it's even better close and in person both inside and out side. The lighting inside the bus is great and I bet it's even better at night. Got to talk to the operator to get his take on the new equipment and he said they're just like the old Novas just a updated version of course and he showed me all the similarities on the bus as far as th switches go in comparisons with the 6400's. But he said they best thing he likes about them are of course the new protective shield which in person looks a lot better in person and more roomy than I thought. Also I asked about the brakes and he said theyre fine of course they are new so yea the brakes are a little tight at times but overall good. He said he was suprised 77th got them 1st cause even he thought FG as going to get them too considering FG gave all their New Flyers to 77th. But I didn't ride for too long the engine sounds great too but once you get off they're so quiet you can barely hear it pull off. The 7900's get a 10 out of a 10 in my book lol.

My 1st ride is still TBD and won't occur until when(or if) the 7900's start to be delivered to FG someday.

[dann]

I got a chance to ride the new nova today 7925 on the 52A heading northbound. Like I said many times what a great bus but it's even better close and in person both inside and out side. The lighting inside the bus is great and I bet it's even better at night. Got to talk to the operator to get his take on the new equipment and he said they're just like the old Novas just a updated version of course and he showed me all the similarities on the bus as far as th switches go in comparisons with the 6400's. But he said they best thing he likes about them are of course the new protective shield which in person looks a lot better in person and more roomy than I thought. Also I asked about the brakes and he said theyre fine of course they are new so yea the brakes are a little tight at times but overall good. He said he was suprised 77th got them 1st cause even he thought FG as going to get them too considering FG gave all their New Flyers to 77th. But I didn't ride for too long the engine sounds great too but once you get off they're so quiet you can barely hear it pull off. The 7900's get a 10 out of a 10 in my book lol.

Great insight. Considering how different these buses look from the old Novas, I'm surprised to read that they're like the old buses from an operator's standpoint. I just might hop on one of these the next time I see one, even if it's not going where I'm headed.

[geneking7320]

Yesterday around 6:00pm I saw a 79XX westbound on Hyde Park Blvd near Woodlawn Ave. I was at least 1 block behind the bus and I thought the rear route number sign showed a "1". Was this vehicle deadheading or was it a #15 [and my vision is bad]?

[Busjack]

Yesterday around 6:00pm I saw a 79XX westbound on Hyde Park Blvd near Woodlawn Ave. I was at least 1 block behind the bus and I thought the rear route number sign showed a "1". Was this vehicle deadheading or was it a #15 [and my vision is bad]?

More likely, it was a 2.

[jajuan]

I got a chance to ride the new nova today 7925 on the 52A heading northbound. Like I said many times what a great bus but it's even better close and in person both inside and out side. The lighting inside the bus is great and I bet it's even better at night. Got to talk to the operator to get his take on the new equipment and he said they're just like the old Novas just a updated version of course and he showed me all the similarities on the bus as far as th switches go in comparisons with the 6400's. But he said they best thing he likes about them are of course the new protective shield which in person looks a lot better in person and more roomy than I thought. Also I asked about the brakes and he said theyre fine of course they are new so yea the brakes are a little tight at times but overall good. He said he was suprised 77th got them 1st cause even he thought FG as going to get them too considering FG gave all their New Flyers to 77th. But I didn't ride for too long the engine sounds great too but once you get off they're so quiet you can barely hear it pull off. The 7900's get a 10 out of a 10 in my book lol.

I suppose that should also settle the worries and speculations that these buses had faulty brakes and that it was a possible cause for perceived delays in deliveries. The operators themselves, based upon what this operator was saying, don't think there's a problem and chalked it up to being pretty much what I suspected when I proposed what Bushunter felt from the brakes on an earlier ride on one on the 2 was part of the 77th Garage teething of a new model Art referenced, namely that because this is still a new bus operators haven't yet gotten used to how different controls handle. Art himself pretty much said the same and clarified a step further that the brakes probably just needed to recalibrated some so they don't feel so tight to the operators behind the wheel of a 7900 during a run onany given day.

[ajm522]

A 7900 has finally be on all 77th routes, 7925 on #4 right now.