Busjack Posted June 21, 2014 Report Share Posted June 21, 2014 Are these buses owned by the CTA or is there a private entity that owns them. If it's the latter, then those buses could be sent along to another client once the CTA testing is concluded. The grant* was to CTA, so they own them. The debate is over what was meant by a one-year test, i.e. was it like the fuel cell buses, that apparently didn't work out, for reasons now indicated in the 5900s thread, or a one year test for the 40 foot hybrids, most of which are still around, and resulted, before the year was up, in leasing 150 60 foot hybrids (4000-4149). I suggested that depended on the terms of the TIGGER grant, as opposed to the usual FTA 12 year life. ___________ *Green grants page. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted June 23, 2014 Report Share Posted June 23, 2014 If you notice on mel's pictures of #700, the floors are blue. I actually like the blue floors it brightens up the floor and gives it some color. I wonder if the #7900's would still possibly be delivered with the blue floors? #7900 was a test bus and the floor was kind of dull. Why not just put a jet black floor then like the #6000's, what is with the unfinished look? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juniorz Posted June 26, 2014 Report Share Posted June 26, 2014 Smart cards will be available beginning in August & oh don't worry for the non believers I will see the XE40s :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandon93 Posted June 26, 2014 Report Share Posted June 26, 2014 If you notice on mel's pictures of #700, the floors are blue. I actually like the blue floors it brightens up the floor and gives it some color. I wonder if the #7900's would still possibly be delivered with the blue floors? #7900 was a test bus and the floor was kind of dull. Why not just put a jet black floor then like the #6000's, what is with the unfinished look? The floors on the new novas are similar to the floors on the 5000 rail cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctrabs74 Posted June 27, 2014 Report Share Posted June 27, 2014 Smart cards will be available beginning in August & oh don't worry for the non believers I will see the XE40s :-) I hope I time it well enough, since I'm hitting Milwaukee for a day trip in the first week of August for a Brewers game and the State Fair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted July 1, 2014 Report Share Posted July 1, 2014 They arrived late last week. I was on a tour of the new Flyer plant in St Cloud last Thursday and the gentleman giving our group the tour of the plant also happened to be on the development side of the two buses. He stated the first bus was trucked out on Wednesday and the second was to leave the Thursday we were there, around noon. I asked if it would be possible to see the bus before it was shipped and he stated that he would bring it around for us to look at. He parked the bus at a factory door and invited us to look inside. The first think I noticed when entering the bus was the iconic CTA green used transfer bag by the driver position. The bus was all white no exterior color or striping. The number 700 was on the interior front panel. A battery charging module is to be shipped this week and costs $43.000. NO cameras were allowed on the tour so there is no picture to post. Hmm... I wonder if they offered, sold or passed out any company paraphernalia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTRSP1900-CTA3200 Posted July 8, 2014 Report Share Posted July 8, 2014 Hmm... I wonder if they offered, sold or passed out any company paraphernalia. new flyer goodies.jpg Cool goodies! If only they made a model of their bus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juniorz Posted July 21, 2014 Report Share Posted July 21, 2014 Look for the debut late August, Early September Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sw4400 Posted July 21, 2014 Report Share Posted July 21, 2014 Look for the debut late August, Early September Meh..... might be a little too soon, IMO. I don't even think CTA has the charging stations set up for them. Then they have to determine what route to put them on(they are currently at Kedzie Garage) and put a charging station at the end of the line they determine will be test route for these two buses. Then Forrest Claypool and Rahm Emanuel have to hold a press conference talking about them and how they hope they will be the future of public transit for buses. I would look for them to debut somewhere between Jan-May, 2015. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juniorz Posted July 21, 2014 Report Share Posted July 21, 2014 CTA Confirmed the statement Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted July 22, 2014 Report Share Posted July 22, 2014 I wonder how long did it take the #5900's to get on the street from delivery? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sw4400 Posted July 22, 2014 Report Share Posted July 22, 2014 I wonder how long did it take the #5900's to get on the street from delivery? Perhaps someone knows... All I know is they were delivered in 1997 and were used off and on until 2000, when they had a sendoff all planned at Navy Pier for them, and instead of going from Navy Pier, Chicago, IL to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, they went from Navy Pier, Chicago, IL to South Shops, Chicago IL to be stripped and someday, I guess, scrapped... Article here, if anyone's interested... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted July 22, 2014 Report Share Posted July 22, 2014 ... to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada,... Article here, if anyone's interested... Article says "British Columbia company"; nothing about Winnipeg. But you have been told that before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sw4400 Posted July 22, 2014 Report Share Posted July 22, 2014 Article says "British Columbia company"; nothing about Winnipeg. But you have been told that before. Fixed.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jajuan Posted August 23, 2014 Report Share Posted August 23, 2014 I spotted one of the XE40s going southbound on Ashland near Roosevelt Rd earlier this afternoon. I didn't see which one it was because I was inside the Jewel store at the time. And before anyone asks if I'm sure it was one of the XE's, who else besides CTA has all white Xcelsior buses in this city or any Xcelsiors at all for that matter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTRSP1900-CTA3200 Posted August 23, 2014 Report Share Posted August 23, 2014 I spotted one of the XE40s going southbound on Ashland near Roosevelt Rd earlier this afternoon. I didn't see which one it was because I was inside the Jewel store at the time. And before anyone asks if I'm sure it was one of the XE's, who else besides CTA has all white Xcelsior buses in this city or any Xcelsiors at all for that matter? Sounds right. The only buses here that come close are the private buses (I think Northwestern University has some), and I've never seen them on Ashland. Also, I'm pretty sure anyone on here can tell that the private buses are not Xcelsiors. So good catch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sw4400 Posted August 23, 2014 Report Share Posted August 23, 2014 I spotted one of the XE40s going southbound on Ashland near Roosevelt Rd earlier this afternoon. I didn't see which one it was because I was inside the Jewel store at the time. And before anyone asks if I'm sure it was one of the XE's, who else besides CTA has all white Xcelsior buses in this city or any Xcelsiors at all for that matter? Not doubting it or what you saw jajuan(you were there, I wasn't), but being at Ashland and Roosevelt and a ways from Kedzie(358 S. Kedzie) where could it have been coming from? There hasn't been much about these two buses since their delivery in June I think. I don't even know if the charging stations have arrived/been built for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juniorz Posted August 23, 2014 Report Share Posted August 23, 2014 As stated before, these buses should debut in regular revenue service around Late-August-September Timeframe, so the sighting is not shocking. It looks like the CTA might have been testing these XE40s for a while to break them in. Wouldn't be surprised that if a press conference for the 700-series is scheduled, that representatives from New Flyer would be in attendance to help introduce the 700-series. Once again, EXCELLENT sighting jajuan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrethebusman Posted August 23, 2014 Report Share Posted August 23, 2014 Sounds right. The only buses here that come close are the private buses (I think Northwestern University has some), and I've never seen them on Ashland. Also, I'm pretty sure anyone on here can tell that the private buses are not Xcelsiors. So good catch! Northwestern (aka Free Enterprise System) has Gilligs, including one hybrid, not NFIL's. But these days it is hard to tell one make from another... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jajuan Posted August 23, 2014 Report Share Posted August 23, 2014 Northwestern (aka Free Enterprise System) has Gilligs, including one hybrid, not NFIL's. But these days it is hard to tell one make from another... Since I live a few minutes south of Evanston I see the Gilligs from the Northwestern shuttle service enough to know this wasn't one of them I saw yesterday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 25, 2014 Report Share Posted August 25, 2014 I took our CFD Flxible to Kedzie to get it washed for the Billiken parade. I saw one of the two hybrids still in the shops area of the garage. It seems like its just sitting there just collecting dust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sw4400 Posted August 25, 2014 Report Share Posted August 25, 2014 I took our CFD Flxible to Kedzie to get it washed for the Billiken parade. I saw one of the two hybrids still in the shops area of the garage. It seems like its just sitting there just collecting dust. I don't know if the chargers have arrived/been built. I don't think these can be ran without them because the battery will need a charge eventually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTRSP1900-CTA3200 Posted August 25, 2014 Report Share Posted August 25, 2014 Northwestern (aka Free Enterprise System) has Gilligs, including one hybrid, not NFIL's. But these days it is hard to tell one make from another... I just call all Gilligs "Trombones" or "Vacuums" (from their weird exhaust pipes). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jajuan Posted August 25, 2014 Report Share Posted August 25, 2014 I took our CFD Flxible to Kedzie to get it washed for the Billiken parade. I saw one of the two hybrids still in the shops area of the garage. It seems like its just sitting there just collecting dust. I don't know if the chargers have arrived/been built. I don't think these can be ran without them because the battery will need a charge eventually. They must have something keeping the batteries charged at Kedzie at least because as I said Friday, I saw one rolling down Ashland early Friday afternoon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctrabs74 Posted August 26, 2014 Report Share Posted August 26, 2014 I took our CFD Flxible to Kedzie to get it washed for the Billiken parade. I saw one of the two hybrids still in the shops area of the garage. It seems like its just sitting there just collecting dust. I don't know if the chargers have arrived/been built. I don't think these can be ran without them because the battery will need a charge eventually. I believe 5750 was referring to the 800/900 series hybrids, not the electric demo buses. Or maybe I'm misreading the initial post... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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