Jump to content

700-series XE40 - Deliveries & Assignments


Kevin

Recommended Posts

If you want to see the gauges like the speedometer and stuff, the Oct 2014 CTA news in review gives a good glimpse of it. I linked to it in this post below (see the link) It's pretty cool it looks like the gauges are LED.

http://forum.chicagobus.org/topic/3469-700-series-xe40-deliveries-assignments/?p=68083

Definitely some sort of integrated cluster instead of separate dials, but like the units in late first decade of the 2000s cars, appear to have needles, instead of some cars in the past year or so that have fully virtual, high def screens (e.g. Audi).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Definitely some sort of integrated cluster instead of separate dials, but like the units in late first decade of the 2000s cars, appear to have needles, instead of some cars in the past year or so that have fully virtual, high def screens (e.g. Audi).

I can't tell if it's virtual or not, but NF would probably put the latest tech in their electric bus models. I wonder if the gauges are like that in all Xcelsiors or not?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

#700 on 157

#701 on 7

MTA (Maryland version) is apparently waiting on CTA's report about the electric buses. Either they are getting those 2 or they are ordering some of their own.

The 2 CTA has are here to stay and will become an addition to the fleet, so the Maryland Transt Authority must be waiting for the testing results from the CTA (which will conclude around November 2015) to see if they will move forward

P.S. Get comfortable with the Electric buses, more are planned in the near future

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The 2 CTA has are here to stay and will become an addition to the fleet, so the Maryland Transt Authority must be waiting for the testing results from the CTA (which will conclude around November 2015) to see if they will move forward

P.S. Get comfortable with the Electric buses, more are planned in the near future

The 25 from that CMAQ thing? Some of the routes they planned that for are a bit ambitious (28, 143, etc)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The 25 from that CMAQ thing? Some of the routes they planned that for are a bit ambitious (28, 143, etc)

Who knows what could happen between now and the delivery of the addition buses. If the testing is successful (which will be known by November), then more Electric buses could show up at the CTA very soon

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The 2 CTA has are here to stay and will become an addition to the fleet, so the Maryland Transt Authority must be waiting for the testing results from the CTA (which will conclude around November 2015) to see if they will move forward

P.S. Get comfortable with the Electric buses, more are planned in the near future

Who knows what could happen between now and the delivery of the addition buses. If the testing is successful (which will be known by November), then more Electric buses could show up at the CTA very soon

Electric Buses are in trials throughout North America. one Canadian Transit Company ordered 4 all-electric buses to test, New York and Los Angeles are testing a all-electric articulated bus. CTA is testing 2 all-electric buses, and it's reported that Maryland Transit Authority is awaiting results of CTA's test of these buses.

The closest for the next few years is the Hybrid Diesel/Electric bus. Maybe in the 2020's, an all electric bus fleet might be possible, but varying factors will determine if they are right for Chicago...

  • Daily Lifespan: Can they run throughout a typical day of use on routes on the charge in their batteries?
  • Weather: Chicago weather can be harsh.... extreme cold & heat, flooding rains and deep snowfalls as well as road salt during the winter months. Can the buses operate without serious problems during these conditions?
  • Bus Lifespan & Purchase Price: Can these buses keep on the road for a typical lifespan per FTA regulations(which is 12 years currently)? What would the cost be to overhaul an all-electric bus? Replacing electric drive motors, transmission, Lithium-Ion Batteries, etc... compared to overhauling a diesel/electric bus or a clean diesel bus(if they still exist in the next decade). I'm sure a transit agency would want the best for their customers and the best for the environment, but also the most affordable. If a Diesel/Electric bus is $650,000 and a all Electric Bus costs $975,000 for example, what might the CTA decide to purchase with funds secured for new vehicles, especially if they need to purchase a large quantity of the buses?
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Here are two pictures I took last week of 700 and 701 by the Polk Pink Line station. Also attached is the latest bulletion showing the runs the buses are assigned to along with the appropriate driver run sheets if anyone wants to get some photos of the buses in service.

 

Mel

 

electric 4.jpg

CTA 701 Paulina-Polk.JPG

electric 3.jpg

 

CTA 700 Polk-Paulina.JPG

electric 2.jpg

electric 1.jpg

G11-15 New Flyer Electric Bus Pilot - Kedzie Phase 3.pdf

Edited by mel bernero
wrong attachment
  • Upvote 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow. So phase 3 includes the 12, 126 and AM trips on 134 (as far as I remember it's a 1st for one of Kedzie's Lake Shore express runs). And I see 39 is still included for a second time from its start in phase 2 and 157 is still in there from phase 1. So relatively heavier routes seem to be phase 3's theme. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here are two pictures I took last week of 700 and 701 by the Polk Pink Line station. Also attached is the latest bulletion showing the runs the buses are assigned to along with the appropriate driver run sheets if anyone wants to get some photos of the buses in service.

 

Mel

 

electric 4.jpg

CTA 701 Paulina-Polk.JPG

electric 3.jpg

 

CTA 700 Polk-Paulina.JPG

electric 2.jpg

electric 1.jpg

G11-15 New Flyer Electric Bus Pilot - Kedzie Phase 3.pdf

mel bernero thank you for the information. The information you've been providing has really helped when taking photos :-D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow. So phase 3 includes the 12, 126 and AM trips on 134 (as far as I remember it's a 1st for one of Kedzie's Lake Shore express runs). And I see 39 is still included for a second time from its start in phase 2 and 157 is still in there from phase 1. So relatively heavier routes seem to be phase 3's theme. 

​I also noted that the deadheads are on the expressway, which may test whether they can keep up with traffic without depleting their batteries, except that in that case keeping up with traffic might not mean much with all the congestion, especially with the Circle construction.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

​I also noted that the deadheads are on the expressway, which may test whether they can keep up with traffic without depleting their batteries, except that in that case keeping up with traffic might not mean much with all the congestion, especially with the Circle construction.

​True. The expressway deadheads from downtown might still give them something though since the WB Ike does tend to be clear after AM rush. The deadheads on the expressway to get into position at Central/Harrison might also give something. And I see belatedly that like 157, 7 is still in the testing from phase 1. And looking at the attached notice to operators I see looked at the post wrong. The portions of the run sheets with marks over the timepoints are actually cross outs by garage supervision and those parts of a run to be done with different buses so 12 and 134 are still done with the regular diesel and hybrid buses. 

Edited by jajuan
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...

#700 and #701 both are on #52 this early in the morning, in which I find that very surprising because I don't recall both of them being on the same route.

#700 was on the #82 this week in the PM rush.

Wasn't the #126 supposed to be next of the list of routes that the XE's were going to run? Any sighting there?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Wasn't the #126 supposed to be next of the list of routes that the XE's were going to run? Any sighting there?

They'll probably eventually run on all service out of Kedzie. If they ever ran the #12, that's looks to be the hardest route, but the #82 is pretty busy and right up there with it. These buses are showing they can run practically anywhere.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...