Favorite Buses of the Past and Present

[geneking7320]

18 hours ago, andrethebusman said:

Another blast from the past - until 1969 Forest Glen was vast majority 5000 Twins, by then 19 years old, holding down all service. In 1969 some 8000s sent over from North Park (13 years old), but 5000s were still 24/7 until 1000s in 1972. 22 years in base service - not bad. 

I liked those 5000 Twins. ? I'll have to find a copy of your book at the hobby shop.

[artthouwill]

2 hours ago, Busjack said:

In the late 60s, the 2 main areas in which they operated were out of 52nd (1, 2, 2X, 5, 5X, 38, and 43), and on Addison (I presume also Diversey).

This was the early '70s.  I was young so I couldn't delay which garage they came from but I never saw them on any 69th operated routes nor at the 69th garage.  For that matter,  I hadn't seen them on the 1, 5, 6, or 38.  

[Busjack]

1 hour ago, artthouwill said:

This was the early '70s.  I was young so I couldn't delay which garage they came from but I never saw them on any 69th operated routes nor at the 69th garage.  For that matter,  I hadn't seen them on the 1, 5, 6, or 38.  

At the time (until the 7400s arrived), 69th ran 5500s (the next generation of big greens) and 8700s (propane Flx New Looks}. I didn't know the garages at first, although it seemed obvious that the north-south routes (4, 28) were running newer buses than the east-west routes (the former being from 77th).  28 had extremely weird 8499.

[artthouwill]

24 minutes ago, Busjack said:

At the time (until the 7400s arrived), 69th ran 5500s (the next generation of big greens) and 8700s (propane Flx New Looks}. I didn't know the garages at first, although it seemed obvious that the north-south routes (4, 28) were running newer buses than the east-west routes (the former being from 77th).  28 had extremely weird 8499.

I think 8499 is one of the CTA Heritage buses.  I remember the model,  but as you mentioned,  it seemed "off" to me and I can't figure out why. 

I did notice that other garages and routes outside my area (69th) had newer buses.   My only saying grace was the shiny new Ashland/63rd  station with good lighting and escalators.  Before its opening i vaguely recall buses traveling on 64th Street between Ashland and Loomis to access the Loomis station.  Later i wondered why Loomis as that's one of the narrowest arterial streets you will ever find.  It's wider south of Marquette but narrows north of there.  

I definitely remember the 5500s and you nailed on the 69th garage fleet.  I was glad to see the 7400s and 3500s come and was overjoyed when the 9000s arrived 

It took me a few years to figure out that Limits was sharing the 8 and the 9.  The first hint was I saw 9000s on the 8 but I knew 77th didn't have any.

[Busjack]

10 minutes ago, artthouwill said:

I think 8499 is one of the CTA Heritage buses.  I remember the model,  but as you mentioned,  it seemed "off" to me and I can't figure out why. 

....

It is a heritage bus. It was visually an oddball because it had a Flx New Look front but the rest was old look. There was a discussion somewhere here that Tom's Trolleybuses had a picture of it with an old front. It was supposedly also a test bed for diesels.

16 minutes ago, artthouwill said:

...

It took me a few years to figure out that Limits was sharing the 8 and the 9.  The first hint was I saw 9000s on the 8 but I knew 77th didn't have any.

The tipoff to me was that both had the same buses that were on LaSalle routes; before then it was 100s or 300s. That split made sense, as the north terminals were near Limits. Also, strangely, when 69th had 7400s, it also had buses in the 160s, from either Limits or Beverly.

[andrethebusman]

On 3/3/2022 at 8:04 AM, Busjack said:

In the late 60s, the 2 main areas in which they operated were out of 52nd (1, 2, 2X, 5, 5X, 38, and 43), and on Addison (I presume also Diversey).

Out of 52nd 43 and 38 normally only saw 8600s. 2,2x,5x 8600s rush only, 3600s all day on 5 and 3600s exclusively on 1.

Keeler used 8500s on all day runs,600s on trippers on both 76 and 152. After 2/1/70 600s on 76 and associated trippers on 153 and 153x only, never again on 152.

[andrethebusman]

On 3/3/2022 at 12:42 PM, Busjack said:

It is a heritage bus. It was visually an oddball because it had a Flx New Look front but the rest was old look. There was a discussion somewhere here that Tom's Trolleybuses had a picture of it with an old front. It was supposedly also a test bed for diesels.

The tipoff to me was that both had the same buses that were on LaSalle routes; before then it was 100s or 300s. That split made sense, as the north terminals were near Limits. Also, strangely, when 69th had 7400s, it also had buses in the 160s, from either Limits or Beverly.

69th at one point in mid 70s had a good 100 of the 100s, rest in 200s were at Forest Glen. 69th also had a bunch of 3600 Flxs. Look at irm-cta.org for many years worth of assignment sheets. 

[andrethebusman]

8499 was originally ordered as the 100th 35 footer. Flx persuaded CTA to let them experiment with it. It was first Flx fitted with a Detroit Diesel. Previous diesel Flxs had Leyland underfloor diesels. Originally looked very much like an 8200 except for the engine. However, extensive mods were made after delivery but before entering service, including new front and flouorescent lights, all at Flx's expense. Spent most of time at 77th, but in later years was at Archer and North Park on 89-NEIU during school.year and 32-W 31st in summer. 

[andrethebusman]

Speaking of diesel Flxs, 8149 originally had a Leyland diesel and ran out of Limits then Archer. Later reengined as propane and sent to North Park. 8849 was the victim of two separate reengining efforts, using GM truck engines, neither very successful. 8784 had a Hercules diesel for a while in the 1970s, also not very successful. Finally, 7100 had an underfloor GM diesel installed when it was repainted silver, but inadequate ground clearance ended that experiment pretty quickly.

[andrethebusman]

In 1966, Archer garage was almost 100 percent new looks with 3024-3138, 3368-3404, 3500-3629, 3695-3699. A couple years later Archer was mostly propane with 5500-5544, 5750-5832. Remember those propanes struggling on expressway runs, in an era when you could still get some speed up on the Stevenson.

[andrethebusman]

Reminiscences of 8200-8349 Flxs. Originally all at 77th, but within a year 8200-8304 to Archer to replace Whites, first propanes at Archer. Returned to 77th by 1966 when Archer got 3000s. Circa 1964 a bunch to North Ave to replace trolley buses on Chicago Ave. In early 1970s scattered all over, Forest Glen, North Park, Kedzie, 69th. 8281 supposedly still exists, but as a "flowerpot'.

[andrethebusman]

5500-5999 were originally split between 69th and 77th. However, a photo exists of 5501 with a 70 Division sign, so apparently a few were new at North Ave, possibly because 69th's fueling facility might not have been ready yet. In any event, 5500-5544 went to Archer early, 5545-5769 stayed at 69th thru whole lives, 5750-5832 77th to Archer mid 60s, 5833-5921 to North Park mid 60s, 5922-5999 stayed 77th until 1970 then to Forest Glen.

[Busjack]

6 hours ago, andrethebusman said:

Out of 52nd 43 and 38 normally only saw 8600s. 2,2x,5x 8600s rush only, 3600s all day on 5 and 3600s exclusively on 1.

Keeler used 8500s on all day runs,600s on trippers on both 76 and 152. After 2/1/70 600s on 76 and associated trippers on 153 and 153x only, never again on 152.

Sort of 1970-72, I remember riding 8600s on 1.  I have to go back 50 years, but I also seem to remember 8600s on 5.

Curiously, when 52 got some around 1090-1120 (approximate, and some soon went to Evanston), the 3600s went out and the 8600s stayed, but the reverse happened when 52 got 9100s,

[Busjack]

7 hours ago, andrethebusman said:

69th at one point in mid 70s had a good 100 of the 100s, rest in 200s were at Forest Glen. 69th also had a bunch of 3600 Flxs. Look at irm-cta.org for many years worth of assignment sheets. 

The 3600s were when 69th got the 9000s. 69th also got the 800s when Evanston was done with them (were 1-5).

[artthouwill]

36 minutes ago, Busjack said:

The 3600s were when 69th got the 9000s. 69th also got the 800s when Evanston was done with them (were 1-5).

That's when I got the chance to ride 804.   I rode it in 63rd one night.

[andrethebusman]

On 3/3/2022 at 12:18 PM, artthouwill said:

I think 8499 is one of the CTA Heritage buses.  I remember the model,  but as you mentioned,  it seemed "off" to me and I can't figure out why. 

I did notice that other garages and routes outside my area (69th) had newer buses.   My only saying grace was the shiny new Ashland/63rd  station with good lighting and escalators.  Before its opening i vaguely recall buses traveling on 64th Street between Ashland and Loomis to access the Loomis station.  Later i wondered why Loomis as that's one of the narrowest arterial streets you will ever find.  It's wider south of Marquette but narrows north of there.  

I definitely remember the 5500s and you nailed on the 69th garage fleet.  I was glad to see the 7400s and 3500s come and was overjoyed when the 9000s arrived 

It took me a few years to figure out that Limits was sharing the 8 and the 9.  The first hint was I saw 9000s on the 8 but I knew 77th didn't have any.

Loomis had service since the 1920s. Motor Coach 10 ran on Loomis Garfield to Marquette, later continuing to downtown via Garfield and Michigan. In 1942, 10 was extended out Marquette to St Louis replacing the west end of the former CMC 11 Marquette, which formerly ran St Louis to Stony Island. CTA disconnected Marquette and cut it back to Loomis/63rd in 1953.

[Busjack]

I came across a 70th anniversary video of each CTA route. While it has some holes, it is representative of the buses of the 60s and 70s.

[artthouwill]

2 hours ago, Busjack said:

I came across a 70th anniversary video of each CTA route. While it has some holes, it is representative of the buses of the 60s and 70s.

The thing that stood out for me were the 5000s, 7000s, and 9000s that preceded the GM Fishbowls.  There was one MAN artic but no man Americanas, one Flxble Metro but no TMC RTS buses.  I think I did spot a Flxble New Look propane bus.  

The content creator cited lack of photos as a primary reason for some of the omissions of some routes not included.  

[strictures]

16 minutes ago, artthouwill said:

The thing that stood out for me were the 5000s, 7000s, and 9000s that preceded the GM Fishbowls.  There was one MAN artic but no man Americanas, one Flxble Metro but no TMC RTS buses.  I think I did spot a Flxble New Look propane bus.  

The content creator cited lack of photos as a primary reason for some of the omissions of some routes not included.  

I really miss the 4400 TMCs, with the single seat on the right side, so no one could sit next to you & crush you!

[Busjack]

27 minutes ago, artthouwill said:

The thing that stood out for me were the 5000s, 7000s, and 9000s that preceded the GM Fishbowls.  There was one MAN artic but no man Americanas, one Flxble Metro but no TMC RTS buses.  I think I did spot a Flxble New Look propane bus.  

The content creator cited lack of photos as a primary reason for some of the omissions of some routes not included.  

I'm surprised there were that many pictures of Macks, The one on 2 Museum Dr.-57 must have been from 77th, as 52nd Garage only had diesels. The propane New Looks depicted are from NP, including on Routes 36, 82B, and 97. I'm surprised there weren't any from 69th, although there are a number of GMCs, which 69th only had for a year or 2.