trainman8119 Posted June 7, 2006 Report Share Posted June 7, 2006 I saw 4914 (yes 49..14) on Washington at State today. It was a training bus from Chicago Avenue. The Supervisor was driving and there were about 7 or 8 rookies riding in back. Looked like it was in better shape than some of the 5500 Flxibles out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buslover88 Posted June 7, 2006 Report Share Posted June 7, 2006 That means the CTA should RESTORE it, but knowing them, they wont Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted June 8, 2006 Report Share Posted June 8, 2006 Plain and simply, CTA is not going to do anything with a bus that is not accessible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPTA42 Posted June 8, 2006 Report Share Posted June 8, 2006 It doesn't have to be accessible to be added to the historic fleet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sw4400 Posted June 9, 2006 Report Share Posted June 9, 2006 4914 a training bus? Out of Chicago Garage? trainman8119, I'm not knocking your post, but the thought of 4914 being used as a training bus doesn't sound like something the CTA would do. The garages only use the buses that are in their stock(i.e Forest Glen uses 6000's and 6400's). The rookie drivers need to know how to operate these buses and seeing how the 4900's aren't revenue buses, I don't think they would've been assigned to learn from this bus. buslover88: The CTA doesn't restore non-revenue buses(if you see a Flyer Work Bus or a MAN Americana Yard Goat, you'll see what I mean). CHBM would, and that other Museum would(I cannot remember the name of it right now). RIPTA42: The 4900-Series TMC's are only 15 years old. I believe they need to be closer to 20 (like the Flyers were) before the CHBM or the other museum(name still eludes me) will take any of them from the CTA. In the meantime the CTA holds them wherever they are. And if there are any in reasonably good condition when they are about 20, the CTA might then sell one or two to CHBM or the other museum, unless the Ironworkers buy them first for Workbuses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buslover88 Posted June 9, 2006 Report Share Posted June 9, 2006 Uh SW4400, I do see Flyers, okay? And they should Restore Non-Revenue Buses...and Yes, 4914 is a Training Bus. Am I Clear to you now? Keyword: SHOULD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPTA42 Posted June 10, 2006 Report Share Posted June 10, 2006 4914 a training bus? Out of Chicago Garage? trainman8119, I'm not knocking your post, but the thought of 4914 being used as a training bus doesn't sound like something the CTA would do. The garages only use the buses that are in their stock(i.e Forest Glen uses 6000's and 6400's). The rookie drivers need to know how to operate these buses and seeing how the 4900's aren't revenue buses, I don't think they would've been assigned to learn from this bus. They aren't training rookies to drive the bus. I believe it serves more of a mobile classroom/administrative function. buslover88: The CTA doesn't restore non-revenue buses(if you see a Flyer Work Bus or a MAN Americana Yard Goat, you'll see what I mean). CHBM would, and that other Museum would(I cannot remember the name of it right now). 131 was a non-revenue bus for a long time RIPTA42: The 4900-Series TMC's are only 15 years old. I believe they need to be closer to 20 (like the Flyers were) before the CHBM or the other museum(name still eludes me) will take any of them from the CTA. Not true. CHBM has a 1990 Metrolink Flxible. In the meantime the CTA holds them wherever they are. And if there are any in reasonably good condition when they are about 20, the CTA might then sell one or two to CHBM or the other museum, unless the Ironworkers buy them first for Workbuses. The Ironworkers don't "buy" the buses; they're still CTA property for use by CTA crews. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted June 10, 2006 Report Share Posted June 10, 2006 My 2 cents: The 4900s are probably still in good enough shape that they can be used for various work tasks. Someone on some other group said that they were "command buses." I don't think that the 4900s are of much of any historical significance to be saved for that reason. There are plenty of 96" RTSs all over the place, and they weren't typical of CTA equipment. The 5300s might be more historical, but it looks like they are going to be run fairly into the ground before they are replaced later this year. CTA doesn't really have the funds (and apparently no longer the garage space) to maintain a historic fleet. I don't know why they still have "freaks" like 131 and 3091 around. The "other musuem" is IRM (again speculating about what you mean). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trainman8119 Posted June 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2006 4914 a training bus? Out of Chicago Garage? trainman8119, I'm not knocking your post, but the thought of 4914 being used as a training bus doesn't sound like something the CTA would do. Well...let's see. Destination sign states, "Instruction Bus". Placard in the window covering the run box says, "Chicago Ave. Instruction Bus". Number painted on the bus...4914 (no AC in the back as verification of the 4900 series). Supervisor driving (white shirt with vest), students observing in rear (blue shirts). Hmmmm, sounds like a training bus out of Chicago Ave to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sw4400 Posted June 12, 2006 Report Share Posted June 12, 2006 Well...let's see. Destination sign states, "Instruction Bus". Placard in the window covering the run box says, "Chicago Ave. Instruction Bus". Number painted on the bus...4914 (no AC in the back as verification of the 4900 series). Supervisor driving (white shirt with vest), students observing in rear (blue shirts). Hmmmm, sounds like a training bus out of Chicago Ave to me. Again, I'm not knocking what you said, trainman8119. You saw the bus, I didn't. Maybe they are using a 4900-Series TMC for training, but it would be pointless, IMO, as the trainees need to learn from the revenue stock, not the retired stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted June 12, 2006 Report Share Posted June 12, 2006 Again, I'm not knocking what you said, trainman8119. ... Maybe they are using a 4900-Series TMC for training, but it would be pointless, IMO, as the trainees need to learn from the revenue stock, not the retired stock.No it wouldn't be pointless, because undoubtedly even experienced drivers would need to be trained on the reroutings resulting from the West Side project, such as the X20, which probably will be out of Chicago. As I asked buslover a while back, and now you, what is your background in the transit industry? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesi2282 Posted July 3, 2006 Report Share Posted July 3, 2006 I'm going out to Chicago Garage to take pictures of 4914, is the bus still there? also is that the only 4900 there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Operator Posted July 4, 2006 Report Share Posted July 4, 2006 I saw 4914 (yes 49..14) on Washington at State today. It was a training bus from Chicago Avenue. The Supervisor was driving and there were about 7 or 8 rookies riding in back. Looked like it was in better shape than some of the 5500 Flxibles out there. I've seen it too. And no, it's not the only one left. That's all I'll say on that there subject. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesi2282 Posted July 28, 2006 Report Share Posted July 28, 2006 Tuesday Morning I was on my way to Midway Airport and I saw bus 4902, the bus had a new coat of paint, I guess they were training drivers to learn route #X54. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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