Kevin Posted June 14, 2006 Report Share Posted June 14, 2006 The CTA has received delivery of the prototype model of the Optima Opus bus. Additional details will be announced over the next few days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sw4400 Posted June 14, 2006 Report Share Posted June 14, 2006 I'm going to take a guess at what number series this model will get.... 9000. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmadisonwi Posted June 15, 2006 Report Share Posted June 15, 2006 Nope. It's #500. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmadisonwi Posted June 15, 2006 Report Share Posted June 15, 2006 I don't know what's "lame" (or unlame?) about a numbering series. They probably didn't want the Opus fleet numbers to interfere with the New Flyer fleet numbers, considering that they could be taking up to 1000 of the New Flyer buses. Therefore, the Opus gets a lower number. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted June 15, 2006 Report Share Posted June 15, 2006 I had a dialog on "lame" but the post was pulled. However, not even I won the numerology sweepstakes. The real question is that if it is 500, does it run the risk of running into the fleet numbers for the utility trucks? I knew that they were 3 digit, but don't know if they are somewhere in the 500s or 600s (since there are options for up to 125 Optimas). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmadisonwi Posted June 17, 2006 Report Share Posted June 17, 2006 For those that want to see 500 in its full, British Airwaysesque glory: http://community.webshots.com/photo/524257...048480006fqdaDH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trainman8119 Posted June 17, 2006 Report Share Posted June 17, 2006 Golly gee...talk about UGLY !!!! Can't the CTA agree on a standard color and paint scheme any more ?? :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted June 17, 2006 Report Share Posted June 17, 2006 I think the livery is neat, and goes better with the new logo. I don't know if it would work on the 1000s, but Optima has been more venturesome with paint. A related question: Are Skokie Shops now being used for bus repair and acceptance, formerly the role of 77th/South Shops? This, and a lot of RIPTA's pictures, are from there. Thanks for the picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmadisonwi Posted June 17, 2006 Report Share Posted June 17, 2006 I don't know about the other photos, but this was taken at the Bus/Rail Rodeo, where stuff was on display. This bus was on display at 567 on Wednesday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesi2282 Posted June 18, 2006 Report Share Posted June 18, 2006 I think it's nice to have something different, is CTA going to paint all the Opus buses like this or was it just for the prototype? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPTA42 Posted June 18, 2006 Report Share Posted June 18, 2006 All of my pictures of buses at Skokie Shop are from Roadeos. I didn't make it to this year's festivities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted June 18, 2006 Report Share Posted June 18, 2006 Isn't the blue swirl on the side reminiscent of "The Partridge Family" (now on Channel 23)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pace2322 Posted June 18, 2006 Report Share Posted June 18, 2006 Hey guys i got to see it today. I was on the 353 at 95th and the ryan. 500 was on the 119th at about 1130am.I will have to get used seeing that thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetroShadow Posted June 19, 2006 Report Share Posted June 19, 2006 Great Moogly Googly...The paint job is horrendous, and I don't get the windshield wipers at the top, either... oh wow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesi2282 Posted June 19, 2006 Report Share Posted June 19, 2006 So are the Opus buses going to 103rd Garage? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted June 19, 2006 Report Share Posted June 19, 2006 So are the Opus buses going to 103rd Garage? Some are for the U of C routes. See the "why should the orion i models leave" thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmadisonwi Posted June 20, 2006 Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 Half to 103rd for U of C, half to North Park for Evanston. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MetroShadow Posted June 20, 2006 Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 Half to 103rd for U of C, half to North Park for Evanston. I'll speculate like no other, and perhaps suggest FG on the technicality that some routes on the weekends can do without 40-footers being run throughout the city, although the feasibility is low (plus a pipe-dream). But 103 and NP seems more likely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPTA42 Posted June 20, 2006 Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 Why would a garage have a seperate fleet for the weekend? Seems like a waste of space, and a waste of money to have new buses that are sidelined more than 70% of the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted June 20, 2006 Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 Having a dedicated fleet for weekends wouldn't make sense, but there are a lot of light feeders on the NW (like 64 and 69) and SW (like 55A, 55N, 62H, 63W) sides that could use them. As I previously noted, there didn't seem to be a need for 50 of them just for the U of C routes, so Evanston makes sense, and even at that, you are probably talking about only about 30 buses needed to cover both areas (maybe a few more for NP to cover 96 Lunt or the like). Since some of the north side routes don't run weekends (and 93, 96 and Evanston definitely not on Sunday), you could assign the buses to other light routes then. Also, it isn't clear where the 75 options would go, if the options are exercised. The usual caveat--this is speculation.:P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted June 21, 2006 Report Share Posted June 21, 2006 Channel 5 just had a story with bus 500. They said that service in the Hyde Park area will start in late July or early August, so apparently it doesn't need a long shakedown period. The CTA Press Release is here. Now they are saying that the base order is 45, not the 50 previously announced (the old announcement had the "up to" languge, like the "up to" 25 Compobuses). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted June 22, 2006 Report Share Posted June 22, 2006 There is a video at wgntv.com, but you have to search for it there, since the link itself is javascript. The story was taped in Hyde Park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chi-town Kid Posted June 22, 2006 Report Share Posted June 22, 2006 I was going to ask why those buses are that short, but the fact that they are going to serve places such as Hyde Park, Evanston, and the NW and SW sides explains it. The buses would look fine in the scheme the CTA painted the NOVAs and the New Flyers. I'm going to hope the CTA wisens up and paints it in the better scheme. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesi2282 Posted June 23, 2006 Report Share Posted June 23, 2006 Will bus #500 be on display at 567 W. Lake anytime soon? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmadisonwi Posted June 25, 2006 Report Share Posted June 25, 2006 Bus 500 was on display at 567 on Thursday afternoon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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