1000-series D40LF - Updates & Retirements

[Erin Mishkin Jr.]

1788 has a broken tracker just spotted it on the 136

[Mr.NewFlyer1279]

#1601 is back in service ghosting on the 77 Belmont. 

[Erin Mishkin Jr.]

On 12/1/2025 at 9:55 AM, Erin Mishkin Jr. said:

This week we are still missing 1982, 2012 (SS), and 2025 from C

from K we still have 1677 (always keeps on going MIA, last tracked 11/25),

1750 still, and 1724 (sent to SS 11/28)

North park is missing 1788, 1860, and 1863

forest Glen hasn’t ran 1630 yet ever since it returned from SS last week.

 

1982 is back and 1957 has went MIA

1677 is back from breakdowns/maintenance

[Bus1883]

Anyone know the number to this unit? A friend of mine sent me this I’m guessing it was 1125 thought it was at first as it doesn’t look like it was it looks like a second rehab that’s being performed here that involves rebuilding? 

[Mr.NewFlyer1279]

1 hour ago, Bus1883 said:

Anyone know the number to this unit? A friend of mine sent me this I’m guessing it was 1125 bought it doesn’t look like it as it looks like a second rehab that’s underway that involves rebuilding? 

how long ago was this taken? this might be 1125 if you go to SS it’s sitting by vincennes and 79th whole front end is just a frame, I believe @YoungBusLover has a picture. 

[Bus1883]

2 hours ago, Mr.NewFlyer1279 said:

how long ago was this taken? this might be 1125 if you go to SS it’s sitting by vincennes and 79th whole front end is just a frame, I believe @YoungBusLover has a picture. 

A few months ago 1228 is the same way with their interiors both stripped down leaving wiring and other components exposed while the exterior body panels and everything is still intact from both buses, while the photo shows this one has its exterior body panels removed on the drivers side, this was taken at Forest Glen Garage 

[Mr.NewFlyer1279]

1 hour ago, Bus1883 said:

A few months ago 1228 is the same way with their interiors both stripped down leaving wiring and other components exposed while the exterior body panels and everything is still intact from both buses, while the photo shows this one has its exterior body panels removed on the drivers side, this was taken at Forest Glen Garage 

ok that’s 1125 then. that bus now sits along 79th fence. 

[Erin Mishkin Jr.]

#2025 has ended up being retired in 2025 and is now on LTH in the boneyard

2012 now sits on the south fence in the same state as 1718

[Erin Mishkin Jr.]

Also 1750 is on the chopping block for retirement, sits in between 8494 and 1835 missing the engine panel. The decorative advertising on #1750 makes it hard to tell if it’s on LTH or not.

[Erin Mishkin Jr.]

1863 is also a ghosting bus with 1788.

1724 last seen on an SS block in November

From Chicago, 1957 is still missing and 1915 has not been seen in over a week.

if 2012 and 1957 have both retired, we’re down to 1932,1950,1962,1975,1982,2001,2006,2019 left in service which is down to 8 Allison’s left.

Edited December 14, 2025 by Erin Mishkin Jr.
1688 has returned (12/9), 1714/1860 have returned (12/10), 1764 has returned (12/12)

[Erin Mishkin Jr.]

The following buses in the range of 1630 to 2019 that are still active are as follows. Buses in bold have not appeared on the tracker in over a week (excluding North Park's ghost buses or buses last on SS morning blocks) but have not been confirmed as retired yet

1630, 1631, 1632, 1633, 1641, 1653, 1655, 1663, 1673, 1676, 1677, 1683, 1688 (13)

1714, 1715, 1719, 1720, 1721, 1724, 1725, 1736, 1750, 1762, 1764, 1767, 1768, 1769, 1780, 1783, 1787, 1788, 1793, 1798 (20)

1801, 1803, 1806, 1807, 1818, 1826, 1830, 1832, 1846, 1853, 1855, 1860, 1862, 1863, 1865, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1878, 1880, 1881, 1891 (22)

1904, 1906, 1909, 1915, 1919, 1920, 1929, 1932, 1950, 1962, 1975, 1982, 2001, 2006, 2012, 2019 (16)

The total left is 71.

[Mr.NewFlyer1279]

39 minutes ago, Erin Mishkin Jr. said:

The following buses in the range of 1630 to 2019 that are still active are as follows. Buses in bold have not appeared on the tracker in over a week (excluding North Park's ghost buses or buses last on SS morning blocks) but have not been confirmed as retired yet

1630, 1631, 1632, 1633, 1641, 1653, 1655, 1663, 1673, 1676, 1677, 1683, 1688 (13)

1714, 1715, 1719, 1720, 1721, 1724, 1725, 1736, 1750, 1762, 1764, 1767, 1768, 1769, 1780, 1783, 1787, 1788, 1793, 1798 (20)

1801, 1803, 1806, 1807, 1818, 1826, 1830, 1832, 1846, 1853, 1855, 1860, 1862, 1863, 1865, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1878, 1880, 1881, 1891 (22)

1904, 1906, 1909, 1915, 1919, 1920, 1929, 1932, 1950, 1957, 1962, 1975, 1982, 2001, 2006, 2012, 2019 (17)

The total left is 72.

1630, 1913, 1957 and 1967 are retired. 

[Erin Mishkin Jr.]

#2012 appears to have retired with the Ventra tapper removed.

1787 is at SS, possible retirement?

1915 is the bus seen here with the lights on in front of 4061, also possibly retired?

[Bus1517]

53 minutes ago, Erin Mishkin Jr. said:

#2012 appears to have retired with the Ventra tapper removed.

1787 is at SS, possible retirement?

1915 is the bus seen here with the lights on in front of 4061, also possibly retired?

Here’s my only picture of 2012 in June 2025

[sidedsakte]

Hi, Im planning to visit Chicago soon and I was wondering how many new flyer D40LF and DE60LF buses do you still have in service?

[rotjohns]

On 12/13/2025 at 8:49 PM, Mr.NewFlyer1279 said:

1630, 1913, 1957 and 1967 are retired. 

I suspected the max time for these buses is 6 months, but the way they're dropping like this, it might be 3 months.

[Sam92]

7 hours ago, sidedsakte said:

Hi, Im planning to visit Chicago soon and I was wondering how many new flyer D40LF and DE60LF buses do you still have in service?

Somewhere up or in another topic is the roster (if they were in consistent block like in the past I'd have a better idea) but everything after 1630 is getting scrapped first due to weaker frames, as far as artics 90-ish are sidelined (mostly 4000s). So I wanna say like 100 4000s in service.... 600 something 40fts cause I don't remember anything between 1429-1630 getting retired.

[busfan2847]

On 12/17/2025 at 12:45 AM, sidedsakte said:

Hi, Im planning to visit Chicago soon and I was wondering how many new flyer D40LF and DE60LF buses do you still have in service?

Around 650 D40LF and 140 DE60LF

[Erin Mishkin Jr.]

On 12/15/2025 at 3:32 PM, Erin Mishkin Jr. said:

#2012 appears to have retired with the Ventra tapper removed.

1787 is at SS, possible retirement?

1915 is the bus seen here with the lights on in front of 4061, also possibly retired?

1915 has been placed back in service on the 66.

1863 is still active with a broken tracker.

Out of service from North Park includes 1881, 1787 (SS), 1720, 1830, 1769 (NP Garage), 1798

Kedzie: 1724 has still not returned and I'm marking that as retired because it has not returned to servoce.

1677 seemed tired the last time I rode it and it's also probably retired by now. 1683 and 1783 are also out of service.

Chicago Garage is still missing 1962 at SS, and is also missing 1909.

Forest Glen is only missing 1641 at this point.

[YoungBusLover]

#1787 and #1881 have been retired.

[Erin Mishkin Jr.]

On 12/22/2025 at 8:19 AM, Erin Mishkin Jr. said:

1915 has been placed back in service on the 66.

1863 is still active with a broken tracker.

Out of service from North Park includes 1881, 1787 (SS), 1720, 1830, 1769 (NP Garage), 1798

Kedzie: 1724 has still not returned and I'm marking that as retired because it has not returned to servoce.

1677 seemed tired the last time I rode it and it's also probably retired by now. 1683 and 1783 are also out of service.

Chicago Garage is still missing 1962 at SS, and is also missing 1909.

Forest Glen is only missing 1641 at this point.

After all, 1724 has returned to service. 1683 and 1783 have retired to service after my posting but 1783 has decided to hop back MIA after the evening rush on 12/22.

1769 and 1798 have both returned to service earlier this week. 1909 is back in service and 1906 is now MIA. 1962 is still at SS.

[Busjack]

7 hours ago, Erin Mishkin Jr. said:

1915 has been placed back in service on the 66.

1863 is still active with a broken tracker.

 

This has me asking the opposite of what I asked before (yjat was if 150 hybrids would leave only 300 1000s).

The new question is: Is CTA so short of operable buses that it has to keep repairing those from Options 3 and 4 (1630 up)?

I'm thinking of situations like the 6400s were supposed to replace the MAN 4000s but didn't completely, and that the 7900s were supposed to replace the 6400s, except that the first 100 8350s replaced the last 6400s.

 

[YoungBusLover]

13 hours ago, Busjack said:

This has me asking the opposite of what I asked before (yjat was if 150 hybrids would leave only 300 1000s).

The new question is: Is CTA so short of operable buses that it has to keep repairing those from Options 3 and 4 (1630 up)?

I'm thinking of situations like the 6400s were supposed to replace the MAN 4000s but didn't completely, and that the 7900s were supposed to replace the 6400s, except that the first 100 8350s replaced the last 6400s.

 

It appears that way based on the last two orders of LFS series 7900s and #1000s. I remember saying this many moons ago that CTA selling themselves short when it came to properly maintaining equipment that was wearing quicker than anticipated. Say what you want about the last 70 #6400s that go canned. They were in better shape than some of higher #1000s and #7900s. Unlike other smaller agencies that know how to maintain what they have for 20-25 years CTA falls short of doing that consistently. If you have a good series of bus that is easy to maintain keep it running until you habe sufficient funds to replace them entirely. Poor choices of past administration's have put CTA in a weird spot that I haven't seen since the NABI order. I also don't believe all of the 3rd/4th option #1000s should gotten sidelined if they didn't have rusted out frames. I remember seeing #1750 at K getting serviced by maintenence in Oct and from what I witnessed while the bus was up on the lift was hardly any frame issues or rusting of any kind. Then a month later it's wrapped at SS retired. Makes ya wonder what really goes into retiring buses younger than there predecessors ahead of them. All in all 150 hybrid models could realistically be split among 3 garages until more funding is secured while also limiting the remaining elderly #1000s that are left.

[jtrussel]

On 12/3/2025 at 2:13 PM, Busjack said:

I don't know if I should give publicity to a YouTube bot who admits to clipping others' images, but  10 Buses American Drivers Absolutely Hated to Drive has clips of two suburban mistakes: a Regional Transportation Authority Grumman 870 and a Pace Orion VI.

 

1 hour ago, YoungBusLover said:

It appears that way based on the last two orders of LFS series 7900s and #1000s. I remember saying this many moons ago that CTA selling themselves short when it came to properly maintaining equipment that was wearing quicker than anticipated. Say what you want about the last 70 #6400s that go canned. They were in better shape than some of higher #1000s and #7900s. Unlike other smaller agencies that know how to maintain what they have for 20-25 years CTA falls short of doing that consistently. If you have a good series of bus that is easy to maintain keep it running until you habe sufficient funds to replace them entirely. Poor choices of past administration's have put CTA in a weird spot that I haven't seen since the NABI order. I also don't believe all of the 3rd/4th option #1000s should gotten sidelined if they didn't have rusted out frames. I remember seeing #1750 at K getting serviced by maintenence in Oct and from what I witnessed while the bus was up on the lift was hardly any frame issues or rusting of any kind. Then a month later it's wrapped at SS retired. Makes ya wonder what really goes into retiring buses younger than there predecessors ahead of them. All in all 150 hybrid models could realistically be split among 3 garages until more funding is secured while also limiting the remaining elderly #1000s that are left.

Could it be a chance that those 3rd and 4th option series that were still in decent shape but still retired be some of the one who get the last life extended overhaul 

[Busjack]

3 hours ago, jtrussel said:

 

Could it be a chance that those 3rd and 4th option series that were still in decent shape but still retired be some of the one who get the last life extended overhaul 

Why spend money tp overhaul a bus when its mates have rusted vasses?