1000-series D40LF - Updates & Retirements

[Bus1883]

6 hours ago, 79th to lakefront 1302 said:

1975 and 2001 has been retired 

Already mentioned 

[Bus1883]

The higher numbered 1000s that were retired 2-3 years ago that’s parked on the 79th street fence is just a mess up close. I just peeped that the first 5 parked have been stripped of their destination signs all around and the upper dashboard inside. Honestly I thought they’d look untouched until I did a walkthrough up close. Here is 1654 for example 

[79th to lakefront 1302]

1008 is on LTH idk why but I hope it not retired

[Busjack]

17 hours ago, 79th to lakefront 1302 said:

1008 is on LTH idk why but I hope it not retired

I'm not inside the fence, but I've been outside the fence and on this forum for long enough to know that's exactly what it means. CTA may not have yet painted "scrap" on it or seized the engine, but the bus (and from what was indicated above, just about every bus 1630 and up) is done for. Similar to when a person has had a "celebration of life" but isn't in the ground.

[Bus1517]

On 7/23/2026 at 1:26 AM, Bus1883 said:

The higher numbered 1000s that were retired 2-3 years ago that’s parked on the 79th street fence is just a mess up close. I just peeped that the first 5 parked have been stripped of their destination signs all around and the upper dashboard inside. Honestly I thought they’d look untouched until I did a walkthrough up close. Here is 1654 for example 

It’s sad CTA decided to purchase carbon steel on 1630-2029 buses instead of those stainless steel frames seen on the lower flyers, and yet they decided to use retired 1630-2029 buses as parts.

[Elkmn]

1 hour ago, Bus1517 said:

It’s sad CTA decided to purchase carbon steel on 1630-2029 buses instead of those stainless steel frames seen on the lower flyers, and yet they decided to use retired 1630-2029 buses as parts.

Those parts will come in handy when we have to keep 1000-1629 for another 10 years!

[Busjack]

2 hours ago, Bus1517 said:

It’s sad CTA decided to purchase carbon steel on 1630-2029 buses instead of those stainless steel frames seen on the lower flyers, and yet they decided to use retired 1630-2029 buses as parts.

The Luminator parts seem good for other 1000s, and 7900-8324. However, probably not much is usable, given those who posted that 1630 and up have different engines and transmissions.

[Mr.NewFlyer1279]

22 hours ago, 79th to lakefront 1302 said:

1008 is on LTH idk why but I hope it not retired

why are you spreading misinformation? that bus is not even on hold let alone be on LTH smh. 

[Adam Hubbard]

Until 2040 we are stuck with the 1000-1629 range?

[jajuan]

1 hour ago, Adam Hubbard said:

Until 2040 we are stuck with the 1000-1629 range?

Um another ten years would be 2/3 of the way through 2036. 2040 is roughly 13 and 1/3 years out, taking into account we've already gotten through almost eight months of 2026. If you're trying to account for the time of procurement of replacement buses, it's possible NITA will start that process a few years before that. Plus there's also the federal funding for CTA's announced intention to order 40-foot hybrids to consider. It may not be as many from that range by then as you might.

[Busjack]

1 hour ago, jajuan said:

If you're trying to account for the time of procurement of replacement buses, it's possible NITA will start that process a few years before that. Plus there's also the federal funding for CTA's announced intention to order 40-foot hybrids to consider. It may not be as many from that range by then as you might.

It's not even that long. The Charging Forward plan indicated that buses procured now would be replaced in 2040. These 1000s were acquired in something like 2007-2009, so if they conceivably lasted to 2040, they would be like 33 years old. Only buses that were treated in that manner were the TTC New Looks, which were continually rebuilt because the Flyers kept rusting (somehow CTA sounds deja vu). As far as continually rebuilding buses, CTA will eventually get to the same point as it did with the New Looks--"You can't get replacement parts."

On the replacement bus front, CTA has the No/Low grant for 150 hybrids, and you know CTA (or NITA) is not going to wait 14 years to spend it, especially when Pace said its contract allows CTA to pick from it. Gillig (and NF) would not have bid on a Pace contract with a firm order of 8 buses.

[79th to lakefront 1302]

On 7/23/2026 at 6:28 PM, Policeman said:

can u retire off this website already 

It is on LTH  because  bus watch  says it on LTH 

 

[79th to lakefront 1302]

I don't know why 1240 been on MIA but if this bus keeps doing MIA it will be on LTH  it been out of service for 9 or 10 days now 1240 was last seen 7/14/26 @ 8:05pm on the 66 block ID 66_831

[Mr.NewFlyer1279]

53 minutes ago, 79th to lakefront 1302 said:

It is on LTH  because  bus watch  says it on LTH 

 

bus watch definitely doesn’t say it’s on LTH😂 stop lying kiddo

[Bus1883]

11 hours ago, Bus1517 said:

It’s sad CTA decided to purchase carbon steel on 1630-2029 buses instead of those stainless steel frames seen on the lower flyers, and yet they decided to use retired 1630-2029 buses as parts.

The frames had a 12 year warranty for the last 400 buses as new flyer wrapped them in aluminum during production and wore off over time as they aged. Now it’s deemed impossible to fix as they are now 18 years old and with the rust continuing to happen. The violent winter weather and salt played a role. They’ve served their purpose with 15-18 years of use. Makes sense to use whatever buses between 1000-1629 to secondly rehab as they’re in better shape structure wise.

[Busjack]

56 minutes ago, Bus1883 said:

The frames had a 12 year warranty for the last 400 buses as new flyer wrapped them in aluminum during production and wore off over time as they aged. Now it’s deemed impossible to fix as they are now 18 years old and with the rust continuing to happen. The violent winter weather and salt played a role. They’ve served their purpose with 15-18 years of use. Makes sense to use whatever buses between 1000-1629 to secondly rehab as they’re in better shape structure wise.

I thought at the time CTA said the frames were wrapped in aluminum, and you confirmed it. I also remember that at the time they were bid, NF questioned the 12-year warranty requirement, but CTA replied that Chicago used magnesium chloride for salting streets, and the bus had to hold up. As you said, apparently the salt wore away the aluminum, but the 12 years passed, so that's it.

[79th to lakefront 1302]

1303 on route 79th and 87th  block ID 79 _ 727

[Busjack]

9 minutes ago, 79th to lakefront 1302 said:

1303 on route 79th and 87th  block ID 79 _ 727

You are, by your words, only watching Bus Watch (and according to others, misrepresenting it). Unless there is some point, such as that this bus came back from the dead, which you didn't explain), why waste bandwidth on this kind of post? If there is a point, say it.

[Bus1883]

2 hours ago, Busjack said:

I thought at the time CTA said the frames were wrapped in aluminum, and you confirmed it. I also remember that at the time they were bid, NF questioned the 12-year warranty requirement, but CTA replied that Chicago used magnesium chloride for salting streets, and the bus had to hold up. As you said, apparently the salt wore away the aluminum, but the 12 years passed, so that's it.

I’d Imagine if only they build them on stainless steel frames like 1000-1629. We’d definitely have a mixed bag on what will get retired from all blocks and what will remain. However it was completely CTA’s decision to switch to carbon frames to accommodate the Cummins ISL engine while exercising the 3/4 order as they wanted to make them more fuel efficient 

[Bus1883]

10 hours ago, Adam Hubbard said:

Until 2040 we are stuck with the 1000-1629 range?

No at least til 2030-32

[jajuan]

14 hours ago, Busjack said:

It's not even that long. The Charging Forward plan indicated that buses procured now would be replaced in 2040. These 1000s were acquired in something like 2007-2009, so if they conceivably lasted to 2040, they would be like 33 years old. Only buses that were treated in that manner were the TTC New Looks, which were continually rebuilt because the Flyers kept rusting (somehow CTA sounds deja vu). As far as continually rebuilding buses, CTA will eventually get to the same point as it did with the New Looks--"You can't get replacement parts."

On the replacement bus front, CTA has the No/Low grant for 150 hybrids, and you know CTA (or NITA) is not going to wait 14 years to spend it, especially when Pace said its contract allows CTA to pick from it. Gillig (and NF) would not have bid on a Pace contract with a firm order of 8 buses.

Yeah very true that they're not going to wait that long to spend that federal grant. And I was actually shocked at seeing that comment that @Adam Hubbard was responding to saying that another 20 years out of whatever remains from 1000-1629. My immediate thought was "Hold on. Are you sure about that?" 😂

[YoungBusLover]

#1932 has been retired.

[Erin Mishkin Jr.]

1 hour ago, YoungBusLover said:

#1932 has been retired.

Did you find out any updated news about #1853 or #1865?

[YoungBusLover]

2 hours ago, Erin Mishkin Jr. said:

Did you find out any updated news about #1853 or #1865?

They're also retired as well. I just checked the boneyard not to long ago.

[Erin Mishkin Jr.]

1 hour ago, YoungBusLover said:

They're also retired as well. I just checked the boneyard not to long ago.

By summer 2027 nearly everything between 1630-2019 that’s remaining will be retired