rotjohns Posted February 4, 2013 Report Share Posted February 4, 2013 6222 is also at North running right now. I'm really surprised the 6200s from West went to North and not 6600s. Aside from the school runs, is North's ridership high enough to warrant all this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted February 4, 2013 Report Share Posted February 4, 2013 6222 is also at North running right now. I'm really surprised the 6200s from West went to North and not 6600s. Aside from the school runs, is North's ridership high enough to warrant all this? IIRC, RailwayModeler was saying that the 35 foot buses were packed. If my count is correct, this makes 12 6200s at N. Some time prior to this, there were 10 Orion Is and 2401 and 2421 at N (at least after N got the 2423s), so that sounds about right. Since there are still 2400s out there, my guess is that the rest of the Axess buses will be used to move 6600s, probably from W, or maybe via more 6200s to S and then from S. And, basically N is "prostituted" by the school district buying bus passes,* as otherwise {except for 565}, I don't see any difference between Waukegan and the other collar county cities, and N would need about half as many buses. _________ *At one time, 566 and 573 were discontinued, then Pace said they were reinstated for that reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted February 10, 2013 Report Share Posted February 10, 2013 Another strange, but not totally unexpected indication: 6303 at South. With 6221 still at S (352), we can assume that the lowest number now at West is 6241 (or, at least, nothing below that). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Railwaymodeler Posted February 10, 2013 Report Share Posted February 10, 2013 Was aboard 2401 this morning. Will be kind of sad to see it go. Back in June last year, a stoplight protected by a red light camera went green straight to red. Driver hit the brakes hard, and me standing right behind the white line, lost my grip on the wheelwell handrails, went right into the windshield head first. Shattered the windshield, not even a scratch or bump to my head, though injured my shoulder turning 90 degrees on a vertical pole. The windshield was replaced that night. A few drivers heard about the accident, saw the damage, said there was no way I could have walked away from that without any visible damage. I hear one of the management commented "He must be real hardheaded". The DriveCam tape showed that stopping did not trip the camera, but the point of trip was upon my impact with the windshield. A number of drivers saw the footage, and it shows at the end, me looking up after taking half a step back, and saying "Oh s--t, the DriveCam tripped". I hope 2401 does not get cut up for scrap. I'm thinking that when my time comes, my burial plot is downstate near Quincy. Should get propped up at my usual post there for my last trip, and everyone going to the burial can ride along. Discharge everyone at the cemetary, make a big loop around, floor the accelerator, stop just short of the hole in the ground, slam the brakes on. Then have me fly through the windshield, and into the ground. That would be my style! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted February 23, 2013 Report Share Posted February 23, 2013 More blue buses at South according to WebWatch: 6318, 6320 on 349, 6321 on 364. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesi2282 Posted February 23, 2013 Report Share Posted February 23, 2013 One less 6600 at West, 6666 is now at River, spotted it on 606. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJL6000 Posted February 24, 2013 Report Share Posted February 24, 2013 One less 6600 at West, 6666 is now at River, spotted it on 606. Only problem is that River Division only operates runs on the #606 on weekdays (Monday through Friday). All weekend (Saturday and Sunday) runs on the #606 are out of Northwest. As such, both of the buses that are currently on the route are Orion VIs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesi2282 Posted February 24, 2013 Report Share Posted February 24, 2013 I spotted it on Friday during the PM rush. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rotjohns Posted February 24, 2013 Report Share Posted February 24, 2013 More blue buses at South according to WebWatch: 6318, 6320 on 349, 6321 on 364. I'd think some 6600s at South should be on the move to North because all of the 2400s at South are now gone. There's still a number of 2400s up in Waukegan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Railwaymodeler Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 The 62s do not appear to be popular with passengers so far. Today, went for an early dinner at Culvers in Zion. Coming home, the bus was very touchy, another passenger was grumbling to no one in particular about the rough ride. I pointed out to him that these pieces of scrap metal are 11 years old, basically junk other garages don't want. He got curious why we also do not get new buses. I told him my guess was because of the high schoolers Pace has a contract to carry. Don't let the kids tear up anything good. I've overheard a number of other passengers also complain about the "new" scrap metal. Other problem is that the supposed "slip resistent" material on the floors, actually can be easier to slip on than the grooved linoleum on the 2400s. As it takes an act of Congress to get a sidewalk cleared in Waukegan, this leads up to a lot of slipping and falling. Also of note, is that a small child got his arm caught in the rear doors of a 6200 the other day. From what I was told, the kid was OK, but the parents went ballistic on the driver. As the rear door has a 5-or-so second delay after opening via the door handle, I can understand their anger to some extent. But not the driver's fault. Crowded bus, adult passengers obsucred the mirrors, and besides, a little munchkin kid may not be visible to the driver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 ... I pointed out to him that these pieces of scrap metal are 11 years old, basically junk other garages don't want. .., No, only 9. Most were put in service late 2003. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 The 62s do not appear to be popular with passengers so far. Today, went for an early dinner at Culvers in Zion. Coming home, the bus was very touchy, another passenger was grumbling to no one in particular about the rough ride. I pointed out to him that these pieces of scrap metal are 11 years old, basically junk other garages don't want. He got curious why we also do not get new buses. I told him my guess was because of the high schoolers Pace has a contract to carry. Don't let the kids tear up anything good. I've overheard a number of other passengers also complain about the "new" scrap metal. Other problem is that the supposed "slip resistent" material on the floors, actually can be easier to slip on than the grooved linoleum on the 2400s. As it takes an act of Congress to get a sidewalk cleared in Waukegan, this leads up to a lot of slipping and falling. Also of note, is that a small child got his arm caught in the rear doors of a 6200 the other day. From what I was told, the kid was OK, but the parents went ballistic on the driver. As the rear door has a 5-or-so second delay after opening via the door handle, I can understand their anger to some extent. But not the driver's fault. Crowded bus, adult passengers obsucred the mirrors, and besides, a little munchkin kid may not be visible to the driver. So how do you like the new buses? All those buses need to have like the Axess' have, an automated announcement if someone gets too close to the doors, but that wouldn't have worked in this instance anyway. Although couldn't the same happen on a #2400? That's NABI engineering for you. Just think, pace has years worth of NABI's just waiting for you guys. Maybe you might eventually get some Axess' if the contract goes up to 416. They should be all over the city and suburbs by then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 ... Maybe you might eventually get some Axess' if the contract goes up to 416. They should be all over the city and suburbs by then. I sort of doubt that is going to happen, with the outstanding requisition for CNGs and the continuously contradictory statements of how many Axess buses Pace has actually ordered. But the CNG requisition and pretty firm timeline indicate that someone is going to get another dump from South in late 2014. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 I sort of doubt that is going to happen, with the outstanding requisition for CNGs and the continuously contradictory statements of how many Axess buses Pace has actually ordered. But the CNG requisition and pretty firm timeline indicate that someone is going to get another dump from South in late 2014. We"ll have to see what happens with next year's budget. (if they don"t mention them then I guess the order is done) It's likely to be a multi year order anyway, and soon their going to need to address getting rid of the Orion's. I guess it all depends how much extra money they have for CNG's and if they want to become more an alternative fuels operation versus a diesel one, but they would have to put additional infrastructure in place (CNG fuel pumps etc) for that to happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Railwaymodeler Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 No, only 9. Most were put in service late 2003. I think some of them may have had a date of 2002 somewhere. Maybe that is a build date, or something. Either way, lacking a specific month of build, it is only a close guesstimate. Either way, nine works too, as the point is that North is getting what everyone else is pretty much discarding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted March 2, 2013 Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 ... Either way, nine works too, as the point is that North is getting what everyone else is pretty much discarding. The point is that NS also did, and except for now 7 blue NABIs and 9 EZ Riders, has pretty much always did, the last entire new order it got being in 1993. For that matter, other than the 26 EZ Riders, NW has been getting Orion VI cast offs, including clearing out S for the buses you now detest. Either you go back to the last time N got new buses (1999, when N unloaded half its 2300s to elsewhere), so somehow cope with that if TAs continue with their policy of putting limited types in one garage, replacing buses where they think they are needed instead where the aged ones are (i.e., in this case, West, instead of 30 too big buses in N, 9 buses at NS, 11 buses at S, which is where buses readed service life), and there is no longer an imperative like making certain routes accessible (as all now are), this is going to be more frequent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Railwaymodeler Posted March 19, 2013 Report Share Posted March 19, 2013 Was out of town for a few days. Driver at North emailed me pics I just received of 2421. Appears to have suffered fire damage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted April 9, 2013 Report Share Posted April 9, 2013 I saw that Pace didn't take much time to get a North Shore Health Systems wrap on 6235. Also, the Lake-Cook fenced area is back in service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Railwaymodeler Posted April 10, 2013 Report Share Posted April 10, 2013 2401 had turbo issues this past Friday and is no longer in service. Two good buses left: 2449 and 2450. Kind of disappointed 2401 was not the last bus standing! EDIT Found out today 2426 is still in service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PACE NORTHWEST Posted April 17, 2013 Report Share Posted April 17, 2013 2604 is now in Niles. It's on the 413. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted April 17, 2013 Report Share Posted April 17, 2013 2604 is now in Niles. It's on the 413. Niles frequently seems to need a loaner. The real question is what will Pace do (or is already doing) to fill in buses during the scheduled rehabs of 2600-2701? There are several small groups of them (at Downers Grove, McHenry, Highland Park, Niles, and even North Shore*) that I don't think one can assume that there is a sufficient number of spares at any given location, even though there probably is in Naperville. ____________ *Only one in this group that has 6600s. Update: 2601, which I have seen both physically and virtually is still there, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesi2282 Posted May 20, 2013 Report Share Posted May 20, 2013 6039 moved from West to Northwest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJL6000 Posted May 20, 2013 Report Share Posted May 20, 2013 6039 moved from West to Northwest. Rendered surplus to West's fleet now that it has all of the regular Axesses delivered to date. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesi2282 Posted May 24, 2013 Report Share Posted May 24, 2013 6039 moved from West to Northwest. 6051 has been moved to NW as well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted May 24, 2013 Report Share Posted May 24, 2013 6051 has been moved to NW as well... One has to wonder what's next with NW, with packing more 6000s there, when that's now the oldest series in regular service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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