Welcome Aboard 70 Years Of The CTA

[Busjack]

3 hours ago, artthouwill said:

I believe  there were  some old look flxbles that had the light shade green but there definitely  some  with the  darker shade like 8499.  

My experience only goes back to around 1968. All the Flxibles were dark green, but there were variations of either alpine white or cream (also on the New Looks).

Archive pictures (such as in the 2 historic collection L cars) show that some of the gas buses of the CSL/CTA transition era had the mercury green orange stripe livery, but I don't know if that was phased out by the time the big propanes arrived. Tom's Trolleybus Diesel/Propanes page only has a couple of 5000s, but too removed from their origin (dated in the 1970s). 5279 is undated, but seems to be dark green with the red CTA logo.

Note that the cream comes down to the belt stainless on 8499, which is similar to depicted 5963, 5066, but not the others.

[artthouwill]

29 minutes ago, Busjack said:

My experience only goes back to around 1968. All the Flxibles were dark green, but there were variations of either alpine white or cream (also on the New Looks).

Archive pictures (such as in the 2 historic collection L cars) show that some of the gas buses of the CSL/CTA transition era had the mercury green orange stripe livery, but I don't know if that was phased out by the time the big propanes arrived. Tom's Trolleybus Diesel/Propanes page only has a couple of 5000s, but too removed from their origin (dated in the 1970s). 5279 is undated, but seems to be dark green with the red CTA logo.

Note that the cream comes down to the belt stainless on 8499, which is similar to depicted 5963, 5066, but not the others.

If you are referring to the exterior  paint, I think they all were dark alpine  green.  I probably  didn't  make it  clear that i was referencing the  interior panes of 8499 as opposed to the  lighter  green  in the interior  of 301.  I assumed  that was what Gene was referencing  also, but I could've been  mistaken. 

Surprisingly there were no 1000/7400/9000/9600s  on display  rhis rime.

[BusHunter]

Yeah that's cause the cream livery was from the 50's when all those #8000's were around. I want to say the changeover was in the early 60's based on how the #3000's were delivered. The #300's came all green in so they were thinking about it then.

 Exp

[Busjack]

4 minutes ago, BusHunter said:

Yeah that's cause the cream livery was from the 50's when all those #8000's were around. I want to say the changeover was in the early 60's based on how the #3000's were delivered. The #300's came all green in so they were thinking about it then.

 Exp

Probably more related to when the 2000 series L cars were received.

[Busjack]

25 minutes ago, artthouwill said:

If you are referring to the exterior  paint, I think they all were dark alpine  green.  I probably  didn't  make it  clear that i was referencing the  interior panes of 8499 as opposed to the  lighter  green  in the interior  of 301.  I assumed  that was what Gene was referencing  also, but I could've been  mistaken. 

The difference between 8499 and 301 was that 301 was a GMC bus and all of them had lighter interiors (I short of remember the 100s as being light blue--Update: The Flx New Looks 8600-8849, 3000s also were light blue). There's something in the L books about that 6000s had 3 tones of green on the inside but went to 2.

25 minutes ago, artthouwill said:

Surprisingly there were no 1000/7400/9000/9600s  on display  rhis rime.

Because they aren't in the Heritage Fleet. Nothing indicated that they were scrounging around IRM, for instance.

[geneking7320]

I was actually referring to the exterior paint. If you click the link provided by Busjack above and look at FT-40 5963 it seems to be a different shade of green than bus 8499 presently. That likely could be a function of time passing (and paint fading), bad recall on my part or both.

[Busjack]

6 hours ago, geneking7320 said:

I was actually referring to the exterior paint. If you click the link provided by Busjack above and look at FT-40 5963 it seems to be a different shade of green than bus 8499 presently. That likely could be a function of time passing (and paint fading), bad recall on my part or both.

There might be differences. 5963 is a cream top bus, so that essentially isn't it.

One has to consider that most of the pictures were around 1970. and the buses got repainted every few years (or they would have rusted). One doesn't know if 8499 was repainted how many times, including when it was converted from this.

Age could make a difference, in that most of the Douglas-Milwaukee and Skokie Swift artic. cars I saw about 1971 looked turquoise and coral instead of mercury green and orange.Buses such as 4400s did not look the same before and after rehab.

My recall is more like 8044 and 5288, but again that's 1970, not the 1950s. 5288 certainly did not originally have a Jefferson Park yellow sign.

[BusHunter]

6 hours ago, geneking7320 said:

I was actually referring to the exterior paint. If you click the link provided by Busjack above and look at FT-40 5963 it seems to be a different shade of green than bus 8499 presently. That likely could be a function of time passing (and paint fading), bad recall on my part or both.

No there are anomalies if you look for them. Andrethebusman made the observation about #3706, that if you look at it's green it was painted swamp green instead of the darker mercury green. Sure enough if you look at the bus, he's right. The green is too light. I think only #301 is truly authentic, but then again does it have italicized number decals? I'm sure if you went through it with a fine tooth comb you would see something that's off as well. I guess really these buses are replicas even though they are the real buses. It's like me showing off "57 Chevy. It's only as original as it's original parts. Are the tires the same? Are the seats the same? Is the paint authentic as in 1957 colors? We just need to accept that notion and appreciate that someone thought enough of these historic buses to save them. It may take only a few men or women to restore a vehicle, but it takes generations of enthusiasts to keep the buses alive.

I doubt very few of the windows are original either. In the 80's there was the great replacement of windows in the fishbowls so with all those windows floating around (probably 10,000 windows maybe more) I'm sure some floated onto these vehicles. I took alot of interior pics at the rodeo of these buses so there should be pics floating around on here if anyone wanted to check it out. 

[Busjack]

15 hours ago, BusHunter said:

I think only #301 is truly authentic, but then again does it have italicized number decals?

The instant giveaways on 301 and 3706 is that they have Helvetica numbers, which were applied in the 1972-1975 time frame. Before that they would have had "Schoolbook" font numbers, as reflected on most buses on Tom's Trolleybuses and 8499. Neither bus has the "CTA Metropolitan Transit" logo, and  3706 has the 1975 style lower case "cta" and the number between the headlights instead of under the windshield.

Prior to the 1970s era, there is the question whether 301 had a green or cream mask around the windshield.

The only thing that can be confidently said is that buses were frequently repainted in those days (including fairly new New Looks getting the treatment that the MANs and Flyers got). A 50 or 60 year old bus is not going to have its original paint, just as the 2 L cars have the second CRT paint scheme, not the one they had when they ran on CTA in the1960s-1972 (which was also green and cream). And you know Graham Garfield stuck the stripes back on the 2400s.

[jajuan]

Here's a video clip I found that a gentleman called artistmac on YouTube posted of last week's 70th anniversary showcase. Notice his reaction to the number of seats in the older buses compared to buses of today as he goes in and out each bus.

[Busjack]

43 minutes ago, jajuan said:

Here's a video clip I found that a gentleman called artistmac on YouTube posted of last week's 70th anniversary showcase. Notice his reaction to the number of seats in the older buses compared to buses of today as he goes in and out each bus.

I left a comment there about the seats.

It also looked like the paint on the 2 new looks was rusty, while that on 8499 was recent. Also, it might have been an experiment that 8499 had linoleum on the walls under the windows, as most buses had dark green paint.

[artthouwill]

17 hours ago, jajuan said:

Here's a video clip I found that a gentleman called artistmac on YouTube posted of last week's 70th anniversary showcase. Notice his reaction to the number of seats in the older buses compared to buses of today as he goes in and out each bus.

Going through the  different  video clips  on YouTube someone actually  caught my voice  (not my pic) on video.  Haven't  had the chance  to upload  my own video I shot on the last day.

[mel bernero]

On October 1st, the CTA will be operating the 4000 and 2400 series "L" cars around the Loop beginning at 10:00 am until 2:00 pm. Also, 8499 will be giving rides at the same time. If you wish to ride the first 4 trips on the 4000's or 8499, you will need to get a special ticket from the Community Service bus that will be at Daley Plaza. The CTA will begin handing out the tickets beginning at 0930; one per customer. More information can be found on the CTA website.

[BusHunter]

Damn Dnainfo just put out a link 5 hrs ago that says cta will be running vintage trains and buses in the loop on sunday 10 to 2. I was like really vintage buses!!!  But they are only running #8499. But still this is a special event. No #6101-02 yet though. Now if they ran #301 or #3706 i would be over the moon but #8499 is pretty good. Definitely worth the trip though. Cant link the link because im on a cell phone in wisconsin. I dont know if i can make that or not. Hopefully someone gets some video. I hope cta runs vintage buses in the future.

[Busjack]

On 9/29/2017 at 6:54 PM, BusHunter said:

Damn Dnainfo just put out a link 5 hrs ago that says cta will be running vintage trains and buses in the loop on sunday 10 to 2. I was like really vintage buses!!!  But they are only running #8499. But still this is a special event. No #6101-02 yet though. Now if they ran #301 or #3706 i would be over the moon but #8499 is pretty good. Definitely worth the trip though. Cant link the link because im on a cell phone in wisconsin. I dont know if i can make that or not. Hopefully someone gets some video. I hope cta runs vintage buses in the future.

Channel 7 had it,also Paul  Meineke had a story that Bruce Moffat found an old movie on some bookshelf at CTA HQTs showing the construction of the State St. subway, including sinking a tube under the river, and laborers digging muck from under State St. However, it must have been promotional, as it showed Bluebirds instead of 4000s. 

Web reference is here.

[mel bernero]

Shouldn't this be in the 70th Anniversary thread under CTA General Discussions.

[BusHunter]

23 hours ago, Busjack said:

Channel 7 had it,also Paul  Meineke had a story that Bruce Moffatt found an old movie on some bookshelf at CTA HQTs showing the construction of the State St. subway, including sinking a tube under the river, and laborers digging muck from under State St. However, it must have been promotional, as it showed Bluebirds instead of 4000s. 

Web reference is here.

So like what happens if #8499 has a defect and has to be pulled? They dig out a fg museum bus. Lol. Even better who gets to drive #8499. Cta brass or top seniority.

[garmon757]

The last 4 posts have been moved to this topic. Thanks @mel bernero for the heads up. 

[ArcherRider]

16 hours ago, BusHunter said:

So like what happens if #8499 has a defect and has to be pulled? They dig out a fg museum bus. Lol. Even better who gets to drive #8499. Cta brass or top seniority.

It was regular CTA operator driving #8499  and Graham Garfield gave the history of the bus #8499 and bus ride was very smooth and  went via Washington,State, Madison to Canal back to Washington,

[Pace831]

[BusHunter]

20 hours ago, ArcherRider said:

It was regular CTA operator driving #8499  and Graham Garfield gave the history of the bus #8499 and bus ride was very smooth and  went via Washington,State, Madison to Canal back to Washington,

Probably needed to be trained though. Did he/she at least have a low badge number? Was it one ride cause i heard you had to get tickets. What were they worried about too many people showing up for one bus. #701 could have been brought out. It would have showcased the vintage and the new.

[Busjack]

13 minutes ago, BusHunter said:

#701 could have been brought out.

There may be a distinction between "could" and "may."

[ArcherRider]

38 minutes ago, BusHunter said:

Probably needed to be trained though. Did he/she at least have a low badge number? Was it one ride cause i heard you had to get tickets. What were they worried about too many people showing up for one bus. #701 could have been brought out. It would have showcased the vintage and the new.

No bus driver badge was 37XXX and first ride they collect the ticket but the was second group the bus driver said   keep the ticket  and 50 people can get on the buses for the group.

[Pace831]

1 hour ago, BusHunter said:

Probably needed to be trained though. Did he/she at least have a low badge number? Was it one ride cause i heard you had to get tickets. What were they worried about too many people showing up for one bus. #701 could have been brought out. It would have showcased the vintage and the new.

For 8499 and the 4000s, the first four trips on each required tickets. The tickets were free and were given out in Daley Plaza starting at 10:00. Trips began around 10:45, then once the four ticketed trips were over, anyone could ride as much as they wanted. No tickets were needed for the 2400s. The rationale was probably that too many people might crowd the vehicles after the politicians got done speaking.

[andrethebusman]

There were definitely two shades of green. Original green was relatively light, later was much darker. Darker green was supposed to go with white top, but there were older buses that got the darker green with a yellow top.  Full repaints, too, so maybe CTA ran out of white paint at some point?