8350-series Nova LFS - Updates

[Shannoncvpi]

1 hour ago, YoungBusLover said:

#8560 is at SS.

Yea I see it when I was by there today 

[YoungBusLover]

I've compiled a list together of 8350s that are currently in the process of being entered into serivce. All 24 have there license plates but still have a lot of work to be done on them before they're ready to go. 

1. #8540
2. #8457
3. #8456
4. #8532
5. #8544
6. #8524
7. #8539
8. #8516
9. #8537
10. #8452
11. #8541
12. #8551
13. #8550
14. #8507 
15. #8527
16. #8546
17. #8536
18. #8538 
19. #8545
20. #8542
21. #8458
22. #8560
23. #8526
24. #8529

[Busjack]

Looks like the CT Board is going to exercise another option. Agenda

:

[artthouwill]

41 minutes ago, Busjack said:

Looks like the CT Board is going to exercise another option. Agenda

:

Time will tell but it's starting to look like CTA will try to exercise all of the options before Nova closes drop in Plattsburgh. 

[Bus1883]

4 hours ago, Busjack said:

Looks like the CT Board is going to exercise another option. Agenda

:

So this could start the #8650’s as well?

[YoungBusLover]

#8534 has entered service on the 95 this morning looking very fresh I might add. 

[Busjack]

On 7/9/2023 at 5:48 PM, artthouwill said:

Time will tell but it's starting to look like CTA will try to exercise all of the options before Nova closes drop in Plattsburgh. 

Little hard to tell. The contract was approved on 2/16/21. Option 1 was approved on 3/24/22. Option 2 was approved on 9/23/22. While this is only 10 months, Option 2 was only 6 months. But at this rate, they can beat the 1st Qtr. 2025 cutoff.

[iamlocoooo]

Just spotted #8450 speeding down south michigan ave at 100th street signed up as 29 . Didn’t pull out my phone in time

[Busjack]

On 7/9/2023 at 5:04 PM, Busjack said:

Looks like the CT Board is going to exercise another option. Agenda

:

Board approved it. No comment.

[alphabetlore1044]

@YoungBusLover Is 8523 is at SS

[YoungBusLover]

On 7/9/2023 at 8:32 AM, YoungBusLover said:

I've compiled a list together of 8350s that are currently in the process of being entered into serivce. All 24 have there license plates but still have a lot of work to be done on them before they're ready to go. 

1. #8540
2. #8457
3. #8456
4. #8532
5. #8544
6. #8524
7. #8539
8. #8516
9. #8537
10. #8452
11. #8541
12. #8551
13. #8550
14. #8507 
15. #8527
16. #8546
17. #8536
18. #8538 
19. #8545
20. #8542
21. #8458
22. #8560
23. #8526
24. #8529

@alphabetlore1044

[YoungBusLover]

#8563 and #8565 are at SS.

[Javi75]

On 7/9/2023 at 8:32 AM, YoungBusLover said:

I've compiled a list together of 8350s that are currently in the process of being entered into serivce. All 24 have there license plates but still have a lot of work to be done on them before they're ready to go. 

1. #8540
2. #8457
3. #8456
4. #8532
5. #8544
6. #8524
7. #8539
8. #8516
9. #8537
10. #8452
11. #8541
12. #8551
13. #8550
14. #8507 
15. #8527
16. #8546
17. #8536
18. #8538 
19. #8545
20. #8542
21. #8458
22. #8560
23. #8526
24. #8529

Is FG expected get any more 8350s? Is it possible to replace every flyer at 103rd with all 8350s? 

[Busjack]

28 minutes ago, Javi75 said:

Is FG expected get any more 8350s? Is it possible to replace every flyer at 103rd with all 8350s? 

Probably not, unless CTA plans to replace 1030 buses with 600, which is not the plan (430 are supposed to get life extending rehabs). NP and K haven't received much of anything new in over 10 years.

[Javi75]

36 minutes ago, Busjack said:

Probably not, unless CTA plans to replace 1030 buses with 600, which is not the plan (430 are supposed to get life extending rehabs). NP and K haven't received much of anything new in over 10 years.

Do you think NP would be open to getting Novas? They’re the only garage without 7900s, did NP have the choice?

[busfan2847]

1 hour ago, Javi75 said:

Is FG expected get any more 8350s? Is it possible to replace every flyer at 103rd with all 8350s? 

I believe there  are 100 Flyers left at 103rd.

[YoungBusLover]

2 minutes ago, busfan2847 said:

I believe there  are 100 Flyers left at 103rd.

There is 103 left at 103rd currently but only 58 have been active since mid June.

1 hour ago, Javi75 said:

Is FG expected get any more 8350s? Is it possible to replace every flyer at 103rd with all 8350s? 

I doubt it at this point.

 

1 hour ago, Busjack said:

Probably not, unless CTA plans to replace 1030 buses with 600, which is not the plan (430 are supposed to get life extending rehabs). NP and K haven't received much of anything new in over 10 years.

At the this current rate I belive it will most likely happen. They're already at 85 #8350s with no sign of slowing down. The active number #1000s have decreased from 103 to 58 since mid June. 

[Bus1883]

4 hours ago, Busjack said:

Probably not, unless CTA plans to replace 1030 buses with 600, which is not the plan (430 are supposed to get life extending rehabs). NP and K haven't received much of anything new in over 10 years.

I find this weird. The first 100 buses have replaced the 6400s with the next 500 to replace around 500 1000s. We should be around 530 by the time the fleet dwindles down for years to come. Unless CTA purchases another 100 buses from another manufacturer. 

[Busjack]

1 hour ago, Bus1883 said:

I find this weird. The first 100 buses have replaced the 6400s with the next 500 to replace around 500 1000s. We should be around 530 by the time the fleet dwindles down for years to come. Unless CTA purchases another 100 buses from another manufacturer. 

I had quoted CTA capital plans, which didn't mention the 6400s, except that the CMAQ grant said that some electric buses (now 600s) would. Also, while the current scrap contract said 100 Novas, I'm sure some of them were sitting around for quite a while. With all the OOS, I don't think CTA needs another 100 diesel buses. With 47 electric buses here or on order, at most it needs another 53 electric buses.

 

I only quoted the capital plan numbers to indicate that any garage is not going to be free of NFs (or all 8350s).

[YoungBusLover]

So far 103rd has 84 of the 163 active #8350s so far which is virtually half of the active fleet at this point. 

[YoungBusLover]

#8559 is at SS.

[YoungBusLover]

So rumor has it that Kedzie has started training operators on the #8500s and they will be next in line to receive them. Not a coincidence especially with the Blue Line shutdown around the corner.    

[jajuan]

3 hours ago, YoungBusLover said:

So rumor has it that Kedzie has started training operators on the #8500s and they will be next in line to receive them. Not a coincidence especially with the Blue Line shutdown around the corner.    

If the rumor holds up to be true and the Blue Line shutdown plays into it, I'd think it would be from an angle of shoring up being able to place 40 foot buses on some runs that currently are getting artics to free up artics for the shuttle routes. There's also the aspect of those routes at K that serve Pink and Green Line stations since CTA is pushing those two lines as rail alternatives for reaching downtown and has indicated longer trains will be on both during the shutdown. Outside that, I don't see 40 foot buses for the shuttles directly except maybe overnight on the local shuttle route since that's the lightest level of Blue Line ridership. Even then, it's likely a very slim chance of it.

[Busjack]

9 hours ago, jajuan said:

If the rumor holds up to be true and the Blue Line shutdown plays into it, I'd think it would be from an angle of shoring up being able to place 40 foot buses on some runs that currently are getting artics to free up artics for the shuttle routes. There's also the aspect of those routes at K that serve Pink and Green Line stations since CTA is pushing those two lines as rail alternatives for reaching downtown and has indicated longer trains will be on both during the shutdown. Outside that, I don't see 40 foot buses for the shuttles directly except maybe overnight on the local shuttle route since that's the lightest level of Blue Line ridership. Even then, it's likely a very slim chance of it.

The only conclusion I draw is that it was time for K to get some. With the slow roll-out so far, it isn't going to make much difference for a 2-month line cut (only one month the full distance and express buses between Jackson and IMD).

Drivers: Exactly what training is necessary? Are the buses driven differently, or is it for the mechanics?

[YoungBusLover]

1 hour ago, Busjack said:

The only conclusion I draw is that it was time for K to get some. With the slow roll-out so far, it isn't going to make much difference for a 2-month line cut (only one month the full distance and express buses between Jackson and IMD).

Drivers: Exactly what training is necessary? Are the buses driven differently, or is it for the mechanics?

This is what was given to me in regards to the training.