8350-series Nova LFS - Updates

[Javi75]

5 hours ago, YoungBusLover said:

These are the latest #8350s to hit service, 67 remain awaiting to enter service which should happen by early August. 

8930    6/2/25, 3:46 PM    6/4/25, 8:21 AM    73    73 -811    C
8870    6/2/25, 4:11 PM    6/4/25, 8:21 AM    72    72 -813    C
8889    6/2/25, 4:36 PM    6/4/25, 8:21 AM    157    157 -807    C
8873    6/2/25, 5:16 PM    6/4/25, 8:21 AM    74    74 -811    C
8874    6/3/25, 4:51 PM    6/4/25, 8:21 AM    20    20 -816    C
8878    6/4/25, 7:31 AM    6/4/25, 8:21 AM    73    73 -812    C

At this point C has 8350s from every option, what’s NPs 8350s count looking like and it’s ironic they flip from 1700s and 1800s to 8700s and 8800s. 

[YoungBusLover]

1 hour ago, Javi75 said:

At this point C has 8350s from every option, what’s NPs 8350s count looking like and it’s ironic they flip from 1700s and 1800s to 8700s and 8800s. 

NP will phase the last few 3rd/4th options out before the year is out.

[andrethebusman]

On 5/28/2025 at 9:04 PM, YoungBusLover said:

Indeed they do and it can take years depending on the severity of said accidents/incidents that occur on buses and trains. All along with the claims that come with it in the aftermath as far as the legality is concerned. That's why the CTA has it's own Law Dept to handle these matters.  @Erin Mishkin Jr.

There have been 6000s on "legal hold" for over 15 years now. So simply "aging out" and getting scrapped years from now is not an unreasonable scenario. Plus, sitting for 10 plus years for a modern "computer on wheels" bus might make it unfeasable to restore electrically, even if the accident damage is not very severe. Railroads found that out the hard way, you can't store a microprocessor locomotive for even a couple of years and expect to return it to service. The computers are just shot and not worth replacing.

[garmon757]

It;s been very quiet on this topic for the last 2 weeks. Here are the new Novas as of lately.

8895 6/27/25, 10:47 PM K

8883 6/27/25, 5:07 PM K

8912 6/27/25, 5:02 PM K

8872 6/27/25, 4:27 PM K

8892 6/27/25, 4:17 PM K

8899 6/26/25, 1:12 PM C

8882 6/25/25, 4:42 PM C

8893 6/24/25, 7:27 AM C

8904 6/18/25, 4:22 PM C

8881 6/16/25, 5:06 PM C

8887 6/15/25, 7:41 AM C

[jajuan]

4 hours ago, garmon757 said:

It;s been very quiet on this topic for the last 2 weeks. Here are the new Novas as of lately.

8895 6/27/25, 10:47 PM K

8883 6/27/25, 5:07 PM K

8912 6/27/25, 5:02 PM K

8872 6/27/25, 4:27 PM K

8892 6/27/25, 4:17 PM K

8899 6/26/25, 1:12 PM C

8882 6/25/25, 4:42 PM C

8893 6/24/25, 7:27 AM C

8904 6/18/25, 4:22 PM C

8881 6/16/25, 5:06 PM C

8887 6/15/25, 7:41 AM C

It fits with observations a number of us made that a good chunk of what's left was getting steered to K and C. That's not counting the up to 15 additional that's supposed to go to 74th.

[garmon757]

2 hours ago, jajuan said:

It fits with observations a number of us made that a good chunk of what's left was getting steered to K and C. That's not counting the up to 15 additional that's supposed to go to 74th.

Until 74th make moves with it's roster, good luck trying to add additional Novas while it's garage count is the 3rd highest currently. It's so bloated in my opinion, which makes me question the extra Novas that they currently have past #8099 alongside the questionable moves from the garage throughout at least the past 5-6 years.

[EasyMoney]

On 6/4/2025 at 3:57 PM, YoungBusLover said:

NP will phase the last few 3rd/4th options out before the year is out.

What website is this I’m trying to look at 103

[jajuan]

20 hours ago, garmon757 said:

Until 74th make moves with it's roster, good luck trying to add additional Novas while it's garage count is the 3rd highest currently. It's so bloated in my opinion, which makes me question the extra Novas that they currently have past #8099 alongside the questionable moves from the garage throughout at least the past 5-6 years.

Well according to the operator in the forum who first reported this, 74th is supposed to get those 15 8350s to retire 15 New Flyers from its roster. And presumably the higher roster count down there is in part based on a need for more buses because the 49 just became of the Frequent Bus network. Yeah it's shared with NP, but 74th operates a higher number of the trips especially on the weekends. Add to that that the X49 didn't appear to see a decrease in buses needed. Oh don't forget the 47 was one first 20 Frequent Network routes at the start of CTA's spring season. Plus with the 9 also becoming a Frequent Network route later in the year, it doesn't look like 74th is seeing any roster reduction any time soon. The larger bus roster actually appears explainable and justified.

[renardo870]

On 7/1/2025 at 1:29 PM, jajuan said:

Well according to the operator in the forum who first reported this, 74th is supposed to get those 15 8350s to retire 15 New Flyers from its roster. And presumably the higher roster count down there is in part based on a need for more buses because the 49 just became of the Frequent Bus network. Yeah it's shared with NP, but 74th operates a higher number of the trips especially on the weekends. Add to that that the X49 didn't appear to see a decrease in buses needed. Oh don't forget the 47 was one first 20 Frequent Network routes at the start of CTA's spring season. Plus with the 9 also becoming a Frequent Network route later in the year, it doesn't look like 74th is seeing any roster reduction any time soon. The larger bus roster actually appears explainable and justified.

Let's not forget 63 63rd along with 47 47th was in the 1st wave of FBN in the Spring. 49 Western was added this summer, 55 Garfield will be added in the Fall and 9 Ashland will be added in the Winter so 74th will have 5 of the 20 FBN routes so they will have a large bus roster and will need all avaliable buses.

[Mr.cta85]

On 6/4/2025 at 3:57 PM, YoungBusLover said:

NP will phase the last few 3rd/4th options out before the year is out.

I would like to see this list for all 7 garages if possible. 

[garmon757]

On 7/1/2025 at 1:29 PM, jajuan said:

Well according to the operator in the forum who first reported this, 74th is supposed to get those 15 8350s to retire 15 New Flyers from its roster. And presumably the higher roster count down there is in part based on a need for more buses because the 49 just became of the Frequent Bus network. Yeah it's shared with NP, but 74th operates a higher number of the trips especially on the weekends. Add to that that the X49 didn't appear to see a decrease in buses needed. Oh don't forget the 47 was one first 20 Frequent Network routes at the start of CTA's spring season. Plus with the 9 also becoming a Frequent Network route later in the year, it doesn't look like 74th is seeing any roster reduction any time soon. The larger bus roster actually appears explainable and justified.

Thanks for clarifying that. Well they need to get on a ball because their New Flyers are crushed with heavy mileage and I don't know how they're going to fare well with the cost of maintenance until their batch of Novas arrive.

[YoungBusLover]

6 hours ago, Mr.cta85 said:

I would like to see this list for all 7 garages if possible. 

It's a neat tool that was upgraded from maths22. 

[sht6131]

Would appreciate knowing what link this is.

 

 

[Busjack]

3 hours ago, sht6131 said:

Would appreciate knowing what link this is.

 

 

From what @YoungBusLover said, it looks like a home brew.

[garmon757]

On 7/3/2025 at 6:32 PM, sht6131 said:

Would appreciate knowing what link this is.

 

 

 

On 7/3/2025 at 9:55 PM, Busjack said:

From what @YoungBusLover said, it looks like a home brew.

 

On 6/30/2025 at 5:35 PM, EasyMoney said:

What website is this I’m trying to look at 103

https://buswatch.scj.me

[sht6131]

5 hours ago, garmon757 said:

 

 

https://buswatch.scj.me

Thanks, I appreciate it.

[jtrussel]

So on that website is the fleet numbers highlighted in red are those permanent retired busses

[Bus1883]

9 hours ago, jtrussel said:

So on that website is the fleet numbers highlighted in red are those permanent retired busses

Yes, as far with the novas I believe they’re just on LTH or OOS. With the flyers they’re goners.

[jajuan]

On 7/5/2025 at 4:44 PM, garmon757 said:

 

 

https://buswatch.scj.me

 

On 7/3/2025 at 1:44 PM, YoungBusLover said:

It's a neat tool that was upgraded from maths22. 

So one quick observation from this tool is how C, at 156 buses, has a bit over a quarter of the contracted 600 8350s on its current roster. 

[Busjack]

4 hours ago, jajuan said:

 

So one quick observation from this tool is how C, at 156 buses, has a bit over a quarter of the contracted 600 8350s on its current roster. 

In connection with that and the preceding discussion of 74th, 74th has only 15 8350s, being more reliant on 7900s and 1000s. Unless "a Nova is a Nova," looks like an imbalance.

[YoungBusLover]

On 6/4/2025 at 2:23 PM, Javi75 said:

At this point C has 8350s from every option, what’s NPs 8350s count looking like and it’s ironic they flip from 1700s and 1800s to 8700s and 8800s. 

Well yeah they're replacing the last 32 #1000s with #8350s. Ive noticed over the past month or so that everytime C retires a Flyer, new 8350s show up to replace them. The most recent to retire was #1966 and #8875 entered service not to long afterwards.

[Javi75]

On 7/10/2025 at 12:25 PM, Busjack said:

In connection with that and the preceding discussion of 74th, 74th has only 15 8350s, being more reliant on 7900s and 1000s. Unless "a Nova is a Nova," looks like an imbalance.

I could see a plot twist coming where someone is going to lose a bunch of 8350s for 74ths 7900s more in the fashion of a milage swap. It’s been almost a year since the FG and 7 swap with the Novas, 74ths Novas are at their 10 year mark now. 

[Sam92]

On 7/11/2025 at 1:26 PM, Javi75 said:

I could see a plot twist coming where someone is going to lose a bunch of 8350s for 74ths 7900s more in the fashion of a milage swap. It’s been almost a year since the FG and 7 swap with the Novas, 74ths Novas are at their 10 year mark now. 

 

On 7/10/2025 at 12:58 PM, YoungBusLover said:

Well yeah they're replacing the last 32 #1000s with #8350s. Ive noticed over the past month or so that everytime C retires a Flyer, new 8350s show up to replace them. The most recent to retire was #1966 and #8875 entered service not to long afterwards.

 

On 7/10/2025 at 7:45 AM, jajuan said:

 

So one quick observation from this tool is how C, at 156 buses, has a bit over a quarter of the contracted 600 8350s on its current roster. 

Kinda makes sense for C to have a lot of new buses with them having having the 53 extension and hosting 5 out of the 20 FBN routes. @Javi75 might have a point cause 74th is gonna have a lot of the network too. Maybe history will repeat itself and 103rd ends up sending some of its 8350s over there cause 74th's fleet age looks pretty bad  considering what they handle

[Chammon Moore]

58 minutes ago, Sam92 said:

 

 

Kinda makes sense for C to have a lot of new buses with them having having the 53 extension and hosting 5 out of the 20 FBN routes. @Javi75 might have a point cause 74th is gonna have a lot of the network too. Maybe history will repeat itself and 103rd ends up sending some of its 8350s over there cause 74th's fleet age looks pretty bad  considering what they handle

What’s FBN?

[Sam92]

1 hour ago, Chammon Moore said:

What’s FBN?

Frequent bus network