Possible Weird Bus Sightings

[jajuan]

This isn't exactly a weird bus sighting but it's still interesting nonetheless. This morning while heading to church, I saw 1503 with 'NORTH PARK GARAGE' displayed on the destination sign heading west on Roosevelt and then north on Kedzie for possible storage at Kedzie garage. It was being driven by a maintenance worker. If it happened to going to North Pk instead, why come down Roosevelt to Kedzie instead of LSD to Foster and Foster to North Pk? The closest NP routes are downtown so even though Roosevelt and Kedzie are a direct way to go, but being downtown the Drive is quicker. Looking at the CTA website, I may have answered my own question: the Shamrock Shuffle 8K Run. There would have been street closures because of it. Still there would have been a quicker route back to North Pk.

Btw, an interesting new redesign was done to the CTA homepage this weekend. The trip planner is more directly accessible than on the previous homepage design. For one thing your destination and starting point can be directly entered right onto the new homepage similar to as can be done on the Pace homepage.

[BUSANGEL#1]

This really wasn't weird but 6070 had no business on 95th/Jeffery this morning.

[trainman8119]

This really wasn't weird but 6070 had no business on 95th/Jeffery this morning.

It wouldn't be weird at all seeing as it could be out of 103.

[jajuan]

It wouldn't be weird at all seeing as it could be out of 103.

Actually it would since 103rd doesn't have regularly assigned 6000s anymore. What were left there got traded to 74th about a month and a half maybe two months ago now. If it was from 103rd it was a loaner.

[Tamir4317]

Actually it would since 103rd doesn't have regularly assigned 6000s anymore. What were left there got traded to 74th about a month and a half maybe two months ago now. If it was from 103rd it was a loaner.

If only Forest Glen would return 6110 to it's rightful place at 77th or 103rd. That's my personal favorite out of the Flxible 6000's.

[Chicago13]

Around 3 pm today I saw NF #1529 southbound at Irving Park on the #50 Damen route with a run number of P492. The destination sign indicated Damen To Adams.

[cta5658]

while i was at 100th/Michigan today i saw what looked like a 6000 on the bishop ford heading north

[BUSANGEL#1]

while i was at 100th/Michigan today i saw what looked like a 6000 on the bishop ford heading north

Most likely it was a 108 heading back to 74th to pull in. 74th now does the am #108 while 103 does pm.

[cta5658]

Most likely it was a 108 heading back to 74th to pull in. 74th now does the am #108 while 103 does pm.

i thought the 108 only operated on weekdays, the day i sighted the bus was on a saturday

[Buslover88]

i thought the 108 only operated on weekdays, the day i sighted the bus was on a saturday

That's quite the werid sighting then because #108 does not operate on Saturdays, but I do believe you.

[jajuan]

This sighting was a Pace sighting rather than a CTA one. I spotted 6906 on the 355 this morning. I thought the MCI D4000 models were for operation on the 877 and 888. Ironically enough 6906 is the bus pictured to represent the 6900 series on the Pace photos page of Bill Vanderhoot's Transit fan website.

[mikeymc77]

I saw a NABI Artic being towed by a private tow truck on Rte 53 by Woodfield Mall, my only guess is this bus was going to Carol Stream for repairs. I didnt get a good enough view to make out a number.

[Guest ctafan630]

I saw bus #1002 on southbound wacker drive this morning with a X54 sign to Jefferson Park.

[jajuan]

I saw bus #1002 on southbound wacker drive this morning with a X54 sign to Jefferson Park.

That's not a weird sighting these days. Archer and Chicago garage traded buses about four months ago under Ron Huberman's bus consolidation plan. All New Flyers at Archer went to Chicago in exchange for all Novas that were at Chicago. Chicago will be all Flyer when the 5300s there are all gone, and all of Archer's forty foot buses are all Novas.

[Buslover88]

That's not a weird sighting these days. Archer and Chicago garage traded buses about four months ago under Ron Huberman's bus consolidation plan. All New Flyers at Archer went to Chicago in exchange for all Novas that were at Chicago. Chicago will be all Flyer when the 5300s there are all gone, and all of Archer's forty foot buses are all Novas.

But why would that sign be on a bus, especially on South Wacker?

[jajuan]

But why would that sign be on a bus, especially on South Wacker?

A sign malfunction, which has been happening a bit too often with the Clever Devices that now control the destination signs. It's become quite common to see a bus with the wrong destinatiion sign because the sign malfunctioned. What's surprising is that the driver apparently didn't have a paper sign to acknowledge that the destination sign malfunctioned. The sighting of the bus itself is not a weird sighting for the reasons given. It wasn't in a place or on a route that it shouldn't be, more specifically a route not assigned to Chicago. It was operating along a corridor now assigned to Chicago in the morning on either route 121 or 123.

[cta5658]

#7550 Was On The #14 Jeffery Express Today

[jajuan]

#7550 Was On The #14 Jeffery Express Today

Sounds like NP transferred a few of it's lower numbered NABIs southward to 103rd.

[Chicago13]

While driving south on Caldwell at Lehigh earlier today, I saw either 5816 or 18 (didn't catch the last number, but defintiely a 581x) going south on Central stopped at the light at Lehigh (north of the tracks). Obviously nowhere near any NP routes, and definitely not running on the 85A.

Any ideas why it was there?

[BusHunter]

Sounds like NP transferred a few of it's lower numbered NABIs southward to 103rd.

That bus actually came from Kedzie not NP. North Park hasn't had #7550 - #7570 since December 2007 when they were swapped to Kedzie for #7641 - #7660. #7550 has been at 103rd since mid may.

[jajuan]

That bus actually came from Kedzie not NP. North Park hasn't had #7550 - #7570 since December 2007 when they were swapped to Kedzie for #7641 - #7660. #7550 has been at 103rd since mid may.

You're right. I keep forgetting that 7550 was among the former NP buses traded for former buses at Kedzie because of wear and tear while at NP. For some reason I wanted to keep thinking it was 7551-7570. It's moot now since 7550 has been at 103rd for the past couple weeks.:lol:

[Busjack]

You're right. I keep forgetting that 7550 was among the former NP buses traded for former buses at Kedzie because of wear and tear while at NP. For some reason I wanted to keep thinking it was 7551-7570. It's moot now since 7550 has been at 103rd for the past couple weeks.

I saw 7550 on 14, today, too. I didn't think it weird, because at one time 103rd had scattered buses up to 7568, including 7550, before NP received any.

I guess what is hard to tell (especially looking at what was running on LaSalle Street) is what NABIs are at what garages. There seemed to be Kedzie buses in the former ranges for NP, K, and 7. However, it appeared that some NABIs were still running on 6 Jackson Park Exp. from 7.

[Guest]

Maybe just a sign malfunction but certainly noteworthy. I spotted Nova #6822 this morning outbound on the Kennedy at Diversey displaying a "151 Sheridan" sign.

[Guest]

This is a confirmed weird bus sighting. Im at the firehouse today, I spotted NovaBus #6468 working the #18 16/18 route.

BTW I am leaving for California sat. I plan to visit Los Angeles and San Diego and then on to Guatemala on Aug 7th. One of the things I plan do is some bus and rail fanning. I will have pics to post, Im going to be sure to be discreet when I do it. I will also take a few pics of the Guatemala bus system. Last time I was there they ran front engine, 35ft Mercedes Benz and 60ft artics. I will write from Guatemala. See you all in two weeks! :)

[BusExpert32]

This is a confirmed weird bus sighting. Im at the firehouse today, I spotted NovaBus #6864 working the #18 16/18 route.

BTW I am leaving for California sat. I plan to visit Los Angeles and San Diego and then on to Guatemala on Aug 7th. One of the things I plan do is some bus and rail fanning. I will have pics to post, Im going to be sure to be discreet when I do it. I will also take a few pics of the Guatemala bus system. Last time I was there they ran front engine, 35ft Mercedes Benz and 60ft artics. I will write from Guatemala. See you all in two weeks!

I wonder if #1405 and #6864 showed up on Bustracker today when they were working these Kedzie routes? Could Novas be on the move to Kedzie Garage or is this just another fill-in that has no effect on future bus assignments?