Heritage buses

[strictures]

Yesterday, Saturday Sept. 7, I was at Clark & Ridge when four old CTA buses went SE on Ridge in the afternoon, around 3 PM.  They were led by #301, a New Look bus, followed by an all white, I think a TMC with "Instruction Bus" on its destination sign, a cream & green much older bus with accordion doors & one more which I didn't get a look at, but also cream & green.  Anyone know where they had been.  All were empty other than the drivers.

And where do they store them?  I remember they used to store them in an old car barn at Sheffield & Wrightwood, but that's long gone.

[artthouwill]

1 hour ago, strictures said:

Yesterday, Saturday Sept. 7, I was at Clark & Ridge when four old CTA buses went SE on Ridge in the afternoon, around 3 PM.  They were led by #301, a New Look bus, followed by an all white, I think a TMC with "Instruction Bus" on its destination sign, a cream & green much older bus with accordion doors & one more which I didn't get a look at, but also cream & green.  Anyone know where they had been.  All were empty other than the drivers.

And where do they store them?  I remember they used to store them in an old car barn at Sheffield & Wrightwood, but that's long gone.

I don't know where they are stored for a fact, but based on where you saw them,  my first thought was Skokie Shops.   

Perhaps the other two cream and greens were 8499 and 3706?   I have no idea about the RTS.

[Mr.NewFlyer1279]

1 hour ago, artthouwill said:

I don't know where they are stored for a fact, but based on where you saw them,  my first thought was Skokie Shops.   

Perhaps the other two cream and greens were 8499 and 3706?   I have no idea about the RTS.

all of them were going back to South Shops from Skokie Shops, they were at Skokie Shops for the rebirth of the 2024 CTA Bus Rodeo competition that was held on Saturday September 7th.

[strictures]

5 hours ago, Mr.NewFlyer1279 said:

all of them were going back to South Shops from Skokie Shops, they were at Skokie Shops for the rebirth of the 2024 CTA Bus Rodeo competition that was held on Saturday September 7th.

Thanks.

[andrethebusman]

The RTS is TI-1. Has been around for years. Never a passenger bus, has no seats. TI-2 is the 5300 pilot bus. I am surprised TI-1 is still around, after all other RTSs long gone.

[YoungBusLover]

1 hour ago, andrethebusman said:

The RTS is TI-1. Has been around for years. Never a passenger bus, has no seats. TI-2 is the 5300 pilot bus. I am surprised TI-1 is still around, after all other RTSs long gone.

Indeed built in 89 and has been kept up well as far as maintenance is concerned. Seeing it moving around the shops was a sight to see for sure though.

[chitowndude84]

 

Interesting the TMC T-1 got the early 2000's refurbs with rear A/C even though never in passenger service??

 

And is this the ONLY TMC RTS left on CTA property??

[YoungBusLover]

On 9/12/2024 at 4:37 AM, chitowndude84 said:

 

Interesting the TMC T-1 got the early 2000's refurbs with rear A/C even though never in passenger service??

 

And is this the ONLY TMC RTS left on CTA property??

It never got the complete rehabbed rear end. The rear window frame is still there but modified to some degree for ventilation I assume. TI-1 is the only active TMC of its model class left in active operation across the country which is a rarity in itself. SS Boneyard has a few TMCs sitting in the boneyard awaiting scrap though. 

[busfan2847]

3 hours ago, YoungBusLover said:

It never got the complete rehabbed rear end. The rear window frame is still there but modified to some degree for ventilation I assume. TI-1 is the only active TMC of its model class left in active operation across the country which is a rarity in itself. SS Boneyard has a few TMCs sitting in the boneyard awaiting scrap though. 

 

It appears to have had the same roof modifications that narrow RTS had back in 2002 when it was rebuilt at south shops as a command bus!

[YoungBusLover]

7 hours ago, busfan2847 said:

It appears to have had the same roof modifications that narrow RTS had back in 2002 when it was rebuilt at south shops as a command bus!

Yeah that was #4905 you're referring to.

[dailycommuter62]

does cta still have the 3091 franken bus?

[YoungBusLover]

12 hours ago, dailycommuter62 said:

does cta still have the 3091 franken bus?

Indeed, it is huddled up tightly among #6000s in the boneyard. Yes we still have #6000s almost 15 years after they were retired. 😅

[jtrussel]

Anyone knows what happened with flixible 6163 is it still with CFD or did it meet the scrapper (hopefully not) if its still around i believe that would be a great addition to the heritage fleet

[YoungBusLover]

On 10/19/2024 at 9:08 AM, jtrussel said:

Anyone knows what happened with flixible 6163 is it still with CFD or did it meet the scrapper (hopefully not) if its still around i believe that would be a great addition to the heritage fleet

#6163 is alive and well at SS sitting dormant around the shops. I'm still trying to get info on it's future but more than likely it is under LTH for now. Just my assumption though. 

[jtrussel]

Thanks for the update @YoungBusLoverit good it's still around hopefully it gets added to the collection 

[Bus1883]

Spotted one of the RTSs lined up awaiting to be hauled away for scrap as well from the looks as well as the fishbowls in front of it I’ll get a picture if I get the chance to

[YoungBusLover]

2 hours ago, Bus1883 said:

Spotted one of the RTSs lined up awaiting to be hauled away for scrap as well from the looks as well as the fishbowls in front of it I’ll get a picture if I get the chance to

where at?

[Bus1883]

2 hours ago, YoungBusLover said:

where at?

On the 77th side where Perry is looking south. Looks like #4587 with scrap etched on the back

[andrethebusman]

About time.

[YoungBusLover]

On 11/3/2024 at 8:48 PM, Bus1883 said:

On the 77th side where Perry is looking south. Looks like #4587 with scrap etched on the back

It was actually #4687, sad to see the last #4400 was hauled off for scrap though. 

[Bus1883]

2 hours ago, YoungBusLover said:

It was actually #4687, sad to see the last #4400 was hauled off for scrap though. 

I’ll check if there’s any 6000s ready to be hauled away once I get off as well as #905 which was back there for over 10 years 

[andrethebusman]

4687 to Scrap Metal Services 11/2/24

[jajuan]

On 7/7/2025 at 10:22 AM, YoungBusLover said:

In 2025 you still have TMCs, Man Americana's, Flxibles, Fishbowls and 2nd Gen LFS still awaiting scrap. 

What's sad is how CTA wasn't forward thinking soon enough that any of those models could be restored and made part of the Heritage fleet. (I searched this particular thread back up to put my response on the photos in the appropriate spot).

[Busjack]

14 minutes ago, jajuan said:

What's sad is how CTA wasn't forward thinking soon enough that any of those models could be restored and made part of the Heritage fleet. (I searched this particular thread back up to put my response on the photos in the appropriate spot).

But that isn't its job The Heritage Fleet seems to consist of buses that were maintained, such as 301. What the aerial views show something like on a car restorer cable TV show were someone had a 100-acre farm full of hulks. A picker wasn't interested. In addition, many of these appear abused as work conversions.

[pokemonprime]

and unfortunately, the environment in south Chicago is a lot harsher on metal than the bone-dry air of those famous southwestern junkyards. The ones that make me sad are ones like 131- which appeared to have once been well kept before simply being left to rot, or some of the newer retirements- TMCs, Flxibles, etc- where no one seems interested in setting one aside before they start rusting out.