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And the next garage to get New Flyers is...


rmadisonwi

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Then someone here told a lie. I don't know who did, but i'm sure there is a liar somewhere around here. Anyway, rmadisonwi, I have to apologize to you because I didn't read on your last post (the one before BusExpert32's) where it said: For now on, I am going to believe everything rmadisonwi says since he works for the CTA.

I have a question. Is anybody sure that 74th will definately get new buses? I'm starting to doubt that.

Ok I was not lying. Since rmadisonwi stated that North Park will send some of there buses next year to other garages that will take some routes from North Park, then since Forest Glen and Chicago are the closest to North Park, why wouldn't they recieve any buses from there to operate some other routes. I made an assumption here from true information that rmadisonwi said and since he works for the CTA, like you mentioned Buslover, my assumption was appropriate.

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Well, everything you've said about the Flxibles is also true for the TMCs. That's why both fleets are being retired simultaneously (how many times do I have to say this?).

But let's remember that the CTA stated that the Flxibles would be completely retired by this year and TMCs by 2009. Of course, the Americanas, my favorite bus before the 1000s, were supposed to be scrapped by year 2003. But problems with the NABIs delayed this till April 2004. I'm getting a bit of track but the key point is the TMCs are supposed to be around a bit longer than the Flxible 1991 models despite their same age.

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Also, consider if there are now about 140 5300s and maybe 380 or so 4400s, and they are scrapped at about the same rate going forward, the 5300s will be gone first. Or there may be a few stragglers left, just as a few MANs soldiered on, as jajuan stated.

For what it is worth, the Press Release stated that the exercise of the last options means that the New Flyers will replace the 4400 and 5300 series of buses (it also mentions the 4900 series, but we know that they were replaced by the 500s), and the Presentation says that based on when the options were eventually exercised, deliveries of options 3 and 4 are estimated to commence in Feb 08 and be completed in Feb 09 (page 8), but even after that CTA would have 400 buses with an average age of 14 years (i.e. 5800s and 6000s; page 11). The Press Release said that this "allows the CTA to ... secure the production schedule" but doesn't assure it. The summary on page 12 is "Exercising Options 3 & 4 to Replace 1991 TMCs ...." This would lead to the inference, stated in the Press Release when Option 2 was exercised, that Option 2 (the purchase of a total of 650 buses) was supposed to finish the replacement of the 5300s.

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I saw a 103rd New Flyer for the first time today- #1480 on the #26. The highest North Park New Flyer I saw was #1481 on the 22 Clark, but I know that they have at least up to #1489 now. but still a lot of 4400s were running today and that really cheers me up.

Past that, BusExpert32. I saw 1489 last week on #11. So at least 1491 and 1493 have to be at NP, if not 1495, 1497. and 1499 already. BTW, I rode 1473 on #11 just yesterday. The Clever Device System wasn't working(suprise suprise), but this bus is obviously just a week or two into service as the "P" sticker is not on the window yet. Those new seats are very strange feeling for the first time.

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But let's remember that the CTA stated that the Flxibles would be completely retired by this year and TMCs by 2009. Of course, the Americanas, my favorite bus before the 1000s, were supposed to be scrapped by year 2003. But problems with the NABIs delayed this till April 2004. I'm getting a bit of track but the key point is the TMCs are supposed to be around a bit longer than the Flxible 1991 models despite their same age.

There not all the same age, jajuan. If you look at the manufacturer sticker just above and behind the driver in a TMC, many of them are manufactured in 1989 and 1990.

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I saw a 103rd New Flyer for the first time today- #1480 on the #26. The highest North Park New Flyer I saw was #1481 on the 22 Clark, but I know that they have at least up to #1489 now. but still a lot of 4400s were running today and that really cheers me up.

Spotted #1489 NB on Pulaski at Roosevelt today Dunno why or where it was going. Possibly coming from Bus and Truck at 37/Pulaski heading to N.P.

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There not all the same age, jajuan. If you look at the manufacturer sticker just above and behind the driver in a TMC, many of them are manufactured in 1989 and 1990.

Were 4800s(Late 4400s) and retired 4900s TMCs manufactured in 1991?

And yesterday, I've spotted an New Flyer on I-94 eastbound in South Holland on its way to Toronto Ontario for York Regional Transit, Very nice color in Light/ dark blue and white.

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There not all the same age, jajuan. If you look at the manufacturer sticker just above and behind the driver in a TMC, many of them are manufactured in 1989 and 1990.

In terms of their length of service, about sixteen years, they are. Sure they may have been manufactured in 1989 and 1990, but they started service here in 1991. Plus even with a year or two more in age in terms of manufacturing, that doesn't change the point that these are pretty old buses that need to be replaced soon. Ron Huberman stated that buses from both models are running with mileages of 700,000+ and it costs more to keep them operating because of the extra maintenance. that's pretty much why the CTA is asking for more equitable funding.

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that's pretty much why the CTA is asking for more equitable funding.

Except the funding has little to do with that. CTA is using bond money to purchase the 1050 New Flyers. Apparently it has enough section 5307 federal money to cover the bonds.

In fact, if the service cuts go through as scheduled, CTA will need about 700 fewer buses--certainly no high floors.

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Were 4800s(Late 4400s) and retired 4900s TMCs manufactured in 1991?

And yesterday, I've spotted an New Flyer on I-94 eastbound in South Holland on its way to Toronto Ontario for York Regional Transit, Very nice color in Light/ dark blue and white.

Very interesting! I would have thought that New Flyers purchased by Canadian transit agencys would be manufactured in Canada [i think NF has a Canadian plant].

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Except the funding has little to do with that. CTA is using bond money to purchase the 1050 New Flyers. Apparently it has enough section 5307 federal money to cover the bonds.

In fact, if the service cuts go through as scheduled, CTA will need about 700 fewer buses--certainly no high floors.

yeah busjack if they do happen the only buses we'll be seeing are the 1000's, 6400's, 7500's and 500's

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What ever happened to the 5800s, 800s, and 900s in your mind?

As speaking of 5800s, I barely see those in Downtown lately. I like the engine sound of them better than 1000s because they sound similar to MANs by accelerates and comes to stop. Are they all still around?

How many more 800s or 900s are ordered?

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As speaking of 5800s, I barely see those in Downtown lately. I like the engine sound of them better than 1000s because they sound similar to MANs by accelerates and comes to stop. Are they all still around?

How many more 800s or 900s are ordered?

Well there were 65 5800s at first, but four of them were put out of service and probably scrapped. Bringing thre current total to about 61 5800s. And if the 6000s will be retired in about three years, then why would the 5800s (low floors) be retired first? They are not seen so much in any area of the city because they are only at one garage (North Park) and to spot them you would have to be either in downtown or on the North side. Secondly, about the 800s and 900s. I know that all of the 800s have been delivered and put into service (800-809), but I'm not sure about the 900s (900-909), but I have seen buses #903 and #906 running out of Kedzie.

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Except the funding has little to do with that. CTA is using bond money to purchase the 1050 New Flyers. Apparently it has enough section 5307 federal money to cover the bonds.

In fact, if the service cuts go through as scheduled, CTA will need about 700 fewer buses--certainly no high floors.

I guess I should clarify. I was making the point that with the extra funding, there shouldn't be any further transfers of capital funds to the operating budget as has been done in the past creating the lousy financial positions that the transit boards find themselves in.

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I'm not sure the 500s would have a purpose, since there wouldn't be any low-ridership routes remaining.

Still the U of C routes, so long as they remain under contract (they are not on either list in the 2008 Budget). I made a crack elsewhere that they could substitute for the NABI articulateds, but it appears that the LSD routes are scheduled for the second round of cuts.

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Still the U of C routes, so long as they remain under contract (they are not on either list in the 2008 Budget). I made a crack elsewhere that they could substitute for the NABI articulateds, but it appears that the LSD routes are scheduled for the second round of cuts.

The South Side'll still have he #6 Jackson Park express

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