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If u can own a bus what will it be?


pace2322

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Since it's just for fun...

If it was for transit service, I'd get an articulated version of the Orion VII (current body style, not the new style they're introducing next year), and, what the hell, we'd make it an electric trolley bus (or, at the very least, a diesel-electric hybrid).

For my own personal use, an Orion V with the interior changed to be like a camper.

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I couldn't be content with two choices, so I put down four.... :D

Top Choice: TMC RTS-08.  Overhaul the engine to get more speed back into her.

2nd Choice: NOVABus LFS. Fast bus, I love the hum of that Cummins Engine.

3rd Choice: Flxible(6000) Series. The better of the two CTA Series Flxibles, IMO.

Nostalgic Choice: Flyer D901A. First bus I remember when I was a younger.  Loved the noise these engines made as they were being driven down Belmont in the 1980's.

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  • 3 months later...
  • 4 weeks later...

For me its a toss up. I love so many bus models.

But if I had one choice, it would be the CTA GMC Fishbowl in the current paint scheme.

Ahhh... who are we kidding here.... :P

CTA Flxible/Cummins 5745-5764 Drove 5750 once on Milwaukee ave. I loved the sound of the engine!

Milwaukee MCTS 3200 series GMC RTS These sounded like a Greyhound bus!

CTA Flxible Metro 6000s Drove these out of Kedzie, Forest Glen. What a monster! :)

CTA Flxible Propane 5000s/5500s Nostalgic!

CTA Flxible Old/New Look #8499

CTA GMC fishbowls 300 series They were loud!

CTA GMC fishbowls 800s Saw #804 once on #9 Ashland. Ashland/Cortland SB

MAN Americanas Operated these from three garages Kedzie 97-99 North Pk Jul-Dec 99, Forest Glen 2002-04. The bus I spent the most time on while at CTA

MAN SG220 Artics Operated these on the #147

Flyer D901 #9844/Cummins Operated these from two garages plus I remember the ugly two tone green back when they were new!

Nova Classics Close to a fishbowl!

MCI 102D3 Nice bus!

Dina Viaggio Very nice bus!

SCRTD GMC RTS Saw them on TV alot! Then flew out to L.A. and got to ride them!

Does anyone remember back in the 80s when CTA Flyer #9844 was equipped with a Cummins diesel? I have a tape recording of the engine flying past my house on #76 Diversey.

I rode with my dad one day when he was driving it. Years later I drove #9844 out of Kedzie but it was reequipped with a Detroit Diesel. It was wrecked a couple of years ago when it collided with a cement truck on Warren Blvd.

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Does anyone remember back in the 80s when CTA Flyer #9844 was equipped with a Cummins diesel? I have a tape recording of the engine flying past my house on #76 Diversey.

I rode with my dad one day when he was driving it. Years later I drove #9844 out of Kedzie but it was reequipped with a Detroit Diesel. It was wrecked a couple of years ago when it collided with a cement truck on Warren Blvd.

Yes, I do. That bus had originally started out at the old Beverly Garage and found its way up to Forest Glen after North Ave closed. It still had a B sticker in the window. It may have come up north after Beverly closed. I do remember thinking how odd the engine sounded on that one and only Flyer...it was different, and now I know why.
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Yes, I do. That bus had originally started out at the old Beverly Garage and found its way up to Forest Glen after North Ave closed. It still had a B sticker in the window. It may have come up north after Beverly closed. I do remember thinking how odd the engine sounded on that one and only Flyer...it was different, and now I know why.

Yes it had the "B" Beverly designation which was not scraped off. It actually said "F/B" I used to wait for it when I saw it operating on Diversey ave. the bus actually sounded a little like the 3700 Orions of Milwaukee MCTS. If you take that sound of the Milwaukee Orions and picture it in a CTA Flyer thats pretty much what #9844 was like. I wish I had a video camera at that time.

The initial delivery went like this, Beverly 9800-9849 North Ave. 9850-9929 Forest Glen 9930-9974/1600-1624 9973/9974 had electronic signs. My dad was at North ave. when the Flyers came online. In 1986 when North ave. closed he along with the entire North ave. Flyer fleet, went to FG.

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For me its a toss up. I love so many bus models.

But if I had one choice, it would be the CTA GMC Fishbowl in the current paint scheme.

Ahhh... who are we kidding here.... :P

CTA Flxible/Cummins 5745-5764 Drove 5750 once on Milwaukee ave. I loved the sound of the engine!

Milwaukee MCTS 3200 series GMC RTS These sounded like a Greyhound bus!

CTA Flxible Metro 6000s Drove these out of Kedzie, Forest Glen. What a monster! :)

CTA Flxible Propane 5000s/5500s Nostalgic!

CTA Flxible Old/New Look #8499

CTA GMC fishbowls 300 series They were loud!

CTA GMC fishbowls 800s Saw #804 once on #9 Ashland. Ashland/Cortland SB

MAN Americanas Operated these from three garages Kedzie 97-99 North Pk Jul-Dec 99, Forest Glen 2002-04. The bus I spent the most time on while at CTA

MAN SG220 Artics Operated these on the #147

Flyer D901 #9844/Cummins Operated these from two garages plus I remember the ugly two tone green back when they were new!

Nova Classics Close to a fishbowl!

MCI 102D3 Nice bus!

Dina Viaggio Very nice bus!

SCRTD GMC RTS Saw them on TV alot! Then flew out to L.A. and got to ride them!

Does anyone remember back in the 80s when CTA Flyer #9844 was equipped with a Cummins diesel? I have a tape recording of the engine flying past my house on #76 Diversey.

I rode with my dad one day when he was driving it. Years later I drove #9844 out of Kedzie but it was reequipped with a Detroit Diesel. It was wrecked a couple of years ago when it collided with a cement truck on Warren Blvd.

CTA5750,

Wouldn't it have been easier to list the buses you wouldn't buy? (just kidding!).

I have a bit of an assortment myself;

Back when, I would have said a GM TDH5104 (40' 96" wide 'gondola' car as we called them).

And for heavy hauling nothing could touch a GM PD 4104 or 4106 (8V-71 Detroit Diesel).

Today, I'd buy and GMD (canadian) 'Classic' (the most magnificent body on six wheels, and with 'new look' guts to boot!).

No collection would be complete without and GMC RTS (I hated them when I first saw them, but they sure grow on you!).

Last but not least would be an MCI D4500 - man, that's the 'King' of the road today!

Mr. Linsky

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  • 2 weeks later...

Does anyone remember back in the 80s when CTA Flyer #9844 was equipped with a Cummins diesel? I have a tape recording of the engine flying past my house on #76 Diversey.

I rode with my dad one day when he was driving it. Years later I drove #9844 out of Kedzie but it was reequipped with a Detroit Diesel. It was wrecked a couple of years ago when it collided with a cement truck on Warren Blvd.

I honestly don't remember a Flyer sounding any different. Did this bus(#9844)ever get assigned to Belmont during it's early life? This route was the one I remember the most because when I got sick, we would always take the #77 to Ocoto St.(I believe, it was one of the "O" streets far west on Belmont). I was rather young in the mid-to-late 80's too, but I never remember a Flyer sounding any different that the other. They all sounded like the 5300's we have now, but with a higher whine during acceleration.

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I honestly don't remember a Flyer sounding any different. Did this bus(#9844)ever get assigned to Belmont during it's early life? This route was the one I remember the most because when I got sick, we would always take the #77 to Ocoto St.(I believe, it was one of the "O" streets far west on Belmont). I was rather young in the mid-to-late 80's too, but I never remember a Flyer sounding any different that the other. They all sounded like the 5300's we have now, but with a higher whine during acceleration.

CTA Flyer #9844 was equipped with a Cummins diesel engine. Ill never forget it. The bus sounded very much like the Milwaukee Orions, that deep growl sound of the engine. I remember seeing this bus on multiple occaisions running out of FG, so it did absolutetly run on Belmont. Belmont at the time had just begun operating out of FG after North ave garage closed in 1986. I remember riding the bus (9844)on Diversey. One day my dad had the bus for his second half and he did the pullin to FG. the bus was definitely on Belmont at the time. The bus was originally delivered to Beverly. It was reequipped a few years later. I drove the bus in 1997 out of Kedzie garage but the bus bus was already changed over to the more familiar Detroit like the rest of the Flyers. That awesome sound of the bus, Ill never forget it. I do have a audio tape recording of it I took in 1987 on the 76 Diversey.

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  • 6 months later...

I really will own Any kind of RTS (GMC, TMC, Nova and Millenium Legend)

2nd choice- Nova LFS- Best Low Floors alive.

3rd choice- Classics (GM, MCI and Nova), The best Canadian buses, I wish that they still make them, Hopelly They'll come back like RTS Millineum .

ooo..... this is a great topic! there are ssooo many buses to choose from that I can't just choose one. so here they are...

1. Flxible Metro

2. Grumman 870

3. Orion II

4 Orion V

5. Orion VII

6. Orion VII Next Generation

7. M.A.N SG310

8. GMC, TMC, NovaBus RTS

9. MCI Classic

10. Gillig Phantom

11. Neoplan AN440, AN460

12. Thomas Transit Liner

13. IrisBus Civis

14. New Flyer DE40, 60LFR

15. Flxible New Look

16. GMC New Look

17. and last but definitely not least..... the NABI CompoBus!

pheww.... what a list.....

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  • 1 month later...

1. GMC/ TMC/ Nova-Millenium RTS- My Favorite

2. GM/ MCI/ Nova Classic- My 2nd Favorite

3. Nova Low Floor

4. Orion 1-V-VI-VII (V- my favorite)

5. Ikarus/ NABI 416-436

6. Gillig Advantage/ BRT

7. Renault PR100/ Agora (France, Europe)

8. GMC New Look

9. MAN Americana/ Artic

10. Diamond Cutaway

11. Flyer D901

12. VanHool Low Floor (Like AC Transit)

13. Gumman 870

14. Blue Bird (School bus Pushers) and Transit bus from the 1970s

Boy- Thats Alot

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I'd love a narrow-door Nova 30' RTS, but my more interesting - and practical - option would be an Orion II - preferably the 21', but the 25' version would be fine, too. It's essentially one big van, but with a low loading floor, incredible kneeling capabilities and ramps - so perfect for loading all sorts of things (e.g. lumber, engine blocks, furniture, etc).

I'm keeping my eyes peeled in the next few years as agencies remove theirs; I'm beginning to think more and more seriously about one!

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I'd love a narrow-door Nova 30' RTS, but my more interesting - and practical - option would be an Orion II - preferably the 21', but the 25' version would be fine, too. It's essentially one big van, but with a low loading floor, incredible kneeling capabilities and ramps - so perfect for loading all sorts of things (e.g. lumber, engine blocks, furniture, etc).

I'm keeping my eyes peeled in the next few years as agencies remove theirs; I'm beginning to think more and more seriously about one!

I know in Gary, Indiana (GPTC) still has few 1998 30' Nova RTS, I might get a second job to drive them.

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I know in Gary, Indiana (GPTC) still has few 1998 30' Nova RTS, I might get a second job to drive them.

No way quantae! :) How about a Pace Nova Classic! Thats my fav! Actually if I wanted a 30ft bus I would love to get one of Rockfords 30ft Neoplans they just retired or a 30ft Gillig from there. If anyone hears of Pace plans to retire the Classics which shouldnt be too far off please let me know. I would love to try and get one.

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I know in Gary, Indiana (GPTC) still has few 1998 30' Nova RTS, I might get a second job to drive them.

Yeah, I've seen Gary's; they now wear the CTA 08-style engine panels.

I also like Muncie's, even though they're WFD models. Those Series 50s in a 30' bus make for some sweet sounds and some nice performance.

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