New Flyer 1000s

[Guest]

Not much to do with the CTA 1000s, but last night driving down the Kennedy, I caught up alongside a brand new New Flyer going to SEPTA #8205. Their buses look unusual, they dont look like the traditional NF bus. The rear end is a solid flat panel, the rear destination sign protrudes out from the top of the bus. The topside of the bus had some equipment as well, it looked like a hybrid.

[BusHunter]

It seems the CTA has one last surprise up there sleeves with the #1000's. I was on #1930 on #29 on saturday, I boarded the bus looked ahead of me and I saw the same seating arrangement as the #4000's with the longitudinal seats. At first I thought I may have boarded a #4000, that's how similar it looks. Now there are 9 seats on the left, two wheelchair positions one after another and the same third set of three that was always there. On the right there are 8 fixed seats just like a #4000 with one forward facing double seat right before the rear door. All seats beyond the stairs to the rear are unchanged. If my math is correct that makes just any many seats on both styles of #1000's. Someone must really like the seating arrangement this way. I admit I like it too except the two blue dividers by the wheelchair positions seem to shoot out a little in the aisle. It may be hard for a wheelchair to navigate it. It seems the last 100 #1000's will have the seating arrangement this way. Also I almost forgot to mention there was this intermittent hissing sound like an air pressure sound when the bus was in motion. I don't know if this means there is a new engine on these or that was a maintenance issue. I need to see another one to help me figure this out unless someone out there knows about that.

[Tcmetro]

Perhaps they are expanding the standing room 'L' car program to the buses.

[geneking7320]

It seems the CTA has one last surprise up there sleeves with the #1000's. I was on #1930 on #29 on saturday, I boarded the bus looked ahead of me and I saw the same seating arrangement as the #4000's with the longitudinal seats. At first I thought I may have boarded a #4000, that's how similar it looks. Now there are 9 seats on the left, two wheelchair positions one after another and the same third set of three that was always there. On the right there are 8 fixed seats just like a #4000 with one forward facing double seat right before the rear door. All seats beyond the stairs to the rear are unchanged. If my math is correct that makes just any many seats on both styles of #1000's. Someone must really like the seating arrangement this way. I admit I like it too except the two blue dividers by the wheelchair positions seem to shoot out a little in the aisle. It may be hard for a wheelchair to navigate it. It seems the last 100 #1000's will have the seating arrangement this way. Also I almost forgot to mention there was this intermittent hissing sound like an air pressure sound when the bus was in motion. I don't know if this means there is a new engine on these or that was a maintenance issue. I need to see another one to help me figure this out unless someone out there knows about that.

This morning I rode #1932 [working run 1341 on 29 State]. The interior was as that of bus 1930 and it had that "new bus" smell.