Bustracker's buses

[BusHunter]

I just saw something strange on BusTracker. On the #62 there's a bus with the numbers #2367. Could this be a glitch or a prototype that I'm seeing?

[Kevin]

I just saw something strange on BusTracker. On the #62 there's a bus with the numbers #2367. Could this be a glitch or a prototype that I'm seeing?

That's a glitch. It's 6662.

[cta5658]

i wonder when 103rd and north park's routes are gonna be drawn

[Buslover88]

i wonder when 103rd and north park's routes are gonna be drawn

Probably later in the summer or in the fall.

[Busjack]

i wonder when 103rd and north park's routes are gonna be drawn

Odds are, when the TMCs are gone, based on not wanting to put equipment on buses that will soon to be scrapped, although an exception with regard to 5300s at Chicago was previously noted. At least based on this theory, K, C, and F probably will be sooner IMO.

[nflyer22]

Looks like Forest Glen's routes are up next for Bus Tracker. Routes 54A, 56, 56A, 68, 77, 78, 80, X80, 81, 81W, 84, 85, 85A, 86, 88, 90, 90N, 91, 92, and 152 are going to be up 2 Mondays away, on June 23rd, giving us another 20 new routes, and a total of 52. Sadly, I'll be in Hong Kong when they come up, maybe I'll find an internet cafe somewhere and take a quick look later! ^_^

[Busjack]

I saw the announcement on the BusTracker page, too. Obviously, FG will be added before any new bus deliveries will have any impact.

[nextstopchicago]

The 81 is a bus that I'll take because of the tracker. I'm at a time of year when I don't the bus as often, but this will put me on the bus for some 1-mile trips that I'd otherwise walk if I have time or drive if not.

[Zol87]

When will North Park be available? I would like to be able to get accurate readings for most of these buses especially the 97 Skokie, 147 Outer Drive Express, 201 Central Ridge, 22 Clark and 155 Devon.

[Busjack]

When will North Park be available? I would like to be able to get accurate readings for most of these buses especially the 97 Skokie, 147 Outer Drive Express, 201 Central Ridge, 22 Clark and 155 Devon.

If the current pattern holds, probably not until the last TMC and 5800 is crushed (if we believe everything everyone else has said). Hence, probably last. My bets are that K and C follow F. That might be affected by if hybrid articulateds start replacing the remaining oldies at 7.

[jajuan]

If the current pattern holds, probably not until the last TMC and 5800 is crushed (if we believe everything everyone else has said). Hence, probably last. My bets are that K and C follow F. That might be affected by if hybrid articulateds start replacing the remaining oldies at 7.

Yes with the TMCs all but gone at Kedzie, Kedzie could be next to follow Forest Glen. The remaining Chicago routes may also follow at the same time since almost all that are not currently live on the Tracker have been drawn in on the map. North Park along with 103rd definitely won't be going up soon and like others hypothesize just may be last or next to last.

[wordguy]

If the current pattern holds, probably not until the last TMC and 5800 is crushed (if we believe everything everyone else has said). Hence, probably last. My bets are that K and C follow F. That might be affected by if hybrid articulateds start replacing the remaining oldies at 7.

===Those predictions could hold true. However, just for the record, Chicago Avenue's 5300s aren't the only oldies outfitted with Bus Tracker.

If my memory serves me, when Bus Tracker was first developed, North Park was the first garage chosen to go on-line. Accordingly, every bus that was then based at NP received the hardware. Their surviving 5800s and TMCs, as well as most of the Artics (except the ones that migrated from Kedzie last December), are still wearing the tell-tale bar-coded metal plates.

I'm not saying it'll happen, but theoretically, if the newer buses were to be so equipped, NP could go on-line with Bus Tracker without waiting for the oldies to expire.

[rmadisonwi]

===Those predictions could hold true. However, just for the record, Chicago Avenue's 5300s aren't the only oldies outfitted with Bus Tracker.

If my memory serves me, when Bus Tracker was first developed, North Park was the first garage chosen to go on-line. Accordingly, every bus that was then based at NP received the hardware. Their surviving 5800s and TMCs, as well as most of the Artics (except the ones that migrated from Kedzie last December), are still wearing the tell-tale bar-coded metal plates.

I'm not saying it'll happen, but theoretically, if the newer buses were to be so equipped, NP could go on-line with Bus Tracker without waiting for the oldies to expire.

If it's the same bar-coded metal plates that I'm thinking of, they have nothing to do with Bus Tracker. I don't know exactly what they are for, but I've even seen them on rail cars as well (and it would be quite a stretch to say that bus tracker is being installed on 2200s on the Blue Line).

North Park's old buses do not have Bus Tracker equipment installed. No 5800s were equipped (otherwise, they would have been turned on by now). Some Chicago Garage 5300s have the equipment (already noted), and a small number of TMCs at 77th Garage had the equipment installed during testing early last year, before the decision was made not to continue with the installation on buses that were due for retirement. Besides those small batches of buses, nothing older than the 6000s have the equipment installed.

[Buslover88]

Okay, you might not believe me on this, but there are some werid bus numbers right now on Bustracker. Like 6476 on #77 and 6486 on #56.

[Kevin]

Okay, you might not believe me on this, but there are some werid bus numbers right now on Bustracker. Like 6476 on #77 and 6486 on #56.

There was some Nova swapping that occurred over the weekend.

[nflyer22]

Weird that more swapping has occurred. Don't forget 6469 also on 56 Milwaukee; 6474, 6482 on 80 Irving Park; and 6479 on 84 Caldwell.

With this, we all can probably conclude that around 20 buses have been swapped, reason: we all really dunno. :huh:

[Busjack]

With this, we all can probably conclude that around 20 buses have been swapped, reason: we all really dunno.

Maybe my prediction of FG becoming a mostly Nova yard is belatedly happening. Maybe I shouldn't have thrown it out too soon (unless you folks have sightings of 6758 up on 77 routes; in the latter case it would be a mileage equalizing swap).

[BusHunter]

Weird that more swapping has occurred. Don't forget 6469 also on 56 Milwaukee; 6474, 6482 on 80 Irving Park; and 6479 on 84 Caldwell.

With this, we all can probably conclude that around 20 buses have been swapped, reason: we all really dunno.

That's not all that is swapping. Take a look at what Archer has: #6460 on #62, #6463 on #55N and #6464 on #49. More Nova's for them too. :huh:

[wordguy]

Maybe my prediction of FG becoming a mostly Nova yard is belatedly happening. Maybe I shouldn't have thrown it out too soon (unless you folks have sightings of 6758 up on 77 routes; in the latter case it would be a mileage equalizing swap).

===I'd assume that it is a mileage equalizing swap. If so, it wouldn't be the first one involving Novas. In early 2006, about 15 or 20 from each barn were traded between Chicago Avenue and Archer. Several months later, they returned to their original garages.

Having done a brief scan of the FG routes at 5:00 today, the highest-numbered Nova I found was 6867. My guess is that 6868-6883 may now be operating out of 77th. However, since both 6469 and 6486 are now at FG, it may not have been an even exchange. Just a hunch!

[jajuan]

===I'd assume that it is a mileage equalizing swap. If so, it wouldn't be the first one involving Novas. In early 2006, about 15 or 20 from each barn were traded between Chicago Avenue and Archer. Several months later, they returned to their original garages.

Having done a brief scan of the FG routes at 5:00 today, the highest-numbered Nova I found was 6867. My guess is that 6868-6883 may now be operating out of 77th. However, since both 6469 and 6486 are now at FG, it may not have been an even exchange. Just a hunch!

Sounds like a logical reason to me. Let's not forget the mileage swap of NABIs between Kedzie and NP. The maneuver has been done with other models as well. Though the NABI swap also had to do with maintenance issues too.

[nflyer22]

That's not all that is swapping. Take a look at what Archer has: #6460 on #62, #6463 on #55N and #6464 on #49. More Nova's for them too.

Yep, I caught 6460 with my "computer" just before it disappeared off the Tracker this morning.

Also, I haven't seen any Archer Novas 6506 - 651x, I'm assuming those went to 77th in exchange for the ones that Archer has currently.

[jajuan]

Some of the buses serving the 44 must not be showing up on the Tracker because there are big 20-30 block gaps showing with 2-3 buses showing up at least 5 blocks apart which is usually normal at this time of day on a weekday. Also 1731 was reported in service on this route 2 hours ago, and it doesn't show up on the Tracker unless it's already pulled in for the day.

[Buslover88]

Having done a brief scan of the FG routes at 5:00 today, the highest-numbered Nova I found was 6867. My guess is that 6868-6883 may now be operating out of 77th.

Hmm ... I don't know about that, because I saw #6871 and other higher numbers on Wednesday. I'm not saying I don't believe you, but i'm just telling what what i've seen.

[qwantae]

Maybe my prediction of FG becoming a mostly Nova yard is belatedly happening. Maybe I shouldn't have thrown it out too soon (unless you folks have sightings of 6758 up on 77 routes; in the latter case it would be a mileage equalizing swap).

I didnt mean to comment on a wrong topic, but to add a comment to Bus Jack: This past afternoon at 4pm, I've spotted #6758 with LED Destination sign at Stony Island turning east on 67th working #6-Jackson Park Exp. I was wondering, why keep on swapping them between FG/ 77th??? Is 77th Novas are up to 6514? Because yesterday, I've rode #6514 on #6- Jackson Park Exp. and Last Wednesday, I've rode #6515 on #X49 Western Exp.

[jajuan]

Hmm ... I don't know about that, because I saw #6871 and other higher numbers on Wednesday. I'm not saying I don't believe you, but i'm just telling what what i've seen.

Actually a lot can happen in 5 days Tim. It is possible some higher numbered FG Novas were included in the swap. Anything is possible given Bustracker is revealing swaps between 77th, FG and Archer simultaneously.