Spring Pick Route Moves

[CircleSeven]

I just looked through some more schedules and 43rd Street is updated. Even though that route wasn't part of the move but they extend the hours of service on the Weekdays from 47th & Wentworth and 43rd & Oakenwald. 65 Grand wasn't updated yet. Maybe we will see more routes with updated schedules tomorrow.

I knew that Halsted's relieving point would be the UIC Blue Line station because of the accessibility of the train station near the Kedzie Garage, instead of the drivers using Jackson.

As for the new run number brackets for the system, I'm shocked that the Roosevelt runs are in the 620s instead of the 200s which they were for many years (even when they had the 241s bracket). Although I do like that Kedzie-Cal is now on the 000s bracket because they are close adjacency to the garage and I thought that Streetervilles old run number were unusual. And 103rd with no Blockers???!!!! Now that was a giant shock. I hope they have some big runs here and there. 74th didn't really changed much from 200s down except I remember the 48 Damen route started in the 460s. I'm assuming some of the runs on 51st Street & the 52A would be interlined where they would do a full round trip on both of those routes and make reliefs on either 79th & Kedzie or 51st & Ashland. I see on the Archer's new runs Damen is taking South Kedzie's old numbers, Cermak is taking the old 47th numbers and Blue Island is taking South Pulaski's old numbers. Western is still in the 500s & 600s which that's a good thing. I'm still puzzled about the new numbers at NP. The former numbers use to coordinate well and you would notice that it's the routes run numbers. Also 3 King Drive takes over where the State Street runs use to be. I wished it would stay on the 600s and move some other route to take over the 000s.

Overall, I knew many of the brackets would change since the routes were moved today. But the main test will be tomorrow when many of the rush hour routes will be operating.

[MetroShadow]

By the way, saw 6689 and 6553 on 21 Cermak today. What surprises me is that both didn't have any way of showing it was a 21 (visually).

I was driving along Berwyn and Cicero for most of the afternoon. The westbound signs doesn't look like they are working; but the eastbound ones apparently do operate as: 21 Cermak/to McCormick Place.

(It feels very odd to see Low Floors on the halsted, and the Novas on Cermak. I also saw a NOVA LED on the 47th street bus last night as well.)

[jajuan]

Alright guys here are some of my observations as promised:

8 Halsted: 1137(rode this one), 1187, 1165, 4441(looks like Kedzie picked this up from NP), 1152, 1126, 1186, and 1122. 1165 and 4441 were SB deadheads back to the garage.

29 State: 1502(rode), 1446.

60 Blue Island/26th: 6727, 6574(EB N60 run)

145 Wilson/Michigan Express: 1209(rode), 1212, 1218, 1132, and 1140. Ironically enough the New Flyer I ride on this route is odd-numbered. 1218 and 1132 were deadheads SB on the Drive. I knew these were 145's because of the K90x run numbers. 1140 was heading SB in service to Irving Pk only. So from this it can be inferred that when the last NB trips are done, they only provide service SB to Irving Pk/Marine and then deadhead back to Kedzie via LSD, Columbus, Congress and the Ike. Plus one improvement before spring picks went into effect, 145 runs 20 minutes later on Saturdays effective 3/22/08.

Also as you guys can see, with the exception of 4441, all the buses I observed today were those respective garages' pre-Spring pick assigned buses.

One final thing, the CTA maps effective April 2008 are now available. I happened to pick one up off the 8 while on my way home. I'll try to get out tomorrow so I can give you guys some weekday observations.

[CircleSeven]

Alright guys here are some of my observations as promised:

8 Halsted: 1137(rode this one), 1187, 1165, 4441(looks like Kedzie picked this up from NP), 1152, 1126, 1186, and 1122. 1165 and 4441 were SB deadheads back to the garage.

29 State: 1502(rode), 1446.

60 Blue Island/26th: 6727, 6574(EB N60 run)

145 Wilson/Michigan Express: 1209(rode), 1212, 1218, 1132, and 1140. Ironically enough the New Flyer I ride on this route is odd-numbered. 1218 and 1132 were deadheads SB on the Drive. I knew these were 145's because of the K90x run numbers. 1140 was heading SB in service to Irving Pk only. So from this it can be inferred that when the last NB trips are done, they only provide service SB to Irving Pk/Marine and then deadhead back to Kedzie via LSD, Columbus, Congress and the Ike. Plus one improvement before spring picks went into effect, 145 runs 20 minutes later on Saturdays effective 3/22/08.

Also as you guys can see, with the exception of 4441, all the buses I observed today were those respective garages' pre-Spring pick assigned buses.

One final thing, the CTA maps effective April 2008 are now available. I happened to pick one up off the 8 while on my way home. I'll try to get out tomorrow so I can give you guys some weekday observations.

Nice observations, jajuan.

For the 145, I first thought that they would use Western to Jackson to head back to the Garage but since you stated that their last Southbound trips only end at Irving Park & Marine and then hit the Outer Drive to Kedzie, I guess that's a good way to go since there's hardly any traffic on a Sunday Night. I'm shocked that a couple of buses you saw on Halsted would do southbound deadheads back to the garage instead of doing the route until they get to Van Buren and head to the Garage. Today is the real test for Kedzie since they will be working extra hard with the Downtown Routes, more buses on the 8 and the first day of the 148.

I'd better get those new maps before next week's Phase II of the Three Track operation and the re-installment of the Weekend Skokie Swift service.

[RIPTA42]

Lots of 4400s on Kimball/Homan this morning; all of them appeared to have P55x run numbers.

[Busjack]

I'm assuming some of the runs on 51st Street & the 52A would be interlined where they would do a full round trip on both of those routes and make reliefs on either 79th & Kedzie or 51st & Ashland.

Lots of 4400s on Kimball/Homan this morning; all of them appeared to have P55x run numbers.

As far as the numbers themselves are concerned, it makes little difference. However, I wonder about the assumption whether a number group indicates that it is interlined. Since 51 and 52A have a common terminal, it is possible. Also, what RIPTA indicates is a possible interline with 135/136, since the numbers were in that run group, as reported on the Garages page. Except that the latter would probably be articulateds, not 4400s. Were they going NB or SB on Kimball (the former indicating a depot trip)?

[Busjack]

New schedules effective today for the 2 and the 29 are posted on the CTA website for those who were interested in when new spring pick schedules would be out.

UPDATE:

52A can be added to that short list. I just checked and saw it had a new schedule posted too. So that's three so far.

I was wondering why there would be a need for a new schedule, but noted on the 52A one that the pullout runs start at 79th and Kedzie, so that would be a reason.

I also noted on the 29 that while it isn't being officially listed as Owl (at least on the pulldown), it appears that the hours were extended at some point, as a lot of the trips are listed as connecting with other Owls (the only gap at Navy Pier being between 2:26 and 3:57 a.m.).

[RIPTA42]

As far as the numbers themselves are concerned, it makes little difference. However, I wonder about the assumption whether a number group indicates that it is interlined. Since 51 and 52A have a common terminal, it is possible. Also, what RIPTA indicates is a possible interline with 135/136, since the numbers were in that run group, as reported on the Garages page. Except that the latter would probably be articulateds, not 4400s. Were they going NB or SB on Kimball (the former indicating a depot trip)?

Both NB and SB. I'm assuming they were supposed to be K55x, but the garage code hadn't been changed.

[Busjack]

Both NB and SB. I'm assuming they were supposed to be K55x, but the garage code hadn't been changed.

So, I guess we'll have to see if that was an effort to transfer 4400s from NP to K, or something else. Also, since they were 4000s, you may just be implying that the drivers were too inattentive to change the first roll sign.

[BusHunter]

There were quite a few changes yesterday. Some at F were the addition of more Novas to the fleet. Before the spring pick changes FG had #6883 - #6747, #6734 - #6722. Now they have all Novas to at least #6722. (#6883 - #6722). Some observed by me in service were #6744 on #91 and #6740 on #90. They still had #6000's though. (#6165 on #92) I guess the eventual transfer will be slow in coming. Nice to see more Optimas at Fg. #539 was on the 81W and #544 was in the north terminal as well. As far as Kedzie I'm surprised they are not receiving more artics. Just #4400's to offset #5300's. Maybe the changes aren't complete yet. Today's rush should show in totality what's occured. As far as 74th I heard over the radio 20 -28 pieces were moving in their direction at about midnite on the 23rd. Sorry guys I couldn't get numbers. Most likely the #6055 - #6069 and something else. Interesting that #6727 was on the #60. It should've already been at Fg. Probably was stuck in a shop and missed the transfer. One of the weirder sightings of the day was #7691 on the #29 with a #7999 run number. He had no passengers. I couldn't tell if he was in service or not. However later on the same bus was on the #6. Nice to hear BusTracker's moving along. Had a sign yesterday at #44's North terminal at the orange line. At first I thought BusTracker was coming to the #44 and was freaking out. Later I seen it was just advertising Kevin's report on the Archer additions. Wow I can't believe it!! Three straight weeks of exciting things are coming for us all to observe. It's like having Christmas for three straight weeks!!

[jajuan]

Wow I can't believe it!! Three straight weeks of exciting things are coming for us all to observe. It's like having Christmas for three straight weeks!!

I guess you can think of it as a birthday present Busjack. As for my extra observation, 145's new schedule is now up on the CTA website. As for my SB deadhead observations, they're only shown in the schedule under Saturday and Sunday only. If there are weekday deadhead trips like what I saw yesterday, the schedule doesn't reflect this.

[Busjack]

As for my extra observation, 145's new schedule is now up on the CTA website. As for my SB deadhead observations, they're only shown in the schedule under Saturday and Sunday only. If there are weekday deadhead trips like what I saw yesterday, the schedule doesn't reflect this.

I guess what you mean as deadheads is that after about 7:00 p.m. or so, weekend northbound trips end at Irving Park, while those that earlier got to Wilson go back downtown. Hence, whatever saving rmadison talked about was not going to Wilson/Ravenswood. Was this an earlier cut, or just happened yesterday?

As far as the weekday schedule, a bunch leave Lake Shore-Irving Park before the first reaches there, but it appears that at the end of the day, most of the runs end downtown. That, however, doesn't reflect the huge number that end at Lake Shore-Grace during the rush hour (and presumably have to go back to Kedzie at some point).

[jajuan]

I guess what you mean as deadheads is that after about 7:00 p.m. or so, weekend northbound trips end at Irving Park, while those that earlier got to Wilson go back downtown. Hence, whatever saving rmadison talked about was not going to Wilson/Ravenswood. Was this an earlier cut, or just happened yesterday?

As far as the weekday schedule, a bunch leave Lake Shore-Irving Park before the first reaches there, but it appears that at the end of the day, most of the runs end downtown. That, however, doesn't reflect the huge number that end at Lake Shore-Grace during the rush hour (and presumably have to go back to Kedzie at some point).

No no no. You're misunderstanding me. I'm speaking of those final NB trips that end at the Wilson/Ravenswood terminal. There was some question as to how those buses deadhead back to the garage now that the garage assigned is now Kedzie and not NP. From what I observed yesterday evening, those trips provide passengers SB service to Irving/Marine only and then hop on the Drive and deadhead straight back to Kedzie. Those trips show up on the new 145 schedule for Saturdays and Sundays but not for weekdays. I was saying that if there is a similar thing for weekdays it's not reflected under the new weekday schedule.

[Busjack]

No no no. You're misunderstanding me. I'm speaking of those final NB trips that end at the Wilson/Ravenswood terminal. There was some question as to how those buses deadhead back to the garage now that the garage assigned is now Kedzie and not NP. From what I observed yesterday evening, those trips provide passengers SB service to Irving/Marine only and then hop on the Drive and deadhead straight back to Kedzie. Those trips show up on the new 145 schedule for Saturdays and Sundays but not for weekdays. I was saying that if there is a similar thing for weekdays it's not reflected under the new weekday schedule.

I now see. I got the two columns mixed up. Retract my previous remark.

Amending what I previously said, there are some late trips that end at Wilson-Ravenswood, and thus appear to deadhead from there. Besides you would have the deadhead to or from Lake Shore-Irving Park or Grace at the beginning of the a.m. rush and end of p.m. rush.

[RIPTA42]

So, I guess we'll have to see if that was an effort to transfer 4400s from NP to K, or something else. Also, since they were 4000s, you may just be implying that the drivers were too inattentive to change the first roll sign.

I haven't been paying attention to the proposed changes, so my first thought this morning was that the 82 was moved to NP. After noticing that the New Flyers had K run numbers and subsequently catching up here, I think it was just a failure to change the run box. I suppose it's also possible that they started out at NP this morning, but I doubt it.

[wordguy]

No no no. You're misunderstanding me. I'm speaking of those final NB trips that end at the Wilson/Ravenswood terminal. There was some question as to how those buses deadhead back to the garage now that the garage assigned is now Kedzie and not NP. From what I observed yesterday evening, those trips provide passengers SB service to Irving/Marine only and then hop on the Drive and deadhead straight back to Kedzie. Those trips show up on the new 145 schedule for Saturdays and Sundays but not for weekdays. I was saying that if there is a similar thing for weekdays it's not reflected under the new weekday schedule.

===Earlier this evening (3/24), about 6:30PM, I spotted an empty artic signed for the Kedzie Garage, southbound on Clarendon turning east on Irving heading toward the Outer Drive. So it seems as if the same deadheading pattern applies to weekdays as well as weekend days. However, I can't figure out why a 145 or 148 on a barn run wouldn't just continue straight east on Wilson and jump on the Drive from there.

[geneking7320]

This morning I boarded Flxible #5446 northbound on route 29 State at 31st Street around 6:25am. First time I've been on a Flx in long while. This of course, was due to 103rd Garage picking up route 29 State.

[BusHunter]

I haven't been paying attention to the proposed changes, so my first thought this morning was that the 82 was moved to NP. After noticing that the New Flyers had K run numbers and subsequently catching up here, I think it was just a failure to change the run box. I suppose it's also possible that they started out at NP this morning, but I doubt it.

I can understand why the 82 is so confusing. Alot of #4400's have now transferred to kedzie, practically all the #4400's (the #4400- #4499 ones) only #4500's and a couple #4600's are now at Np. Yesterday I spotted #4487 on the #122, #4490 and #4451 on the #151 shortliner among others. I also learned Kedzie did get artics from Np, but not a lot not like the #4400's. #7717 - #7711, #7660 - #7652 are now at Kedzie. A few more things: #6400 - #6407 is back at 77th now, also the Kedzie #5300's live on at Chicago garage #5553, #5417, #5709 were all on the #54 yesterday. Probably the most shocking swap for me was so many #4400's to Kedzie. They now have 130 TMC's. They are like NP south now. I counted up the total numbers for North Park yesterday I'm coming up with about 297 buses there. That's almost 70 buses less. Wow!! Kedzie has roughly about 312 buses now. Kedzie most definitely now will be receiving New Flyers both 60 and 40 footers. They have alot to replace.

[jajuan]

Here are some of my observations for this morning's rush:

8 Halsted: 1215

12 Roosevelt: 4470

50 Damen: 6721

60 Blue Island/26th: 6706 and unknown NOVA (too far in front to see bus number clearly while at Jackson/Clinton)

123 Illinois Cntr/Union Express: 1073

126 Jackson: 1136 pullin run to Kedzie with run number K674

134 Stockton/LaSalle Express: 1208, 7713

145/148: 4711, 4630(still sporting 3 from what's left of its 03 sticker from 103rd), 4718, 4746(after arriving home saw this bus at Roosevelt/Kedzie EB stop for possible start of service on 12), 7655

156 LaSalle: 7711, 7712(interestingly enough sporting run number K835), 7718(pulling into Kedzie Garage)

I also saw 7692 parked inside Kedzie and 4475 still sporting '18 to Kedzie' entering the Ike at Homan and heading downtown to start service on whichever of Kedzie's downtown routes.

So Kedzie did receive some extra NABIs with whatever other TMCs it received from NP.

A few quick interesting observations to note. Kedzie still running NABIs mostly on 134 and 156. 145/148 were run with a lot of 40 footers, though mostly TMCs from what I can see. NP running 135 with mostly NABIs while the 40 footers (mostly 1000s) were on the 136. Also 146 had a lot of NABIs while 144 had a lot of 1000s, one 5800 and a couple of TMCS.

One final thing, do you guys realize that this is the first time the 8, 145, 151(Belmont trips), 156 and 157 have all been in the same garage again since the closing of Limits in June 1995?

[Busjack]

From the several reports of 7700s at K, are there much of any NABIs left at 77?

[jajuan]

With Kedzie now operating the 8, 125, 143, and 145/148 among a few more downtown routes, I'm really not surprised that their up to 312 buses now. However, like Bushunter, I'm surprised so many of the buses it picked up were TMCs with just a handful of NABIs picked up in comparison to the number of TMCs.

[trainman8119]

With Kedzie now operating the 8, 125, 143, and 145/148 among a few more downtown routes, I'm really not surprised that their up to 312 buses now. However, like Bushunter, I'm surprised so many of the buses it picked up were TMCs with just a handful of NABIs picked up in comparison to the number of TMCs.

What this would imply is that the routes listed above do not have the ridership numbers to justify a NABI. I am sure 125 doesn't need them and other than an express designation, 143, 145 and 148 are probably on the lower end of the North Lake Shore routes in terms of riders (per trip). What this does do is allow Kedzie to store more buses, since NABI's take up more space (obviously). With more routes, more buses are needed. That would probably explain why a route like 146 was not moved there with the rest of it's bretheren. This would allow North Park to keep NABIs and run the heavier routes with the larger equipment and let the less populated routes to run from Kedzie with the smaller stuff..so Kedzie gets more buses, albeit crummy ones.

I can say, before the switch, as more and more Flyers came in, I did notice 145, as well as 146 off peak, running more with smaller equipment over the past few weeks out of North Park. Perhaps a test of what was to come ??? Hard to say.

[jajuan]

What this would imply is that the routes listed above do not have the ridership numbers to justify a NABI. I am sure 125 doesn't need them and other than an express designation, 143, 145 and 148 are probably on the lower end of the North Lake Shore routes in terms of riders (per trip). What this does do is allow Kedzie to store more buses, since NABI's take up more space (obviously). With more routes, more buses are needed. That would probably explain why a route like 146 was not moved there with the rest of it's bretheren. This would allow North Park to keep NABIs and run the heavier routes with the larger equipment and let the less populated routes to run from Kedzie with the smaller stuff..so Kedzie gets more buses, albeit crummy ones.

I can say, before the switch, as more and more Flyers came in, I did notice 145, as well as 146 off peak, running more with smaller equipment over the past few weeks out of North Park. Perhaps a test of what was to come ??? Hard to say.

Everything you mentioned would explain and justify my observation that just about all the Kedzie NABIs I saw on the Drive and downtown were either a 134 or 156. I saw only one on the 145 with the rest on 145/148 TMCs. I see Kedzie is following NP's pattern of using a lot of TMCs on these two during rush hour. The 1000s were mainly on the 7, 8, 126, a few on 134, 151 and 157.

[qwantae]

Well while I'm out later today for my birthday, I'll get to observe some of the changes that happened in my part of town, NOVAs on the 50 and 60, Flyers and TMCs on the 8, and maybe some of what Kedzie got for its transferred or retired 5300 Flxibles to name some of them.

At least some TMCs are back on #8-Halsted since 74th got rid of theirs.

And by the way, Happy Birthday to all busfans!!!!!!

[jajuan]

125 can be added to the short list of routes with new spring pick schedules.