Spring Pick Route Moves

[Kevin]

The following is a list of route assignment changes effective March 23, 2008. Refer to the news brief for additional details and information on related fleet changes.

#2 Hyde Park Express moves from 103rd/77th to 77th only

#8 Halsted moves from 74th to Kedzie

#10 Museum of Science & Industry moves from 77th/Kedzie to Kedzie only

#21 Cermak moves from Kedzie to Archer

#29 State moves from 77th to 103rd

#47 47th moves from Archer to 74th

#50 Damen moves from Kedzie to Archer

#51 51st moves from Archer to 74th

#52A South Kedzie moves from Archer to 74th

#53A South Pulaski/South Pulaski Limited moves from Archer to 74th

#60 Blue Island/26th moves from Kedzie to Archer

#95W West 95th moves from 77th to 103rd

#108 Halsted/95th moves from 103rd to 74th am/103rd pm

#120 Ogilvie/Wacker Express moves from Kedzie to Archer am/Kedzie pm

#121 Union/Wacker Express moves from 103rd to Chicago am/Kedzie pm

#122 Illinois Center/Ogilvie Express moves from Kedzie to Archer am/Kedzie pm

#123 Illinois Center/Union Express moves from 103rd to Chicago am/103rd pm

#125 Water Tower Express moves from North Park to Kedzie

#129 West Loop/South Loop moves from Archer to Archer am/Kedzie pm

#143 Stockton/Michigan Express moves from North Park to Kedzie

#145 Wilson/Michigan Express moves from North Park to Kedzie

#148 Clarendon/Michigan Express moves from North Park to Kedzie

#170 University of Chicago/Midway moves from 103rd to Archer

#171 University of Chicago/Hyde Park moves from 103rd to Archer

#172 University of Chicago/Kenwood moves from 103rd to Archer

#173 University of Chicago/Lakeview Express moves from 103rd to Archer

#174 University of Chicago/Garfield Stations moves from 103rd to Archer

#206 Evanston Circulator moves from Forest Glen/North Park to North Park only

[Busjack]

For once a few of my predictions bore fruit:

#47 47th moves from Archer to 74th

#51 51st moves from Archer to 74th

#60 Blue Island/26th moves from Kedzie to Archer

Does this indicate that CTA acting more sensibly?

My surmise of 20 to Kedzie didn't, but apparently a lot of routes moved to Kedzie. Apparently all of many of the posters' rumors that the Evanston routes would go to Forest Glen didn't, either.

The two year old surmise that the 170s would go to Archer finally happened.

I don't quite get 29 from 77 to 103, since it goes within one block of 77, but 95 does provide a relief point.

[trainman8119]

I will agree with Busjack about 29 going to 103. That really doesn't make sense to me...but I guess it is a move similar to the 92 on the north side. Run a route by a garage and have it operate out of another. I am also a little puzzled by the 143, 145 and 148 being run out of Kedzie....especially the 145. This seems to require a ton of deadheading and lord knows if you are on LSD after the (pm anyway) rush hour, the parade back downtown of Kedzie buses is incredible already. And, from a deadhead standpoint, although the U of C routes rumored to Archer forever now, I still think the better location for those routes would be 77th street. Some of the Archer-74 moves do make sense, especially the south end routes on Kedzie and Pulaski. And 21 and 60 moving to Archer makes sense...after all Kedzie is picking up a ton of work in all of this.

On the consolidation of the 500's at Archer and FG. Okay, Archer I can see, with the U of C moving there. But I though part of the plan with those buses was to use them in Evanston. They rarely ever ran there (I know it was mentioned that they were being phased out at NP) and I would think it be wise to use them there over any FG route. Too much maintenace work on the NABI's perhaps ???????

[Busjack]

I am also a little puzzled by the 143, 145 and 148 being run out of Kedzie....especially the 145. This seems to require a ton of deadheading and lord knows if you are on LSD after the (pm anyway) rush hour, the parade back downtown of Kedzie buses is incredible already.

I agree with that, especially since the end of 145 and 148 (Wilson, or maybe Grace) is a lot closer to Foster than Van Buren. Maybe the rationale is that they don't have such a long deadhead from a downtown terminal.

And, from a deadhead standpoint, although the U of C routes rumored to Archer forever now, I still think the better location for those routes would be 77th street.

It was previously discussed that this would make sense if the 500s were also used on the Midway Station feeder routes (55A, 55N, 62H, 63W, 165).

On the consolidation of the 500's at Archer and FG. ... But I though part of the plan with those buses was to use them in Evanston. They rarely ever ran there (I know it was mentioned that they were being phased out at NP) and I would think it be wise to use them there over any FG route....

500s seem to make sense in Evanston, other than on school runs. The justification for Archer was previously mentioned. Many of the runs out of FG (like 64, 69, 90N; they were also used on 68 and 88) don't have enough productivity to justify a regular bus. Maybe CTA management will think that exercising some of the Optima options would now make sense? Who knows?

[RJL6000]

On the consolidation of the 500's at Archer and FG. Okay, Archer I can see, with the U of C moving there. But I though part of the plan with those buses was to use them in Evanston. They rarely ever ran there (I know it was mentioned that they were being phased out at NP) and I would think it be wise to use them there over any FG route. Too much maintenace work on the NABI's perhaps ???????

The biggest glitch with the new Spring assignments is that the #206 would run with regular-length buses. And why would #29 be run out of 103rd while #3 and #4 would continue to be run out of 77th?

Also, the changes mean that the #8 would run with low-floor buses for the first time, while some of the routes currently operated with low-floor equipment (#47, #51, #52A and #53A) would become high-floor-only routes. And we will certainly see Novas on the #21, #50 and #60 for the first time.

[Busjack]

The only glitch with the new Spring assignments is that the #206 would run with regular-length buses.

I don't know what recent practice was, but generally it was run with 6000s and 6400s, and the main justification for the route was Evanston H.S. The Optimas were (at least in their early life at NP) mostly on 205.

Yep about your latter observation.

[RJL6000]

Yep about your latter observation.

And the #8 would likely be run with some NABI artics due to that route serving both UIC and Kennedy-King College.

[Buslover88]

Here are the changes I like...

#2 Hyde Park Express moves from 103rd/77th to 77th only

I like this change. It saves 103rd from having to drive a route into downtown.

#10 Museum of Science & Industry moves from 77th/Kedzie to Kedzie only

I guess this is a good change. At least it saves 77th from doing that route.

#21 Cermak moves from Kedzie to Archer

I like this change because I think Archer is closer to the route then Kedzie is.

#50 Damen moves from Kedzie to Archer

Personally, I think #50 going to Archer is good because when drivers deadhead, they can just go west on Pershing or 35th back to the garage when they are done for the day (or night).

#95W West 95th moves from 77th to 103rd

I like this change because in my opinion 103rd is much closer to this route.

#143 Stockton/Michigan Express moves from North Park to Kedzie

#145 Wilson/Michigan Express moves from North Park to Kedzie

#148 Clarendon/Michigan Express moves from North Park to Kedzie

I like this change because now NP will not be so overloaded with routes and the fact there will different buses on these routes.

#170 University of Chicago/Midway moves from 103rd to Archer

#171 University of Chicago/Hyde Park moves from 103rd to Archer

#172 University of Chicago/Kenwood moves from 103rd to Archer

#173 University of Chicago/Lakeview Express moves from 103rd to Archer

#174 University of Chicago/Garfield Stations moves from 103rd to Archer

I like this change because I personally think Archer is much closer to these routes then 103rd is.

#206 Evanston Circulator moves from Forest Glen/North Park to North Park only

I like this change because #206 operates much closer to NP.

[Buslover88]

Here's the changes I DO NOT like:

#8 Halsted moves from 74th to Kedzie

I don't like this change because #8 Halsted's routing is much closer to 74th then Kedzie is. I'm sure Kedzie drivers will be p.o.ed about this.

#29 State moves from 77th to 103rd

I don't like this change because #29 is only one block from 77th and 103rd is further away from #29.

#47 47th moves from Archer to 74th

#51 51st moves from Archer to 74th

#52A South Kedzie moves from Archer to 74th

#53A South Pulaski/South Pulaski Limited moves from Archer to 74th

I don't like this change because these routes are far from 74th and are much closer to Archer, especially #52A and #53A.

#121 Union/Wacker Express moves from 103rd to Chicago am/Kedzie pm

#123 Illinois Center/Union Express moves from 103rd to Chicago am/103rd pm

I don't like this change because in my opinion the AM Chicago has enough routes as it is.

Here are the changes I don't care about:

#60 Blue Island/26th moves from Kedzie to Archer

#108 Halsted/95th moves from 103rd to 74th am/103rd pm

#120 Ogilvie/Wacker Express moves from Kedzie to Archer am/Kedzie pm

#122 Illinois Center/Ogilvie Express moves from Kedzie to Archer am/Kedzie pm

#125 Water Tower Express moves from North Park to Kedzie

#129 West Loop/South Loop moves from Archer to Archer am/Kedzie pm

I don't care about these changes because I don't know much about these routes.

[Busjack]

I don't like this change because these routes are far from 74th and are much closer to Archer, especially #52A and #53A.

There may be a street relief issue, because route 75 doesn't go west of the garage. It would be necessary to go to route 67 to make the relief (or up to 69th St.) and no midday service on 48 S. Damen.

[BusExpert32]

Well, at least Archer will not be 100% 6400s; with the swap of 500s to Archer in March. By the way, the news brief stated that Kedzie's 5300s will be either retired or moved. Anyone have any ideas where this move could be to?

[RJL6000]

My surmise of 20 to Kedzie didn't, but apparently a lot of routes moved to Kedzie.

Yes, why didn't #20 move from Chicago to Kedzie?

Well, at least Archer will not be 100% 6400s; with the swap of 500s to Archer in March. By the way, the news brief stated that Kedzie's 5300s will be either retired or moved. Anyone have any ideas where this move could be to?

In addition, unless Chicago's few remaining 5300s are retired or moved, Chicago will not be 100% New Flyer 1000s, either.

As for the fate awaiting Kedzie's 5300s, most would be retired. The remaining ones would most likely be traded to 103rd for some of that garage's remaining 4400s.

[CircleSeven]

First of all, I don't know how to put this but I'm truly stunned of these new changes coming on 3/23/08.

#2 Hyde Park Express moves from 103rd/77th to 77th only

This will be the first time since the August 31st, 2003 pick since they had full operations of this route.

#8 Halsted moves from 74th to Kedzie

This didn't really stunned me as much as when they already carried Damen all those years. But this will be the first time having low-floors on this route. And once again, this will be their only Night Car since the 60 is going to Archer.

#21 Cermak moves from Kedzie to Archer

#60 Blue Island/26th moves from Kedzie to Archer

Now, even though this stunned the hell out of me, I stated in one of my predictions that they will get this route. What I will miss on the route is sometimes Kedzie did operate NABI's on 22nd Street. It will still be a shock to see a Nova on Cermak and on 26th. The 60 makes it 3 Night Cars on Archer along with Western & Archer Avenues.

#47 47th moves from Archer to 74th

I was also stunned that 74th is getting this route. After many years that I protest that Garfield which is the Northern East-West route at 74th, now they move further up a mile and operating #47th Street. You know they will have longer deadhead now.

#50 Damen moves from Kedzie to Archer

Now This was a smart move. All the drivers will do is to drive straight down Archer to Leavitt and start the route from there and drivers can make reliefs at the train station.

#51 51st moves from Archer to 74th

#52A South Kedzie moves from Archer to 74th

#53A South Pulaski/South Pulaski Limited moves from Archer to 74th

They carried 51st Street along with Archer for 9 months from Aug. of 03 to the Summer of 04. I knew this route would be at the hands of 74th. As for the 52A & 53A, I'm very stunned that 74th will operate these routes. 71st Street will most likely be their relieving points since #67 the closest to the garage. But I know drivers will most definately have longer fallback time especially for drivers who would have to take a long bus ride from the garage to 71st & Kedzie. I'm not talking about runs that starts & ends by relief.

#120 Ogilvie/Wacker Express moves from Kedzie to Archer am/Kedzie pm

#121 Union/Wacker Express moves from 103rd to Chicago am/Kedzie pm

#122 Illinois Center/Ogilvie Express moves from Kedzie to Archer am/Kedzie pm

#123 Illinois Center/Union Express moves from 103rd to Chicago am/103rd pm

As for the lovely Metra Train Shuttle Bugs, at least they aren't doing what they use to do is to have 7 garages operate these 4 routes during both rush periods. Chicago & Archer will really be working the mornings now. I'm glad Kedzie won't do the Ogilvie buses in the Morning but in the afternoon, they're doing it all plus one of the buses serving Union Station. Kedzie should've gotten the 123 for the PM rush too. But I think this is a win for 103rd.

#125 Water Tower Express moves from North Park to Kedzie

I knew Kedzie would get this route. All the speculations are done for!!!

#143 Stockton/Michigan Express moves from North Park to Kedzie

#145 Wilson/Michigan Express moves from North Park to Kedzie

#148 Clarendon/Michigan Express moves from North Park to Kedzie

Now, I not going to say anything about the #143 since they run the #151 but the #145 & #148 shocked me so much that I just want to fall out. This is will be far worst then when they operated the old #37 Sedgwick-Ogden route. I know they will have a longer deadhead. From the south end of the route won't be a hassle since they would take the 290 but from the north end, they would either use LSD straight to Lawrence to Ravenswood or take Jackson to Western and take Western to Lawrence and take Lawrence to Ravenswood. But Whatever the case maybe, the drivers won't be pleased one bit.

#170 University of Chicago/Midway moves from 103rd to Archer

#171 University of Chicago/Hyde Park moves from 103rd to Archer

#172 University of Chicago/Kenwood moves from 103rd to Archer

#173 University of Chicago/Lakeview Express moves from 103rd to Archer

#174 University of Chicago/Garfield Stations moves from 103rd to Archer

And I really wanted 74th to operate this route since its so close but I never thought Archer would get this route. There Deadheads would roughly be the Boulevards (Western & Garfield).

Well the real winners are North Park & 77th. I'm still protesting that they're losing the 29 because the Garage has the most buses instead of 103rd. I knew if Kedzie acquired more of the Downtown Routes they would lose a couple of east-west routes down the line. 74th only lost one route and acquired four more routes, roughly in Archer's Territory. I'm not that happy that 74th is doing the #108 in the Mornings. 103rd should keep it in the full. I would not be shocked if many of those drivers that are operating the 52A & 53A will be waiting for a long period of time for their reliefs drivers to come on 71st Street. I think this will give another reason that drivers will hate Kedzie now because they are operating most of the downtown routes. The only good thing about the Kedzie Change is they don't have to operate an east-west route south of 18th Street. But there is also some good for Archer because Damen will be a breeze during the off-peak hours. And many drivers will love the U of C routes. They may not like the deadheading but they will love operating those routes. At least one route in the Glen is out of their hands.

I'm also interested about the run configurations of these changes. Drivers would end up operating at least 2-4 routes a day.

Since the 95W is moving to 103rd, I'm predicting in the near future that the #95E & #95W will merge into the #95 from the Plaza to Buffalo.

[renardo870]

#29 going to 103rd is a little suprising. I was thinking the #6 would be extended to 92nd/Commercial and then making that deadhead closer and faster to 103rd. But the 6 has a 4.2 mile deadhead to 77th. The 29 will now go from 1.5 blocks to 77th to 3 miles to 103rd. It should have been a split 77/103rd, along with 3/X3, 4/X4 and/or 6.

#95W that was a cool switch

#108 as a split 74/103rd? For deadhead purposes 77/103rd would have been better. Is the 108 in the morning going to assist with the 9 or 44 in the morning? That is about a 5 mile deadhead.

#8 NEEDS HELP. It's one of buses that is late all the time. It should have been 74/Kedzie or 77/kedzie

with Kedzie picking up 125, 143, 145/148 from NP its going to work a lot.

21, 50, 60, 170-174 to Archer was a good switch. The 500 buses will be greatly used over @ Midway.

47, 51, 52A, 53A and L to 74th thats ok .

Im suprised #49A wasnt moved to 74th, since its just over a mile away from 79th/Western Terminal.

The other switches are cool. Just the logistics for deadhead seems suspect for some routes and where will ther relief points be? This can drive u crazy.

With all of the changes being made, maybe CTA should consider another garage or two.

A downtown garage would be cool but i guess land is super high. Mayber Goose Island would be a cool location for the 10, 19, 33, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124,125, 127, 128, 129, 130, 132, 157, 168 and even help supplement Chicago 20, 65, 66, 70, 72 short turns and Kedzie 7, 12, 126, 151, 156...Maybe one day.

[RJL6000]

First of all, I don't know how to put this but I'm truly stunned of these new changes coming on 3/23/08.

This will be the first time since the August 31st, 2003 pick since they had full operations of this route.

This didn't really stunned me as much as when they already carried Damen all those years. But this will be the first time having low-floors on this route. And once again, this will be their only Night Car since the 60 is going to Archer.

Technically, there will be no Night Cars from Kedzie unless that garage begins to take over the responsibility of running the overnight #151 trips (which operate between downtown and Foster) from North Park. The #8 currently does not run overnights (per se) -- but with the first trip in a given direction arriving/departing less than two hours after the last trip of the previous day, CircleSeven is effectively correct there. #8, therefore, is effectively a "Night Route".

The #62 (an Archer Garage route), on the other hand, operates on Halsted between Roosevelt and Archer, thus bypassing Chinatown completely, during overnights only. During day and evening hours, #62 runs its normal route via State and Archer (and therefore through the northern part of Chinatown).

[mikeymc77]

I think since Bus Lover 88 has the smarts here before even getting to high school, he should have Huberman's job in 10 years. But politics probably wouldn't allow it. Its amazing how simple logistics makes sense. But in Chicago its not what you know its who you know.

[CircleSeven]

Technically, there will be no Night Cars from Kedzie unless that garage begins to take over the responsibility of running the overnight #151 trips (which operate between downtown and Foster) from North Park. The #8 currently does not run overnights (per se) -- but with the first trip in a given direction arriving/departing less than two hours after the last trip of the previous day, CircleSeven is effectively correct there. #8, therefore, is effectively a "Night Route".

The #62 (an Archer Garage route), on the other hand, operates on Halsted between Roosevelt and Archer, thus bypassing Chinatown completely, during overnights only. During day and evening hours, #62 runs its normal route via State and Archer (and therefore through the northern part of Chinatown).

74th does have 3 buses that runs overnight. I remember when they were rostering at 74th the runs were 118, 119 & 120 but I know the run numbers changed when the rostering ended in the Fall of 2006. They would do one full trip on the 8 and take their fallback at 79th & Halsted. And after their fallback, those three buses do two round trips on the 8 Halsted before pulling in at about after 5 or before 6 depending on their respective runs. So even though the 8 isn't technically a night-owl route, those three buses are still considered as 'night-car' runs. So I dunno how Kedzie will pull out, but if they do have the same method as 74th, whatever their run number brackets will be, there'll be the last 3 or 4 numbers of the regular full time run bracket.

[qwantae]

There may be a street relief issue, because route 75 doesn't go west of the garage. It would be necessary to go to route 67 to make the relief (or up to 69th St.) and no midday service on 48 S. Damen.

I wouldn't be happy either if 52A/ 53A would move to 74th, that is just too far.

[Buslover88]

By the way, the news brief stated that Kedzie's 5300s will be either retired or moved. Anyone have any ideas where this move could be to?

For retirement, i'd say the junk yard, but you already knew that.

[Busjack]

Another thing that wasn't mentioned here is that while this was advertised as North Park having fewer routes, 77th also did, gaining only maybe one bus on route 2, and losing routes 29 and 95W, and one bus on 10. Pure speculation, but is this a sign, either that 77 will become primarily a hybrid articulated barn (having lost 2 routes that don't seem to qualify; 29 definitely would not run them because it parallels the Red Line; the remaining light routes would be 1, 2, 24, and 71), or that the line item in budgets several years ago that 77th would be replaced with something more standard might happen in the near future once the budget mess is resolved? Again, just guessing.

Also another bone out there--If you were building a new Archer, would it now be closer to old Lawndale, or around 27th and Western, since its territory has moved a mile north?

[trainman8119]

Also another bone out there--If you were building a new Archer, would it now be closer to old Lawndale, or around 27th and Western, since its territory has moved a mile north?

I would rebuild it where it is now. The real question is...does the CTA need a new garage location someplace to reduce some of the outragous deadheading that takes place ???? Where would that be ? (Of course, totally hypothetical, since there is no money or land to build one anyway.)

[Busjack]

I would rebuild it where it is now.

Considering that it is basically in a residential and school area, I wouldn't. Also, the backup barn (Lawndale, used for Kedzie and North Ave.) does not exist now.

[BusHunter]

I wouldn't be happy either if 52A/ 53A would move to 74th, that is just too far.

Yeah, that would be an 8 mile return to the garage from 115/keeler to 74th garage. It would've made more sense to make the #49 routes 74th. Looks like they'll be more buses now at 74th, picking up 4 routes and losing 1. Those #6000's will most likely come from FG who won't need about 15 after they lose the #206 and pick up NP's #500's. A real shocker to me is that the CTA is giving up on Optimas for the Evanston routes. Even though as I said the #500's would go to Fg, I would never guess that Evanston would lose the Optimas. The CTA should purchase more Optima's maybe Hybrid ones because FG and NP really could use the buses as well as Archer and 103rd. The reason I say 103rd is because it would be better if the U of C routes would stay at 103rd (less deadhead) and also Archer needs these buses too for the #55A,#55N,#63W, and maybe the #62H. In the long run another purchase would retire all buses up to the Novas in their entirety. I would think maybe 100 or so could do the trick, because even after all deliveries are complete they'll still be over 100 #6000's left standing.

[renardo870]

With all these changes going on, does one have any idea what the run numbers will be? For example,#29 currently has 7001-7080. So now is it going to be 1001-1080 or will it be something else since #28/X28 has it now? Hey Bill V, Hold off on renewing that run list unless u can get the new run list..LOL

[Kevin]

Run numbers for the 29 will be from 1301-1370.

A list of run numbers will be added to ChicagoBus.org around the time the route changes go into effect.