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What's left for #5300 Flxibles


BusHunter

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Yeah, I forgot that one. There's also a picture of it on the #90N in that book. Perhaps one of the reasons it lasted so long was that it was completely restored in the 80's. Undoubtedly the strongest bus of that series. No wonder it's preserved in CTA's historic collection. BTW, a question for CTA5750 or someone who knows. The other day it was said that at CHBM that the #375 was being taken off display. Does that mean there scrapping it? I hope not!! :unsure: On the flipside of what I was talking about before, I think the #7000's were active for the shortest amount of time. (unless you count #7800 as an official bus) They lasted from 1979 to 1991. 12 years. I guess they weren't really that liked. I remember the doors were slow to open in front, and the rear # decals were placed right on the rear window. Something that will probably never happen again.

Unfortunately GMC #375 was taken out of the CHBM collection. It had to be scrapped! I feel bad too of all the effort and hard work by the members there. They worked very hard to bring the bus to Chicago From California. All the effort they put in to keep that bus together but it just wasnt to be.

Heres an interesting quesion. What would be the oldest Chicago bus in existence?. Whether in CTAs fleet, a collector or in a museum. What would the oldest CTA bus be in existence? I say the "Queen Mary" at IRM. If it were all Chicago area buses I guess it would be the Twin Coach Trolley bus at IRM, 1930.

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Heres an interesting quesion. What would be the oldest Chicago bus in existence?. Whether in CTAs fleet, a collector or in a museum. What would the oldest CTA bus be in existence? I say the "Queen Mary" at IRM. If it were all Chicago area buses I guess it would be the Twin Coach Trolley bus at IRM, 1930.
The White is older, but I guess your argument would be that it started as a CSL bus.

There is always some story about some old bus sitting in a farmer's field.

Back to this topic...still appears that we don't have a winner to the contest.

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Probably a bit longer than 12 years, but not much, were the last of the 8700s-8800s, and some of the 3300s-3400s. When there was the big influx of GMC New Looks in the mid 70s, not much reason to keep them around, even though they were still in good shape (of course, with the 8700s, there was the question that they were the last propanes when CTA was finally converting to diesel). Bill V. has 1963-75 for the 8700s.

Actually, most of the 3300s were retired after barely 10 years (1966-76). Many were sold. Among the buyers were Illinois Bell Telephone and the operators of the Outer Drive East at 400 E. Randolph. The latter used the former 3314 as a courtesy shuttle bus for several years.

If my memory serves me, many of the postwar Brills and Whites inherited from CSL had comparably short service lives, having been delivered in 1947-48 and retired during the late 1950s.

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Actually, most of the 3300s were retired after barely 10 years (1966-76). Many were sold. Among the buyers were Illinois Bell Telephone and the operators of the Outer Drive East at 400 E. Randolph. The latter used the former 3314 as a courtesy shuttle bus for several years.

If my memory serves me, many of the postwar Brills and Whites inherited from CSL had comparably short service lives, having been delivered in 1947-48 and retired during the late 1950s.

Yeah, Bill V. has most of the #3300's retired (20 left) by 1978 according to his roster of that period. Which brings me to another question. If #301 is the longest service life of one single bus. (29 years) What would be the shortest, due to a wreck resulting in a premature retirement. I know #5530 only was in service for 3 years. I have a clipping of Oct 5th, 1994 saying 9/29/04 was the date of destruction. But better yet may have been #4636 which was gone pretty quick. I'm pretty sure it was gone in it's 1st or 2nd year.

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Yeah, Bill V. has most of the #3300's retired (20 left) by 1978 according to his roster of that period. Which brings me to another question. If #301 is the longest service life of one single bus. (29 years) What would be the shortest, due to a wreck resulting in a premature retirement. I know #5530 only was in service for 3 years. I have a clipping of Oct 5th, 1994 saying 9/29/04 was the date of destruction. But better yet may have been #4636 which was gone pretty quick. I'm pretty sure it was gone in it's 1st or 2nd year.
There is always the question whether something sitting in the South Shops is coming back from the grave (such as 7520).
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