by Aaron M. Renn
Chronicling life riding the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)
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The CTA released more details about its bus renumbering scheme. 78 out of the 179 routes will be renumbered. North-south routes will get a "1xx" number going west from State Street. For example, Western Ave would become the "124" (since Western Ave. is 2400W). Routes east of State St. will get a "2xx" number. East-West buses will get even numbers north of Madison (for example, the North Ave bus would become the "#16") and odd numbers south of Madison. (I believe this will let most south side east-west routes keep their numbers). Express buses will get a "X5xx" designation. Diagonal and other weird routes will get "9xx" numbers. (The #151-Sheridan would become the "976" under this plan). This plan will require all 12,000 bus stop signs to be replaced. [ Source: Chicago Tribune 11/13/98 ]
The CTA is actually increasing service on some routes. The Ravenswood L will run downtown until midnight under the new plan, and a number of bus routes will get expanded service. This includes a new express bus on Western Ave. (The "#X49", which will be a test route up for re-evaluation in six months). Also slated for improvements are the #79-79th St., the #71-71st St., the #100-Jeffrey Manor, the #111-Pullman, the #62-Archer, the #66-Chicago, the #85-Central, the #21-Cermak, the #74-Fullerton, and the #129-Northwestern/Franklin. [ Source: Chicago Tribune 11/13/98 ]
The CTA has given final approval to its 1999 budget, which is $1.02 billion including both the operating and capital budget. I don't have any information on changes from the original proposed budget, but if the past is any guide, there were not any.
The suburban PACE bus system has approved its 1999 budget. The amounts are $114.1 million for operations, and $52.1 million for capital spending. This includes lowering the monthly pass price from $88 to $75 to synchronize with the CTA's new pass price. [ Source: Chicago Tribune 11/12/98 ]
In other PACE news, its board got a first look at a new prototype low floor bus the agency is ordering from North American Bus Industries. These buses are fully accessible and cost $240,000 each. PACE is putting 51 of these new buses into service in 1999. [ Source: Chicago Tribune 11/12/98 ]
Experts say there is little chance that the Illinois legislature will approve new funding for transit in its fall veto session. Area transit agencies claim they are in danger of losing federal grants because they lack the required local matching funds. [ Source: Chicago Tribune 11/17/98 ]
An anonymous person wrote in to say that the new CTA U-Pass cards are going to include photos. Apparently there has been a lot of fraud with people loaning out their passes. Given that no human actually checks passes, I'm not sure what good this will do.
Mike Harris (nospam-mharris@enteract.com) wrote in to tell us about his personal experience with the experimental new fuel cell buses the CTA purchased (see WB #9).
"This morning, a prototype CTA bus ran the #20 Madison route. The bus is a prototype using a clean-burning hydrogen fuel cell designed by Ballard Power Systems (http://www.ballard.com). There are some photographs of the bus at "http://www.saechicago.org/newsletter/april98/picts.htm. The bus appeared to be mostly the same as a normal CTA bus, except it had a large border around its roof emblazoned with the logo "CTA Clean Machine." On the back, a single silver pipe in the upper righthand corner of the back released a light white smoke, as opposed to the dark gray smoke you usually see coming out of a pipe beneath normal buses. The inside of the bus smelled slightly, but I wasn't sure whether that was hydrogen or simply the smell of newness. The inside floor was of a rough, stony, asphalty texture, the type of texture that is black and sparkles slightly of silver. The inside racks where display advertisements are placed contained several flyers regarding Ballard, including diagrams of how the fuel cell worked and their plans for integrating such into mass transit, including a timeline. If I remember correctly, the timeline indicated they hoped to have widescale commercial distribution of these buses by 2005."
A co-worker wrote in to tell me:
"I have got one for you. Last night [11/10], the 6:45pm Metra Southwest Service was delayed because the train was stuck on the other side of the river. The problem is the South Branch Bridge at 21st Street. When they drop the bridge back down, the rails do not line up correctly. Our train finally left at 7:15pm."
And Dan Hartung (nospam-dhartung@mcs.net) writes:
"My UP-Milwaukee District train from Harvard (not my usual route, I live steps from you in Evanston!) was held up over 7 minutes due to "slow orders" according to the engineer's announcement as we approached the terminal. No further explanation of the "slow orders" was given...."
The Weekly Breakdown is a small Internet journal devoted to the trials and tribulations of being a regular rider of the Chicago Transit Authority. I would be happy to hear about and include your experiences. Just send mail to breakdown@urbanophile.com.
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