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| Re: Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is purchasing up to 900 low floor articulated electric hybrid bu (111632) | |||
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Re: Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is purchasing up to 900 low floor articulated electric hybrid bu |
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Posted by wordguy on Fri Aug 15 22:31:25 2008, in response to Re: Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is purchasing up to 900 low floor articulated electric hybrid bu, posted by TMC RTS 06 on Fri Aug 15 00:01:31 2008. Yep, the NABIs have been an unrelenting disaster from Day One. Among major problems: prematurely worn bushings, especially around the mid-section bellows; also blown turbos in abundance. There are other structural and mechanical problems as well.Street failures with these buses are par for the course. Stroll up Michigan Avenue during any evening hour. At least one or two NABIs can be found curbside fast asleep with the rear lid up. Last month, the engine of one caught fire during an outbound express run along Lake Shore Drive. 140 passengers were on board. Fortunately, everyone escaped unharmed. Apparently, the B/O managed to keep everyone calm. From what I've learned, the CTA is not blameless for this fiasco. The agency was so desperate for new buses that apparent problems with the prototype test bus were disregarded. By the time the field test in Altoona, PA was finished, and deemed a failure, the CTA had already give the green light for production to begin. Only a few buses from the production order had been finished, so the CTA still had the option of canceling or delaying the rest of the order. But they didn't! Hence 226 rolling disasters. (Oops, make that 225 now since the fire. -Dan from Chicago |
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