CTA Goes "Cash For Clunkers" on their Flxibles-{DISTURBING}

[Flxible]

Just got word from a busfan near Chicago that CTA is taking all of their remaining Flxes in their reserve fleet, draining the oil, and revving 5 of them each week until the engine seizes and they are hauled off for scrap.  What a horrible way for their former workhorses to go out.  I know CTA really rags out their buses, but surely they could at least auction these off to interested parties.

I hope WMATA's "Ready Reserve" surviving Flxes don't meet a similar fate one day.

[SchuminWeb]

Indeed, that is disturbing.

By the way, what is the scrap value of a bus, and how much do buses usually go for when preserved or sold for other uses?

[Sand Box John]

"Flxible"
Just got word from a busfan near Chicago that CTA is taking all of their remaining Flxes in their reserve fleet, draining the oil, and revving 5 of them each week until the engine seizes and they are hauled off for scrap.  What a horrible way for their former workhorses to go out.  I know CTA really rags out their buses, but surely they could at least auction these off to interested parties.

I wouldn't take that roomer to seriously. Federal law requires transit agencies that receive capital grant moneys to sell all surplus property, as is, to highest bidder when said property is rendered surplus. I would hazard a guess that partly or fully destroying said property before or after declaring surplus would be a violation of some provision in the law that governs the liquidation of surplus property.

[rideonrulez]

To add to John's post, I can tell you when the Flx's were pulled off the street in February 2010, they did drain the fluids on all the Flx's before they put them in storage at Archer Garage. Last I checked 209 were in storage but it was slowly shrinking since February as the original fleet that was pulled off by the times the service cuts came was 289 if that tells you anything.

[metroman177]

Federal law requires transit agencies that receive capital grant moneys to sell all surplus property, as is, to highest bidder when said property is rendered surplus. I would hazard a guess that partly or fully destroying said property before or after declaring surplus would be a violation of some provision in the law that governs the liquidation of surplus property. 


This statement is absolutely right, and if this is happening than someone should blow the whistle and blow it loud.

[WayneNYC]

Fred,

I can't imagine why CTA would want to basically destroy the engines.   I do know that whenever a motor vehicle is put into long-term storage, it's a good idea to drain all of the fluids.

[Perry]

If the vehicle exceeds its useful life, I would think that a transit system could do what they want to them.

[WayneNYC]

Agreed, but if they're done with the buses, I'd think they'd simply auction/sell them.  Unless I'm missing something I don't see why it's necessary to destroy the engines before they get rid of the buses.

[Perry]

I wish we auctioned ours off.  We just send them to the crusher and get I think $5K for them.

[WayneNYC]

I guess it's easier to just send them to the scrapper???  Last month when I was driving to NYC, I was on the NJ Turnpike and saw a truck carrying a SEPTA NABI.  I'm sure it was headed to NIMCO in north NJ.  A lot of the NJTransit Flxibles were actually were driven to NIMCO.

[Perry]

It sounds like that must be the easiest way to go rather than trying to auction them off.  I don't know how I feel about that though because some people have the knack to keeping these things going longer and it would be nice to see them get a second life.

[mrpete]

Wayne:


Is NYCMTA still doing their recycling program where deactivated buses are stripped of all useful parts/components which are refurbished for inventory? IIRC one division was tasked for this operation.

[WayneNYC]

Wayne:


Is NYCMTA still doing their recycling program where deactivated buses are stripped of all useful parts/components which are refurbished for inventory? IIRC one division was tasked for this operation.

They've pretty much always stripped buses that were withdrawn from service.  The Eastchester depot (former New York Bus Service garage) has lots of space, so it's used as a storage area.  Nowadays, the Eastchester storage yard is often the last stop before a bus is hauled away to be scrapped.  You can see buses from both NYCTA and MTA Bus there.

[79MetroExtraMD]

I would figure they could have probably salvaged the engines for parts or something. Shuttle still has a few Flxs around and could use some spare L10 parts. Who knows how long they'll keep them until they get 30 footers or whatever.