Philadelphia Transportation Thread

[volguus zildrohar]

Originally Posted by Phil_North

If these are modified standard guage subway cars, why not have them built with both the third rail and the overhead wires? Is there anything that would prevent linking the Regional Rail lines to the Broad Street subway? There is a connection at Fern Rock Station, although some construction would be needed to make it usable. This way those living in the Northern suburbs could take one train ride directly to Pattison, er uh, AT&T station for games. Also, when wire problems occur south of Fern Rock station in the city, the trains can simply divert to the subway lines. Has Septa ever thought about this before?

Not prudent or feasible.

For phyiscal reasons alone - the tunnels aren't nearly commodious enough to accommodate cars the size of the current/new Regional Rail fleet. Also there would surely be some FRA issues.

[Phil_North]

Educate me. What are FRA issues?

[volguus zildrohar]

SEPTA's subway tunnels, along with most urban subway tunnels, aren't built to the particular FRA specs that Regional Rail trains use - which is the same as other commuter railroads and Amtrak. To run those trains down Broad Street the entire tunnel would have to be re-outfitted to comply with FRA-standard safety regulations which would be an issue by itself as the tunnels are owned by the city.

[Phil_North]

Septa News from The Examiner

PHILADELPHIA - SEPTA's largest union is involved in a dispute over allegations of poor work quality in the construction of the agency's new railroad cars. What is at dispute, however, is not entirely clear, based on a report in today's Metro.

Officials with Transport Workers Union Local 234 - the union that represents most SEPTA bus and subway workers - have accused Hyundai Rotem of failing to hire "already skilled, already qualified workers" according to union representative Joe Coccio.

"Hyundai Rotem USA Corp. President Hyung Wook Kim said the company has experienced technicians working alongside certified technicians.

SEPTA's Assistant General Manager for Operations Luther Diggs acknowledged what he called “some transfer technology issues” as Rotem adapts its technology to U.S. federal guidelines, but he said the pilot cars have tested well." Metro

Diggs also claims that the TWU complaints are stemming from a union dispute at the plant. TWU 234 is reportedly in the middle of a labor battle with the Carpenters Union over which union will represent employees at the Pennsport plant where the cars for SEPTA and the Boston-based Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority are being built. An election is scheduled for August 5.

The 117 "Silverliner V" cars were scheduled to have been in service this year. The contract had been awarded to Hyundai Rotem in 2004, however, a lawsuit filed by losing bidders the following year led to the initial award being annulled. The contract was re-awarded to Hyundai Rotem in 2006 and were scheduled to have been placed into service by last month.

The first three test cars - a two-car "married pair" and a single car - were to have been accepted for testing in December 2008. The deadline for the three cars were originally delayed to April 2009 due to steel shortages and the bankruptcy of a major supplier. The first three cars were finally delivered to SEPTA in May; a fourth car was only recently completed within the past couple of weeks.

[EastSideHBG]

Well it's official, the R designations and the different colors on the map go away in just a few hours.

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=resources%2Ftraffic&id=7571262

[PhillyRising]

Originally Posted by EastSideHBG

Well it's official, the R designations and the different colors on the map go away in just a few hours.

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=resources%2Ftraffic&id=7571262

The changes only really affect those who board in Center City and at the few outlying stations that have more than one line stop there.

The trains from Exton still only go to Philadelphia and I already had to make sure I boarded trains going to Thorndale. The change has zero effect on me personally.

They already announce at the CC stations what train is approaching and the location where you need to board. It's pretty hard to get on the wrong train unless the person is really dense.

[theWatusi]

Originally Posted by PhillyRising

It's pretty hard to get on the wrong train unless the person is really dense.

I predict a lot of people will get on the wrong train.

[thenbagis]

SEPTA is going try to get smart card money in the second round of stimulus funds... I'm crossing my fingers!

http://planphilly.com/septa-4

SEPTA taking another run at Smart Card

Faced with a big hole in its capital budget, SEPTA is turning to the federal government for help getting the long-overdue smart card system off the ground.

The authority submitted a pre-application notice to the U.S. Department of Transportation, asking for $29.3 million in federal stimulus funds to help build the new fare collection system.

The money would come from a second round of Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery, or TIGER, grant money. In the first round, the Philadelphia region won $23 million to build out its network of pedestrian and bike trails (http://planphilly.com/great-panj-awarded-23-million-federal-stimulus-money).

SEPTA applied for TIGER I money for the smart card system but was not included in that allocation.

[EastSideHBG]

Nice trains!


Test run for two of SEPTA’s new Silverliners

By Paul Nussbaum
INQUIRER STAFF WRITER

Humming along at 90 miles an hour as it approached Norwood on Tuesday, SEPTA's newest train was quiet and steady.

And it still had that new-car smell.

On a test run from Market East Station to Marcus Hook, the first of the new Silverliner V cars was bright and spacious, with big windows and fewer of the reviled three-across seat arrangements.

Video screens and digital display panels announced each stop in advance, in tandem with a computer-generated female voice.

"I love it," said SEPTA General Manager Joseph Casey, taking his first ride on the long-awaited, long-delayed Silverliner cars that are supposed to be put in service next month. "And I think our customers are going to like it, too."

SEPTA's Regional Rail passengers, packed into overcrowded cars during morning and evening rush hours, have been waiting a long time to show the love.

SEPTA ordered 120 of the Silverliner V cars, at a cost of $274 million. The contract for the Silverliner V's was first awarded in 2004, thrown out because of competitors' complaints, and awarded again in 2006.

Read more: http://www.philly.com/inquirer/breaking/...PTAs_new_Silverliners.html#ixzz0zYa2tNAB
Watch sports videos you won't find anywhere else

[Muji]

Later in the article it's confirmed that despite the complaints of engineers, the new trains will have half-width cabs as originally designed. In other words, railfan windows!

[volguus zildrohar]

For once SEPTA doesn't capitulate to the whims of it's employees. Hmm.

[Nexis4Jersey]

Yea , but Septa needs to replace its whole fleet. Not just there oldest fleet , they also need to replace there hideous Tram fleets. Septa also should install ticket machines at every state , then you'll see ridership climb higher and faster. Its kinda sad that NJT has higher ridership on our network then Septa has. Septa also needs to restore service to all the lines and half the stations that it discontinued.

[volguus zildrohar]

Originally Posted by Nexis4Jersey

Yea , but Septa needs to replace its whole fleet. Not just there oldest fleet , they also need to replace there hideous Tram fleets. Septa also should install ticket machines at every state , then you'll see ridership climb higher and faster. Its kinda sad that NJT has higher ridership on our network then Septa has. Septa also needs to restore service to all the lines and half the stations that it discontinued.

Well, the trolleys aren't going anywhere anytime soon. They're about 30 years old and were all overhauled about a decade ago.

The TVMs are also going to be a while despite SEPTA constant tomfoolery about our soon-to-arrive modern fare system.

You can join wanderer34 and the folks at DVARP with adding items to the list of things SEPTA should do. As long as this is Pennsylvania and SEPTA is our transit operator, we're always going to be lesser than.

[EastSideHBG]

Push for King of Prussia mall rail stop renewed

By KEITH PHUCAS
Times Herald Staff

COURTHOUSE — Transportation officials and businesses are looking to advance a proposed extension of the Norristown High Speed Line that would create a rail station at King of Prussia mall and possibly two other nearby stops.

Also, Bagley said the R-6 extension study for a rail line from Norristown along the Route 422 corridor to Berks County should be completed by the end of the year.

http://www.timesherald.com/articles/2010/09/29/news/doc4ca2c4199e0c9398637145.txt

[volguus zildrohar]

That Route 100 extension is up there on the list of SEPTA's dream projects. It's just one of the few that is both relatively realistic considering who's involved and not without a measure of public support.

KOP, as we know, is a major node in the region and the lack of rail service to the area is absurd, particularly considering that it is a major employment center.

[thenbagis]

Speaking of relatively realistic projects... +1 for extending the R3 to West Chester. Not only it the ROW there, but there is little competition from a Highway. The SVM would have to "compete" with 422 for ridership.

Right now it's really annoying driving from center city to West Chester.

Maybe I'm wrong and there is some significant hurdle for extending the line...

[I guess I'm bringing up a philosophical question when pitching rail extensions. Do you match existing transportation corridors (highways) or do you go elsewhere (less competition could get more ridership)]

[theWatusi]

^ not to nitpick, but it's not called the SVM anymore, but I guess we can't call it the R6 extension either. Maybe just "Service to Reading"?

Anyway, I'm sure it wouldn't be too hard to find people who have to sit on the clusterfuck that is 422 everyday morning/afternoon that wouldn't mind hopping on a train instead.

As for your last question, public (rail) transportation needs to serve population centers, whether they are well serviced by highways or not.

[thenbagis]

Originally Posted by theWatusi

^ not to nitpick, but it's not called the SVM anymore, but I guess we can't call it the R6 extension either. Maybe just "Service to Reading"?

Anyway, I'm sure it wouldn't be too hard to find people who have to sit on the clusterfuck that is 422 everyday morning/afternoon that wouldn't mind hopping on a train instead.

As for your last question, public (rail) transportation needs to serve population centers, whether they are well serviced by highways or not.

yeah, I suppose the calculation of "expected time savings" is where my question is answered. All other things being equal, a route where the existing infrastructure is a highway would have less time savings w/ public transit than a route where the existing infrastructure is a rural road.

[PHL10]

I'm growing impatient with Septa and the BSL extension to the Navy Yard. Now is the time to finalize designs and start looking for federal funding. I don’t want to be in the same situation 10 years from now with all of the employment that is forecast for that node and still be no further along.

Is there anything that would prevent the extension from going surface between Pattison and the Navy Yard?

[hammersklavier]

1) Yep. Train tracks.

2) Clearly you haven't been in this city long. SEPTA does not have any positive record of designing and funding service extensions. The Broad Street Line itself was built by the City and its physical plant is owned by the City (which SEPTA then leases): that's why you get a City seal on every orange car.

This isn't something SEPTA'll fund; this is something the City will probably fund. (Unfortunately we're kind of broke right now and we're working on things like building a fair tax assessment after that last BRT clusterfuck and the Central Delaware riverfront master plan, so that's not exactly high on our list of priorities.)