Philadelphia Transportation Thread

[thoughtcriminal]

Saw this cool old diagram for the original subway system design.

[EastSideHBG]

SEPTA to Implement Changes Amid ‘Deplorable' Conditions and Drug Use

https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/tra...e/3181061/?_osource=SocialFlowFB_PHBrand

[EastSideHBG]

I believe this link was shared before but posting it again for the newer folks:

https://planning.septa.org/projects/regional-rail-master-plan/

[summersm343]

SEPTA ridership hit pandemic high in March but fell short of revenue goals

In March, SEPTA's buses, trains and subways were the most crowded they'd been since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite the uptick, passenger revenue for the month fell below the transportation agency's budget.

The total number of passenger rides in March hit just over 15 million, the highest total in two years and a 33% increase over February's 11.3 million, according to the latest SEPTA report on revenue and ridership. The ridership last month was 51% of what it was in the same month prior to the pandemic, in March 2019.

Andrew Busch, director of media relations for SEPTA, said the transit agency's goal for this calendar year is to average 60% of its pre-pandemic ridership, or roughly one million rides per day.Through the first three months of the year, ridership is pacing at about 48% of what it was in the 12 months leading up to the Covid-19 outbreak. SEPTA saw a steep drop off in expected ridership in January due to the omicron variant, but anticipates ridership will increase in the warmer months, drawing it closer to its goal.

The clock is ticking for SEPTA to become self-sustaining. Federal Covid-19 relief funding that the agency received will expire in fiscal 2024. By then, Busch said SEPTA officials hope to get back to about 80% of pre-pandemic ridership. That goal is consistent with what other transit agencies across the country are looking to reach over the next two years, he said.

"Getting up to that 80% level would be helpful in sustaining us. That wouldn’t get us to 100% sustainability on our budget side – we'd still have to be careful how we’re spending money," Busch said.

Article behind paywall here:
https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/news/2022/04/15/septa-ridership-march-high.html

[EastSideHBG]

SEPTA to pay $9.75 million for property for new train station and parking garage in Conshohocken

https://morethanthecurve.com/septa-to-pa...tion-and-parking-garage-in-conshohocken/

[TonyTone]

[summersm343]

Here’s how SEPTA plans to spend its largest-ever capital budget

Read/view more here:
https://www.inquirer.com/transportation/...on-el-king-of-prussia-rail-20220422.html

[thoughtcriminal]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Here’s how SEPTA plans to spend its largest-ever capital budget

Read/view more here:
https://www.inquirer.com/transportation/...on-el-king-of-prussia-rail-20220422.html

still nothing on the Navy Yard extension of the Broad Street Subway.

[Busy Bee]

Don't have an Inquirer sub...what does it say about trolley replacement?

[thoughtcriminal]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

Don't have an Inquirer sub...what does it say about trolley replacement?

through FY 2034, they plan to spend $1.15 billion to modernize the trolley system, including vehicle replacement and infrastructure upgrades.

[Busy Bee]

I was thinking more specific details, like what form the new trolleys would take. Any mention of that? I know they've kicked the tires on the Flexity platform.

[summersm343]

This is all it says really:

SEPTA plans to spend $1.15 billion over 12 years on trolley modernization. The project would replace the Reagan-era trolley cars now in use with new models that are accessible to people with disabilities and can carry more passengers. It also would build accessible boarding stations for the trolleys. About $770 million of the total would be for new trolley cars.

https://www.inquirer.com/transportation/...on-el-king-of-prussia-rail-20220422.html

[Busy Bee]

Ok thanks. Unfortunately we knew all that already.

[arkitect13]

Is Septa working on anything rn? There hasn't been much activity on this thread and I cant seem to find any updates on current projects, proposed projects, or recently completed ones. Like the girard trolley, KOP rail, trolley modernization and the bus revolution. Anyone know anything?

[aprice1828]

Originally Posted by arkitect13

Is Septa working on anything rn? There hasn't been much activity on this thread and I cant seem to find any updates on current projects, proposed projects, or recently completed ones. Like the girard trolley, KOP rail, trolley modernization and the bus revolution. Anyone know anything?

You probably already know about these but there's a pretty major overhaul of the Ardmore station. Also the CRRC MA bi-level coaches.

https://www.mfsengineers.com/projects/30th-street-mfl-station-improvements Here's some info on 30th St MFL. Good to see they're at least working on reopening the tunnel to 30th St Station.

[summersm343]

Move over SEPTA. Chesco joins Montco, Berks in approving the creation of the Schuylkill River Passenger Rail Authority

It’s been about four decades since the historic Reading Railroad was active in connecting Philadelphia with each of its northernmost suburbs — now, its spiritual successor’s long-shot plan at a comeback is one step closer to coming to fruition.

The Chester County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted on Wednesday to join forces with their counterparts in Montgomery County and Berks County in creating the Schuylkill River Passenger Rail Authority (SRPRA).

With the help of Amtrak, the new authority will handle the restoration of passenger train service connecting Reading, Phoenixville, Pottstown, and Philadelphia.

“At the end of the day, SEPTA is on an extremely tight budget and couldn’t do anything, but Amtrak came to the table with their funding from the infrastructure [bill]… So as it stands, now, Amtrak is going to be our carrier. And they will run a couple trips a day to start and hopefully, we’ll get up to 10 to 12 a day. Now, however, that’s not going to start tomorrow,” Moskowitz said.

She emphasized that a lot of work still needs to be done before people can even begin to imagine the sounds of the passenger trains echoing outside of their homes again.

But, Moskowitz is hopeful now that a plan is finally in motion to restore train service to areas “desperately” in need of connections. While movement at the county level is finally in full effect, Moskowitz emphasized that this has been a community-driven mission years in the making.

As far as the specifics of the plan, the line will also use a piece of the Norfolk Southern industrial line. While it initially plans to serve Reading, Phoenixville, Pottstown, and Philadelphia, Moskowitz said that it is possible that it could expand to include stops at places like Valley Forge Park.

And although SEPTA will not partner in the initial stages with SRPRA, it is very possible that the new railway will use SEPTA’s line when it gets to Norristown.

“Which means we have to have a dual motor engine, one that can handle the industrial line and then convert to electric,” Moskowitz said.

Read more here:
https://whyy.org/articles/chesco-joins-m...huylkill-river-passenger-rail-authority/

[Busy Bee]

[William Van Alen]

King of Prussia rail line is moving closer to a final design and a federal funding decision


https://www.inquirer.com/transportation/...l-extension-infrastructure-20220511.html

Maybe if we're lucky, the feds will give this one the axe and force SEPTA to focus on more useful projects...

[Busy Bee]

One can only hope. It's the definition of insult to injury to see a silly unworthy project like this pursued and funded while obvious, much more important Septa projects collect dust.

[Delthayre]

SEPTA's Regional Rail Master Plan project has released three conceptual scenarios for the network. Although any actual realized plan will probably end up as a distorted kludge of the three concepts, they are interesting exercises and this is some of the most exciting, promising thinking the SEPTA has demonstrated in a significant length of time.

SEPTA has also posted solicitations for expressions of interest for the M5 car procurement and a request for proposal for the streetcar procurement, replete with nearly thousand-page specification document in each case.

Originally Posted by thoughtcriminal

Saw this cool old diagram for the original subway system design.

I believe that this was a different schematic of the system plan on page 127 of the 1917 report of the Commissioner of City Transit. (The actual image had very different graphical style, but I believe showed largely the same proposal) My own favorite is the rather curious lopsided pear shaped plan from page 125 of the same report. (The first decade of reports from the Commissioner of City Transit are fascinating, if also frustrating, documents for anybody very interested in Philadelphia transit and history to survey)