Philadelphia Transportation Thread

[Parkway]

[/QUOTE]

I've always thought we needed a line like this. I like his plan however I would make two small changes: first I would have it join the Broad Street line just north of Race-Vine and then use the Walnut-Locust layover tracks. Secondly I would bring the South Philly portion closer to the waterfront, possibly using Front Street.

[hammersklavier]

Parkway, I thought about both ideas before but I rejected them mainly because of cost. There are no good routes to take from 8th further east without having to endure a ridiculous amount of curvature, 8th is a half-mile east of Broad (this is why the 47 is busy), and finally, it's much cheaper to make a pedestrian connection with the BSL at Broad (Spring Garden) and have trains not terminating in South Philly terminate at 8th/Market, where there is a layover track.

Pennsport-Andorra would replace, at least in the beginning, the Broad-Ridge Spur. With free connections available from 8th/Market to the BSL at both City Hall and Broad/Spring Garden, there would be no need to run Ridge Spur service as it currently exists. Hence, that tunnel would become (in the interim) a service route connecting the BSL and Pennsport-Andorra together.

Also remember the City Branch (Noble) and 8th Street legs of this line is part of a larger construct.

[Paco]

There was a study done by the Brooking's Institute that tried to rank the effectiveness of over 300 public transit systems in 100 metropolitan areas of the United States. Sole criteria was getting to work in 90 minutes or less by public transit (safety, cleanliness, airport access were not considered).

Philadelphia ranked #49/100, while NY/NJ/LI ranked #13/100. Los Angeles was #24, Boston #34, and Honolulu was #1. You can read about the report at their website.

Philadelphia was evaluated based on
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
Delaware Transit Corporation
Port Authority Transit Corporation
Borough of Pottstown - Pottstown Area Rapid Transit
Cecil County Government Transit

For Philadelphia 100% of city residents, and 69% of suburban working age residents are near to public transport, 41% of jobs in the city and 16% suburban jobs are reachable in 90 minutes or less.Rank #49.

The Boston numbers are 100% city, and 63% suburban near to public transport, and 47% city, 24% suburban jobs are reachable in 90 minutes or less. Rank #34.

The New York numbers are 100% city, and 81% suburban near to public transport, and 49% city, 22% suburban jobs are reachable in 90 minutes or less.Rank #13.

Honolulu evaluation numbers are not possible to achieve by most major cities. There was only a single transit system, and the city is physically constrained by mountains and ocean.

The Boston numbers might be reachable by Philadelphia.

[Nexis4Jersey]

3 recent Septa / PATCO videos i took...

• Video Link

• Video Link

• Video Link

[Nexis4Jersey]

How long does it take to get from 30th Street to Media by Regional Rail , and How long by Trolley to 69th Street from Media?

[hammersklavier]

R3 Media/Elwyn: 31 mins
MFL -> 101: 50 mins

[Nexis4Jersey]

Originally Posted by hammersklavier

R3 Media/Elwyn: 31 mins
MFL -> 100: 50 mins

How often do both run , and how do i pay for the Trolley? Can I use 1$ coins?

[hammersklavier]

R3 is hourly weekends and off-peak. Purchase tickets at the SEPTA ticket booth in the upper concourse (the one closest to Cira Center).
MFL to 101 is much more frequent. They take tokens. Turn a $5 into 5 $1s. Buy two tokens (also at 30th St. Sta. ticket booth). This costs about $3. When you go to the subway concourse use one token and request a transfer from the operator. This costs $1. Use the transfer on the 101. On the way back, rinse and repeat.*
_______
* Generally I find getting transfers on the subway rather inconvenient, though. You might want to consider going to Media on the R3, token in hand, and getting a transfer coming back on the 101. In either case, however, you'll have to either request or present your transfer ticket to the booth to get on the MFL.

[EastSideHBG]

Good stuff!

SEPTA’s TransitView Shows Status Of Public Transit In Real Time

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — During a week this hot, waiting outside for a bus or trolley can be downright miserable. But for the first time this summer, SEPTA is posting the locations of its 1,600 buses and trolleys in real time on its website as part of an effort to provide more information to passengers and make commuting easier. It’s called TransitView.

“You can time your walk to the street corner, so you’re not standing out in the hot weather,” said Ron Hopkins, director of SEPTA’s control center.

You can time your walk that is, if the system works.

The information is posted on SEPTA’s website, which is available on smart phones and iPads. Armed with an iPad on Tuesday, Eyewitness News set out to see how accurate TransitView really is.

Aside from SEPTA’s server timing out on one occasion, we found it works pretty well for bus service. Trolley routes, however, are another story.

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2011/07...utm_campaign=septa%E2%80%99s-transitview

[pwp]

Originally Posted by EastSideHBG

Good stuff!

SEPTA’s TransitView Shows Status Of Public Transit In Real Time

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — During a week this hot, waiting outside for a bus or trolley can be downright miserable. But for the first time this summer, SEPTA is posting the locations of its 1,600 buses and trolleys in real time on its website as part of an effort to provide more information to passengers and make commuting easier. It’s called TransitView.

“You can time your walk to the street corner, so you’re not standing out in the hot weather,” said Ron Hopkins, director of SEPTA’s control center.

You can time your walk that is, if the system works.

The information is posted on SEPTA’s website, which is available on smart phones and iPads. Armed with an iPad on Tuesday, Eyewitness News set out to see how accurate TransitView really is.

Aside from SEPTA’s server timing out on one occasion, we found it works pretty well for bus service. Trolley routes, however, are another story.

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2011/07...utm_campaign=septa%E2%80%99s-transitview

So glad they finally put this in to place! There's also an app for the iPhone if you search SEPTA - it's made by an individual and not SEPTA.

[pwp]

July 22, 2011
By Anthony Campisi
For PlanPhilly

SEPTA got one step closer toward implementing a new fare card system Thursday, when the SEPTA Board's administration committee reviewed a $9.2 million consulting contract with LTK Engineering Services.

Getting there...

http://planphilly.com/septa-award-smart-card-consulting-contract

[Phil_North]

New SEPTA railcars roll out slowly
By Paul Nussbaum
Inquirer Staff Writer

WHEN SEPTA's new Silverliner V made its maiden voyage last October, taking reporters and a few startled Regional Rail riders on the five-stop run between Suburban Station and Cynwyd, it had that new railcar smell
...
It was supposed to happen by now. But 10 months after the coming-out party, the Silverliner V remains a shy diva with three or four trains - 24 railcars - making rare guest appearances all over the Regional Rail system, still far outnumbered by those 73 relics from the '60s that ride like cattle cars in an old western.
...
"If you think there's not going to be problems when you buy 120 railcars that were designed starting with a blank sheet of paper," Diggs said, "you're not living in the real world."...

[Phil_North]

SEPTA ridership hits 22-year high
By Paul Nussbaum
Inquirer Staff Writer

...
For the fiscal year that ended June 30, SEPTA's buses, subways, trolleys, and trains had about 334 million passengers, up 4 percent from the previous year and the most since 345 million in fiscal 1989.
...
The increase in passengers, coupled with a fare hike last July, boosted SEPTA's annual passenger revenue $43.5 million, or 11 percent. That more than offset the $37 million increase in operating costs.
...
The rail line with the biggest increase in daily passengers - 16 percent - was the Lansdale/Doylestown Line, from 16,158 to 18,717. The Airport Line suffered a 9 percent decline, from 7,454 riders a day to 6,750.

[hammersklavier]

Corbett is planning on increasing transportation spending by $2.7b, and of that, increasing mass transit spending by $400m.

How much is that again? Looking at it cursorily, I think it's just about 1/7th, which is pretty good in this country...

[thenbagis]

I thought this was interesting, because it discusses SEPTA, NJ Transit, and MTA all going to the same type of pay system... You could travel Philly to NYC using your regular credit card...

The end is near for New York City’s Metrocard
By Andrew Nusca | July 18, 2011, 6:41 AM PDT
http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/smart-takes/the-end-is-near-for-new-york-citys-metrocard/17694

Several years ago, fare payment system provider ACS Transportation Solutions installed special turnstiles in the New York City subway and bus system run by the Metropolitan Transit Authority as well as on New Jersey Transit’s system.

The idea: allow straphangers to pay at the turnstile using their credit cards, skipping the need to purchase a Metrocard (in New York) or ticket (in New Jersey) to use the system.

Since then, several U.S. cities have inquired about “smart card” or contactless fare payment systems. But the special turnstiles remain scattered throughout the New York and New Jersey transit systems.

What happened to the project, and what did they learn? I spoke with ACS Transport vice president Mike Nash.

[Phil_North]

PATCO to test 'wave and pay' technology using prepaid Visa card

By John Barna/Gloucester County Times

PATCO will kick off a “wave and pay” program Monday where patrons of the rapid transit system can use a Visa debit card to pay for fares — and more.

The “Wave and Pay Anywhere Card” is touted as an expansion of the transit line’s Freedom Card. The new card — besides being accepted for PATCO fares — allows users to make purchases, pay bills and make ATM withdrawals. The Freedom Card can be only used at PATCO stations for fare payments.

“It gives spending flexibility that you do not have with the Freedom Card,” said Cheryl Spicer, acting general manager of PATCO....

[Phil_North]

Interesting article from the Inquirer.

philly.com

Making high-speed rail more affordable
September 19, 2011

By Bob Previdi

Whether you are an environmentalist, a train enthusiast, or just someone who wants fast, efficient transportation between major cities, there seems to be agreement that the United States must find a better way to bring high-speed rail service to the Northeast.

The University of Pennsylvania and Amtrak have some bold ideas on the subject. But the price tag just for Amtrak's proposals - $117 billion over 30 years - has raised concerns from Rep. John Mica (R., Fla.), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. So it's worth examining less costly alternatives that are more likely to be funded.

We need to learn a lesson from the failure of New Jersey Transit's proposed $10 billion tunnel under the Hudson River. The plan was to build the tunnel for two tracks to a new station in Manhattan. But the project got so big that Gov. Christie halted it, saying it was too costly for New Jersey taxpayers.

The rail ideas that have been put forth for Philadelphia could be reworked to drive down construction costs in two ways. Spare capacity in SEPTA's Center City tunnel could be used, and SEPTA's airport service could be either improved or replaced by a "people mover."

Unlike New York's oversubscribed Penn Station, Philadelphia's Center City tunnel is operating at only 60 percent of capacity. Its signaling system was designed for 20 trains per hour per track. But SEPTA is moving at most 45 trains through at the peak hour, when it could be moving 80. SEPTA also could expand capacity by adding cars to existing Regional Rail trains.

If SEPTA gave Amtrak access to the Center City tunnel, the cost of constructing high-speed rail in Philadelphia would be dramatically reduced. The only major construction needed would be for an eighth-mile connection in North Philadelphia, between the Northeast Corridor and the old Reading Line, which cross north of Temple.

Penn and Amtrak have also proposed a high-speed rail stop at Philadelphia International Airport. Baltimore-Washington International and Newark Liberty already have stations, so it's a good idea for PHL.

But rather than creating a new station, it would be cheaper to redesign SEPTA's airport service, making it more frequent or turning it into the sort of automated people mover seen at other airports. Worldwide, air-rail links typically offer service every 10 to 15 minutes. Philadelphia's needs that kind of frequency to be considered world-class.

Penn and Amtrak have put forward high-speed rail proposals that are excellent in their ambition. The question now is how we can make them more affordable and therefore more attractive to taxpayers, elected officials, and investors.

There is no better place for high-speed rail than the Northeast Corridor, and Philadelphia's downtown area has been underserved by rail for too long. The latest high-speed proposals rightly try to improve service in the heart of Philadelphia, and we should seize the opportunity to make that happen.

[volguus zildrohar]

"If SEPTA gave Amtrak access to the Center City tunnel, the cost of constructing high-speed rail in Philadelphia would be dramatically reduced. The only major construction needed would be for an eighth-mile connection in North Philadelphia, between the Northeast Corridor and the old Reading Line, which cross north of Temple."

In other words, The Swampoodle Connection.

[hammersklavier]

The author seems to have no clue what HSR needs--namely, very straight track. The Center City tunnel doesn't provide this at all. And the whole idea of having HSR stop at all three of Center City's stations is frankly overrated.

In Europe, high-speed and regular-speed trains share the same station leads; the tracks diverge out in the suburbs. In Philadelphia, this translates to running both regular-speed and high-speed trains along the PRR main (Northeast Corridor) with line divergences a fair distance away.

[Phil_North]

Originally Posted by volguus zildrohar

In other words, The Swampoodle Connection.

Actually I'm envisioning something different than the Swampoodle connection based on the writer's words. The Swampoodle connection would allow the Chestnut Hill West Line (PRR) to switch to the Norristown Line near 21st & Allegheny as the Norristown (RRR) tracks approach and merge with the line leading into Center City via Temple. I think the writer is proposing a connection directly off of the NEC line onto to the RRR line somewhere in the vicinity of 15th & Glenwood where the NEC tracks pass over the RRR tracks. This way a train coming from NYC would travel along the NEC and turn onto the RRR (Septa) tracks near North Philly station and continue down to Temple and on into Center City, service the airport, then merge back onto the NEC on a new connection from the airport to the NEC.

But as Hammer put it

The author seems to have no clue what HSR needs--namely, very straight track.