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  #5621  
Old Posted Mar 17, 2023, 5:53 PM
arkitect13 arkitect13 is offline
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Originally Posted by summersm343 View Post
Maybe they'll drop the Norristown Highspeed Line expansion to KOP and use the funds for a Regional Rail expansion all the way to Reading with stops at King of Prussia, Valley Forge, Phoenixville, Royersford, Pottstown and Reading? This would offer a one seat ride from Philadelphia out to all of these locales.
THIS, ill never understand why they didnt look at a regional rail extension, SEPTA makes more sense for a line like this, and Amtrak could take over for some form of express service,
Also Could amtrak run on the Manayunk/Norristown line?
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  #5622  
Old Posted Mar 17, 2023, 5:54 PM
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Originally Posted by gjrip View Post
Mixed feelings (mostly great ones).

On one hand fck that prioect, but on the other it makes me nervous bc I really hope they actually use the money on other more important things
everyone needs to keep in mind the project was never fully funded. So its not a matter of them just spending the $2B on something else- they never had the $2B....a huge portion of the funding was to come from the feds and even with that there was a funding gap. Everyone should lower their expectations as far as this meaning some other mega project is automatically going to happen now.
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  #5623  
Old Posted Mar 17, 2023, 6:02 PM
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Originally Posted by cardeza View Post
that would be hugely expensive, there are major differences between the single car NHSL and the L running 6 car trains. Im not even sure if they have the same gauge track.
They don't, and they also don't even have the same loading gauge.
I'm not sure if maybe he means extending the NHSL past Norristown? Historically the tracks continued past Norristown to Allentown via the Liberty Bell...
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  #5624  
Old Posted Mar 17, 2023, 6:05 PM
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Curiouser and curioser

Greater Reading Chamber Alliance receives grant funding for Franklin Street and rail station project

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READING, Pa. - The effort to restore passenger rail service to the city and county took a step forward this week.

The Greater Reading Chamber Alliance was awarded $142,346 in funding for its Franklin Street Transit-Oriented Development Strategic Plan. The grant was part of several Local Share Account funding projects announced Thursday.

“We are thrilled to receive these funds as we continue to work with our public and private sector partners to lay the groundwork for restoration of passenger rail service to the city and county,” said Jim Gerlach, President & COO of GRCA.
I would love to see SEPTA operate the line out to Reading instead of Amtrak as others have said with more stops like in Valley Forge, Royersford, and Birdsboro as well. Makes way more sense IMO.
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  #5625  
Old Posted Mar 17, 2023, 6:28 PM
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^^ would it be possible for them to do a conjoined service? Amtrak and SEPTA, septa making more frequent stops?
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  #5626  
Old Posted Mar 17, 2023, 6:38 PM
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https://twitter.com/tomfitzgerald/st...96524888829952

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NEWS: The King of Prussia Rail project is canceled, The Inquirer has confirmed.

The project was not awarded money in the latest round of competitive capital-project grants from the Federal Transit Amdinistration.

SEPTA plans to announce it officially later this afternoon.
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  #5627  
Old Posted Mar 17, 2023, 6:53 PM
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WTF? So all of that time wasted and money spent just to cancel it without an alternate solution? What a waste of resources.
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  #5628  
Old Posted Mar 17, 2023, 6:57 PM
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Originally Posted by mcgrath618 View Post
Terrible look for SEPTA. I do hope they can focus on the real priorities like increasing regional rail frequency, the trolley revolution, and extending the BSL along Roosevelt Blvd and down to the Navy Yard.
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  #5629  
Old Posted Mar 17, 2023, 7:02 PM
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SEPTA didn't have control over federal money for the project so it was never a done deal. Sad that money was spent on the study though.
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  #5630  
Old Posted Mar 17, 2023, 7:03 PM
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Press release just dropped:

Quote:

SEPTA Pauses King of Prussia Rail Project

Rising Costs Exacerbated by Inflation & High Interest Rates;
Project is Not Recommended for Federal New Starts Funding in Fiscal Year 2024


PHILADELPHIA (March 17, 2023) – SEPTA is pausing the King of Prussia Rail project following further review of rising costs, which have been exacerbated by inflation and high interest rates. The project is not recommended for federal New Starts funding in Fiscal Year 2024, and SEPTA will use resources that had been allocated for KOP Rail to bolster essential infrastructure work.
A major factor preventing KOP Rail from advancing is the lack of flexibility in SEPTA’s capital budget. In discussions this week, the Federal Transit Administration raised concerns about whether SEPTA could fund its share of the project, which would include any cost overruns. SEPTA’s capital budget is constrained compared to peer transit agencies that have more state and local funding available. SEPTA would not jeopardize other critical projects, such as the Market-Frankford Line fleet replacement, Trolley Modernization, or station accessibility improvements, to advance an expansion project.

“SEPTA’s capital budget has been underfunded for decades. This has left the Authority with significantly fewer resources than peer agencies to pursue system expansion while also addressing critical infrastructure needs,” said SEPTA General Manager and CEO Leslie S. Richards. “With the funding we have currently, SEPTA must prioritize essential infrastructure work and safety and security improvements to maximize the reliability and effectiveness of our aging system.”

With each year of delay, the cost of KOP Rail increases by approximately $100 million. As inflation and higher interest rates have set in, those numbers accelerated further. From August 2020 to August 2022, the project estimate increased from $2.08 billion to $2.6 billion. The estimate now stands at $3.02 billion.

The pause halts all activities on KOP Rail. A contract approved last month for final design was not executed by SEPTA. The Authority will provide details on how funds allocated for KOP Rail will be used when the proposed capital budget and long-term program is released in April.

“We are disappointed. King of Prussia Rail would have delivered real benefits to our city and region by providing reliable public transportation connecting our three largest employment hubs in Center City, University City, and King of Prussia. It would have eased congestion on area roadways and reduced air pollution,” Richards said. “We greatly appreciate all the hard work that our staff has put into this initiative, and we are grateful for the support of those who advocated for the project alongside us.”

Richards added: “This process further highlights the critical need for new transit funding at the state and local levels. In order to pursue any service extensions in the future, SEPTA needs more support.”

For more information about SEPTA, visit septa.org.
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  #5631  
Old Posted Mar 17, 2023, 7:08 PM
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Originally Posted by summersm343 View Post
WTF? So all of that time wasted and money spent just to cancel it without an alternate solution? What a waste of resources.
Better than to continue going with a boondoggle of a project.

It was doomed from the start. FTA grants are competitive. I guarantee Roosevelt would've been awarded money.
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  #5632  
Old Posted Mar 17, 2023, 7:19 PM
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Originally Posted by summersm343 View Post
WTF? So all of that time wasted and money spent just to cancel it without an alternate solution? What a waste of resources.
Well the alternative would be serving KOP via service to Reading. Funny enough, just found another article about another grant given to the Reading rail project, in addition to $142k for the station improvement grant I linked earlier.

State Lawmakers Secure Funding for Schuylkill River Passenger Rail Feasibility Study

Quote:
Reading, PA — March 17, 2023 — Today, a group of Democratic state lawmakers announced $250,000 in Local Share Account grant funding to study the restoration of passenger rail between Reading and Philadelphia.
So there's $392k for rail to Reading awarded the same day the KOP rail project is "paused." Probably a coincidence on timing but says something about where this thing is heading I think. If I had to guess, the Feds are going to approve the Reading rail expansion into the Corridor ID program so they're dropping the KOP rail. Looks like the Corridor ID program submission deadline is March 27th, then they are set to announce their selections "Late summer" per the website.
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  #5633  
Old Posted Mar 17, 2023, 7:24 PM
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  #5634  
Old Posted Mar 17, 2023, 7:32 PM
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Originally Posted by Gatorade_Jim View Post
LOL.

Finally, cooler heads prevailed. So rare to see that unfortunately.
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  #5635  
Old Posted Mar 17, 2023, 7:33 PM
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So basically what happened was that everyone around SEPTA was saying KOP was a pointless & not well planned project, however Leslie Richards & the suburb gang thought it was a fantastic idea.

Im so happy the grant wasn’t given & I hope a shakeup at SEPTA happens.

When you look at 10,000 ridership V.S 100,000K Ridership & the 10K ridership project is picked, something is seriously wrong.
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  #5636  
Old Posted Mar 17, 2023, 7:37 PM
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Originally Posted by Gatorade_Jim View Post
https://www.inquirer.com/news/septa-...-20230317.html

"SEPTA has stopped all work on its proposed rail service to King of Prussia, concluding the agency would not have the money to keep it moving forward after the federal government declined last week to award the project a competitive capital grant for new transit.

The projected costs of the 4-mile extension of the Norristown High Speed Line had ballooned to more than $3 billion, SEPTA officials said, about 54% more than estimated when the project began.

Federal Transit Administration officials told SEPTA that one of their major concerns was that SEPTA did not have enough money to cover cost overruns, which are virtually inevitable in big infrastructure projects, while maintaining the assets it already has and funding the capital work already underway."
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  #5637  
Old Posted Mar 17, 2023, 7:42 PM
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Originally Posted by mcgrath618 View Post
They don't, and they also don't even have the same loading gauge.
I'm not sure if maybe he means extending the NHSL past Norristown? Historically the tracks continued past Norristown to Allentown via the Liberty Bell...
My point is putting the money to extend, the NHSL around KOP compared to building a whole new pointless line.
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  #5638  
Old Posted Mar 17, 2023, 7:47 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cardeza View Post
that would be hugely expensive, there are major differences between the single car NHSL and the L running 6 car trains. Im not even sure if they have the same gauge track.
Oh yea I 100% understand that these are different lines, im just regurgitating that idea that ive heard before making the NHSL really a 1 seat trip from CC TO KOP. & also removing weird lines that really should be heavy rail.
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  #5639  
Old Posted Mar 17, 2023, 7:49 PM
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Originally Posted by Urbanthusiat View Post
Curiouser and curioser

Greater Reading Chamber Alliance receives grant funding for Franklin Street and rail station project



I would love to see SEPTA operate the line out to Reading instead of Amtrak as others have said with more stops like in Valley Forge, Royersford, and Birdsboro as well. Makes way more sense IMO.
The benefit of having it go through to NYC is that it is a one seat ride between the two cities. You could always have both running in a sort of local/express configuration.
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  #5640  
Old Posted Mar 17, 2023, 7:50 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mcgrath618 View Post
Better than to continue going with a boondoggle of a project.

It was doomed from the start. FTA grants are competitive. I guarantee Roosevelt would've been awarded money.
Exactly. It's a sunk cost. Better to change course than to throw good money after bad.
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