The first of the 8000 series are here & 20 more expected

Accorded to Darryl bulls the first of the 2005 new flyers #8001 is on the SEPTA property, and currently at Germantown depot.  Also accorded to him that SEPTA will also execute the option of 20 more New flyers set to be numbed from 8100-8119. Making this batch of flyers being 8000-8119. All of these coaches are expected to go to southern depot.

Folks it’s been a long wait but the 8000 series are just about here

Accorded to a very official and reliable source. The first of the 8000 series are set to arrive  late next week on the property of SEPTA more than likely the Germantown shops. There has been a number of New Flyers completed at the New Flyer facility with 8000 being the ‘quality control bus’ in other words meaning it would be the last bus to leave there facility. Once these units are on the SEPTA property which could be Germantown they will received radios and other parts which are needed to placed them in service. Typically it could take as long as a week or so to placed these units in to revenue service. Expect these units to be placed into service by early-mid September. Which would be in time of the new fall schedule . As some of you guys may not know all of these units will be placed at the southern depot. Due to the fact it’s the only depot that is equipped to run on Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel Fuel (ULSD).

(reversed 8/29/05)-Accorded to Darryl bulls the 05′ flyers will go to Germantown and after that they will proceed to go to the Southern depot. At the Germantown shops SEPTA will placed AMDT systems installation, and the bus number will be stencil in huge numbers on the top.

Eldorado Overhaul update

A newly overhauled Eldorado has been spotted and rode on today by me on the 103. The bus number is 4545, which this bus sport stickers of Berridge overhaul bus in 2005 on the curbside next to the front door. The only thing which I noticed that is different about this bus was the fact that it had a ‘sticker’ in the front that says this bus has an E-Z pass on top. Which is something, which I never see any bus at the Victory shops have before. However, performance wise this bus performed pretty well and the suspension systems appears to ride much more smoother than the bus was before it went though the overhaul. As some of the riders might recall the Eldorado’s are very bouncy units. The newly repaint job was very neatly done the bus was shiny really nice and the wheels were polished pretty nice. As far as the ‘sound’ of the bus I heard reports that they sound different. Well I didn’t notice much different in terms of the sound i think they slightly sound less like a ‘lawnmower’ per say. This marks the total of eight (8) ‘known’ Eldorado’s that has completed the overhaul process.

Push-Pulls for sell?

Accord to this link HERE Septa is considering selling it’s fleet of locomotive hauled Push-pull coaches. The fleet which includes 7 AEM-7 locomotives built in 1987, 1 ALP-44 built in 1996, 10 Comet II cab cars and 25 Coaches in 1987, and 10 Comet Comet III cars built in 1999/2000. If SEPTA decides to go thru with this the fleet will be sold off in 2010 or 2011.

Shutdown delayed

Hello SEPTA announced yesterday that the shutdown of the EI service between 40th station and 69th terminal would be delayed for one week exactly. It is now planned that on the night of the 22nd at 8pm the shutdown will proceed.

Added a news archive page-

As we post more news on this page this page just grows and grows and comes the point where on some internet connections would take a while to load. So now I have created a few archive pages for the older news articles. Below is a list of the archive pages please feel free to click on any one you want to.

Second Nine-Day EL Shutdown Coming Up

The second nine-day EL shutdown is slated to begin at 20:00 hours (8:00 PM) this coming Friday, August 12th, 2005.  The shutdown will run through the beginning of Market – Frankford Blue Night OWL service in the early morning hours of Monday, August 22nd, 2005 (approx. 12:30 AM).  Regular train service will resume at 4:45 AM Monday, August 22nd, 2005.  During the shutdown, EL train service will operate all local (No A and B Skip-Stop Service) between 52nd Street in West Philadelphia and Frankford Transportation Center in the Frankford section of Philadelphia making all stops between these two stations.  Shuttle bus service will operate from 69th Street Terminal in Upper Darby to 40th and Market Streets in University City (just like the last shutdown July 15th-25th, 2005).  Shuttle buses will make all regular EL stops between the two stations.  The stops are 69th Street Terminal (South Terminal, normal boarding area for buses), Market Street and Sellers Avenue (Millbourne), 63rd and Chestnut / Walnut Streets (for 63rd Street; no stops outbound at 63rd and Market Streets), 60th and Chestnut / Walnut Streets (for 60th Street), 56th and Chestnut / Walnut Streets (for 56th Street), 52nd and Chestnut / Walnut Streets (for 52nd Street), 46th / Farragut and Market / Walnut Streets (for 46th Street Station, directly at station eastbound), and 40th and Market Streets (40th Street).  At 40th Street riders will transfer down the steps to the EL train.  Due to the fact that 40th Street is not ADA-Compliant, buses will be extended as needed to ADA-compliant 30th Street Station where riders who are wheelchair bound or simply cannot descend/ascend the stairs at 40th Street will be able to transfer to the EL train.  Those who cannot use 40th Street to make the transfer must tell the cashier at the boarding station of their intentions to travel beyond 30th Street.   The cashier will contact Control Center and a bus will be sent to 30th Street Station to pick them up. 

        All EL shuttle buses are ADA – compliant (hopefully).  Riders will have to pay regular fare on both the EL train and EL shuttle bus.  Passengers wishing to get on the EL at 40th Street from the bus must pay $0.60 cents for a pink transfer to get onto the train at 40th Street.  The same is true in the reverse however you will get the pink transfers for free at 40th Street Station from SEPTA On Site.  Like the last EL Shuttle these buses will NOT use Market Street eastbound between 63rd and 46th/Farragut Streets and westbound between 40th and 63rd Streets.  Buses will instead use Chestnut and Walnut Streets.  Stops are/will be clearly marked for the shuttle buses.  Route 21 buses will also make their regular stops here and riders should take consideration to get the first bus on Walnut Street to 69th Street that shows up (weather it be a 21 or EL Shuttle), as fares will be the same on both.  Just like the last EL Shutdown there will be some changes in boarding locations for Routes 21, 108, and 113 at 69th Street Terminal.  During the shutdown, Route 21 will board across the street from where it normally boards at the CCT / Para transit loading/unloading area at the median strip (this is where the 104 boards when it is using South Terminal).  Routes 108 and 113 will board at the North Terminal where Routes 30, 65, 103, 105, and 106 arrive and depart.  Route 108 will use the 103 berths thus Route 103 will share a berth with the 106 (furthest berth from terminal entrance/exit).  Route 113 will use the overflow berth behind where the 30 normally boards (this berth is to your left when you come out the doors from the terminal building).  There is, however, one slight difference.  Between 12:00 Midnight and 4:59 AM, all Route 108 and 113 buses will use the South Terminal with Routes Market Frankford Line, 21, 65, 104, and 109. Also, finished buses on Routes 108 and 113 may not use North Terminal and will most likely drop off on Market Street at the terminal doors (non-finished runs may also do this but they are required to allow passengers to ride to North Terminal). 

      Some drivers may be ignorant enough to force all passengers to get off the bus at 69th and Ludlow Streets (Tower Theatre) and walk to the terminal instead despite the fact that they may have a passenger on board who has trouble walking. SEPTA staff will be on hand to assist passengers during the shutdown.  Yellow-shirted ambassadors (made up of volunteers from SEPTA staff including General Manager Faye Moore and director of scheduling Tom Collins) will be stationed at 69th Street Terminal, 52nd Street Station, 40th Street Station, and 30th Street Station during the shutdown.  The hours for the ambassadors will be 6 AM to 10 PM weekdays and 8 AM to 10 PM weekends, just like the last shutdown.  The EL Shuttle will be handled by Allegheny (558x), Callowhill (980x), Midvale, and Southern.  On weekdays Frankford will also have a portion of the shuttle.  The shuttle will operate from 4:45 AM to approx. 12:30-1:00 AM.  Regular Market – Frankford Blue Nite OWL Service will operate as normal from 12:00 Midnight to 5:36 AM each day of the shuttle operation.  Riders should expect an additional 20-30 minutes travel time due to the shuttle and thus should start their commute 30 minutes earlier than normal during the shutdown.  While most buses will run all stops, during peak hours in the peak direction there will be some EL shuttle buses which will be designated NON-STOP El Shuttle.  These buses will run non-stop from the 69th Street Terminal to 40th Street making no stops (except for traffic lights, but no picking up / discharging of passengers between the two points).  Non-stop buses operate inbound from 6:30 AM to 9:00 AM and outbound from 4:00 PM to 6:30 PM.  All other buses will be all stops local shuttles making the stops previously listed.  Mr. Tom Collins of SEPTA’s scheduling and planning department planned the last shuttle operation almost flawlessly and let’s all hope he can do it again!

Eldorado Overhaul update

4540 was spotted by Mr. Joe Butler on the 103 today. This bus still sports a Green twinvision sign. as you may know now there are a total of seven (7) Eldorado’s (4503, 4517, 4518, 4526, 4540, 4542, and 4573) now that has received a overhaul. (Kyle O.)
Here is a photo of it taken by Joe Butler


(Click on the photo to see the full image)
(Comments and information on the overhaul)