Author: van2025ko

PATCO's City Hall and Broadway Stations in Camden, NJ, have now been completely converted to using the Freedom Fare System.  Therefore, only paper Freedom Tickets or Freedom Cards will be accepted at these stations.  More stations to come in the future!

The first of New Jersey Transit's "new" Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs) appeared at the RiverLINE's 36th Street Station in Pennsauken.  These "new" TVMs will replace the current machines at all New Jersey Transit train and bus stations.  Don't be fooled, though.  These "new" TVMs are just rebuilt "old" TVMs.

The new TVMs are blue and orange with touch screens for ticket selections.  Riders are also able to purchase monthly passes in addition to single tickets.  Debit/Credit card transactions are faster as well.  However, one of the most notable features will be their ability to not only sell tickets for the RiverLINE, but tickets for the Northeast Corridor Line and SEPTA R7 line.  Additionally, NJT plans to have these machines work with the PATCO Freedom Cards in the future, as they are capable of doing such a thing.

Here's a picture of the machines: http://chuchubob.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=970972

You can find more information, pictures, and feedback about these machines in this Railroad.net forum thread: http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=45290

 

In case you haven't heard, NJT received P40 diesel engines for use on the new Atlantic City Express line, running from New York Penn Station to Atlantic City.  These engines would be used along the non-electrified parts of the line.  When underground, the train will use an ALP 46 electric engine, and the P40s will only act as a "cab car". 

Here's a picture of the engine in the NJT scheme: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=952334

You can find more information on the engines on RR.net's forums: http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=42631

SEPTA decided that by this time next week, they will have a contract awarded to a contractor to create a smart card fare collection system for the transit agency.  SEPTA plans to try a contact-less smart card system, similar to the Smartrip card in Washington, DC and the CharlieCard in Boston. 

In fact, instead of a closed system, where the value on the card is only good for SEPTA buses and trains, the transportation authority is looking at one that is based on Visa and Mastercards.  That way, a bus or train ride would just be another transaction on the card.  For those who don't have credit cards, SEPTA will provide their own special cards where value can be added at vending machines.  With this system, the "SEPTA cards" may not be compatible with PATCO's Freedom Card.

SEPTA hopes to have this system implemented by 2010, but they aren't sure if that's possible.  Also, such a system can cost over 100 million dollars to impletment.

You can find more information about SEPTA's plan to upgrade its fare collection system at the following website: http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/pa/20071130_SEPTA_sets_a_course_for_smart_cards.html.

While we were sleeping SEPTA snuck in at least two new Champion Cutaways.  They are being used on the 312 Cornwells Heights Park and Ride shuttle and are stored in the cage there with 2080 and 2086.  The new buses were first spotted last week.  When I was at Cornwells Heights railfanning yesterday, I went up to the cage to see for myself.  The new buses are 2098 and 2099.  They are 2007 Champion Challenger cutaways between 25 and 30 feet long on a Heavy Duty Chevy C4500 chassis.  Some pictures below.  Please bare in mind since I couldn't get in the cage, I had to do the best I could in getting pics.

 

 

 As you can see, these buses are semi different from the current Champions.  They have some features the Fords had.  This includes the wheelchair lift at the back, rear windows, and rear emergancy exit door.  It is unknown exactly how many of these are on SEPTA Property or owned by SEPTA.  When more information becomes available it will be passed along.

On Thursday night at around 8:15 pm, 5183 running on route 26 crashed into a minivan at Algon and Magee Avenues in Northeast Philadelphia.  This caused a police officer to crash into a nearby pole.  Unfortunately, those in the minivan were seriously hurt.  However, the police officer as well as the passengers on the bus were okay.

More details, including a video, are located at CBS's website: http://cbs3.com/topstories/SEPTA.Bus.Crash.2.594105.html

Soon, the R5 Paoli local may only be known as the "Paoli Local".  This recent change of heart stems from the long-time confusion of issues such as "which R3 will take me to Neshaminy Falls".

When the commuter rail tunnel was constructed in 1984, Reading RR lines and Pennsylvania RR lines with similar ridership characteristics were paired together.  This helped manage passenger car loads so that there weren't many cars on a train running empty.  At this time, R designations were used to represent the new combined lines.

With new line pairings in today's world, the Rs are nothing but confusing and unnecessary, as there's an R number representing a "Reading route" and the same R number representing a "Penn line".  SEPTA approached the Citizens Advisory Committee with the proposal to eliminate the Rs last spring, and they agreed that it would be a good idea. 

Now, SEPTA started to take action with their new plans.  On the website, they primarily refer to the Regional Rail Lines by their destination with the R designation in perenthesis.  Just look at the travel advisory page: the littls logos for each advisory completely leaves out the R designation. 

Also, in their new schedules, the R designation of the line is being moved to the right of the schedule, rather than the left side where it has been located all of these years.

Hopefully, this drastic change will help occasional and new riders navigate the Regional Rail system with great ease.

 

Due to the History Channel's documentary about 1968, an Amtrak Acela trains received a full wrap that promotes this documentary.  Unfortunately, this wrap also cover the windows.  You can see pictures of this train on the Philly NRHS website: http://www.trainweb.org/phillynrhs/RPOTD071113.html

At the beginning of next week, the general public will finally be able to register for the PATCO Freedom Card.  The following registration sessions at Walter Rand Transportation Center (aka, Broadway East) will allow PATCO customers to obtain 20 dollars Freedom Cards to use:

Monday, November 19 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Tuesday, November 20 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday, November 21 from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Also, Broadway East will have all of the old legacy machines replaced with the new fare collection equipment.  This will begin the night of November 26, 2007, and this side of Broadway Station will temporarily be closed.

For more information, please visit PATCO's website: http://www.ridepatco.org/content.asp?page=FREEDOM%20News&param=2&publication=24&pubnumber=423

According to a driver, Thursday, Frontier's 4515 was in an accident on the PA Turnpike involving two cars.  The front was mashed in a little bit.  It's unclear as to whether or not it was in revenue service, as the 150 runs along the Turnpike.