Category: Uncategorized

Now that Faye Moore retired last Thursday, Joe Casey is taking charge to make SEPTA more attractive to its riders.  This will include a new Customer Service Chief (who reports directly to him), more frequent service on the Market Frankford Line during off-peak hours (down to every 6 minutes from 8 minute headways), shorter lines at Center City ticket offices, and more. 

One very interesting thing to note is that SEPTA is trying to obtain used railcars from other properties to ease overcrowding on the regional rail lines.  Joe Casey just can't wait two years for the extra Silverliner Vs to arrive.

For more information on Joe Casey's plans, read the following article: http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/20080204_SEPTAs_new_chief_maps_route_to_better_service.html

The first of over 1000 New Jersey Transit NABI 416s, 5201 and 5202, are on New Jersey Transit property.  It's not yet known as to whether they are suburban or transit buses, or exactly where they are located.  Get your final rides on the Metro Bs in now – the NABIs are coming!

Brandon, a PTV manager, has posted some excellent helpful tips on the forums. These tips are aimed towards those fans who's interested in riding on the Neoplans within the last few months of their lives in revenue service.

http://philadelphiatransitforums.cjb.net/index.php?showtopic=1418&st=0&#entry1291092

Many of 2001-2002 New Flyers D40LFs (54/55XX) series from Comly buses have made their way over to Midvale Territory.  

 These buses include:

5471, 5482, 5487, 5503, 5543, 5546, 5549, 5550, 5551, 5555, 5558, 5559, 5564, 5565, 5585

5487 is pictured below at Plymouth Meeting Mall 

(5487 at Plymouth Meeting Mall; taken by Brandon S)

On the flip side, Comly has a few of Midvale's 56XXs.  These include 5706, 5711, 5714, 5936, and 5940. Keep your eyes peeled for more unusual Flyer sightings!

PATCO is interested in expanding service in Philadelphia down Columbus Blvd and potentially to City Hall as well!  These waterfront projects would rely on federal funding and would probably be eight to 10 years away.  PATCO hopes to work with SEPTA on these projects so that they don't have to compete for federal money.  Also, they would be able to use the different strengths of each agency to make these products work.

For information on the hearings, visit this website: http://www.ridepatco.org/content.asp?page=News&param=2&publication=19&pubnumber=477

For the news article, visit this site: http://www.philly.com/inquirer/home_top_stories/20080118_PATCO_extends_hand_to_SEPTA.html

For the maps of the proposals, visit this site:
http://www.patcopaexpansion.com/alternatives.html

 

As SEPTA has all but completely abandoned the idea, Montgomery County is taking over.  They have put aside $125,000 for a study to determine the feasibility of building a rail line between Norristown and Wyomissing (Reading) to ease congestion off rt 422.  The proposed rail line will be a scaled back (and more logical) version of the original Schuylkill Valley Metro concept presented by SEPTA. 

This study will also look at different ways to fund the service, including federal money and public-private partnerships.  While dates have not been set, the project consultants will hold several public meetings, including one in Berks County.

More information here: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=71499

If you haven't heard, Amtrak workers were ready to go on strike on January 30th, since they have been working without a contract for several years.  Thankfully, Amtrak has reached a contract deal with several of its unions, possibly stopping the first Amtrak strike from occuring.  However, the union members have to vote on the new contract first to finalize everything.

If the workers were to go on strike, not only would Amtrak service be canceled, but a lot of SEPTA, Long Island Railroad, New Jersey Transit, Metro North Railroad, and other commuter rail lines would be effected as well.  Many of these lines run on Amtrak's tracks, using their powersources, dispatchers, and some of their stations.  Those lines probably wouldn't have been able to run at all if Amtrak workers were picketing.

 

More information here: http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/ap/news/state/pennsylvania/13905771.html

 

 

Once again, New Jersey is having it's College Students Ride Free promotion the first full week of February, from the 4th to the 10th.  They hold this promotion once a semester to market the system to college and post-secondary students in the area.  All students need is a special coupon (obtainable from the website) and their college ID.  Then, they can ride any NJT line for free, regardless of how far they travel.

For more information and to register, visit this website: http://www.njtransit.com/rg/rg_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=CollegeTo

 Over the past several days, several members has reported that our photo gallary had upload errors. Now these errors has been corrected. Every user can upload files up to 10MB in size. Please make sure they are checked for quality before uploading them!!

Geraldo Neoplan 3430, a very reliable board poster in Delaware, has posted that DART has ordered a total of 90 Gillig buses, slated for delivery later this year (2008).

The break down is as follows:

•  48 of 90 buses will be the Gillig Advantage 40 foot coach.
•  42 of 90 buses will be the Gillig Advantage 30 foot coach.

These units are slated to replace their older Gillig Phantoms which were built in 1996.