News

The production buses of the 2022-2025 order of New Flyer XDE40 are finally here. Earlier last week, 3526, 3528, 3529 among with 3531 were delivered.

We know what this means – cherish the last moments of the New Flyer D40LFs.

The proposal to purchase low floor streetcars from Alstom Transportation Inc. is SEPTA’s on February’s board agenda. The base order includes 130 streetcars, with the option to purchase up to 30 additional vehicles. These streetcars are designed with low level floors and ramps for multi-door boarding, providing SEPTA’s customers with accessible, ADA-compliant vehicles. The estimated cost for the base order is $714,239,455, with an additional $148,500,780 for the option order, if exercised. Delivery of the streetcars is expected to start in Spring 2027.

Finally after about two months delay, the delivery of electric buses at New Jersey Transit has resumed. Thus far 22901-22903 has arrived on their property. These will operate on a wide variety of routes out of Newton depot which is located in Camden.

The February meeting agenda includes the approval of a proposal to purchase ten electric fuel cell buses from New Flyer of America, Inc. The buses, which will operate out of the Midvale Depot and serve all routes, will cost a total of $17,051,216.78. Delivery of the vehicles is slated to begin in July 2024, and the purchase price includes capital spare parts, training aids, special tools and equipment, and publications and training.

See below for insert:

6. To New Flyer of America, Inc., for Item Nos. 1-5, for the purchase of ten 40-foot low floor fuel cell electric buses which will operate out of Midvale Depot on all routes, at a unit price of $1,529,500, along with associated capital spare parts,training aids, special tools and equipment, and publications and training, as described in the staff summary on this subject, with delivery of vehicles scheduled to commence in July 2024, as described in the staff summary on the subject, for a total contract amount not to exceed $17,051,216.78, Sealed Bid No. 23-00038-AMJP - 40 Foot Low Floor Fuel Cell Electric Buses.

Earlier this year, New Jersey Transit started rolling out a pilot electric bus out of Newton garage. The pilot bus is a New Flyer XE40 out of Newton Avenue bus garage. The bus is only operating on the route 452 throughout Camden, NJ. Eight buses total were ordered.

It was reported that the delivery of the remainder of seven electric buses will be delayed until 2023. The issue seems to be linked to the global supply chain shortage. The remainder of the eight were supposed to arrived by end of this year but was pushed back.

For more information

www.nj.com/news/2022/12/delivery-of-nj-transits-next-7-electric-buses-delayed-again.html%3foutputType=amp

Several weeks ago, SEPTA train #6334 (Train to West Trenton) has an ACS-64 #915 leading North. Typically SEPTA Push Pull consists has their locomotive leading South. Thus this set is operating reverse. Generally SEPTA does not keep these sets reversed for long. As of earlier this week, this set is now in its normal (loco facing South) orientation.

SEPTA held their annual Christmas bus display at Frankford district. This showcase off the various depots which has decorated their buses to a theme. For the past several years, the buses they used are at the end of their useful life in service. This year 2005 New Flyer D40LFs (8014, 8015, 8016, 8071, 8073, 8074, 8094 and 8097) were used. Once the season is over these buses will be officially retired.

Starting on Monday, there will be Broad Street lane closure between Tasker and Morris affecting one of the Northbound lanes. This is due to a SEPTA project as outlined in below which is to make Tasker-Morris ADA accessible. There’s about $19.21 Million allocated in the SEPTA Capital budget for this.

See Penndot’s press release

https://www.penndot.pa.gov/RegionalOffices/district-6/pages/details.aspx?newsid=7806&fbclid=IwAR0Rh–6SR6lQK94dEtQX9QNXr3lYQcWIAqyvVvsQMI8_VPwNMLMSgBs8AU