News

Early this morning, at about 4:40 AM, SEPTA “mini wire train”, Track Car 3161, rear-ended an Airport-bound R1 train 0199 just southwest of 10th and Wagnor Streets. There were 18 passengers aboard the commuter train, and 4 workers on the wire train.  Nine people, 4 from the wire train and 5 from the commuter train, were taken to the nearby Albert Einstein Hospital for treatment.

At this time, SEPTA officials are looking into the cause of the accident, which caused delays of 20 minutes or more on the R1 Airport, R2 Warminster, R3 West Trenton, and R5 Landsdale/Doylestown lines.  So far, it seems to be human error, either on the dispatcher’s or the wire train’s operator’s part.

For more details, see this news article: http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20090127_18_injured_in_SEPTA_R1_crash.html

Discuss the accident in this thread: http://philadelphiatransitforums.cjb.net/topic/7070449/1/#new

 

Now you can use your PATCO FREEDOM Card to save money at your favorite restaurants and stores in Philadelphia and New Jersey.  In a program similar to SEPTA’s Pass Perk program, local businesses are partnering with PATCO to offer discounts to those that show their card.  For example, eat at the Italian Bistro on Broad Street and get a discount of 20% when you show your card!  This is also good at smaller restaurants such as Quiznos.  Each business is required to commit to this for at least a year.

For more details, visit the following location on PATCO’s website: http://www.ridepatco.org/freedomtosave/index.asp

For those of you who are interested in SEPTA’s Ivy Ridge line through Manyunk, you may be interested in a guided tour of the former railroad right-of-way.  Lower Merion Conservancy is sponsoring a special hike of this ROW.  See the details below, copied from the SEPTA website, for more details.

 

Cynwyd Heritage Trail: A History Hike
Bala Ave & Conshohocken State Rd Bala Cynwyd PA 19004 Directions	10:00 a.m.                1/25/2009 Visit Website
Conservancy director Mike Weilbacher and the Lower Merion Historical Society’s Jerry Francis lead a walk on the now christened the Cynwyd Heritage Trail, a pedestrian/bike connection into Manayunk and a link to the emerging Schuylkill River Trail.  Walk the valley between West Laurel Hill and Westminster cemeteries, see old photos of the Barmouth and West Laurel Hill train stations, and stand on a high perch above the Schuylkill River and expressway. Then the group will drop down into a seven acre parcel donated by the Connelly Container family to Lower Merion, an old mill site that’s become an oasis of greenspace.  Old maps reveal its surprising history.  Meet at the Cynwyd Train Station for this unique blend of history, environment, and exercise.  Presented by Lower Merion Conservancy

On February 15, 2009, PATCO will turn 40 years old.  Soon PATCO will have events commemorating 40 years of service and are looking for people to share their experiences with the system over the last 40 years.  Vintage photos would also be greats.  If you have anything you would like to share, please contact PATCO at [email protected].  Hurry up, because the deadline is January 30th.

A few of the members on the foums has told me about the existence of PTVforums.com. Philadelphia Transit Vehicles is not affiliated with this site.  The Offical link to our forums is and will always remain!

http://www.philadelphiatransitforums.cjb.net/

The new route 23 schedule starts today.  This essentially ends the 23 shuttle service, as well as service on Stenton Ave, due to the end of construction on Germantown Ave.

See the new schedule here: http://septa.org/service/sched/pdfs/bus_1_40/023.pdf

There is also a new 204 schedule, which has major revisions.  Check them out in this schedule document: http://septa.org/service/sched/pdfs/bus_81_x/204.pdf

Starting January 12th, the first car on certain R5 Express trains will be designated as “Quiet Cars”.  Cell phone use in this car will be prohibited, electronic devices will be placed on silent, and conversation will be limited and reduced to a whisper.  This is a pilot program and will last until Friday, March 13, 2009.

These are the trains:

• Train #507 Departs Doylestown 6:12 a.m.
• Train #505 Departs Lansdale 6:20 a.m.
• Train #4711 Departs Doylestown 6:41 a.m.
• Train #509 Departs Lansdale 6:49 a.m.
• Train #6595 Departs Doylestown 7:02 a.m.
• Train #515 Departs Lansdale 7:46 a.m.

 

PM EXPRESS SERVICE

 

• Train #6596 Departs Suburban Station 4:15 p.m.
• Train #6572 Departs Suburban Station 4:44 p.m.
• Train #6576 Departs Suburban Station 5:17 p.m.
• Train #6598 Departs Suburban Station 5:34 p.m.

 More information here: http://septa.org/service/quietride.html

Due to PennDOT bridge construction work, the R6 will be bussing between Elm Street, Norristown and Conshohocken/Miquon on January 10th and 11th.  Inbound trains will pick up at Conshohocken, while the outbound trains will drop off at Miquon Station.  Please visit the following link for the schedule for that weekend.

Schedule: http://www.septa.org/travel_advisory/R6_NOR_shuttleBus_2009-01a.pdf

The ACES service between Atlantic City, NJ, and New York via Newark Penn Station will start on Friday, February 6th.  This weekend only train will operate several trips a day, using two 4-car trains of multi-level equipment.  First Class accommodations are available on the first floor, with coach on the lower level.  Additionally, kiosks that sell food and beverage will be available as well.

Tickets are $50 dollars for coach and $75 dollars for First Class.  These are One-Way tickets, and will start being sold on January 15th, 2009.  Once in Atlantic City, shuttle buses will take riders to the boardwalk and casinos.

For more information about the ACES train (including the schedule), please visit the website at http://www.acestrain.com/.

According to ED77KATR in the forums, the union has decided to take a 1 year extension on the contract.  This will eliminate the threat of a strike for 2005.  Hopefully, the economic situation will be better in 2010 and reasonable negotiations can start then.