News

SEPTA Schedules for City, Red Arrow, and Frontier routes change on February 10th (CTD and Frontier), February 11th (RAD and routes that don't operate on Sundays), and February 16th (route 91).  Schedules are being posted here.  Among the changes are more frequent MFSE service (4 minutes til 9-9:30, and every 6 minutes during the midday) and a route extension to the Route G.

Sometime between 10:50 (when I crossed 31st and Market) and 11:30 (when I returned to the Drexel Campus from a brief visit to 30th Street), Lucy bus 4513 on the Green Loop (I didn't get a look at the block) hit a pedestrian at 32nd (West) and Market Streets. This intersection is in the heart of the Drexel Campus. From what I heard from bystanders, a short female was hit by 4513. 4513 suffered a shattered passenger side windshield. The bus was shut off when I got there. After a few minutes a mechanic started it up and then drove it away following a supervisor. Both SEPTA and Philly police were on the scene along with some Drexel Public Safety officers. Market Street was closed from Lancaster Avenue (the Firestone building) to 33rd Street. There was no news media on the scene.  As more information becomes available it will be posted in the forums and here as well.

 EDIT: No further information is known at this time (22:05 02/06/2008).  There was a person who appeared to have been a member of the Triangle, Drexel's student run newspaper.  I will keep an eye out for the next Triangle to see if this made it in there.  I have a couple pictures below.

 

Parktowne Place Apartments has now acquired a new bus for their shuttle service to Center City.  This is a recently retired 1993 ex-CT Transit D40HF.  This bus runs in addition to the ex-WMATA 1990 Flxible Metro B that was obtained several months ago.

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