Friday, May 31, 2002

ARCHIVES - 05/31/02

The 10, 11, 13, 34, and 36 saw reduced service with the May 26 timetable change. At least 3 peak hour cars were taken off each of the lines with the new schedule taking effect. I don't know if this is a standard seasonal service reduction or a case of SEPTA seeing if anyone would notice longer wait times along Lancaster, Woodland, Baltimore, Chester, and Elmwood.

A new 203 timetable was also issued on May 26. This summer, there will be no Sunday service from Woodbourne Station...

The Mann Music Center shuttle bus will be back starting with tonight's performance and continue throughout the summer. The fare will remain $3.00 each way.

Thursday, May 30, 2002

ARCHIVES - 5/30/02

Buses along West Chester Pike were badly delayed due to a PennDOT crew on West Chester Pike at Manoa Rd in Havertown. The 5:32pm express arrived in West Chester about 12 minutes late - because of not only the heavy traffic through Havertown, but also because the bus used for that trip - 3155 - was painfully slow...

As a follow up to the status of the older Neos, the 8600s, 8700s, and 8800s should be retired by the middle of this summer. There is also talk that SEPTA may operate few non-accessible Neos on Sundays once the 5500s are all in service, which may also occur this summer...

Red Arrow schedules will change on June 10. The fall schedules will be put into effect on August 19 - about 3 weeks earlier than usual - to accomodate the new extensions on the 104, the changes to the 110 and 111, and introduction of the 122...

The MCI Demo bus will be returning to SEPTA property on June 10, a few days later than originally scheduled. The demo is now at the Beaver County Transit Authority north of Pittsburgh, and will return to the dealer in Blackwood, N.J. before making a return appearance at SEPTA...

Wednesday, May 29, 2002

ARCHIVES - 5/29/02

Space is indeed at a premium at Comly Depot. Right before the PM peak started, a few Neos were parked outside the depot property on Penn St, with 5081 parked on Bustleton. Once the remaining Neoplan CDs are taken off the road after the 5541-5585 Flyers arrive, all buses will probably be stored inside the depot's grounds. A couple of ex-Red Arrow buses - 8705 and 8710 - are still being used for school trippers, though 8705 appeared to be struggling to get up to speed after leaving the depot and heading north on Bustleton. As of this afternoon, 5541-5546 were being used in revenue service, mainly on the Roosevelt Blvd and Bustleton Av corridors (14/20 and 58), though 5546 did sneak in a run or two on the 24...

It appears that all of the remaining 8800s at Frankford have either been retired or sent to other depots, though given their age, they're most likely awaiting their fate at the Midvale scrap yard. The few 8600s should be retired by this summer. The 5500s at Frankford are mainly being used on the 8, 26, K, and R, at least from what I saw...

Buses appeared on the 66 today, apparently due to some wire problems along Frankford Avenue. Mainly 3100s were used for the bustitution today from personal observations during the mid-day hours...

With the temporary detour in effect on the 77 along Township Line Rd, a new timetable was issued for the 77, dated March 3. Additionally, there is new limited stop service along Cottman between Roosevelt Blvd and Central Av, presumably to avoid conflicts with the 70 local service in that corridor. The 77 will only stop on Cottman at Central Av (connections with 70 South, 24 North), Rising Sun/Oxford (18, 24 South, 67 North), Whitaker (19, 67 South), Castor (59), Bustleton (58) and Roosevelt Blvd (1, 14, 20)...

New timetables have been issued for the 11, 13, 34, and 36. I have yet to confirm if there's a new timetable for the 10, but I would imagine that there is. The 36 timetable reflects the shuttle bus operation between the Woodland Car Shops and Eastwick Loop...

The 92, 104, 119, and 314 will be detoured tomorrow night between 5:00pm and around 10:00pm because of the first of four Thursday night street fests in West Chester. Gay St will be closed between Matlack and High Sts during this time. On Sunday, Gay St in West Chester will be closed between Matlack and New Sts for the borough's annual Super Sunday festival.

Tuesday, May 28, 2002

ARCHIVES - 05/28/02

Red Arrow 3118 was involved in a minor accident this morning while in service on the 109 (404 block). Apparently, a truck hit the bus as 3118 was turning off of Long Lane onto Marshall Rd. It didn't appear that any people were hurt, there were about 4 Upper Darby police officers at the scene. Passengers were transferred onto the 11:00am 109 to Chester...

The damage to 3118 must have been minor since it was spotted later in the day deadheading back to the garage on West Chester Pike in Havertown at around 4:25pm...

The SEPTA/KYW Free Ride Tuesday promotion began today as 5385 was used as the Free Ride bus on the 21/42. It appears that the bus will remain at Callowhill for the first 5 weeks of the promotion before moving on to the next depot. According to reliable (and confidential) sources, next week's Free Ride Tuesday line will be the 30, with the promotion also scheduled to take place on the 31, 44/121, and G buses over the next few weeks...

Over the weekend, the 5500s began seeing service on Comly routes. 5542 was seen on the 14/20 on Sunday. This most likely means the end of the road for the remaining 8700s and 8800s at Comly.

Friday, May 24, 2002

ARCHIVES - 05/24/02

This summer's Subway-Surface shuttle involves the 36 trolley, to allow for rail renewal along Elmwood Av. Starting this Sunday, the 36 will operate with shuttle buses between 49 St/Woodland and the Eastwick Loop. Weekdays after 9:00pm, shuttles will be extended to the 40 St El Station, as the tunnel will remain closed during overnight hours as part of an ongoing project...

A lot of detours around the City of Philadelphia will be in effect over the course of the holiday weekend, particularly in the outlying neighborhoods such as Frankford, Tioga, South Philadelphia, Bridesburg, Manayunk, and Warminster Twp. The SEPTA web site will have more details on the individual route diversions...

Training on the 104 extension to West Chester University has begun in earnest. 5010 - probably a loaner from Callowhill - was seen operating over the new routing in West Chester via High, Sharpless, Church, and Rosedale...

Regional Rail schedules changes take effect on Sunday. SEPTA made a printing mistake on the R2 Marcus Hook/Wilmington/Newark timetables, omitting two midday trains to Marcus Hook and Wilmington from the schedule...

SEPTA and KYW NewsRadio 1060 are sponsoring a special transit promotion starting this Tuesday. For the next year, SEPTA will operate a special bus throughout the system which will feature a blue KYW NewsRadio full wrap. Judging by some of the pictures seen on KYW 3 last night, it looks as though the bus involved is either 5005 or 5385, but we'll find out soon enough...

On Wednesday, SEPTA will operate a special shuttle bus from North Philadelphia neighborhoods to the Hampton Inn at 13 St/Race St for the City of Philadelphia's Latino Job Fair.
The shuttle will begin at Rising Sun & Robbins, operating to Center City via Rising Sun, Wyoming, 5 St, Rising Sun, 5 St, Allegheny, 2 St, Lehigh Av, 17 St, Dauphin St, 2 St, Girard Av, 12 St, Arch and 13 St to Race St.
The return routing will operate via 13 St, Girard, Front, Lehigh, Broad St, Rising Sun, 5 St, Wyoming, and Rising Sun. The shuttle will stop at Compu Base (Rising Sun and Levick), Aspira (5 St/Bristol St), Congresso (American/Lehigh), Dept of Public Welfare (Broad/Lehigh), and Norris Square Family Center (5 St/Susquehanna).
SEPTA will operate this shuttle hourly starting from Compu Base at 8:00am, with return service starting at 10:05am.

Thursday, May 23, 2002

ARCHIVES - 5/23/02

The delivery of the 5500 series of New Flyers are now more than halfway completed. Numbers as high as 5552 were among 7 D40LFs awaiting radios and other markings at Wyoming...

Just a reminder that El service will operate normally between 69 St and Frankford this weekend.

Sunday, May 19, 2002

ARCHIVES - 5/19/02

Route 123 buses are arriving at King of Prussia late due to a detour via Gulph Rd which was supposed to bypass any delays at the I-76/US 202 interchange. However, Gulph Rd has experienced its own set of congestion problems stretching from DeKalb Pike to the NS railroad underpass. Gulph Rd delays are also affecting 125 trips as well...

El Shuttles are in effect this weekend, with buses operating via Chestnut and Walnut instead of Market between 46 and 63 Sts. El service will operate as usual next weekend, with bus bridges returning the following weekend and for the entire month of June on weekends...

5503 and 5530 - normally assigned to Frankford - are being used as training buses at Comly. This indicates that Comly will recieve their buses within the next 2-3 weeks...

Red Arrow drivers are up in arms over a proposal to restructure runs operating out of the Victory Division. According to one reliable source, runs would last anywhere from a minimum of 10.5 to no more than 12 hours. This is reportedly to alleviate an operators shortage at Red Arrow.

Monday, May 13, 2002

ARCHIVES - 5/13/02

A two car accident with injuries near 69 St Terminal caused massive delays on all arriving and departing West Chester Pike buses during the start of the PM rush hour today. Upper Darby Police closed West Chester Pike eastbound between Brief Av and Garrett Rd, forcing 103, 104, 110, 111, 112, 120, and 123 buses to detour via Brief Av, Terminal Square, and Garrett Rd to reach 69 St Terminal. One of the drivers was seriously injured enough to require the Jaws of Life to be used. Garrettford/Drexel Hill, Upper Darby, and Highland Park fire companies responded to the accident scene, which was cleared at approximately 4:55pm. Several West Chester Pike buses departed about 10-15 minutes late as a result of the congestion...

The loop at 69 St's West Terminal has been the site of a couple of accidents over the past couple of days. Yesterday, a NABI rear-ended 5409 as it was rounding the loop. It is believed that the NABI was on either the 104 or 110, while 5409 was on the 109. This morning, an operator drove her bus into the LRV revenue collection berth on the north side of West Terminal (near the exit to the LRV boarding area)...

In addition to a bus shortage, a report out of Red Arrow says that there is also a manpower shortage at the depot. As a result, SEPTA has decided to institute 10.5 to 12 hour runs starting with the June picking...

The Annual Service Plan proposals will be acted upon by the SEPTA Board at the June meeting, which means that most of the route changes will take effect as early as September. The 104 extension, however, will take effect in July, in order to have service in place for the start of the fall semester at West Chester University...

SEPTA seems to need a lesson in how to properly meet demand on the 124/125. Between 6:30pm and 7:05pm, there were at least 5 Center City bound 124/125 buses, but only 3 King of Prussia bound 125 buses and 1 Chesterbrook bound 124. Of the 3 outbound 125 buses, one was apparently a short turn which started at Gulph Mills. During that 35 minute time frame, the lone 124 bus arrived at around 7:05pm. There's no reason why that short turn 125 couldn't have operated as a 124.

Sunday, May 12, 2002

ARCHIVES - 5/12/02

Late trips on the 92 have reached epidemic levels. The 4:25pm trip to Exton (19 block) left well over a half hour late. As the 4:50pm trip to West Chester (22 block) turned off of Marshall onto High St at 5:15pm, 19 block was turning off of High onto Marhsall. You know, a supervisor stationed at Parkway Shopping Center once in a while might not be a bad idea...

Route 92 service yesterday may have been running a few minutes late due to heavy congestion on S High St related to the West Chester University commencement ceremonies. Pull-outs to Parkway Shopping Center operated via Paoli Pike, Gay St, and High St instead of via US 202/322 to the end of the bypass...

Red Arrow 5409 is out of service for a while after being involved in an accident recently. There is some damage to the rear of the bus on the street side. In other Red Arrow news, some of the 3000s and 3100s at Frankford are being sent to Red Arrow. I would imagine that some would also be sent to Midvale to retire the rest of the 8600s still in service...

Friday's accident on the Blue Route caused major headaches for the 123 - which normally uses the Blue Route between I-76 and West Chester Pike - and most of the West Chester Pike corridor routes. Route 105 service along Lancaster Av in Radnor Twp also was delayed since traffic was detoured off 476 South at Lancaster Av.

Sunday, May 05, 2002

ARCHIVES - 5/5/02

Most of the speakers at Thursday's ASP hearing in West Chester came out in support of the 104 extension. SEPTA didn't make any mention of the reduction of service to West Chester on weekends during its testimony. That's not to say it isn't occuring, but rather it's a testament to SEPTA's keeping the public in the dark...

El trains will operate normally next week between Frankford and 69 St Terminal.