THE GORY DETAILS Now that I've had the chance to settle down and review the press releases and news articles on SEPTA's Financial Fiasco, here is a listing of some - not not all - of the proposed cuts to SEPTA service (ed. note: A revised listing of service cuts was posted on April 10 - please refer to that listing for the most recent proposed cuts).

The press is already starting to take notice, with some outlets citing elected officials who question SEPTA's tactics when dealing with Harrisburg. That was the tone of Philadelphia City Councilman Michael Nutter's comments to Jere Downs in today's Inquirer article. State Rep. Richard Giest (R-Blair), the chairman of the House Transportation Committee told Chris Brennan in today's Daily News that SEPTA was "rattling the sabre."

SHOOTING AT 30 STREET (Updated 3 April 03) A shooting occured on the outbound subway-surface platform at 30 St last night. NBC 10 initially reported that a 25-year-old woman was arrested by police after she allegedly shot a 51-year-old man in the left leg on the platform, sometime during the PM peak. NBC 10's report came out on Tuesday afternoon. The Daily News gave a more accurate accounting of the incident. At around 3:30pm, as a Darby bound 11 pulled into 30 St, an arguement between the 51 year old male and a women (described by the Daily News as in her 20's) broke out as people were boarding the trolley. Witnesses say that the man allegedly flashed a knife, while the female yelled out that he had the knife. At that point, a shot was fired, from an unknown person. Police had 6 people in custody, however they were not charged. Neither was the woman involved in the incident as was erroneously reported by NBC 10. The Daily News indicated that police were still not able to find the weapon or identify a suspect in the case. (And you wonder why the SEPTA Transit Police union was raising hell over Fearless Leader's elimination of overtime during Condition Orange? It's not the terrorists carrying weapons of mass destruction I'd be worried about, it's the criminals carrying guns that I'd be worried about.)

CLEAN STATIONS? WHAT'S THAT MEAN? On a semi related note, several commuters have complained to SEPTA about - get this - rotting oranges at the 19 Street subway-surface station. The Daily News noted that the oranges had been at the station for several weeks according to passengers. It also noted some less than sanitary conditions at the 15 St and 30 St subway-surface stations. Gee, did it ever occur to SEPTA to actually clean these stations at night when fewer trolleys are operating or in some cases running over the top?

MORE FROM SOUTHAMPTON According to Montgomery Newspapers/Willow Grove Guide, the Upper Southampton Township supervisors re-affirmed a 1991 resolution calling on SEPTA to restore rail service between Fox Chase and Newtown. Township officials recently killed a rail to trails plan after SEPTA reportedly rejected the idea. Take that for what you will...

ALSO PLOWED UNDER Apparently, Philadelphia City Council wasn't the only group less than thrilled with the poor access to bus stops and other rail lines following the recent blizzard. According to the Delaware County Daily Times, poor snow removal in Ridley Park made things very difficult for commuters trying to reach the Ridley Park rail station (R2 Marcus Hook). Joan Wagner of Purcell Street told the Ridley Park Borough Council recently about the lack of clear paths to and from the train station from the parking lots and other off-street parking areas near the station. Ms. Wagner also recounted the poor access to parking meters near the station. "We kind of held on to each other," she said. "We are paying $1.00 a day to park at those meters and we had to climb through snow to get to the meters." The article (not online) didn't note whether the paths in question were borough property or on SEPTA property. After seeing first hand the poor job SEPTA had done during this past winter in keeping the Paoli station lot cleared, this is hardly surprising.

NEW GRETNA CONTROVERSY The Press of Atlantic City reports a controversy between NJ Transit and officials in the New Gretna section of Bass River Township, Ocean County. Several months ago, NJT re-routed the 559 bus off of US 9 onto the Garden State Parkway due to construction of the Bass River Bridge. With the detour, New Gretna has been cut off from the rest of the state, at least from a transit perspective. The 559 bus was re-routed due to the heavier weight of the new MCI D4000 cruisers. This detour is despite the fact that school buses, semis, and other similarly sized vehicles are crossing the Bass River Bridge, but not NJT buses. The detour is expected to be in effect for at least two years.