PEOPLE ARE IDIOTS

And now, living proof that idiots come in all shapes and sizes when dealing with SEPTA. And it's not just Don Pasquale, Fearless Leader, and the Rotating Resumes at 1234 Market. Sometimes its the riders and operators who get under my skin too.

Today, on the 8:05am 104 from West Chester (5298/4215 block), we left New and Market on-time (8:12am). For some odd reason, this particular operator seemed to think that 40 mph on West Chester Pike was just a little too fast for his tastes, especially on that stretch between PA 352 and the SAP headquarters building in Newtown Square, where some drivers have been known to gun it. Somehow, we managed to lose about 4 minutes in running time because of this slow poke.

The day gets better, folks...

After taking a quick peek at Wyoming, where all I saw were a handful of NABIs and 5500-series New Flyers (and 3066, whose street-side appearance looked like crap), I had time to head up to Fox Chase, where I was hoping to find one of those 5700s that are starting to enter service working an 18 trip. No luck there, so I decide to go end to end on the 1:49pm R8 between Fox Chase and Chestnut Hill West (#2831). The trip from Fox Chase is going fairly smoothly until we get word that upon arriving at Market East, there are going to be people who were waiting for the R3 to Elwyn. For reasons unknown at this time (and considering I know a couple of people on Regional Rail who are based at Media Yard, I should be able to find out), the #8017 was originating at 5 track at Suburban instead of at Market East. My gut feeling is equipment problems, but nothing is confirmed yet.

So, after a brief look outside of the Germantown shops, where I can confirm that a second Champion cutaway and at least two 5700s are on the property, I worked my way back to Germantown at Chelten to catch the 65 back to 69 St. And that trip (4:20pm departed 5 minutes late, 5463/9603 block) was going fine until we got onto City Av. The operator had asked a passenger to mute her phone, because it was a distraction. The passenger refused to do so, and kept on playing whatever game it was she was playing on her cell phone. The driver then pulled over at City and Belmont to wait for a white-shirt to arrive. As irritating as that little "protest" was, I don't blame the operator for pulling over, since he felt it was a safety hazard; so much so that he missed at least 2-3 stops because of that distraction.

About 15 minutes later, the next 65 (7147/5203 block) arrived and everyone, including the idiot who caused the delay in the first place, boarded. Thankfully, she got off at 54 St, because there probably would've been a lot of pissed off people when we got to the end of the line (including yours truly - and yes, I let her have it as she left the bus at 54 St). As a result of this idiot's act of "civil disobedience", I missed the 5:05pm 104 (4218 block) back to West Chester and had to wait for the 6:05pm 104 (4219 block).

Yes, the same 4219 block which is operated by one of my least favorite operators out of Red Arrow, who I think could be described as "dumb."

For starters, he arrived into 69 St about 5 minutes late (which for him, would be early). If that wasn't bad enough, he pulled into the inner platform at West Terminal instead of the outer platform, which is where buses are supposed to board until 7:00pm. We then pull out 3 minutes late and somehow manage to lose two minutes en route. (Fortunately, we didn't take the scenic route through Edgmont Square - which isn't supposed to start until after 7:00pm - which he had been known to do when not scheduled to do so, thus costing us more time.)

And, to top it all off, I just found out that my March Madness office pool is shot to hell thanks (or, rather, no thanks) to the University of Alabama-Birmingham having the audacity to knock off Kentucky and Alabama knocking off Stamford (fortunately, UConn - my pick to win it all - is still in the mix; and yes, I did pick Xavier over BOTH Louisville and Mississippi State, Manhattan over Florida, and Nevada over Michigan State).

But other than that, it was a pretty good day. I did get to ride buses from all depots except Southern and Frontier (including 3224 on the 10 bus bridge - 8053 block - with an Elmwood operator). And I was able to (from a distance) sneak a glimpse of one the new Champions (which I think was 2071).

SILVERLINER V CANCELLED

So much for airing SEPTA's dirty laundry...

On Friday, SEPTA reached a settlement with Kawasaki Rail Car in a lawsuit filed over the controversial awarding of the Silverliner V contract. Even the way word of this settlement was disseminated is raising eyebrows at 1234 Market.

The Inquirer reported this weekend that SEPTA reached a settlement, but the real reason depends on which story you believe.

Officially, SEPTA is claiming the ongoing fiscal crisis was responsible for the settlement and cancelling of the bid:

"It is well known that SEPTA is already in a severe budget crisis, and a
protracted legal challenge would cost precious money and time. It is my hope
and expectation that this rail car purchase can be quickly re-bid and we can
move forward with the acquisition of new rail cars for our customers," said
SEPTA Board Chairman, Pasquale T. Deon, Sr. Press release

Right. And it's getting pretty cold in hell, too.

"In order to enhance competition, preserve the integrity of the
procurement process, and to ensure that SEPTA's interests are protected in
this important rail car purchase, I am rejecting the current proposals. The
re-bid should encourage more competition which, in the end, will benefit the
taxpayers..." Fearless Leader, as quoted in the same press release

Another theory was that there were a long list of people at 1234 Market who weren't exactly thrilled having to appear in court to (gasp) tell the truth.

Kawasaki attorney Richard A. Sprague suggested the prospect that SEPTA officials, employees and others would be questioned prompted the agency to end the litigation.

"There are a lot of people who didn't want to be deposed," Sprague said. A SEPTA lawyer called Sprague's comment unfair.

...

SEPTA attorney Mark Gottlieb said the agency had "agreed on the deposition schedule long before this decision was made" and called Sprague's contention that the agency was avoiding the depositions an "unwarranted inference."

Another Kawasaki attorney, William H. Lamb, said that for SEPTA to end the litigation at such an early stage was "very unusual, highly unusual." Inquirer

I have a strong suspicion that Don Pasquale, Fearless Leader, and a lot of high ranking Rotating Resumes - including AGM of Operations/Excuses Patrick Nowakowski, Treasurer Joseph Casey, and almost everyone involved in the entire procurement process - were going to be on that list. Of course, with the settlement, we may never know.

Had Kawasaki's lawsuit continued, Sprague was scheduled to depose 23 people. He would not disclose that list, but Kawasaki said it included Deon and [State GOP Boss Alan Paul] Novak, as well as key SEPTA engineers and professionals. Kawasaki has alleged that at least one key technical official knew nothing of the specification change until after it had occurred. Inquirer

Somehow, I don't think Don Pasquale was looking forward to being dragged through a deposition by one of the city's most powerful attorneys.

United Transit said in a written statement that, like Kawasaki, it would again bid for the work and said it "remains confident that it will be awarded the contract because it manufactures superior products at a better price." Inquirer

United Transit had a different take in a Daily News article on the same story:

UTS was also wearing a happy face. In a statement, the Korean company said that it was pleased that Kawasaki "failed in its attempt to manipulate the courts and intimidate public officials" and that it "remains confident" that it will still win the contract. Daily News

Okay, you call it "intimadation," Kawasaki (and, for that matter, most of the riding public) calls it "holding SEPTA accountable.

Naturally, the most vocal critics of SEPTA's (so-called) railroad operations, DVARP, had their say on these developments:

Don Nigro, president of the Delaware Valley Association of Rail Passengers, said: "Kawasaki had a great case. SEPTA had a losing battle ahead of them.

"Quite frankly, Kawasaki is very experienced with U.S. standards. [United Transit's] experience meeting Federal Railroad Administration requirements for these type of vehicles is zero." Inquirer

DVARP's long-standing complaints regarding the entire process wasn't neccesarily related to the contract itself, but more towards how the specifications were determined and a general lack of ammenities found on other railroads (such as restrooms, which is a common feature on virtually every other railroad in the nation).

Adding to the intrigue is the way some SEPTA Board members found out about the settlement:

Board members learning of the settlement from reporters barraged Moore with angry calls, according to sources at the agency.

"It's a little embarrassing to have a reporter call me and tell me this," Michael O'Donoughue, one of 15 board members, said yesterday. "I don't know about democracy. It is a little strange." Inquirer

With the way that Don Pasquale has been running SEPTA Board meetings - for that matter, the way he has been micro-managing SEPTA as Chester County Board member Karen Martynick alleged last year - it's not really that strange.

(On a related note, a planned "Letter of Understanding" between Bucks County and SEPTA relating to propsed route changes to four Frontier routes in Lower Bucks is signed on behalf of SEPTA not by Fearless Leader, but by Don Pasquale. Sounds like micro-managing to me, as one would suspect the General Manager would be the responsible signatory for such a document. And, yes, I plan to add details on the proposed route changes later this week; I just haven't had the time to do it yet.)

So, now, it's back to the drawing board for SEPTA, as new bids will be accepted. This means at least the Silverliner II and III cars which would be replaced as part of this procurement will be in service just a little bit longer.

CONTRACT FALLOUT

The Delaware County Daily Times ran an editorial regarding SEPTA's contract agreement with TWU Local 234. It's probably nothing you haven't heard before (fare hikes are bad, SEPTA dodged a bullet, etc.). On a related note, UTU Local 1594, which represents operators in Red Arrow, will hold a mass membership meeting on Sunday in Upper Darby, which will include an update on negotiations and a potential strike authorization vote. Frontier's contracts are set to expire April 6. (I had initially missed this one; I guess I was too busy laughing at Gil Spencer's Friday column.)

Also on Friday, the Inquirer ran a story on TWU 234 president Jean Alexander, who was honored by the Pennsylvania chapter of the AFL-CIO at their annual convention at the Wyndham Philadelphia at Franklin Plaza, which coincidentially, was the same hotel where negotiations took place.

PATCO SERVICE IMPROVEMENT

KYW NewsRadio 1060 reported this morning that PATCO is planning to add weekend and holiday service at the City Hall station starting next month. This is apparently in response to the opening of the River Line and requests from students and staff at Rutgers-Camden (the item, unfortunately, is not posted online). Opening City Hall station on weekends will improve access to the Rutgers campus and to Campbell's Field for travelers coming from the Jersey end of the PATCO line. An offical release from PATCO should be expected within a matter of days.

HUNGRY? TRY THE RIVER LINE

In addition to the Silverliner V story in the Regional news section, and the Phlash story in the Business section, there's one more transit-related story in today's Inquirer ... in the Food section of all places.

Freelance writer George Ingram profiles several interesting restaurants along the River Line corridor between Trenton and Palmyra. He also notes that there are no "first-rate" dining spots in Camden proper (unless you count the Dunkin Donuts near the Walter Rand Transportation Center, in which some vagrant opens the front door for you apparently qualifies as "high quality service" among Camden City dining establishments, but that's another story).

Somehow, I doubt that Mr. Ingram will ever do a similar profile about dining spots along major regional rail lines, even though that sounds like a pretty interesting series for someone to work on (though probably not me, since I don't have that much time on my hands).

PHLASH RETURNS, BUT WHY?

The Inquirer also reports today that the Phlash service managed by the City of Philadelphia and formerly operated by SEPTA employees out of Germantown will return starting next month. The Phlash, which fell victim to budget cuts by Emperor Street (D-Philadelphia/various wiretaps) last year will return thanks to outside funding from PennDOT and the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. The service will now be operated by Philadelphia Trolley Works, after a competitive bid process involving the Center City District and other entities. The plans are to use replica trolley buses painted purple to operate over a similar routing to the previous Phlash service, however the new loop will neither serve the South Street nor the Philadelphia Zoo (not to be confused with Philadelphia City Council, which can, at times, turn into a zoo).

MORE RAIL-CAR TALK

Today's Inquirer ran a profile piece on United Transit Systems, which is/was to be awarded the Silverliner V contract before Kawasaki obtained an injunction from a Philadelphia Common Pleas Court judge. Very little is mentioned about the ongoing suit, however, there is some references to the problem-plagued N-5 and M-4 rail car orders from 10-15 years ago. It also points out that Kawasaki hasn't exactly been as reliable with some of its orders, particularly the MARC and Long Island double-deck cars.

UPCOMING BOARD ACTIONS

Most of the items to be voted on by the SEPTA Board at next week's "rubber stamp" session are routine items for parts replacement relating to the VOH project, and other routine matters. However, there are a few highlights of interest to point out:

• Three lease agreements will be voted on relating to the new Frankford Terminal retail area. Dunkin Donuts, An Original Soft Pretzel Factory, and the Charles J. Brimmer, Inc. flower and gift shop will become the first three tenants at the new terminal building.
  
• For the third time since last year, SEPTA will attempt to award a contract for bike racks on the Neoplan artic, NABI, and 5400-series New Flyer bus fleet. The most recent contract was awarded to a Bucks County firm, however it is believed that they went out of business. As such, the contract is expected to go to SportWorks Northwest, the Seattle-area based supplier which built the racks for the ElDorado and 5500/5600-series New Flyers.
  
• SEPTA is expected to acquire 1.3 acres of land adjacent to the Trevose Rail Station (R3 West Trenton) in Bensalem Twp for the addition of 112 additional parking spaces, thus more than doubling the number of available spaces at that station (95). The present parking lot at Trevose is presently at full capacity during peak hours.
  
• SEPTA is planning to replace carpeting on five floors of 1234 Market at a cost of $361,681. They couldn't have timed that any better, now could they?

GOODBYE, VET!

After 33 years of service to the people of Philadelphia, Veterans Stadium will be imploded in a matter of seconds on Sunday. As a result, SEPTA is forced to divert several bus routes around the Sports Complex area in South Philadelphia starting at 5:00am and until Philadelphia Police give notifications:

• The Broad Street Line will be cut back to Snyder, with a bus-bridge in effect between Snyder, Oregon, and Pattison stations. Buses, however, will not be able to access Pattison station, so they are forced to layover on Broad north of "Martelli" Avenue (the correct name of this street will not be used until St. Joe's is out of the NCAA's (or until further notice) in protest of that idiot from CBS calling out Hawks coach Phil Martelli last Sunday).
  
• Route C will also be cut back to Broad and "Martelli", but will layover at Broad and Pollock.
  
• Route G will operate its regular southbound routing to 3 St/Pattison Av (even though it's in the "restricted zone", then operate via 3 St instead of 7 St to "Martelli" Avenue, then resume normal routing via Oregon.
  
• Route 17 Navy Yard service will operate as follows from 20 St/Pattison Av, then via Pattison, Penrose, and 26 St to the rear gate of the Navy Yard.
  
• Route 23 service will not operate any trips to 10 St/Bigler St; all service will "pullout only via Southern Depot, then via 20 St, "Martelli", and Broad St, then layover at Broad and Oregon. Whether this affects the rest of the line remains to be seen.
  
• Route 68 will reportedly not be affected, however since it loops around via Broad, "Martelli", and 10 St, it's possible that the layover loop will be adjusted accordingly; no passengers are picked up or dropped off on this segment of the line.

FARE HIKE TALK

There's an increasing possibility that SEPTA will initiate a fare increase later this year, although SEPTA is not officially saying one way or the other. The Inquirer reported yesterday that a 22-percent fare hike in the base fare from the current $2.00 to $2.45 would allegedly close the $70 million budget gap SEPTA is currently facing. And now, SEPTA Treasurer Joe Casey offered the understatement of the year:

"You would lose riders on that," [Casey] said. Inquirer

Duh.

It didn't take long for SEPTA's Minister of Mis-Information to backtrack from yesterday's report:

"I can’t comment whether there will be a fare increase in the next budget -- not at this time," said Richard Maloney, SEPTA director of media relations.

"We are facing, and stated publicly for some time now, that we’re facing a $70 million deficit in our operating budget for fiscal year 2005," Maloney said, "and we will have to go public with our plans on that budget some time during April."

"What SEPTA needs at this moment is a long-term predictable funding formula for public transportation here at SEPTA and statewide," Maloney said. Delaware County Daily Times

There are probably some who think SEPTA needs a change in management (and if I were king of the world, Maloney would be the second to go, following, of course, Fearless Leader), but that's another rant for another time.

In any case, watch out for a lot of rhetoric from advocacy groups for the disadvantaged, up to and including illegal disruptions of service as the weeks and months progress.

Although, if SEPTA proposes a slew of service cuts as they did last year, the fare increase may end up on the back-burner. Which could be what SEPTA is hoping for...

"We are still crunching the numbers... . The public at large wants the service," Casey said. "We received very little response [last year] from people that did not want a fare increase." Inquirer

Of course there was very little response about a fare hike last year. Everyone from Chestnut Hill to Aston to the Bristols was worried about losing bus and rail services to even worry about a fare hike. Perhaps the labor negotiations will bring a fare hike into the foreground this time around.

FLEET UPDATE

According to sources at the Germantown shops, the 5700-series New Flyers are beginning to arrive there, presumably to train mechanics on the new ZF transmission that will become part of the next three series of New Flyers arriving on SEPTA property. To follow up an earlier post, here's what will probably happen:

• Midvale will get the first batch of 40 new buses (5713-5752), as they presently have 42* of the oldest remaining Neoplan DK buses in service. The DKs are mainly used on the 23, 56, and 57, though a few have reportedly snuck in on other wheelchair accessible lines. It appears that the Flyers will be a one-for-one replacement for the DKs at Midvale.
  
• Frankford will reportedly be next on the list (5753-5792), as there are 11 DKs and 23 EBs assigned there as well, along with a few EBs; these buses are mainly used on the trackless lines, which will still reportedly be restored next month, thus potentially freeing up more Neos for reassignment.
  
• Southern, which has the bulk of the EBs still in service (35), will get 15 diesel low floors (5793-5807) in addition to the 20 hybrids (5831H-5850H) due on the property this summer. Again, this is a one-for-one replacement once they hyrbids arrive, so some EBs will probably be held there until the summer.
  
• The remaining DKs (5) and a few EBs (25) are presently assigned to Callowhill (which will get 5808-5820 after Southern gets their buses) for weekday use on the 15, 46, and selected school trippers. There's a possibility that some older Neos will remain at Callowhill until the arrival of the PCC-II cars for the 15/Girard line LRV conversion project, which may not take place until later this year or earlier next year. At last report, there are presently 4 PCC-II cars in storage at Elmwood.
  
• Red Arrow will get the last 10 new buses (5821-5830). More than likely, they will force the moving of some Neoplans out of Red Arrow, much to the relief of riders on the 104, 113, and other lines deemed to be low-priority by management. Red Arrow has no DKs or EBs (the remaining ones were moved last year to city garages), so the most likely candidate for transfer will be the 10 city-spec EIs (3255, 3260-3265, and 3291-3293).
  
• Comly will not be getting any 5700s, however, they still have DK 3073 and 26 EBs, which are mainly held for school trippers. It's probable that some surplus Neo EIs will be moved from Frankford to Comly for the same purpose (once trackless service is restored), as there appear to be enough NABIs and 5500-series New Flyers to hold down regular service.
  
• Frontier will also not get any 5700s, as they are in the process of recieving 18 Champion cutaways (2070-2087) to replace the 14 remaining Fords still in service. (On a side note, I've noticed nothing but ElDorados working the 92/133 over the past few days, however, 6021 block has occasionally seen a Ford working the line - as I speak, 2034 passed by, running very late getting into West Chester.) There may be a few ElDorados (or even a couple of NABIs) being moved from Frontier; if that were to happen, they may end up back at Red Arrow.

Everything, of course, is subject to changes, as is always the case with SEPTA. However, it appears that in the end run, there won't be as many bus transfers as in years past.

* Numbers current as of March 15, and are subject to change upon confirmation of buses being pulled from service.

MORE ROUTE CHANGES IN BUCKS

Two hearings are planned next month to propose routing changes to four of the Frontier routes operating out of southern Bucks County. The changes affect the 127, 128, 129, and 130. Several poor performing route segments on the 127, 128, and 129 will be eliminated, while the 130 will be re-routed to serve a new office park in Bensalem Twp while also offering improved service within the Newtowns. While details are not yet available, this is what is known so far:

• It would appear that the 127 would no longer operate via Bristol Pike and Newbold Rd in Falls Twp, thus eliminating a very convoluted routing between the Levittown-Tullytown Rail Station (R7 Trenton) and the Morrisville/Trenton area.
  
• The segments to be eliminated along the 128 appear to be within downtown Bristol, along the Newportville Rd/Newport Rd corridor in the Croydon district of Bristol Twp, and a portion of the routing in Tullytown Borough.
  
• Duplicative routings in Middletown (Bucks) and Bristol Twp on the 129 would be discontinued, with new service proposed for traffic generators north and east of the Oxford Valley mall.
  
• The 130 would be re-routed to serve the Horizon Corporate Center in Bensalem Twp, and offer improved coverage of the Village of Newtown and Newtown Shopping Center.

The hearings will be held on Tuesday, April 13 (Sheraton Bucks County, 400 Oxford Valley Rd, Middletown (Bucks)) and Thursday, April 15 (Radisson Hotel, US 1/Old Lincoln Hwy in the Trevose district of Bensalem Twp). Both hearings begin at 7:00pm. More details on the proposed route changes will be posted when the become available.

NEW FLYER UPDATE

According to reliable sources, this will be the breakdown of the new 5700-series New Flyers, which should begin arriving at Wyoming by the end of the month, with number of buses and their likely numbers:

Midvale - 40 buses (5713-5752)
Frankford - 40 buses (5753-5792)
Southern - 15 buses (5793-5807)
Callowhill - 13 buses (5808-5820)
Red Arrow - 10 buses (5821-5830)

Later this summer, hybrids 5831H-5850H will be delivered to Southern. The arrival of the 5700s will mark the end of the non-wheelchair accessible Neoplans presently operating out of several city garages.

CHAMPIONS FINALLY ON THE ROAD

The first of 28 new Freightliner/Champion cutaway buses are now on the road. 2070 was reported to be in service out of Frontier Depot this morning (and how much do you want to bet it was working in Lower Bucks?). The first 18 Champions (2070-2087) appear to be heading to Frontier, with the remaining 10 going to contractors, most likely Keystone (314) and Germantown (310/311). This means that the 1997-98 Fords are about to be pulled out of service, and not a minute too soon. There's no word on whether or not a second order will be placed to replace the 1999 Fords (2056-2069) currently in use at Germantown and by Krapf's (204 and 207/WHIRL).

CONTRACT DETAILS ... SORT OF

The Inquirer reported some of the items that came out of the one-year contract in today's editions.

For starters, in lieu of a pay increase (which usually averages 3 to 4 percent), TWU workers would recieve a one-time, $1,000 bonus. Additionally, the status quo remains on health-care issues.

Some union members, though, seemed uncomfortable over the fact that this was a one-year deal instead of the traditional 3-year pact:

"It's like putting a Band-Aid on a gunshot wound," said Darryl Nutter, 43, a shop steward and engineer on the Market-Frankford Line. "Personally, I wouldn't accept [the deal]. I would like to have a three-year contract in our pocket." Inquirer

Meanwhile, the health-care issue remains at the forefront of the contract negotiations:

SEPTA now has a health-care contract with Independence Blue Cross that caps annual price increases at 15 percent. But once that deal expires in August 2005, SEPTA can expect a 30 percent increase in health-care premiums, sources at both SEPTA and Local 234 said.

In its talks with union workers, SEPTA had sought a 16-month labor deal that would last until the end of the Independence Blue Cross agreement.

But Local 234 was wary of any contract that would end in the summer, when ridership is lower and the threat of a strike less potent. So the labor deal was capped at one year. Inquirer

SEPTA once again warned of fare hikes and service cuts when it's FY 2005 budget is announced later this month.

So much for changes, huh?

OTHER ARTICLES RELATING TO THE CONTRACT SETTLEMENT:

Philadelphia Daily News

Delaware County Daily Times

THEY GOT WHAT THEY WANTED

Apparently, there is more pull in the People's Republic of Lower Merion than one suspected. A few weeks ago, the Main Line Times noted that township officials were compaining over the condition of the Wynnewood R-5 bridge over the Paoli Line. Well, according to this week's edition, the Main Line Times reports the following:

Not much more impressive is the achievement of an accord between SEPTA and Amtrak for repairs to the Wynnewood R-5 bridge. Obviously dangerous, the bridge has sat for years while the transit authorities took turns dodging responsibility for the infrastructure they both rely upon. The ongoing manueverings between the two parties weren't quite the Mideast "Peace Process," but they did seem to drag along almost as long and as futilely. SEPTA and Amtrak are two of a kind, though, agencies whose high-handedness is matched only by their inefficiency, two junior Mussolinis who can't make the trains run on time.

Sounds like they've described SEPTA perfectly...

"I HAVE PROTECTED MY MEMBERS."

Those words from TWU Local 234 President Jean Alexander marked the opening remarks at a press conference moments ago announcing an agreement between TWU and SEPTA. KYW NewsRadio 1060's David Madden reports that the tentative agreement, reached shortly before 10:00pm Sunday night after a lengthy negotiation period. The headline (Alexander's quote) makes it appear as though SEPTA workers may not be forced to pay a portion of their insurance premium, though nothing will be confirmed until the contract is ratified. This means that all SEPTA buses and trains will continue to run as scheduled tomorrow morning. Which means the strike plans are pretty much a moot point ... until next year.

RIVER LINE FINALLY IN SERVICE

After years of political hand-wringing and other political embarassments, NJ Transit's controversial River Line connecting Trenton and Camden began accepting passengers this morning. Despite harsh criticism from this web site over many of the decision regarding the planning and construction of the nearly $1 billion system - originally named the "Southern New Jersey Light Rail Transit System" - I took a ride on the River Line this morning. Let's just say that all the delays were worth the wait, as the ride was smooth along the entire corridor. That's not to say that the first official day of revenue service following yesterday's dog-and-pony show by New Jersey politicians, NJ Transit officials, and assorted hacks and hangers-on wasn't without a few snags.

A lot of passengers - mostly the curious and a lot of railfans - boarded at Trenton. The lines for the TVMs at Trenton station were so long just 2 minutes before the train departed that passengers were simply told to board without a ticket so they didn't have to wait 30 minutes for the next train.

The stop announcement system repeats the same announcements (ie. No eating, drinking, or smoking; you must have a validated ticket to ride; please check your personal belongings, etc.) constantly throughout the entire trip, which can be very annoying on any bus or rail line. Additionally, the visual stop display actually read, "Thank you for riding the New Jersey Transit." (We presume this is a lot different from various Ohio State alums referring to their alma mater as "THE Ohio State University," but annoying nonetheless.)

Arriving at Camden, it was observed that several of the TVM's were not accepting dollar bills; among the locations with this problem was the E-Centre stop at the end of the line and the northbound Aquarium stop (the southbound did accept bills). Also, from an initial look, none of the TVMs inside the Trenton Railroad Station appeared to be programmed to sell River Line tickets (in fairness, I didn't really get that good of a look).

There is also no signal prioritization along some of the street-running portions of the line, particularly between Walter Rand Transportation Center and the E-Centre in downtown Camden City, or at least none that I was aware of. That may be several years down the road, but we'll see.

And, last but by no means least, the train arrived at the E-Centre 6 minutes late.

Yet, in spite of these relatively minor complaints, there were quite a few positives from this trip.

For starters, the train really flew along the sections between Cass St/Trenton and Burlington Towne Center, and between Palmyra and 36 St/Camden. Even the street-running portion was fairly manageable, at least speed-wise. The tracks are adjacent to the curbs along S 4 St, Cooper St, and Delaware Av, and it appears the construction of the tracks will make for easier operations when compared to downtown Baltimore City.

Every station is built flush with the interior floor of the rail car, which would presumably make it a lot easier for wheelchair passengers to board the trains. The platforms themselves are a few inches above the rails.

The cars themselves are powered by a Mercedes-Benz engine in a format similar to SEPTA's diesel-electric hybrid buses. The engine - housed in the center portion of the car - provides the electricity which powers the rail cars. This makes for a much quieter ride than many people anticipated.

The interior of the articulated diesel multiple-unit LRVs featured high-back seats save for near the doors of the cars, which were fold-up seats in areas where passengers in wheelchairs would sit. There is a luggage rack, but only in the high-floor portion near the operator's cab.

For the most part, it's highly doubtful that NJT can count on two full rail-cars of passengers on most trips after the initial "novelty" period wears off over the next few weeks. However, NJT is making the best of what had turned into a political hot potato (remember that this system was initiated during the Whitman Administration, and even then there was controversy about the routing and a future Camden-Glassboro line).

To its credit, Burlington County has been touting the line for quite some time, even initiating the expansion of the county-owned BurLink system to connect with the River Line prior to the official launch of the system. Whether it actually helps the Riverfront towns remains to be seen. But, I guess that's why the run the system, now isn't it?

STRIKE UPDATE

As of 7:00pm, negotiations between TWU 234 and SEPTA are ongoing at the Wyndham Philadelphia (nee Wyndham Franklin Plaza) Hotel in Center City. According to reports from KYW NewsRadio 1060's David Madden, TWU President Jean Alexander indicated that progress is being made on the health care issue. However, Alexander cautioned that if insufficent progress is being made by the time 12:01am rolls around, the union will go out on strike. The message was made very clear by the union: "Settle or strike." This is a contrast to past negotiations when the union was willing to extend the negotiations past the deadline regardless of the status of negotiations.

One sign that could be taken either as a forthcoming settlement or a forthcoming strike was the arrival of Harry Lombardo, former TWU 234 President and current TWU International Vice President for the union's Transit, Utility, University and Service Division. Lombardo arrived at the Wyndham shortly after 2:00pm. That was right about the time KYW began airing soundbites from Alexander.

Shortly after Lombardo's arrival, the press got the same spiel from SEPTA's Minster of Mis-Information Richard Maloney, who didn't directly address whether or not significant progress was being made in negotiations.

Given how ambivalent the union has been on the health care benefits issue, it wouldn't be at all surprising if either SEPTA is backpedalling on its demands that the union contribute towards their health care costs or if the union is lying. Meanwhile, with less than 5 hours to go until the contract expires, an entire city waits on pins and needles.

GOOD NEWS ON TRACKLESS FRONT

SEPTA is soliciting requests for 50 new trackless trolleys with off-wire capabilities. This rumor had been circulating among some transit activists in Northeast Philadelphia for a while, but had not been confirmed until SEPTA posted it's solicitation request on-line today. This, coupled with the impending return of the AM General trackless trolleys to the Northeast routes (59, 66, and 75) seems to indicate a rare shift in attitude at 1234 Market. That said, it's very possible that either the FTA or the City of Philadelphia may have nudged SEPTA into it's new position.

STRIKE INFO PAGE POSTED

I have complied a list of service changes and tips in the event of a CTD work stoppage, including information SEPTA has, for whatever reason, chosen to to distribute.

Also, the Delaware County Daily Times ran a strike contigency article as it relates to Delaware County.

My time has been fairly limited this week, otherwise, I'd offer a lot more than what I have been offering. Let's just say I'm pretty ticked off at both sides right about now...

POSSIBLE STRIKE FALLOUT

SEPTA isn't the only one making contingency plans in the event of a work stoppage on Monday.

The Daily News reports that the School District of Philadelphia plans to keep its schools open, despite the fact that nearly 20,000 students - including most high school students - use CTD routes. It's going to be interesting to see how poor attendance will be during the first few days of a work stoppage (and, yes, to those contributors to the guestbook, message boards, and other parts of this site, I'm aware you're going to be impacted, and I feel your pain).

LOTS OF RIVER LINE STUFF

The Burlington County Times has been promoting the hell out of the Trenton-Camden River Line (aka Christie's Boondoggle). These are articles that were posted within the psat few days, leading up to Sunday's official start of revenue service:

• Chronology of major events in the history of the River Line
  
• Light rail: A relative of yesteryear's streetcar
  
• Line carries hopes, doubts
  
• Stations along the River Line
  
• River Line has predecessors across the nation
  
• Light rail lined with optimists and critics
  
• Shop owners are hoping new line boosts business
  
• River Line vs. other options: A comparison
  
• For users: The ride stuff
  
• It's a 'luxury sedan'

Sunday's Inquirer also had a detailed write-up on the start of River Line service.

STRIKE GUIDE POSTED

SEPTA is preparing for the worst on Monday, as it has posted it's "official" strike survival guide. By tomorrow, I will have additional information posted regarding tips that SEPTA doesn't (or won't) mention.

NEW 111 TRIP ADDED

In between labor talks and procurement controversies, SEPTA added a new weekday AM peak short-turn on the 111. The new trip, which took effect on Monday, will operate between Drexeline Shopping Center and 69 St Terminal, departing from Drexeline at 7:30am.