After weeks of relative peace on the equipment front, there was yet another bus shortage encountered at Red Arrow on Thursday. This resulted in an absolute mess on the 4:05pm 104 to West Chester, which is supposed to be an express but instead ran as a local. This bus didn't even arrive at the terminal until 4:20pm to begin its run. The trip departed at 4:22pm, and arrived in West Chester well over a half hour late. It didn't help that the operator was stuck behind a tractor-trailer for a stretch between Delchester and Chester Roads and didn't even think enough to pass said truck. On a side note, the 2:45pm from West Chester was crowded yet again, and arrived about 15 minutes late yet again. If that doesn't send some red flags at 1234 Market about the need for PM peak express service from West Chester to 69 St, then I don't know what does.
The 92 and 104 buses are expected to be detoured away from the West Chester University campus next Saturday due to the annual WCU Homecoming Parade. With High Street expected to be blocked off, I would expect a lot of headaches on Saturday morning for riders on both lines.
Meanwhile, SEPTA is planning to display the first of 12 New Flyer DE40LF diesel-electric hybrid buses on Thursday between 9:00am and 2:00pm on 12 St near Arch, across from the Reading Terminal Market. These buses will be assigned to Southern, and will be numbered 5601-5612. One has to question the logic of this numbering plan as these buses will be decidedly different from the D40LFs currently on the road. The next batch of 100 D40LFs - which will be numbered 5613-5712 - are expected during the first part of next year. As noted earlier, the bulk of the buses (up to 85) will go to Midvale, with Frontier getting the rest.
SEPTA is apparently going ahead with a purchase of MCI D4500 cruisers, despite a long delay since the demos made their apperances on SEPTA property over the summer. The 15 cruisers (tentatively numbered 6000-6014) will be assigned to Red Arrow, and used on the 104 and 124/125 (though, I wouldn't be shocked if they slip one in on a Sunday 120 trip; between the large ridership on those trips and the amount of luggage carried, a cruiser would be perfect for some late Friday night and/or Sunday trips). No firm delivery date has been set, nor has it been determined if SEPTA will "piggy-back" onto New Jersey Transit's massive MCI order, as at least 30 other agencies around the country have done.
As a result of the arrival of the MCIs, SEPTA is planning to restructure the 124/125 service. Red Arrow would operate service from Center City to Gulph Mills and points north, bypassing Wissahickon, with Frontier operating service from Wissahickon to Gulph Mills and points north, using NABIs and New Flyers (when the arrive next year). Considering that express service between Center City and Wissahickon is provided by the 9 and 27 buses, this shouldn't prove to be a major issue.
The Bucks County TMA is at it again, as a fourth RUSH service is being planned for the Street Rd (PA 132) corridor in Lower Bucks. The planned "Street Rd RUSH" is tentatively slated to operate between Lower Southampton, Warminster, and Bensalem via PA 132, with buses to serve the Warminster, Trevose, and Cornwells Heights stations. For some reason, this sounds remarkably similar to SEPTA's planned Route 303 bus, which would also have operated along PA 132, but between PA 611 and Bustleton Pike, and which would have operated bewteen Doylestown and Neshaminy. In any case, the "Street Rd RUSH" could begin operating as early as next March.
In other LBC news (that's Lower Bucks County for those of you who don't speak "Lower Bucks-ese"), SEPTA is planning to rehab the Croydon and Levittown-Tullytown stations along the R7 Trenton line. SEPTA Board Chairman - and Bucks County land developer - Pasquale T. Deon, Sr. recently bragged to a local Bucks County newspaper that SEPTA had invested nearly $30 million in recent years to improve service. My question is when do the other counties get their fair share of the pie from SEPTA? I mean, some of the stations along the Marcus Hook line look as though they could use a little sprucing up...
Saturday, September 28, 2002
Sunday, September 22, 2002
ARCHIVES - 09/22/02
Trolley service on the 11 was short-turned at 58 St due to a block party near 65 St/Woodland Av. Despite the printed timetables indicated 12 minute headways, there were, at points, 25 minute gaps between arriving trolleys at 58 St, which caused made for a lot of frustrated commuters between Darby and 58 St. The supervisor at 58 St was not only less than helpful in explaining why there was a 25 minute gap, he was, according to one witness, extremely rude. (If that supervisor gets taken off the road, he can always get a job as a SEPTA spokesman/apologist/liar - see Maloney, Richard.)
As expected, the 104 bus was detoured off Gay and High Sts due to the West Chester's annual Restaurant Festival (which seems to invite more arrogant drunks than a typical weekend night on off campus homes near West Chester University). Buses operated via Chestnut St to New St, then via New St, Market St and High St to the West Chester University routing before returning to High and Market and en route to 69 St. Amazingly enough, there were actually signs posted notifying passengers of the detour. That's almost a first for SEPTA as it relates to detours in West Chester.
On the schedule front, Frontier timetables are tentatively set to change on October 28. It's reported that all weekday and Saturday trips on the 92 and 133 will be through-routed, something that should've been done from the very beginning. This is being done presumably after numerous complaints from 92 passengers about missed connections at Exton Mall for the 133 (I've filed at least 3-4 of said complaints, particularly about 6019 block). The 92 will also be routed into the Main St at Exton complex currently served by the 207/Whirl and the TMACC Phlyer. There are also expected to be minor changes on the 124/125; weekend shuttle service between King of Prussia and Chesterbrook will be replaced by one-seat ride service from Center City to Chesterbrook. If there are any other changes on the Frontier routes, they may involve minor time adjustments.
Also set to change on October 28 is the 115, which will finally be routed to MacDade Mall in Glenolden. The routing will be via Delmar Village, Hook Rd, Primos Av, Chester Pike, and South Av to MacDade Mall. This is a change from the original proposal which sent all off Norwood into a histrionic fit of anti-transit rage (the 115 was to have been routed via Winona Av in Norwood).
As expected, the 104 bus was detoured off Gay and High Sts due to the West Chester's annual Restaurant Festival (which seems to invite more arrogant drunks than a typical weekend night on off campus homes near West Chester University). Buses operated via Chestnut St to New St, then via New St, Market St and High St to the West Chester University routing before returning to High and Market and en route to 69 St. Amazingly enough, there were actually signs posted notifying passengers of the detour. That's almost a first for SEPTA as it relates to detours in West Chester.
On the schedule front, Frontier timetables are tentatively set to change on October 28. It's reported that all weekday and Saturday trips on the 92 and 133 will be through-routed, something that should've been done from the very beginning. This is being done presumably after numerous complaints from 92 passengers about missed connections at Exton Mall for the 133 (I've filed at least 3-4 of said complaints, particularly about 6019 block). The 92 will also be routed into the Main St at Exton complex currently served by the 207/Whirl and the TMACC Phlyer. There are also expected to be minor changes on the 124/125; weekend shuttle service between King of Prussia and Chesterbrook will be replaced by one-seat ride service from Center City to Chesterbrook. If there are any other changes on the Frontier routes, they may involve minor time adjustments.
Thursday, September 19, 2002
ARCHIVES - 09/19/02
And then, there was one... Due to upcoming construction around the areas of the Tasker Homes projects in South Philadelphia where the 29 has it's western terminus, it's very possible that the only trackless line remaining in service for SEPTA would be the 79 along Snyder Av. The plan by the City of Philadelphia would be to run Morris St through the complex (there are presently two turns west of 30 St).
SEPTA's initial plan was to operate buses between 13 St and 33 St with tracklesses operating between Front and 23 St. Because of the tight turns onto 13 St, that proposal would not appear to be an option. Another option that was considered was to reroute the tracklesses on Tasker between 29 and 32 Sts, which would require (1) new overhead along 29 St between Tasker and Morris, (2) two-way operation along Tasker, which is one-way in the westbound direction, resulting in the loss of parking in that stretch (and if there's one thing people in South Philly get fired up over, it's the loss of even a single parking space) and (3) new overhead along Tasker on the eastbound side of the street. So far, neither of these options appear to be feasible.
The planned bus substitution would start as early as the February 2003 sign-ups, and last for at least 3 years. It's probable, given SEPTA's past history towards streetcars and trackless trolleys (see the 15/23/56 controversy), that this long-term "substitution" could spell the beginning of the end for electric trackless trolley service in the City of Philadelphia, if the "temporary bus substitution" in Northeast Philadelphia hasn't hastened this already.
Despite being about 2 weeks behind the rest of the routes, SEPTA has finally issued a new Route 108 timetable, dated September 15. Also recieving a new timetable with that date is the 28 bus between Fern Rock and Northeast Philadelphia, which is presently operating on a detour routing off of Rhawn St in Fox Chase.
SEPTA's initial plan was to operate buses between 13 St and 33 St with tracklesses operating between Front and 23 St. Because of the tight turns onto 13 St, that proposal would not appear to be an option. Another option that was considered was to reroute the tracklesses on Tasker between 29 and 32 Sts, which would require (1) new overhead along 29 St between Tasker and Morris, (2) two-way operation along Tasker, which is one-way in the westbound direction, resulting in the loss of parking in that stretch (and if there's one thing people in South Philly get fired up over, it's the loss of even a single parking space) and (3) new overhead along Tasker on the eastbound side of the street. So far, neither of these options appear to be feasible.
The planned bus substitution would start as early as the February 2003 sign-ups, and last for at least 3 years. It's probable, given SEPTA's past history towards streetcars and trackless trolleys (see the 15/23/56 controversy), that this long-term "substitution" could spell the beginning of the end for electric trackless trolley service in the City of Philadelphia, if the "temporary bus substitution" in Northeast Philadelphia hasn't hastened this already.
Despite being about 2 weeks behind the rest of the routes, SEPTA has finally issued a new Route 108 timetable, dated September 15. Also recieving a new timetable with that date is the 28 bus between Fern Rock and Northeast Philadelphia, which is presently operating on a detour routing off of Rhawn St in Fox Chase.
Wednesday, September 18, 2002
ARCHIVES - 09/18/02
SEPTA appears to be starting the phase out of the 3000-series Neos. At least two have been confirmed to be at Midvale scrap yard (3080 and 3094). This tends to tell me that either SEPTA is much closer to getting the 5600-series New Flyers or that those buses are falling apart.
A large number of accessibe Neos and NABIs were recently swapped from Frankford to Comly, with Frankford getting some 3100s from Southern and some 3000s from Comly in exchange. There seems to be no reasonable logic for this move, since only the 3 trackless routes (which are busing for at least the next 12 months) and the J & K buses are the only non-accessible bus routes which operate out of Frankford. On a related note, some 3300s are being swiped from Frontier and appearing on routes at Southern.
SEPTA announced that it will operate express trains on the Broad Street Line for Sunday's Eagles game against the hated Dallas Cowboys. Of course, there are no express trains to Pattison for tonight's Rolling Stones concert at the Vet, nor is there any mention of the fact that SEPTA offers direct service to the Tower Theater (across from 69 St Terminal at 69 St & Ludlow) for Sunday's concert, where about 3,500 Stones fans are expected to converge. On Sunday afternoon and evening, expect very heavy traffic along 69 St and Market St, which could cause lengthy delays on the 108 and 113 buses, and possibly on the El Shuttle, 21 and 65 buses, which reach 69 St Terminal via Market St.
Detours are also the order of the day in West Chester on Sunday as West Chester Recreation presents the Chester County Restaurant Festival. With the eastbound re-routing of the 104 bus via High St, I have not been made aware of any detour routing for westbound travel to West Chester University. If past history is any indication, I wouldn't expect SEPTA to go out of their way to help people in West Chester get around the festival site, which will have Gay St closed between Matlack and New Sts, and High St closed between Market and Chestnut. (See, the old 104 routing was much simpler in that westbound buses could simply detour via Chestnut to New St.)
And now, the Frankford Terminal web site is pleased to present the latest ridiculous statement from SEPTA's chief spokesman/apologist/liar Richard Maloney. Maloney recently told the Jewish Exponent newspaper an incredible whopper about the Schuylkill Valley rail project. "When it's in full service, it will serve approximately 50,000 passengers a day," he said. "That's about half [of what we currently serve] on our commuter-rail system, so it's a lot." 50,000 riders between Reading and Philadelphia? I have the gut feeling that SEPTA is just pulling numbers out of thin air in order to justify the nearly $1.9 billion price tag.
A large number of accessibe Neos and NABIs were recently swapped from Frankford to Comly, with Frankford getting some 3100s from Southern and some 3000s from Comly in exchange. There seems to be no reasonable logic for this move, since only the 3 trackless routes (which are busing for at least the next 12 months) and the J & K buses are the only non-accessible bus routes which operate out of Frankford. On a related note, some 3300s are being swiped from Frontier and appearing on routes at Southern.
SEPTA announced that it will operate express trains on the Broad Street Line for Sunday's Eagles game against the hated Dallas Cowboys. Of course, there are no express trains to Pattison for tonight's Rolling Stones concert at the Vet, nor is there any mention of the fact that SEPTA offers direct service to the Tower Theater (across from 69 St Terminal at 69 St & Ludlow) for Sunday's concert, where about 3,500 Stones fans are expected to converge. On Sunday afternoon and evening, expect very heavy traffic along 69 St and Market St, which could cause lengthy delays on the 108 and 113 buses, and possibly on the El Shuttle, 21 and 65 buses, which reach 69 St Terminal via Market St.
Detours are also the order of the day in West Chester on Sunday as West Chester Recreation presents the Chester County Restaurant Festival. With the eastbound re-routing of the 104 bus via High St, I have not been made aware of any detour routing for westbound travel to West Chester University. If past history is any indication, I wouldn't expect SEPTA to go out of their way to help people in West Chester get around the festival site, which will have Gay St closed between Matlack and New Sts, and High St closed between Market and Chestnut. (See, the old 104 routing was much simpler in that westbound buses could simply detour via Chestnut to New St.)
And now, the Frankford Terminal web site is pleased to present the latest ridiculous statement from SEPTA's chief spokesman/apologist/liar Richard Maloney. Maloney recently told the Jewish Exponent newspaper an incredible whopper about the Schuylkill Valley rail project. "When it's in full service, it will serve approximately 50,000 passengers a day," he said. "That's about half [of what we currently serve] on our commuter-rail system, so it's a lot." 50,000 riders between Reading and Philadelphia? I have the gut feeling that SEPTA is just pulling numbers out of thin air in order to justify the nearly $1.9 billion price tag.
Tuesday, September 10, 2002
ARCHIVES - 09/10/02
As a follow-up to yesterday's Regional Rail fiascos, SEPTA did issue a detailed (by SEPTA standards) statement about what had happened. The Melrose Park wire problems occured at 5:03am, delaying trains arriving into Center City on the Glenside-Airport, Warminster, West Trenton, and Lansdale-Doylestown lines, and causing residual delays on the Elwyn and Paoli lines. The wire problems were caused by a maintenance crew who failed to properly repair the wiring after complete work in that area. The wire problems were worsened after a Center City bound train's pantograph was caught in the catenary at around 9:00am.
Then, to make matters worse, switch failures at Newtown Junction caused further delays to Fox Chase and West Trenton line trains. The system was entirely halted at around 11:00am, when the Centralized Train Control system failed.
Instead of holding trains north of Melrose Park and diverting passengers to either shuttle buses or alternate transit lines (passengers could easily have been placed on shuttle buses at Jenkintown, or directed to the 22 bus at Glenside or 55 bus in downtown Jenkintown for connections to Olney Terminal and connections to the Broad Street Line). This resulted in delays of up to 3 hours throughout the entire system, with most of the delays focused on the Glenside-Center City trunk line. Service was restored to normal sometime before the PM peak period.
SEPTA's AGM for Operations Patrick Nowakowski called the September 9 fiascos "the worst day on the railroad in 20 or 30 years." He also noted that had maintenance done its job properly the night before, "most people would have been looking at one-hour delays." DUH! Maybe if SEPTA hired some REAL railroad professionals to manage the Regional Rail system instead of plucking people with "transit" experience, SEPTA's Regional Rail might not be the laughing stock of the industry. (Updated September 19, 2002)
SEPTA's "statement" was published in the Metro newspaper, but not posted on-line. Presumably, there were also seat drop notices on all Regional Rail trains.
The fire that put 5155 into the scrap yard at Midvale started in the wheel area before spreading into the interior of the bus. Another recent arrival into the Midvale scrap yard is 3133, which also suffered unrepairable fire damage.
The Red Arrow buses are finally starting to be retrofit with the new CARD control panels. Two of the first buses to get the new system were 3126 and 5298.
Then, to make matters worse, switch failures at Newtown Junction caused further delays to Fox Chase and West Trenton line trains. The system was entirely halted at around 11:00am, when the Centralized Train Control system failed.
Instead of holding trains north of Melrose Park and diverting passengers to either shuttle buses or alternate transit lines (passengers could easily have been placed on shuttle buses at Jenkintown, or directed to the 22 bus at Glenside or 55 bus in downtown Jenkintown for connections to Olney Terminal and connections to the Broad Street Line). This resulted in delays of up to 3 hours throughout the entire system, with most of the delays focused on the Glenside-Center City trunk line. Service was restored to normal sometime before the PM peak period.
SEPTA's AGM for Operations Patrick Nowakowski called the September 9 fiascos "the worst day on the railroad in 20 or 30 years." He also noted that had maintenance done its job properly the night before, "most people would have been looking at one-hour delays." DUH! Maybe if SEPTA hired some REAL railroad professionals to manage the Regional Rail system instead of plucking people with "transit" experience, SEPTA's Regional Rail might not be the laughing stock of the industry. (Updated September 19, 2002)
SEPTA's "statement" was published in the Metro newspaper, but not posted on-line. Presumably, there were also seat drop notices on all Regional Rail trains.
The fire that put 5155 into the scrap yard at Midvale started in the wheel area before spreading into the interior of the bus. Another recent arrival into the Midvale scrap yard is 3133, which also suffered unrepairable fire damage.
The Red Arrow buses are finally starting to be retrofit with the new CARD control panels. Two of the first buses to get the new system were 3126 and 5298.
Monday, September 09, 2002
ARCHIVES - 09/09/02
Not a good day to be a Regional Rail commuter today. Delays over anywhere from 20-40 minutes were the norm on all Regional Rail lines due to (1) a downed wire south of Melrose Park station along the RRD Main Line; (2) a disabled train at University City station; and (3) a computer outage affecting the control of interlockings systemwide. Passenger services at both Market East and Suburban were less than forthcoming in explaining to passengers why the trains were delayed. Customers at least are owed an explaination tomorrow by RRD management as to why their commutes were as long as an hour behind schedule (as it was on one particular R7 train returning from Trenton).
As a result of the delayed trains, an R8 Chestnut Hill West train was annulled and put into service as an R3 to Elwyn. Passengers who were en route to Chestnut Hill were ordered off the train in Center City and forced to wait for the next R8.
There are STILL no new 108 timetables anywhere in the system, even though there were only the addition of school trippers. The only timetables available are dated from June and being distributed at the 69 St Customer Service office.
As a result of the delayed trains, an R8 Chestnut Hill West train was annulled and put into service as an R3 to Elwyn. Passengers who were en route to Chestnut Hill were ordered off the train in Center City and forced to wait for the next R8.
There are STILL no new 108 timetables anywhere in the system, even though there were only the addition of school trippers. The only timetables available are dated from June and being distributed at the 69 St Customer Service office.
Tuesday, September 03, 2002
ARCHIVES - 09/03/02
On Friday night, Frankford 5513 was involved in an accident on Roosevelt Blvd at Summerdale. There was no further information available about the cause of the accident or the damage sustained.
Frontier 3474 suffered rear damage while on the Schuylkill Expressway near Conshohocken on Monday. 3474 caught fire while deadheading on the expressway sometime Monday afternoon. Most of the interior was undamaged, but about 80 percent of the rear exterior of the bus was damaged.
Two days after SEPTA schedules changed, there are no 108 timetables anywhere in the system. There are no timetables dated from June or from either August or September.
Wednesday, August 28, 2002
ARCHIVES - 08/28/02
Schedules will change on all City Division routes and on Red Arrow route 108 on Sunday. As part of the schedule change, trolleys will return to the full 36 route after a 3 month rail rehab project. The changes in Andorra approved as part of the Annual Service Plan will also take effect on Sunday (on a side note, the 35 timetable is no longer a simple schedule card, but a regular timetable like nearly all other SEPTA bus routes). Additionally, more routes have been added to the wheelchair accessible route network, and all routes will be wheelchair accessible on weekends and holidays. More details will be posted within the next few days.
As of yesterday, new CTD timetables were available at 1234 Market for all routes, except for the 58, 108, and L. As Suburban Station, the June timetables for the Red Arrow routes were still in the schedule racks, despite the fact that the new schedules have been in effect for the past two weeks. Timetables for several Northeast Philadelphia routes are also available at Frankford Terminal's Frankford Av/Bridge St headhouse near the El entrance and info booth.
SEPTA is starting to add the CARD system radio control panels on buses operating out of Frontier, Comly, and Frankford. Within the next few weeks, Red Arrow should have their new radios installed. Isn't it odd that in most cases, the suburban depots are at the end of the line when it comes to equipment upgrades?
A public meeting to discuss the proposed P&W extension to King of Prussia and Port Kennedy is scheduled for September 19 at 7:00pm. The hearing will take place at the Holiday Inn/King of Prussia, Wanamaker Room A, located at 260 Mall Blvd in Upper Merion, across the street from the mall.
A public hearing to make the Route 94 Express routing changes to serve the Abramson Center for Jewish Life (formerly known as the Philadelphia Geriatric Center) will take place at the Abramson Center, located at 1425 Horsham Rd, Montgomery Twp. The October 2 hearing will begin at 10:00am, mainly to accomodate the employees of the Abramson Center, since the last AM bus from Chestnut Hill arrives there at 8:36am, with the last bus from Montgomery Mall arriving at 9:25am.
West Chester University isn't the only major university to see improved transit access this fall. Starting on Saturday, NJ Transit's 412 bus will be re-routed to serve Rowan University in Glassboro.
As of yesterday, new CTD timetables were available at 1234 Market for all routes, except for the 58, 108, and L. As Suburban Station, the June timetables for the Red Arrow routes were still in the schedule racks, despite the fact that the new schedules have been in effect for the past two weeks. Timetables for several Northeast Philadelphia routes are also available at Frankford Terminal's Frankford Av/Bridge St headhouse near the El entrance and info booth.
SEPTA is starting to add the CARD system radio control panels on buses operating out of Frontier, Comly, and Frankford. Within the next few weeks, Red Arrow should have their new radios installed. Isn't it odd that in most cases, the suburban depots are at the end of the line when it comes to equipment upgrades?
A public meeting to discuss the proposed P&W extension to King of Prussia and Port Kennedy is scheduled for September 19 at 7:00pm. The hearing will take place at the Holiday Inn/King of Prussia, Wanamaker Room A, located at 260 Mall Blvd in Upper Merion, across the street from the mall.
A public hearing to make the Route 94 Express routing changes to serve the Abramson Center for Jewish Life (formerly known as the Philadelphia Geriatric Center) will take place at the Abramson Center, located at 1425 Horsham Rd, Montgomery Twp. The October 2 hearing will begin at 10:00am, mainly to accomodate the employees of the Abramson Center, since the last AM bus from Chestnut Hill arrives there at 8:36am, with the last bus from Montgomery Mall arriving at 9:25am.
West Chester University isn't the only major university to see improved transit access this fall. Starting on Saturday, NJ Transit's 412 bus will be re-routed to serve Rowan University in Glassboro.
Saturday, August 24, 2002
ARCHIVES - 08/24/02
Late night service on the 104 was impacted following a serious assault in West Chester on Thursday night. The 11:00pm to 69 St Terminal was held by West Chester Police at Market & Worthington Sts after a black male passenger literally threw a hispanic male passenger off 5307 (4232 block) at around 11:10pm. The two passengers boarded the bus a few blocks earlier at Market & Matlack. The victim was transported to Chester County Hospital; the suspect was arrested about two blocks away after attempting to flee the scene.
Wednesday, August 21, 2002
ARCHIVES - 08/21/02
Just another fun day on West Chester Pike yesterday, as traffic was detoured in Havertown due to an accident east of the former Mercy Haverford Hospital. The incident occured at around 6:45pm yesterday. At least one bus was unable to complete it's run, while others were stuck in traffic for about 1 mile, stretching back to the Blue Route interchange.
And then, there was yesterday's incident on the 2:45pm 104 to 69 St Terminal (Bus 3235/4244 block). For the second straight day, according to a couple of passengers, that particular trip was overcrowded to the point of hazardous, as passengers were standing in the front doorway, while other standees refused to move to the back of the bus. The incident reached a head when the bus operated through Havertown as an arguement and near brawl broke out. Four SEPTA police officers were at the platform when 3235 arrived and fortunately, cooler heads prevailed, with no arrests coming out of it.
Adding to the confusion on the 104, is that the 6:35pm trip to West Chester that was listed as an express is actually a local trip, thanks to a "mistake" by scheduling. Hmmm, the run sheets printed out before the schedule change say express, the timetable says express, but the 6:35pm is a local? Just another day in the life of the geniuses at 1234 Market.
And then, there was yesterday's incident on the 2:45pm 104 to 69 St Terminal (Bus 3235/4244 block). For the second straight day, according to a couple of passengers, that particular trip was overcrowded to the point of hazardous, as passengers were standing in the front doorway, while other standees refused to move to the back of the bus. The incident reached a head when the bus operated through Havertown as an arguement and near brawl broke out. Four SEPTA police officers were at the platform when 3235 arrived and fortunately, cooler heads prevailed, with no arrests coming out of it.
Adding to the confusion on the 104, is that the 6:35pm trip to West Chester that was listed as an express is actually a local trip, thanks to a "mistake" by scheduling. Hmmm, the run sheets printed out before the schedule change say express, the timetable says express, but the 6:35pm is a local? Just another day in the life of the geniuses at 1234 Market.
Monday, August 19, 2002
ARCHIVES - 08/19/02
As a follow up to the controversy over the 115 extension through Norwood, SEPTA held a public meeting on August 7, bringing an ElDorado to the meeting for display purposes, mainly to alleviate concerns from residents about what kind of bus would be used on the line. During the meeting, some angry residents went so far as to threaten to throw rocks at the buses as they passed by on Winona Av. According to some sources, the Norwood Borough officials at the meeting didn't seem to discourage that idea. When the meeting ended, the tires on the bus were slashed. The suspects were not caught, and apparently, Norwood Police couldn't be bothered to investigate. Additionally, residents have posted home-made signs along some streets in Norwood which could pass as official government issued signs. (I have yet to see said signs, but that wouldn't really surprise me.)
An added thumbs down goes to Pa. State Rep. Ron C. Raymond (R-162) for backing the residents of Norwood in the fight against extending the 115. While foolishly backing the borough's actions, Raymond may have suffered a bit of a brain lock. His actions basically was a slap in the face to his other constituents in the 162 District, including those living in Darby Borough, Collingdale, Sharon Hill, and Folcroft - all of which are in the 162 District (as is Glenolden, where MacDade Mall is located, though I'm not sure if that part of Glenolden is in the 162 or 163 House District).
If anybody wants to protest Rep. Raymond's short-sighted actions against the Route 115 extension, you can send snail mail to:
District Office:
The Hon. Ron C. Raymond
1337 Chester Pike
Sharon Hill, PA 19079
Capitol Address:
The Hon. Ron C. Raymond
Room 209
Ryan Office Bldg
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2020
You can also call Rep. Raymond's office in Sharon Hill (610-534-1002) or Harrisburg (717-787-3742).
On a more service related note, subway-surface cars were diverted during the mid-day due to overhead problems. In an unusual tactic, the 10, 11, and shortened 36 were diverted to the 40 St El station as per normal diversion, however, the 13 and 34 operated to the 40 St Portal, where passengers were forced to board buses between 40 St Portal and 40 St El Station. Reportedly, there are some power issues (electrical, not political - we hope) that prevented all five lines from operating over the diversion route. Either that, or Rep. Raymond got involved...
Meanwhile, the new Red Arrow changes went into effect today. There were few problems observed, except for the 111 operator en route to Chadds Ford on the 4:00pm departure from 69 St (4453 block, though I don't recall of the very top of my head) who bypassed Penn State completely after leaving Riddle Hospital, and had to backtrack to Penn State after serving Franklin Mint first. The end result was a 20 minute delay arriving into Chadds Ford, resulting in a barely made connection with the last 314 bus back to West Chester.
Between the X-Games at the First Union Complex and the Phillies game at Veterans Stadium on Sunday, approximately 100,000 people were around the Sports Complex in South Philadelphia. Shuttle buses between the Navy Yard and First Union Complex (buses were signed "FIRST UNION SPECTRUM") were mainly Neo artics (half from Midvale with 312x blocks, half from Allegheny with 525x blocks, and Southern 5494 tossed in for good measure). Passengers boarded and alighted from the inner lanes on Broad St at Pattison. From brief observation after the Phillies game (okay, after the 6th inning), the artics were running about every 5 minutes, with standing loads in both directions.
On the Broad Street Line side, service wasn't quite as good. At around 4:45pm, when the ball game ended, there was about a 10-15 minute wait for trains to even arrive at Pattison Station. The platform was crowded and continued to fill until the next Fern Rock local arrived at 5:02pm. One would think that SEPTA could run 6 car trains on the Broad St Line or schedule trains every 6-8 minutes instead of tossing a couple of extra trains here and there over a 10 minute headway, but SEPTA doesn't seem to have that much foresight. (Yet another arguement for express buses from outlying areas to the sports complex, a la Baltimore.)
An added thumbs down goes to Pa. State Rep. Ron C. Raymond (R-162) for backing the residents of Norwood in the fight against extending the 115. While foolishly backing the borough's actions, Raymond may have suffered a bit of a brain lock. His actions basically was a slap in the face to his other constituents in the 162 District, including those living in Darby Borough, Collingdale, Sharon Hill, and Folcroft - all of which are in the 162 District (as is Glenolden, where MacDade Mall is located, though I'm not sure if that part of Glenolden is in the 162 or 163 House District).
If anybody wants to protest Rep. Raymond's short-sighted actions against the Route 115 extension, you can send snail mail to:
District Office:
The Hon. Ron C. Raymond
1337 Chester Pike
Sharon Hill, PA 19079
Capitol Address:
The Hon. Ron C. Raymond
Room 209
Ryan Office Bldg
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2020
You can also call Rep. Raymond's office in Sharon Hill (610-534-1002) or Harrisburg (717-787-3742).
On a more service related note, subway-surface cars were diverted during the mid-day due to overhead problems. In an unusual tactic, the 10, 11, and shortened 36 were diverted to the 40 St El station as per normal diversion, however, the 13 and 34 operated to the 40 St Portal, where passengers were forced to board buses between 40 St Portal and 40 St El Station. Reportedly, there are some power issues (electrical, not political - we hope) that prevented all five lines from operating over the diversion route. Either that, or Rep. Raymond got involved...
Meanwhile, the new Red Arrow changes went into effect today. There were few problems observed, except for the 111 operator en route to Chadds Ford on the 4:00pm departure from 69 St (4453 block, though I don't recall of the very top of my head) who bypassed Penn State completely after leaving Riddle Hospital, and had to backtrack to Penn State after serving Franklin Mint first. The end result was a 20 minute delay arriving into Chadds Ford, resulting in a barely made connection with the last 314 bus back to West Chester.
Between the X-Games at the First Union Complex and the Phillies game at Veterans Stadium on Sunday, approximately 100,000 people were around the Sports Complex in South Philadelphia. Shuttle buses between the Navy Yard and First Union Complex (buses were signed "FIRST UNION SPECTRUM") were mainly Neo artics (half from Midvale with 312x blocks, half from Allegheny with 525x blocks, and Southern 5494 tossed in for good measure). Passengers boarded and alighted from the inner lanes on Broad St at Pattison. From brief observation after the Phillies game (okay, after the 6th inning), the artics were running about every 5 minutes, with standing loads in both directions.
On the Broad Street Line side, service wasn't quite as good. At around 4:45pm, when the ball game ended, there was about a 10-15 minute wait for trains to even arrive at Pattison Station. The platform was crowded and continued to fill until the next Fern Rock local arrived at 5:02pm. One would think that SEPTA could run 6 car trains on the Broad St Line or schedule trains every 6-8 minutes instead of tossing a couple of extra trains here and there over a 10 minute headway, but SEPTA doesn't seem to have that much foresight. (Yet another arguement for express buses from outlying areas to the sports complex, a la Baltimore.)
Thursday, August 15, 2002
ARCHIVES - 08/15/02
Market-Frankford El service was disrupted between 52 St and Spring Garden after an unknown substance forced work crews to clean up the westbound tracks, casuing massive delays during the AM peak period. Service was restored at around 10:00am.
The proposed extension of the 115 from Delmar Village to MacDade Mall via Norwood is on hold for at least 3 months due to opposition from residents in Norwood. The complaints stem from SEPTA's failure to notify Norwood Borough officials about the extended 115 routing along Winona Av. Service was to have begun on Monday, with weekday and Saturday service operating to MacDade Mall. New timetables will be issued soon. Service between Ardmore and Brookline will still be eliminated, however.
Several SEPTA employees were distributing new timetables and brochures featuring the new changes on the 103, 104, 110, 111, and new route 122 today. New timetables are slowly being distributed at 1234 Market, Chester TC, and 69 St Terminal. This is highly unusual, since SEPTA was notorious for not releasing the timetables until a day or two before schedules change.
The proposed extension of the 115 from Delmar Village to MacDade Mall via Norwood is on hold for at least 3 months due to opposition from residents in Norwood. The complaints stem from SEPTA's failure to notify Norwood Borough officials about the extended 115 routing along Winona Av. Service was to have begun on Monday, with weekday and Saturday service operating to MacDade Mall. New timetables will be issued soon. Service between Ardmore and Brookline will still be eliminated, however.
Several SEPTA employees were distributing new timetables and brochures featuring the new changes on the 103, 104, 110, 111, and new route 122 today. New timetables are slowly being distributed at 1234 Market, Chester TC, and 69 St Terminal. This is highly unusual, since SEPTA was notorious for not releasing the timetables until a day or two before schedules change.
Tuesday, August 13, 2002
ARCHIVES - 08/13/02
The 33 and 61 buses were detoured off of Ridge Av between Cecil B Moore and Oxford for most of the day due to a TV crew filming in the area.
The 92, 104, 119, and 314 buses encountered lengthy detours and delays after a bomb threat at the First Union bank on S High St in West Chester. As a result of the threat, High St between Market and Chestnut and Gay St between Matlack and Church were closed.
Speed restrictions imposed by CSX will be in effect on the R3 West Trenton line north of Neshaminy Falls due to the excessive heat conditions. The R3 operates over CSX trackage north of Neshaminy Falls to West Trenton. Expect trains on this segment of the West Trenton line to run about 10-15 minutes late.
A downed wire just before Elm St station is forcing shuttle bus operation between Norristown Transportation Center, Main St, and Elm St stations.
The 92, 104, 119, and 314 buses encountered lengthy detours and delays after a bomb threat at the First Union bank on S High St in West Chester. As a result of the threat, High St between Market and Chestnut and Gay St between Matlack and Church were closed.
Speed restrictions imposed by CSX will be in effect on the R3 West Trenton line north of Neshaminy Falls due to the excessive heat conditions. The R3 operates over CSX trackage north of Neshaminy Falls to West Trenton. Expect trains on this segment of the West Trenton line to run about 10-15 minutes late.
A downed wire just before Elm St station is forcing shuttle bus operation between Norristown Transportation Center, Main St, and Elm St stations.
Monday, August 05, 2002
ARCHIVES - 08/05/02
The TMA of Chester County re-routed it's Phoenixville Phlyer bus service last week. The Phlyer will now operate between the new Main Street at Exton complex and Phoenixville via Lionville and Chester Springs, rather than the old routing via Great Valley.
In concert with the Phlyer route changes, the weekday schedule has also been adjusted. There are now 7 trips from Phoenixville to Exton (3 AM peak, 2 mid-day, and 2 evening trips) and 6 trips from Exton to Phoenixville (1 late morning, 1 mid-day, 2 PM peak, and 2 evening trips).
SEPTA service has been adversely impacted due to the recent heat wave. The bulk of the delays have occured on the Regional Rail system, with speed restrictions often in place due to the heat. With temperatures falling tonight, service should improve.
In concert with the Phlyer route changes, the weekday schedule has also been adjusted. There are now 7 trips from Phoenixville to Exton (3 AM peak, 2 mid-day, and 2 evening trips) and 6 trips from Exton to Phoenixville (1 late morning, 1 mid-day, 2 PM peak, and 2 evening trips).
SEPTA service has been adversely impacted due to the recent heat wave. The bulk of the delays have occured on the Regional Rail system, with speed restrictions often in place due to the heat. With temperatures falling tonight, service should improve.
Thursday, July 25, 2002
ARCHIVES - 07/25/02
New CARD system radio consoles are now appearing on buses operating out of Southern. As for the older buses in the fleet (40-ft Neos and NABIs), there are no plans to replace the 3-digit block signs with a four digit display or to add a static number in front of the block sign. Once the CARD system is installed on all SEPTA buses, only the New Flyers, Neo artics, and ElDorados will have block displays showing all four digits.
Monday, July 15, 2002
ARCHIVES - 07/15/02
A Pottstown Urban Transit bus was involved in a serious accident in North Coventry Twp on Wednesday night. Nova RTS #57 was operating the North Coventry line when it struck a minivan on Laurelwood Rd at Fisher Av near the Coventry Mall. The minivan had turned off of Fisher onto Laurelwood and right into the path of the PUT bus. The PUT bus then veered to the left, causing damage to three front lawns before coming to a stop on Laurelwood. The driver of the minivan was taken to a local hospital with head and neck injuries; the PUT driver and at least 3 passengers were taken to Pottstown Memorial Medical Center for minor injuries.
The new CARD system radio consoles are starting to be added to Allegheny's buses in addition to the many buses at Midvale which have been retrofit. There is a report that some buses at Callowhill are also getting the new radio system as well, but I have yet to see a Callowhill Neo or NABI with the new console.
The new CARD system radio consoles are starting to be added to Allegheny's buses in addition to the many buses at Midvale which have been retrofit. There is a report that some buses at Callowhill are also getting the new radio system as well, but I have yet to see a Callowhill Neo or NABI with the new console.
Wednesday, July 10, 2002
ARCHIVES - 07/10/02
SEPTA has issued a request for proposal for the purchase of up to 360 diesel powered low floor buses for delivery between 2004 and 2006. This order would effectively retire the Neoplan fleet by the end of 2006. SEPTA will accept bids until September 10, then likely award the bid at either the October Board meeting.
The two test DE40LF coaches that SEPTA is slated to receive in a few months are tentatively numbered 5601H and 5602H. I doubt that they will retain those numbers once the rest of the 100 D40LF coaches arrive next year.
More buses at Midvale - particularly the NABIs - are being retrofit with the newer sign control panels. According to one Midvale operator, the control panels being installed on the NABIs is more advanced than the ones on the Neoplan artic, ElDorado, and New Flyer fleets. The new panels are being installed as part of the communications system upgrade to the new Computer Aided Radio Dispatch (CARD) system that SEPTA has needed since the end of the first Bush administration.
The new system is part of the reason that SEPTA is going to a four-digit block system which began in February at most depots and in April at Frontier. The block number system, once it's in full effect, will display a four-digit block on all artics, ElDorados, and New Flyers; most of the artics and ElDorados at Midvale are starting to display a four digit block. The first digit represents the depot the bus is assigned to: 1xxx = Comly; 2xxx = Frankford; 3xxx = Midvale; 4xxx = Red Arrow; 5xxx = Allegheny; 6xxx = Frontier; 7xxx = Southern; 8xxx = Elmwood; 9xxx = Callowhill.
DART First State has successfully added a similar system on all of their buses within the past year, including the soon to be retired Flxibles. Ironically enough, some of the older DART radios have been installed on some of the Fords operating out of Frontier.
Speaking of DART, it appears that the new NABI standard floor and high floor buses have started to arrive in Wilmington. The high floors will be numbered 501-519 and are model 416.13; the low floors will be numbered 520-563. This means that the days of Flxibles ruling the road in New Castle County are numbered. DART has issued a press release about the new buses, but oddly enough, unlike a couple of years ago when they posted a picture of a Gillig low floor, there are no pictures of the new NABIs.
The two test DE40LF coaches that SEPTA is slated to receive in a few months are tentatively numbered 5601H and 5602H. I doubt that they will retain those numbers once the rest of the 100 D40LF coaches arrive next year.
More buses at Midvale - particularly the NABIs - are being retrofit with the newer sign control panels. According to one Midvale operator, the control panels being installed on the NABIs is more advanced than the ones on the Neoplan artic, ElDorado, and New Flyer fleets. The new panels are being installed as part of the communications system upgrade to the new Computer Aided Radio Dispatch (CARD) system that SEPTA has needed since the end of the first Bush administration.
The new system is part of the reason that SEPTA is going to a four-digit block system which began in February at most depots and in April at Frontier. The block number system, once it's in full effect, will display a four-digit block on all artics, ElDorados, and New Flyers; most of the artics and ElDorados at Midvale are starting to display a four digit block. The first digit represents the depot the bus is assigned to: 1xxx = Comly; 2xxx = Frankford; 3xxx = Midvale; 4xxx = Red Arrow; 5xxx = Allegheny; 6xxx = Frontier; 7xxx = Southern; 8xxx = Elmwood; 9xxx = Callowhill.
DART First State has successfully added a similar system on all of their buses within the past year, including the soon to be retired Flxibles. Ironically enough, some of the older DART radios have been installed on some of the Fords operating out of Frontier.
Speaking of DART, it appears that the new NABI standard floor and high floor buses have started to arrive in Wilmington. The high floors will be numbered 501-519 and are model 416.13; the low floors will be numbered 520-563. This means that the days of Flxibles ruling the road in New Castle County are numbered. DART has issued a press release about the new buses, but oddly enough, unlike a couple of years ago when they posted a picture of a Gillig low floor, there are no pictures of the new NABIs.
Tuesday, July 09, 2002
ARCHIVES - 07/09/02
Allegheny 7120, operating on the 65 (5207 block) was rearended by a Ford Probe on 66 St near Lansdowne Av at around 1:15pm this afternoon. The remainder of the run was obviously cancelled. The following 65 bus, 5273 (9606 block) was filled to capacity, and also carried a wheelchair rider, making for a very crowded trip. 7120 returned to Allegheny on its own power.
A disabled westbound El train near 40 St station caused delays during the PM peak hour tonight. Some trains were delayed up to 15 minutes due to the incident, which occured at around 5:00pm.
The Neoplan demonstrator is now tentatively due to arrive on SEPTA property on Thursday, and will be put into service as early as Monday.
A disabled westbound El train near 40 St station caused delays during the PM peak hour tonight. Some trains were delayed up to 15 minutes due to the incident, which occured at around 5:00pm.
The Neoplan demonstrator is now tentatively due to arrive on SEPTA property on Thursday, and will be put into service as early as Monday.
Friday, July 05, 2002
ARCHIVES - 07/05/02
During yesterday's Welcome America festivities and price gouging festival ($2.00 for a 16 ounce soda?) along the Ben Franklin Parkway, 33 SEPTA buses, a mix of NABIs, New Flyers, Neo artics, and Neo 3264 were staged along 21 and 22 Sts on either side of the Parkway. The buses initially were staged along Spring Garden between the El Station and 5 St. Buses involved were Allegheny 7103, 7105, 7110, 7112 and 7147; Callowhill 5005, 5427, 5429, 5446, 5449, 5450, 5463 and 5465; Frankford 5249, 5344, 5355, 5360 and 5361; Midvale 3264, 5156, 5157, 5164, 5172, 5183, 5212, 5222, 5229 and 5239; and Southern 5471, 5474, 5480, 5486 and 5491.
As the buses were staging at Spring Garden, several passengers waited at the Spring Garden El station for the 4:43pm 25 to Frankford to show up - it never did. Supervisors on site were far too busy preparing the buses which would later transport tourists out of the Parkway area after the fireworks to follow up on a missing 25 bus, which I'm sure is going to play very nicely along Aramingo Av. The 5:13pm 25 to Frankford did show up, however I'm sure that driver got an earful from passengers forced to wait in the opressive heat (though there was plenty of shade with the large El/I-95 overpass) at Spring Garden.
Incidentially, Broad St Subway, El and Subway-surface service ran on a regular Sunday schedule. If last year's fiascos at the 19 St, 22 St, and 30 St stations are any inidciation, then I would imagine that streetcars and El trains were ridiculously overcrowded. SEPTA needs to understand that extending service hours and adding extra service are two different things. There's no reason why El service couldn't operate every 5 minutes, nor any reason why 4 or 5 subway-surface cars couldn't operate between City Hall and 40 St Portal or 49 & Woodland.
Midvale 5193 - operating on the 47 (3306 block) was apparently retrofit with the newer sign control panels used on SEPTA's new buses starting with the Neoplan artics. The sign control panel on 5193 is in approximately the same position as they would be on the newer buses - over the operator's head and to the left. I would guess that the rest of the NABI fleet will follow suit.
The City of Philadelphia is testing a new Thomas/Dart SLF200 low floor bus on the Phlash Center City loop. The bus is CNG powered and has red and blue stripes instead of the purple livery on most Phlash vehicles. The destination sign is supposedly a TwinVision LED, however the word "Phlash" is labeled in the sign areas rather than using the signs themselves.
As the buses were staging at Spring Garden, several passengers waited at the Spring Garden El station for the 4:43pm 25 to Frankford to show up - it never did. Supervisors on site were far too busy preparing the buses which would later transport tourists out of the Parkway area after the fireworks to follow up on a missing 25 bus, which I'm sure is going to play very nicely along Aramingo Av. The 5:13pm 25 to Frankford did show up, however I'm sure that driver got an earful from passengers forced to wait in the opressive heat (though there was plenty of shade with the large El/I-95 overpass) at Spring Garden.
Incidentially, Broad St Subway, El and Subway-surface service ran on a regular Sunday schedule. If last year's fiascos at the 19 St, 22 St, and 30 St stations are any inidciation, then I would imagine that streetcars and El trains were ridiculously overcrowded. SEPTA needs to understand that extending service hours and adding extra service are two different things. There's no reason why El service couldn't operate every 5 minutes, nor any reason why 4 or 5 subway-surface cars couldn't operate between City Hall and 40 St Portal or 49 & Woodland.
Midvale 5193 - operating on the 47 (3306 block) was apparently retrofit with the newer sign control panels used on SEPTA's new buses starting with the Neoplan artics. The sign control panel on 5193 is in approximately the same position as they would be on the newer buses - over the operator's head and to the left. I would guess that the rest of the NABI fleet will follow suit.
The City of Philadelphia is testing a new Thomas/Dart SLF200 low floor bus on the Phlash Center City loop. The bus is CNG powered and has red and blue stripes instead of the purple livery on most Phlash vehicles. The destination sign is supposedly a TwinVision LED, however the word "Phlash" is labeled in the sign areas rather than using the signs themselves.
Wednesday, July 03, 2002
ARCHIVES - 07/03/02
Service on routes out of Allegheny Depot were substantially delayed due to an "illegal demonstration" by Roofers Union Local 30. NBC 10 reported that buses were being brought in from other depots to fill try and cover service. Routes 6, 9, 27, 33, 48, and 60 operated with substantial delays with substantial delays once service resumed; the 65 also operated with some delays, but the delays weren't as bad, thanks to the split operation with Callowhill.
The dispute is over the use on non-union contractors working at Allegheny. No arrests were made during the protest, which began at 5:00am and was curtailed at around 11:30am, following an injunction by a Philadelphia Common Pleas Court judge. Service on the Allegheny routes slowly returned to normal by around 3:00pm.
The blockade by the Roofers Union may also raise controversy regarding pay status of Allegheny employees. There are high ranking people within SEPTA who are convinced that since Allegheny employees did not cross the picket lines, that may result in the forfeiture of pay. On the other hand, even if the operators crossed the picket line, the blockade would've made it impossible for buses to leave the depot anyway. It's one of those Catch-22 situations. Yet, it couldn't have happened at a worse time, considering it's a holiday week and the heat was very oppressive.
Yet, this isn't the first time there's been controversy over roof repairs at Allegheny. According to one Allegheny operator, SEPTA used a non-union contractor to repair the roof at Allegheny about 5-6 years ago, causing a similar protest by Local 30. How interesting that the roof has been such a problem at Allegheny for so long, considering the depot was re-built in the mid to late 1980s.
Service on several routes in the suburbs - particularly in Delaware County - will be subject to detours and delays tomorrow. This is a listing of trouble spots in Delaware County that SEPTA never bothered to mention:
The dispute is over the use on non-union contractors working at Allegheny. No arrests were made during the protest, which began at 5:00am and was curtailed at around 11:30am, following an injunction by a Philadelphia Common Pleas Court judge. Service on the Allegheny routes slowly returned to normal by around 3:00pm.
The blockade by the Roofers Union may also raise controversy regarding pay status of Allegheny employees. There are high ranking people within SEPTA who are convinced that since Allegheny employees did not cross the picket lines, that may result in the forfeiture of pay. On the other hand, even if the operators crossed the picket line, the blockade would've made it impossible for buses to leave the depot anyway. It's one of those Catch-22 situations. Yet, it couldn't have happened at a worse time, considering it's a holiday week and the heat was very oppressive.
Yet, this isn't the first time there's been controversy over roof repairs at Allegheny. According to one Allegheny operator, SEPTA used a non-union contractor to repair the roof at Allegheny about 5-6 years ago, causing a similar protest by Local 30. How interesting that the roof has been such a problem at Allegheny for so long, considering the depot was re-built in the mid to late 1980s.
Service on several routes in the suburbs - particularly in Delaware County - will be subject to detours and delays tomorrow. This is a listing of trouble spots in Delaware County that SEPTA never bothered to mention:
- Routes 55 and 77 may be detoued in and around Jenkintown due to a parade
- Route 97 will be detoured off of Fayette St in Conshohocken due to the annual Soap Box Derby
- Route 101 may be subject to delays due to Springfield's parade, particluarly near the Leamy Av and Springfield Rd stations
- Route 102 may be subject to delays in Clifton Heights and Aldan due to a parade
- Route 104 service will be delayed about 20-30 minutes due to the Marple-Newtown parade between PA 252 and Malin Rd (Broomall Fire Company)
- Route 109 will be detoured in Clifton Heights along Baltimore Pike between Marple Av and Church Lane due to a parade
- Route 112 may be delayed along Darby Road due to the Llanerch 4th of July parade
- Route 113 service will be detoured off of MacDade Blvd in Collingdale between Clifton and Staley Avenues due to a parade; service will most likely operate via Chester Pike; the 113 may also be delayed in Glenolden near Ashland Av due to that borough's parade
- Buses operating through the west side of the City of Chester, including the Chester Transportation Center (37, 109, 113, 114, and 117) may be subject to delays near the Chester YMCA at 7 & Sproul due to the annual Chester Walk/Run
- Route L service along Germantown Pike between the Barren Hill Fire Company (Church Rd) and Miles Park (Joshua Rd) in Whitemarsh Twp, Montgomery County, will be affected due to a parade, service would probably be detoured via Ridge Pike
Yesterday, 3234 was spotted on S High St in West Chester, training operators for the new 104 extension to West Chester Univesity.
The Neoplan cruiser being leased from Pittsburgh is now tenatively slated to arrive on Thursday, July 11.
The Bucks County TMA is also participating in the Code Red Ozone Alert days, which will allow riders of the Doylestown DART and the Pennridge, Quakertown, and Warminster RUSH services to ride free when the Ozone Alert reaches "Code Red" stages.
DART First State will once again offer free rides until 12 noon on an Ozone Alert "Code Red" weekday.
Although it appears that the 5600s may be needed sooner rather than later, the official scheduled delivery date for the last of the original 300 low floor buses will not arrive until April.
On a side note, all 8600/8700/8800 Neoplans are now officially off the roster and will no longer see revenue service. These buses were removed from service at the end of June.This is contributing to what will hopefully be a temporary bus shortage at Callowhill, where some ElDorados onto the 52 during peak hours, as was the case on Monday with 4580. It's also not helping that some Callowhill buses are being used on the 36 shuttle between Woodland Shops and Penrose Plaza.
Monday, July 01, 2002
ARCHIVES - 07/01/02
El service was disrupted at around 4:55pm after a female passenger collapsed on board a westbound "A" train at 30 St station. Westbound service was held for about 15 minutes to allow Philadelphia Fire EMTs and SEPTA Police to arrive at the scene. And, in an act of sheer stupidity, one ignorant passenger had the audacity to complain about it. It's almost a miracle that idiot wasn't beaten to a bloody pulp by other passengers.
As a result of the El delays, the 5:33pm 104 to West Chester departed with a standing load, with a couple of unfortunate passengers forced to sit in the rear stairwell. And, yes, it ran local, arriving in West Chester about 5 minutes late.
Expect major delays on Thursday, July 4 on the 104 in Broomall and Newtown Square due to the annual Marple-Newtown 4th of July parade. The parade will occur in the westbound lanes, forcing eastbound and westbound traffic into the eastbound lanes. Delays of up to 20-30 minutes can be expected, mainly affecting trips to and from West Chester. (Of course, this is not noted at the SEPTA web site along with the long list of other systemwide detours and delays.
The Pennridge RUSH and Quakertown RUSH services began operation today. Both RUSH services will operate to the Lansdale Rail Station on the R5 Lansdale/Doylestown line during peak hours. SEPTA TransPasses and TrailPasses will be honored on these routes, as they are on the existing Warminster RUSH, with single fares costing $1.00 or 15 TMA tokens (not SEPTA tokens) for $10.00.
The TMA of Chester County will offer free rides on the SCCOOT service between West Chester, Chadds Ford and Oxford and on the PHLYER service between Exton Mall and Phoenixville during Code Red Ozone Alert days.
Due to a printing error, the Sunday 6:30am trip on Route 14 does not serve Langhorne, but terminates on Roosevelt Blvd the Bucks/Philadelphia County border.
The KYW 1060 Big Blue Bus (Southern 5383) will be in service tomorrow on Route 28. The schedule for the next four Tuesdays for 5385 are as follows: July 9: Routes 14/20; July 16: Route 58; July 23: Route 24; July 30: Route C.
As a result of the El delays, the 5:33pm 104 to West Chester departed with a standing load, with a couple of unfortunate passengers forced to sit in the rear stairwell. And, yes, it ran local, arriving in West Chester about 5 minutes late.
Expect major delays on Thursday, July 4 on the 104 in Broomall and Newtown Square due to the annual Marple-Newtown 4th of July parade. The parade will occur in the westbound lanes, forcing eastbound and westbound traffic into the eastbound lanes. Delays of up to 20-30 minutes can be expected, mainly affecting trips to and from West Chester. (Of course, this is not noted at the SEPTA web site along with the long list of other systemwide detours and delays.
The Pennridge RUSH and Quakertown RUSH services began operation today. Both RUSH services will operate to the Lansdale Rail Station on the R5 Lansdale/Doylestown line during peak hours. SEPTA TransPasses and TrailPasses will be honored on these routes, as they are on the existing Warminster RUSH, with single fares costing $1.00 or 15 TMA tokens (not SEPTA tokens) for $10.00.
The TMA of Chester County will offer free rides on the SCCOOT service between West Chester, Chadds Ford and Oxford and on the PHLYER service between Exton Mall and Phoenixville during Code Red Ozone Alert days.
Due to a printing error, the Sunday 6:30am trip on Route 14 does not serve Langhorne, but terminates on Roosevelt Blvd the Bucks/Philadelphia County border.
The KYW 1060 Big Blue Bus (Southern 5383) will be in service tomorrow on Route 28. The schedule for the next four Tuesdays for 5385 are as follows: July 9: Routes 14/20; July 16: Route 58; July 23: Route 24; July 30: Route C.
Thursday, June 27, 2002
ARCHIVES - 06/27/02
Now that Comly has all of their 5500s, Red Arrow is starting to get their next batch of 10 New Flyers. 5586 was spotted this afternoon on the 104 (4237 block).
Meanwhile, more Neo-junk from the city is starting to show up on Red Arrow and Frontier routes. 3046 was also spotted on West Chester Pike, while 3110 was in Center City running on the 124/125 (6189 block). Some ex-Comly units are also showing up at Midvale, particularly on the 56.
The MCI demo (6001) will be taken out of service at the end of this week. Starting on July 9, SEPTA will test a Neoplan AN-345/3 cruiser on loan from the Port Authority of Allegheny County. There is no guarantee that SEPTA will go with cruisers in the near future, but there is some hope.
Within the next few weeks, SEPTA is preparing to issue an RFP for an order of 300 buses, with an option for an additional 60, over the next three years. The buses will be 40 foot low floors and are slated for delivery starting in 2004. Between 2004 and 2006, SEPTA will recieve 100 buses, with an option for up to 20 per year, which, coupled with the arrival of the 5600 New Flyers starting next April, would have the entire Neoplan 40-ft fleet off the roster by the end of 2006.
The first of the New Flyer DE40LF hybrid buses are on the production line and will be rotated around the system starting in September. Upon completion, New Flyer will be testing the DE40LFs before delivering them to SEPTA.
The SEPTA Board approved the Annual Service Plan, which will alter several Red Arrow routes and City Routes 9, 35, and the 61 Express. With the new schedules this fall, an 10:45pm trip will be added on the 123 from King of Prussia to 69 St Terminal. Route 104 service to West Chester will be reduced to every hour before 2:00pm and after 5:00pm Saturdays and all day Sundays. Route 122 - which would replace most of current Route 111 - would serve Secane, Morton, and Springfield Mall during peak hours.
Meanwhile, more Neo-junk from the city is starting to show up on Red Arrow and Frontier routes. 3046 was also spotted on West Chester Pike, while 3110 was in Center City running on the 124/125 (6189 block). Some ex-Comly units are also showing up at Midvale, particularly on the 56.
The MCI demo (6001) will be taken out of service at the end of this week. Starting on July 9, SEPTA will test a Neoplan AN-345/3 cruiser on loan from the Port Authority of Allegheny County. There is no guarantee that SEPTA will go with cruisers in the near future, but there is some hope.
Within the next few weeks, SEPTA is preparing to issue an RFP for an order of 300 buses, with an option for an additional 60, over the next three years. The buses will be 40 foot low floors and are slated for delivery starting in 2004. Between 2004 and 2006, SEPTA will recieve 100 buses, with an option for up to 20 per year, which, coupled with the arrival of the 5600 New Flyers starting next April, would have the entire Neoplan 40-ft fleet off the roster by the end of 2006.
The first of the New Flyer DE40LF hybrid buses are on the production line and will be rotated around the system starting in September. Upon completion, New Flyer will be testing the DE40LFs before delivering them to SEPTA.
The SEPTA Board approved the Annual Service Plan, which will alter several Red Arrow routes and City Routes 9, 35, and the 61 Express. With the new schedules this fall, an 10:45pm trip will be added on the 123 from King of Prussia to 69 St Terminal. Route 104 service to West Chester will be reduced to every hour before 2:00pm and after 5:00pm Saturdays and all day Sundays. Route 122 - which would replace most of current Route 111 - would serve Secane, Morton, and Springfield Mall during peak hours.
Wednesday, June 26, 2002
ARCHIVES - 06/26/02
With the arrival of the 5500s at Comly, some Neo DKs are being exiled into the suburban garages. 3115 was seen on the 104 last night, while 3101 and 3102 were also spotted along West Chester Pike at various times during the day. Some ex-Comly units are also filtering onto Frontier routes. It's bad enough when SEPTA tries to deny a bus shortage in the suburbs, but when they alleviate the shortage by sending older junk from the city garages, that really doesn't help.
SEPTA will offer modified Saturday Regional Rail service on Friday, July 5 as part of the Welcome America invasion of tourists. There really isn't any extra service being offered on July 4th for the fireworks on The Parkway, however the Broad St and Market-Frankford lines will operate in the tunnels later than normal, which, given last year's dangerous overcrowding at several stations in Center City, could be around 2:00am. More comments on this issue later.
SEPTA will offer modified Saturday Regional Rail service on Friday, July 5 as part of the Welcome America invasion of tourists. There really isn't any extra service being offered on July 4th for the fireworks on The Parkway, however the Broad St and Market-Frankford lines will operate in the tunnels later than normal, which, given last year's dangerous overcrowding at several stations in Center City, could be around 2:00am. More comments on this issue later.
Sunday, June 23, 2002
ARCHIVES - 06/23/02
Rumors of Amtrak's possible demise are concerning Regional Rail riders on the former Penn Central side of the RRD system. Service on the R1 Airport, R2 Marcus Hook/Wilmington, R5 Paoli/Thorndale, R6 Cynwyd, R7 Trenton, and R8 Chestnut Hill West would be affected by an Amtrak shutdown, as those lines operate over Amtrak owned right of way. R3 Media/Elwyn service would not be affected as that line merges with the Airport and Marcus Hook lines on SEPTA ROW, rather than Amtrak, into University City, which is also on SEPTA ROW. SEPTA has not released it's contingency plan (assuming of course they have one) in case of a Penn Central side shutdown of the Regional Rail system.
Friday, June 21, 2002
ARCHIVES - 06/21/02
Two Comly New Flyers were involved in an accident on Roosevelt Blvd during the AM peak this morning. At around 7:00am, 5541, operating on the 1 to Red Lion & Academy, rear-ended 5564 - running on the 14 - on the northbound side of Roosevelt Blvd at Harbison. Based on some pictures and video, the front end of 5541 was damaged. I'd imagine that there's some damage to the rear of 5564, but I didn't see any footage of that bus.
NJ Transit bus schedules are changing starting tomorrow. There are a few minor changes on South Jersey routes, which will be posted shortly.
NJ Transit bus schedules are changing starting tomorrow. There are a few minor changes on South Jersey routes, which will be posted shortly.
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