Tuesday, September 30, 2003
BLOCKED ... AGAIN The fencing that effectively rendered the walkway between the front of the center platform and the trolley boarding platform at 69 St Terminal has been reinstalled. It had been removed while the interior corridors connecting the West Terminal with the Main Terminal area was being rehabbed to comply with ADA regulations. An inquiry as to why the fencing was installed was met by a rude SEPTA Transit Police officer who didn't give a straight answer and two other SEPTA employees who said nothing at all. The rumor from a Red Arrow operator was that the fencing was installed to comply with the ADA. Wonderful. In order to comply with a well-intentioned law to assist the disabled, SEPTA has once again made it more difficult for people getting off the trolleys or the 107, 109, 110, 111, and 122 in order to connect with outbound trolleys or West Chester Pike buses. I wonder what portion of the cost to reinstall the fencing will be applied to SEPTA's burgeoning budget defecit...
Sunday, September 28, 2003
FAREWELL TO THE VET ... AND GOOD RIDDANCE TO THE 03 PHILS! As expected, a large crowd attended the Phils swan song/disappearing act at the Vet this afternoon. As you can also expect, reports that the lower level at Pattison Station would be in use today turned out to be false (surprise, surprise). After the closing ceremonies at the Vet, a large crowd waited at the platform as a grand total of ... 2 trains were in the station, with an express pulling out and the local train parked with its doors closed. And, as you'd expect from the liars at SEPTA, the lower level sat unused. When I asked a whiteshirt (SEPTA-speak for "service manager") about the lower level, all I got was a ton of attitude. Let's just say that it was appropriate that he was assigned to Pattison, since he is about as overpaid for his job as Jose Mess-up was as the Phils closer...
This is not surprising, since it seems virtually most management level people on the operations side seems to have an attitude problem and have no concept of professional courtesy when dealing with the public (case in point: Red Arrow managers at 69 St Terminal, who either know about delays and can't be bothered to explain the situation to irate passengers, or don't know what they're doing). There's no reason as to why at least 2 or 3 trainsets couldn't be stored on the lower level instead of deadheading trains to Fern Rock or Walnut-Locust. Wait, that would require something very unusual at SEPTA: managers doing some actual thinking...
On a brighter note, the Iggles did win today. Bring on Spurrier and the Skins!
This is not surprising, since it seems virtually most management level people on the operations side seems to have an attitude problem and have no concept of professional courtesy when dealing with the public (case in point: Red Arrow managers at 69 St Terminal, who either know about delays and can't be bothered to explain the situation to irate passengers, or don't know what they're doing). There's no reason as to why at least 2 or 3 trainsets couldn't be stored on the lower level instead of deadheading trains to Fern Rock or Walnut-Locust. Wait, that would require something very unusual at SEPTA: managers doing some actual thinking...
On a brighter note, the Iggles did win today. Bring on Spurrier and the Skins!
Wednesday, September 24, 2003
MORE PROBLEMS ON R5 As if two days of suspended service on the R5 Paoli Thorndale line last week wasn't bad enough, now this...
A tree fell on an outbound R5 train west of Wynnewood station yesterday morning. #505 was about to depart Wynnewood en route to Malvern when the incident occured. The train had just left Wynnewood when the tree fell. Buses were dispatched to transport the stranded passengers on the #505. R5 service to Paoli and Thorndale was restored shortly after 11:00am; service from Thorndale and Paoli to Center City was restored at around 3:00pm.
FINALLY GETTING ON BOARD SEPTA seems to have finally realized the potential threat of bio-terrorism on its subway tunnels and is turning to a source right up the street. Researchers at Drexel University are developing a sensitve bio-terrorism detector that can detect a wide range of chemicals and other biological agents, then instantly send wireless signals to appropriate police and fire agencies, ensuring a rapid response. The system is slated to be up within a year.
I'LL BELIEVE IT WHEN I SEE IT SEPTA reports that additional trains would be added to regular Broad St line service to accomodate fans attending this week's Phillies "games", which will be meaningless except for the fact that these are the final three games ever at the Vet (back-to-back choke jobs and losing two of three to the "Indianapolis" Reds last weekend have made it virtually impossible for the Phils to win the NL Wild Card - nice managing of your pitching staff, Bowa). Of course, after Sunday's game, there was only one train - an express - prepared to leave the station. And, no, I don't buy the arguement that a train could've pulled out when I entered the station, since Broad St managers have even less credibility than SEPTA's Minister of Misinformation Richard Maloney (and that's hard to do, by the way).
Reportedly, the rarely used lower level of Pattison station will be used to accomodate the large crowds for Sunday's game. The lower level was recently used two Sunday's ago when the Iggles embarrassed themselves (again) at "The New $512 million, Partially Taxpayer Subsidized License for Lurie and Banner to Gouge Prices at 11 St and Pattison Av." Well, fear not, Iggles fans ... the Iggles are now on the clock with the first pick in next year's draft...
Interestingly enough, SEPTA hasn't made such a big deal over people using the Broad St Subway for tomorrow night's FIFA World Cup Soccer matches at the "The New $512 million, Partially Taxpayer Subsidized License for Lurie and Banner to Gouge Prices at 11 St and Pattison Av." That either tells me that (a) nobody gives a damn about soccer in Philadelphia (though the Manchester United soccer match that opened up "The New $512 million, Partially Taxpayer Subsidized License for Lurie and Banner to Gouge Prices at 11 St and Pattison Av" to a packed house last month) or (b) someone at SEPTA is not paying attention to events at the sports complex as well as we would have expected.
A tree fell on an outbound R5 train west of Wynnewood station yesterday morning. #505 was about to depart Wynnewood en route to Malvern when the incident occured. The train had just left Wynnewood when the tree fell. Buses were dispatched to transport the stranded passengers on the #505. R5 service to Paoli and Thorndale was restored shortly after 11:00am; service from Thorndale and Paoli to Center City was restored at around 3:00pm.
FINALLY GETTING ON BOARD SEPTA seems to have finally realized the potential threat of bio-terrorism on its subway tunnels and is turning to a source right up the street. Researchers at Drexel University are developing a sensitve bio-terrorism detector that can detect a wide range of chemicals and other biological agents, then instantly send wireless signals to appropriate police and fire agencies, ensuring a rapid response. The system is slated to be up within a year.
I'LL BELIEVE IT WHEN I SEE IT SEPTA reports that additional trains would be added to regular Broad St line service to accomodate fans attending this week's Phillies "games", which will be meaningless except for the fact that these are the final three games ever at the Vet (back-to-back choke jobs and losing two of three to the "Indianapolis" Reds last weekend have made it virtually impossible for the Phils to win the NL Wild Card - nice managing of your pitching staff, Bowa). Of course, after Sunday's game, there was only one train - an express - prepared to leave the station. And, no, I don't buy the arguement that a train could've pulled out when I entered the station, since Broad St managers have even less credibility than SEPTA's Minister of Misinformation Richard Maloney (and that's hard to do, by the way).
Reportedly, the rarely used lower level of Pattison station will be used to accomodate the large crowds for Sunday's game. The lower level was recently used two Sunday's ago when the Iggles embarrassed themselves (again) at "The New $512 million, Partially Taxpayer Subsidized License for Lurie and Banner to Gouge Prices at 11 St and Pattison Av." Well, fear not, Iggles fans ... the Iggles are now on the clock with the first pick in next year's draft...
Interestingly enough, SEPTA hasn't made such a big deal over people using the Broad St Subway for tomorrow night's FIFA World Cup Soccer matches at the "The New $512 million, Partially Taxpayer Subsidized License for Lurie and Banner to Gouge Prices at 11 St and Pattison Av." That either tells me that (a) nobody gives a damn about soccer in Philadelphia (though the Manchester United soccer match that opened up "The New $512 million, Partially Taxpayer Subsidized License for Lurie and Banner to Gouge Prices at 11 St and Pattison Av" to a packed house last month) or (b) someone at SEPTA is not paying attention to events at the sports complex as well as we would have expected.
Monday, September 22, 2003
ISABEL RECAP Most of SEPTA's bus and rail lines were operating as close to normal on Friday, just after the worst of Tropcial Storm Isabel passed through the area. The only lines that were out of service for most or all of Friday were the R5 Paoli/Thorndale, R6 Cynwyd, and R8 Chestnut Hill West. Service was restored to the Chestnut Hill West line by mid-day, however Paoli and Cynwyd line service was out all day. Paoli service was out all day due to numerous downed trees along the line. Despite SEPTA's announcements to keep the system running, thousands of Paoli Line riders were forced to find alternate routes, with no SEPTA shuttles available. Now, it's one thing to inconvenince less important lines like Cynwyd, but Paoli? Service was restored in time for the start of Saturday service.
TROLLEY ACCIDENTS Within a 72 hour period, two accidents were reported along the subway-surface lines.
The first accident occured on Friday morning at 49 St/Woodland Av when one K-Car rear-ended a second. About 20 people were injured.
The second occured on the diversion route, when K-Car 9001 derailed and struck a house at 42 St/Spruce St while working on the 13. About 10 people, including the operator, were injured.
TROLLEY ACCIDENTS Within a 72 hour period, two accidents were reported along the subway-surface lines.
The first accident occured on Friday morning at 49 St/Woodland Av when one K-Car rear-ended a second. About 20 people were injured.
The second occured on the diversion route, when K-Car 9001 derailed and struck a house at 42 St/Spruce St while working on the 13. About 10 people, including the operator, were injured.
Thursday, September 18, 2003
ISABEL UPDATE Most of the routes out of 69 St Terminal are operating as close to schedule as possible. The 4241 block on the 104, however, was running about 15 minutes late getting into Newtown Square (unfortunately for those who normally take that block, which includes the 11:05pm West Chester to 69 St run, that's close to normal), however the 4299 block (10:05pm West Chester to 69 St) was operating close to schedule, arriving only a couple minutes late. Most of the traffic lights along High St between Rosedale and Union in West Chester and along West Chester Pike between PA 352 (Chester Rd) and PA 252 in Newtown Square are out. The signal at West Chester Pike and Old West Chester Pike is flashing, but operable (sort of).
The P&W, however, is another story. KYW NewsRadio 1060 reports that the P&W is operating a bus-bridge along the entire line, however a SEPTA employee reports that buses are only running as far as Bryn Mawr. In either case, expect major delays tonight if you're travelling between 69 St and Norristown. Also, 102 riders may want to be alert in case of flooding at the CSX underpass between Collingdale and Sharon Hill.
The R5 is still running with approximately 30 minute delays on the Paoli/Thorndale side (and my boss is going to be thrilled when I have to tell him why I'm late for work tonight, but what can you do?). There is no word just yet as to what the status of Regional Rail service is
There have also been reports of scattered tree falls throughout the region, particularly in Philadelphia. As a result, most lines may experience unscheduled diversions and/or cutbacks due to Isabel. SEPTA may not be able to report all of these delays (despite my constant complaining about this issue, there are probably tons of delays - KYW can't even report all of the tree and wire incidents), so prepare for a long night, and a very long day tomorrow.
The P&W, however, is another story. KYW NewsRadio 1060 reports that the P&W is operating a bus-bridge along the entire line, however a SEPTA employee reports that buses are only running as far as Bryn Mawr. In either case, expect major delays tonight if you're travelling between 69 St and Norristown. Also, 102 riders may want to be alert in case of flooding at the CSX underpass between Collingdale and Sharon Hill.
The R5 is still running with approximately 30 minute delays on the Paoli/Thorndale side (and my boss is going to be thrilled when I have to tell him why I'm late for work tonight, but what can you do?). There is no word just yet as to what the status of Regional Rail service is
There have also been reports of scattered tree falls throughout the region, particularly in Philadelphia. As a result, most lines may experience unscheduled diversions and/or cutbacks due to Isabel. SEPTA may not be able to report all of these delays (despite my constant complaining about this issue, there are probably tons of delays - KYW can't even report all of the tree and wire incidents), so prepare for a long night, and a very long day tomorrow.
WELCOME, ISABEL ... NOW GO AWAY! As you can imagine, the next 24 hours will be very difficult from a commuting standpoint, as Hurricane Isabel - or the remnants thereof - strike Philadelphia. As of 6:00pm, the R5 Paoli-Thorndale and R6 Cynwyd lines are already impacted. The R5 is running with nearly 1 hour delays due to a downed tree near Merion. The R6 is not running at all, with passengers being forced to transfer to shuttle buses at Overbrook.
On another weather related note, the 104 and 119 were also running with delays, due to an accident on West Chester Pike at PA 352 in Westtown. 4232 block, which normally runs short-turns between 69 St and Newtown Square was forced to cover missing West Chester runs, with 4231 block catching up to it at West Chester. The 119 that normally arrives in West Chester at 5:35pm was running about 10 minutes late, which is highly unusual for that section of the line.
It would not be a surprise if SEPTA ran Regional Rail (or at least the lines they can safely operate) on a Saturday or Sunday schedule (at least on the Paoli-Thorndale line, it better be a Saturday schedule, otherwise there'd be no service between Malvern and Thorndale) tomorrow. SEPTA reports that shuttle buses would be deployed as required on major rail lines, so it's also possible that transit service could end up operating on a Saturday or Sunday schedule as well.
The only advice that I can offer is to listen to as many news outlets as possible tomorrow (as sometimes, information tends to vary from station to station).
On another weather related note, the 104 and 119 were also running with delays, due to an accident on West Chester Pike at PA 352 in Westtown. 4232 block, which normally runs short-turns between 69 St and Newtown Square was forced to cover missing West Chester runs, with 4231 block catching up to it at West Chester. The 119 that normally arrives in West Chester at 5:35pm was running about 10 minutes late, which is highly unusual for that section of the line.
It would not be a surprise if SEPTA ran Regional Rail (or at least the lines they can safely operate) on a Saturday or Sunday schedule (at least on the Paoli-Thorndale line, it better be a Saturday schedule, otherwise there'd be no service between Malvern and Thorndale) tomorrow. SEPTA reports that shuttle buses would be deployed as required on major rail lines, so it's also possible that transit service could end up operating on a Saturday or Sunday schedule as well.
The only advice that I can offer is to listen to as many news outlets as possible tomorrow (as sometimes, information tends to vary from station to station).
Tuesday, September 16, 2003
OPEN HOUSE AT ELMWOOD The first of 18 refurbished "PCC-II" trolleys will be on display at Elmwood Depot tomorrow between 1:00pm and 3:00pm. PCC-II 2320 recently returned from a major overhaul in Brookville, Pa. and will be used on the 15 starting in April 2004.
MAJOR BUS MOVES The most notable bus moves as part of the Fall signups saw the 73 return to Frankford from Comly; Comly also lost parts of the 19/67 and the R to Frankford with the rehab of Frankford Depot now complete. In addition, Callowhill's portion of the G was moved to Southern. Now, all G and 64 runs operate out of Southern, despite terminal points in West Philadelphia that are closer to Callowhill than Southern. So much for efficiency...
MAJOR BUS MOVES The most notable bus moves as part of the Fall signups saw the 73 return to Frankford from Comly; Comly also lost parts of the 19/67 and the R to Frankford with the rehab of Frankford Depot now complete. In addition, Callowhill's portion of the G was moved to Southern. Now, all G and 64 runs operate out of Southern, despite terminal points in West Philadelphia that are closer to Callowhill than Southern. So much for efficiency...
Monday, September 15, 2003
WHAT A ME$$ The Inquirer reported that SEPTA may be in worse financial shape than originally anticipated, as if that's even possible. SEPTA is reportedly delaying action on the DRACONIAN SERVICE CUTS and fare increase that was proposed to have taken effect this month. Meanwhile, SEPTA's deficit has grown from $41 million to $50 million since the start of the fiscal year on July 1. That's an average of $790,000 per week. Short of blaming Harrisburg (which seems to be the only defense from Fearless Leader and the Rotating Resumes at 1234 Market), SEPTA seems to think that the legislature is going to hand SEPTA a blank check without any pressure to institute reforms.
"We hoped that buckets of money would be delivered to us ... We may still have service cuts and fare increases. I am optimistic that will not happen." - Fearless Leader on the current financial situation
Of course, the Iggles did the same thing for Donovan McNabb, and look where it got them - an 0-2 mark after two terrible games at the new $512 million taxpayer subsidized playpen known as Lincoln Financial Field, and the real possibility of an 0-3 start in two weeks. Pretty soon, you may have thousands of fans dressing up as empty seats as the season progresses (or regresses as the case may be).
Considering the report from Gov. Rendell's point person on SEPTA and the Port Authority of Allegheny County should be finished and released soon, the chances of SEPTA making any significant changes in it's structure and in the corporate attitude are slim and none - and slim just left the station. If SEPTA continues to bleed money at it's current pace ($790,000/week), the budget deficit may be close to $80 million by the time June 30 rolls around - that's $41 million ON TOP OF the current $41 million hole. In short, that's double what SEPTA's current hole is now.
Then again, if SEPTA wouldn't waste it's money for ads on Howard Stern (one aired on that show last Tuesday) or on those stupid "Race to the Vet" promos at Phillies games (among other things), maybe we might be looking at a better financial situation than what we're starting at now...
"We hoped that buckets of money would be delivered to us ... We may still have service cuts and fare increases. I am optimistic that will not happen." - Fearless Leader on the current financial situation
Of course, the Iggles did the same thing for Donovan McNabb, and look where it got them - an 0-2 mark after two terrible games at the new $512 million taxpayer subsidized playpen known as Lincoln Financial Field, and the real possibility of an 0-3 start in two weeks. Pretty soon, you may have thousands of fans dressing up as empty seats as the season progresses (or regresses as the case may be).
Considering the report from Gov. Rendell's point person on SEPTA and the Port Authority of Allegheny County should be finished and released soon, the chances of SEPTA making any significant changes in it's structure and in the corporate attitude are slim and none - and slim just left the station. If SEPTA continues to bleed money at it's current pace ($790,000/week), the budget deficit may be close to $80 million by the time June 30 rolls around - that's $41 million ON TOP OF the current $41 million hole. In short, that's double what SEPTA's current hole is now.
Then again, if SEPTA wouldn't waste it's money for ads on Howard Stern (one aired on that show last Tuesday) or on those stupid "Race to the Vet" promos at Phillies games (among other things), maybe we might be looking at a better financial situation than what we're starting at now...
Thursday, September 11, 2003
IT TOOK LONG ENOUGH... After having the same 9/11 related message on her official page for nearly a year and a half, Fearless Leader has done something that can almost be described as amazing...
She updated her "Message from the GM" page.
That should, in theory, dispel rumors of her departure. Unfortunately for us...
She updated her "Message from the GM" page.
That should, in theory, dispel rumors of her departure. Unfortunately for us...
SEPTA STUPIDITY STRIKES AGAIN... It's amazing how SEPTA's parochial attitudes manage to affect not only commuters travelling to Philadelphia, but now residents of southern Bucks County who travel to New York and North Jersey are feeling the impact as well. Last month, the Bucks County Courier Times reported that plans for a NJ Transit rail station in Falls Twp, which was proposed as part of NJT's new rail yard for Northeast Corridor Line trains, has stalled. Let the finger pointing begin...
Last week, NJ Transit spokesman Ken Hitchner said his agency is still receptive to picking up commuters in Bucks. As proof, he noted that in designing the maintenance yard - which is scheduled to be completed this fall - space was left to accommodate a passenger station. But ironically, now that the philosophical hurdles have been cleared, neglect, lack of money and engineering problems have conspired to kill the project.
For example, Falls township Manager Wayne Bergman said that while there was initially some interest over the station, that has since waned.
"Perhaps SEPTA can take the lead now," he said.
Mr. Bergman, welcome to the world of SEPTA, where stupidity in planning reigns supreme, even over providing quality transit service. Asking SEPTA to take the lead in another agency's project is like asking Larry Bowa to coach the Iggles (though he can't do any worse than Dumbo Reid did last Monday night).
SEPTA's director of capital and long-range planning, Chris Patton, did indeed meet with NJ Transit officials earlier this year. But during that meeting, they talked about space set aside for a SEPTA station in Falls, not the NJ Transit station.
That SEPTA station would be the last stop on the Cross Country Metro connecting Bucks and Chester counties. That line is many, many years in the future, Patton concedes.
"It's news to me that NJ Transit won't pay for the station," he said last week about a Falls NJ Transit station.
Yes, friends, this is the same Cross County Boondoggle that SEPTA is attempting to extort nearly $1 billion from Washington and Harrisburg (on top of the nearly $2 billion for Schuylkill Valley), complete with the ridiculous bells and whistles that will drive the project costs upward.
PennDOT is also putting pressure on SEPTA to take the lead in constructing the station. Yeah, right. We're talking about a transit agency that took four years to renovate the Overbrook Rail Station, not to mention a transit system that claims wheelchair access to new rail stations, but forgets to build the proper ramps to allow access while claiming the project is "complete" (see Chester, Radnor, and Strafford stations as prime examples) - and it appears that Overbrook will be in the same situation.
Yet, the problems may be more than just inter-state finger pointing. State Rep. Dave Steil (R-Bucks) claims that despite three possibile locations for the platform, all three are unworkable due to various engineering quirks. Uh huh. He also added this gem right out of the SEPTA Ministry of Misinformation's playbook:
"It just proved to be too costly ... It probably won't happen until SEPTA builds the Cross County Metro and that probably won't happen in my lifetime."
That would be the understatement of the century...
Meanwhile, the Courier Times penned an editorial on this issue the very next day. The editorial passed the blamed - among other people - the overrated Congressman from Bucks County Jim Greenwood (R-8th), who despite his relative high senority in Washington, has done very little in recent years, except get into a shouting match last year with a Pennsbury High student, and the Bucks County Commissioners, who won't sign off on the plan unless parking fees pay for the construction.
Conspicously missing from all of this? None other than your favorite SEPTA Board Chairman/Turnpike Commissioner/Radio Station Owner/Land Developer and alleged champion of public transit (at least in Bucks County) Pasquale T. Deon, Sr. Considering that Don Pasquale has done a lot for SEPTA riders in Bucks (at the expense of the other three suburban counties and the City of Philadelphia), he has been remarkably silent on this issue.
Perhaps he's too busy irritating homeowners in a section of Bristol Twp where the Turnpike Commission is planning to build a massive interchange between the Turnpike and I-95, at the expense of dozens of homes in that area.
Perhaps he's too busy turning SEPTA Board meetings into a less democratic forum that is more inflexible to public comment than your typical United Nations meetings (now, public comments are limited to 2 minutes, which is dangerously close to being a borderline violation of open meetings laws).
Or, perhaps, he just doesn't give a damn...
Last week, NJ Transit spokesman Ken Hitchner said his agency is still receptive to picking up commuters in Bucks. As proof, he noted that in designing the maintenance yard - which is scheduled to be completed this fall - space was left to accommodate a passenger station. But ironically, now that the philosophical hurdles have been cleared, neglect, lack of money and engineering problems have conspired to kill the project.
For example, Falls township Manager Wayne Bergman said that while there was initially some interest over the station, that has since waned.
"Perhaps SEPTA can take the lead now," he said.
Mr. Bergman, welcome to the world of SEPTA, where stupidity in planning reigns supreme, even over providing quality transit service. Asking SEPTA to take the lead in another agency's project is like asking Larry Bowa to coach the Iggles (though he can't do any worse than Dumbo Reid did last Monday night).
SEPTA's director of capital and long-range planning, Chris Patton, did indeed meet with NJ Transit officials earlier this year. But during that meeting, they talked about space set aside for a SEPTA station in Falls, not the NJ Transit station.
That SEPTA station would be the last stop on the Cross Country Metro connecting Bucks and Chester counties. That line is many, many years in the future, Patton concedes.
"It's news to me that NJ Transit won't pay for the station," he said last week about a Falls NJ Transit station.
Yes, friends, this is the same Cross County Boondoggle that SEPTA is attempting to extort nearly $1 billion from Washington and Harrisburg (on top of the nearly $2 billion for Schuylkill Valley), complete with the ridiculous bells and whistles that will drive the project costs upward.
PennDOT is also putting pressure on SEPTA to take the lead in constructing the station. Yeah, right. We're talking about a transit agency that took four years to renovate the Overbrook Rail Station, not to mention a transit system that claims wheelchair access to new rail stations, but forgets to build the proper ramps to allow access while claiming the project is "complete" (see Chester, Radnor, and Strafford stations as prime examples) - and it appears that Overbrook will be in the same situation.
Yet, the problems may be more than just inter-state finger pointing. State Rep. Dave Steil (R-Bucks) claims that despite three possibile locations for the platform, all three are unworkable due to various engineering quirks. Uh huh. He also added this gem right out of the SEPTA Ministry of Misinformation's playbook:
"It just proved to be too costly ... It probably won't happen until SEPTA builds the Cross County Metro and that probably won't happen in my lifetime."
That would be the understatement of the century...
Meanwhile, the Courier Times penned an editorial on this issue the very next day. The editorial passed the blamed - among other people - the overrated Congressman from Bucks County Jim Greenwood (R-8th), who despite his relative high senority in Washington, has done very little in recent years, except get into a shouting match last year with a Pennsbury High student, and the Bucks County Commissioners, who won't sign off on the plan unless parking fees pay for the construction.
Conspicously missing from all of this? None other than your favorite SEPTA Board Chairman/Turnpike Commissioner/Radio Station Owner/Land Developer and alleged champion of public transit (at least in Bucks County) Pasquale T. Deon, Sr. Considering that Don Pasquale has done a lot for SEPTA riders in Bucks (at the expense of the other three suburban counties and the City of Philadelphia), he has been remarkably silent on this issue.
Perhaps he's too busy irritating homeowners in a section of Bristol Twp where the Turnpike Commission is planning to build a massive interchange between the Turnpike and I-95, at the expense of dozens of homes in that area.
Perhaps he's too busy turning SEPTA Board meetings into a less democratic forum that is more inflexible to public comment than your typical United Nations meetings (now, public comments are limited to 2 minutes, which is dangerously close to being a borderline violation of open meetings laws).
Or, perhaps, he just doesn't give a damn...
FAKE TROLLEYS IN DEPTFORD? Officials in Deptford Twp, Gloucester County, are looking into a possible shuttle system, using fake replica trolley buses. The Gloucester County Times reports that the Deptford Township Council approved funding to study such a system. Township officials note that traffic in the township's shopping district - which includes the Deptford Mall and several other major chain stores - has increased significantly, due in large part to the easy access from NJ 42 and NJ 55. The study is expected to be complete by next year.
NJT service to the Deptford Mall and other shopping centers in the adjacent area could be described as mediocre at best. The only two routes that serve the mall are the 400 between Center City Philadelphia, Camden, and Sicklerville, which only operates hourly, even during peak hours (very poor, even by South Jersey standards, when you consider the high amount of service to Cherry Hill and Moorestown Malls) and the 455 which connects Cherry Hill Mall with Paulsboro via Deptford Mall and Haddonfield, and also operates hourly; on Sundays, the 455 only operates between Paulsboro and Deptford Mall on a limited schedule.
Bear in mind that Cherry Hill Mall is served by the 317 (stops on NJ 38), 404, 405, 413 (on NJ 38), 450, and 455; Moorestown Mall is directly served by the 317, 407, 413, and 457. How TPTB in Newark can ignore the increased number of traffic generators in Deptford Twp is really not surprising, considering that South Jersey has long been the rotten stepchild of the entire NJT system (as evidenced by the North Jersey junkers that are constantly sent south to run their last miles).
NJT service to the Deptford Mall and other shopping centers in the adjacent area could be described as mediocre at best. The only two routes that serve the mall are the 400 between Center City Philadelphia, Camden, and Sicklerville, which only operates hourly, even during peak hours (very poor, even by South Jersey standards, when you consider the high amount of service to Cherry Hill and Moorestown Malls) and the 455 which connects Cherry Hill Mall with Paulsboro via Deptford Mall and Haddonfield, and also operates hourly; on Sundays, the 455 only operates between Paulsboro and Deptford Mall on a limited schedule.
Bear in mind that Cherry Hill Mall is served by the 317 (stops on NJ 38), 404, 405, 413 (on NJ 38), 450, and 455; Moorestown Mall is directly served by the 317, 407, 413, and 457. How TPTB in Newark can ignore the increased number of traffic generators in Deptford Twp is really not surprising, considering that South Jersey has long been the rotten stepchild of the entire NJT system (as evidenced by the North Jersey junkers that are constantly sent south to run their last miles).
Wednesday, September 10, 2003
MORE 104 PROBLEMS ... AGAIN Stop me if you've heard this one before... There are more problems with late running buses on the 104. Yesterday's 5:05pm to West Chester departed 69 St 10 minutes late. One would think that the schedule change would improve on-time performance. But no, that's not the case. And, to make things worse, it seems that the slowest operator from Red Arrow is now working 4241 block, meaning that one of the two late night buses coming in from West Chester will always be running 10-15 minutes late. And there's still no PM express service from West Chester, hence the same overcrowding continues on inbound buses from West Chester during the PM peak. Here we go again...
BROAD ST LINE SETS RECORD Nearly 12,000 Iggles fans travelled to the Linc via the Broad St Subway, exceeding last year's totals for the Monday Night Football game against the New York football giants. Now, if Andy Reid can interrupt his cheesesteak dinner to actually develop a game plan that doesn't look like something that the Strath Haven football team can figure out, then maybe next week's game against New England will have a better result.
The 12,000 passengers could increase by a few more if SEPTA could actually add extra buses on some bus routes operating from Bridge-Pratt and 69 St which end service after the game, but that would be asking too much...
DANGER ZONE IN ANGORA It appears that for the second time in three days, bullets struck a SEPTA bus at 58 St/Baltimore Av. On Sunday, one man was shot to death on 58 St south of Baltimore. The incident occured at 2:54pm, when shots were fired in the area. Bullets struck both a SEPTA bus and a taxi. On Tuesday, the curb side windshield on 3346, working as a northbound G to Overbrook (7696 block), suffered damage, as a small hole which appeared to come from a bullet (that had not been confirmed) was seen in the bottom of the windshield near the front door. There was no other indication that it was a shooting, but considering what had happened 48 hours earlier, nothing could be ruled out.
BROAD ST LINE SETS RECORD Nearly 12,000 Iggles fans travelled to the Linc via the Broad St Subway, exceeding last year's totals for the Monday Night Football game against the New York football giants. Now, if Andy Reid can interrupt his cheesesteak dinner to actually develop a game plan that doesn't look like something that the Strath Haven football team can figure out, then maybe next week's game against New England will have a better result.
The 12,000 passengers could increase by a few more if SEPTA could actually add extra buses on some bus routes operating from Bridge-Pratt and 69 St which end service after the game, but that would be asking too much...
DANGER ZONE IN ANGORA It appears that for the second time in three days, bullets struck a SEPTA bus at 58 St/Baltimore Av. On Sunday, one man was shot to death on 58 St south of Baltimore. The incident occured at 2:54pm, when shots were fired in the area. Bullets struck both a SEPTA bus and a taxi. On Tuesday, the curb side windshield on 3346, working as a northbound G to Overbrook (7696 block), suffered damage, as a small hole which appeared to come from a bullet (that had not been confirmed) was seen in the bottom of the windshield near the front door. There was no other indication that it was a shooting, but considering what had happened 48 hours earlier, nothing could be ruled out.
Thursday, September 04, 2003
SEPTA SCHEDULE CHANGES Here is a partial listing of schedule changes and service adjustments in the City and Red Arrow divisions, which will take effect this weekend:
MARKET-FRANKFORD LINE Mid-day service reduced to every 8 minutes.
ROUTE C Artics will be deployed on Ogontz Loop/City Hall service, with headways increasing from 10 to 12 minutes; Sheaff Lane trips will be replaced by a shuttle from Broad St/Oregon Av.
ROUTE J Officially designated as a bike route; also designated as a 100 percent wheelchair accessible line.
ROUTE 8 Mid-day service is eliminated; service will not operate eastbound between 9:00am and 2:00pm; westbound service between 8:35am and 1:25pm will also be eliminated; officially designated as a bike route.
ROUTES 9, 11, 33, and 48 Peak service on these lines will be reduced.
ROUTE 12 Officially designated as a bike route.
ROUTE 26 Weekday AM peak eastbound service will be adjusted between Germantown and Olney Terminal.
ROUTE 27 Weekday PM peak service between CAPA (Broad/Washington) and Plymouth Meeting Mall is revised; a new 5:14pm northbound departure from 15 St/JFK Blvd has been added (presumably to Plymouth Meeting, but I'd have to check the timetables).
ROUTE 28 The detour routing along Rhawn St in Fox Chase will be lifted; all 28 buses will be back on it's normal routing.
ROUTE 31 Buses will continue to be detoured off of Market between 46 St and 63 St; a 31 Shuttle will be introduced, operating between 52 and 60 Sts between 11:00am and 7:00pm Monday-Saturday; eastbound service will be reduced between 8:00am and 11:00am to every 30 minutes; evening service will operate hourly starting at 7:20pm.
ROUTE 37 Officially re-designated as a bike route.
ROUTE 44 A new westbound short turn will depart 54 St/City Av at 7:08am to Ardmore; all Ardmore trips will now return to 52 St and Overbrook Av.
ROUTE 52 The new routing to Overbrook will be reflected on the new timetables.
ROUTE 53 Officially designated as a bike route.
ROUTES 63/64 Routes 63 and 64 will be consolidated; the 63 routing along Christian and Catharine Sts will be eliminated; the new 64 will operate mainly along Washington Av through South Philadelphia, with a diversion to the Ellsworth-Federal station; service also extended west from Wyalusing Av/Lancaster Av to Parkside Loop.
ROUTE 65 Buses re-routed to improve connections at 63 St/Malvern Av loop.
ROUTE 66 AM Express service eliminated.
ROUTE 77 Weekday 7:25am departure from Roosevelt Blvd/Cottman Av will run 20 minutes earlier to improve connections to Bishop McDevitt High School in Cheltenham Twp.
ROUTES 101/102 Mid-day service reduced from 20 minutes to every 30 minutes between 8:30am and 12:30pm.
ROUTE 103 Ardmore-bound service to be re-routed via County Line Rd and Ardmore Av; southbound service to operate via Cricket Av.
ROUTE 105 Ardmore short-turns to terminate at Cricket Terrace.
ROUTE 108 New weekday round trip departs 69 St Terminal at 8:12pm to 67 St/Elmwood Av; return trip departs 67/Elmwood at 8:35pm.
ROUTES 111 and 119 Outbound service from 69 St Terminal or Chester will only serve Franklin Mint on request to operator.
ROUTE 112 Sunday service will be discontinued.
ROUTE 113 Owl service eliminated; no service between 1:00am and 5:00am; new 6:45pm departure from 69 St Terminal to Darby Loop, return trip departs Darby at 7:04pm.
ROUTE 114 Sunday service will now operate between 6:00am and 11:00pm.
ROUTE 115 All service after 6:30pm discontinued.
ROUTE 120 Fewer through trips between 69 St and Cheyney; more shuttle trips between Newtown Square and Cheyney connecting (in theory) with 104 buses, much to the delight of those who deal with already overcrowded 104 buses coming in from West Chester.
ROUTE 305 Mid-day time adjustments due to 102 schedule changes; service to Delaware County Emergency Services Training Center (DelCo Community Coorections satellite site) in Darby Twp eliminated (however, the official SEPTA press release indicates that it "will be adjusted to maintain connections with Route 102."
In addition, Red Arrow routes service Chester Terminal will see adjusted times due to new traffic patterns in downtown Chester, which were implemented earlier this summer.
In addition, Red Arrow routes service Chester Terminal will see adjusted times due to new traffic patterns in downtown Chester, which were implemented earlier this summer.
Wednesday, September 03, 2003
DART PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED DART First State has scheduled two hearings next week regarding the December 1 schedule change for bus routes in New Castle County. Most of the changes involve minor time adjustments, with a new Route 7 to operate between the Wilmington Rail Station and St Francis Hospital, and minor routing changes to Routes 16, 28, and 65. Hearings will be held in Wilmington on Monday at the State Office Building and on Tuesday at Newark City Hall.
PHILADELPHIA SPECIAL ROUTES
SOUTH JERSEY TO PHILADELPHIA
SOUTH JERSEY LOCAL
ATLANTIC CITY/JERSEY SHORE
TRENTON/MERCER COUNTY
Tuesday, September 02, 2003
ROUTES VANISH Several smaller shuttle routes not directly operated by SEPTA have disappeared in recent weeks, with the most notable being the Summer Phlash. Various reasons, including a lack of funds and low ridership contributed to their demises. Among the victims:
The Phoenixville Phlyer, a shuttle service operated by the TMA of Chester County, which ceased operations on Friday.
The Summer Phlash, which was formally discontinued following service on Monday. The Phlash had operated on a limited routing within Center City, and was managed by the City of Philadelphia, yet operated by SEPTA.
Earlier in the summer, the Pennridge/Quakertown Rush bus operated by the Bucks County TMA was disconinued. The Pennridge/Quakertown Rush bus had been two separate lines before they were merged earlier in the summer.
The SCCOOT bus also underwent a major schedule and routing overhaul recently. The SCCOOT, which had operated between West Chester and Oxford via Chadds Ford now operates limited service to West Chester, mainly during peak hours, with West Chester service now operating via Pocopson Twp/PA 52. Most trips now terminate at Kennett Square. The base fare also increased to $2.00, yet SEPTA TransPasses and TrailPasses are still not accepted on this line.
IN BURLINGTON COUNTY, HOWEVER... The Board of Chosen Freeholders there have announced that the BurLink shuttle system, which connects parts of west central Burlington County with major NJ Transit lines in the Pemberton, Mt Holly, and Willingboro areas, will be expanded once the Trenton-Camden line officially starts service. Two peak hour routes would be added in January 2004. One line would connect the Florence LRT station with the Haines Industrial Park and Burlington Coat Factory off of US 130; during off-peak hours, that particular bus would link the Riverside LRT station with the new Hartford Crossing Shopping Center on US 130 in Delran Twp. The second line would operate between the Burlington City LRT station to a park-and-ride lot off CR 541 in Burlington Twp; during off peak hours, the shuttle would operate between Willingboro Town Center on US 130 to the Burlington Center Mall and other major shopping centers in Burlington Twp. NJ Transit will provide at least two 20-passenger cutaway buses for the expanded service, similar to what NJT has done in several municipalities in North Jersey.
The SCCOOT bus also underwent a major schedule and routing overhaul recently. The SCCOOT, which had operated between West Chester and Oxford via Chadds Ford now operates limited service to West Chester, mainly during peak hours, with West Chester service now operating via Pocopson Twp/PA 52. Most trips now terminate at Kennett Square. The base fare also increased to $2.00, yet SEPTA TransPasses and TrailPasses are still not accepted on this line.
IN BURLINGTON COUNTY, HOWEVER... The Board of Chosen Freeholders there have announced that the BurLink shuttle system, which connects parts of west central Burlington County with major NJ Transit lines in the Pemberton, Mt Holly, and Willingboro areas, will be expanded once the Trenton-Camden line officially starts service. Two peak hour routes would be added in January 2004. One line would connect the Florence LRT station with the Haines Industrial Park and Burlington Coat Factory off of US 130; during off-peak hours, that particular bus would link the Riverside LRT station with the new Hartford Crossing Shopping Center on US 130 in Delran Twp. The second line would operate between the Burlington City LRT station to a park-and-ride lot off CR 541 in Burlington Twp; during off peak hours, the shuttle would operate between Willingboro Town Center on US 130 to the Burlington Center Mall and other major shopping centers in Burlington Twp. NJ Transit will provide at least two 20-passenger cutaway buses for the expanded service, similar to what NJT has done in several municipalities in North Jersey.
Wednesday, August 27, 2003
WATER-GATE A revenue collection officer working on the Broad St Subway noticed a suspicious item at the Hunting Park Subway station Monday night. According to the Daily News, 31 bottles filled with a "suspicious" substance were spotted at emergency exits along both the Broad St Line and Ridge Av Spur. Tests by the Philadelphia Fire Department's Haz-Mat unit determined that the substance in question was ... water.
Yesterday, Philadelphia Police and SEPTA officials held a joint press conference at the Roundhouse (Philadelphia Police Headquarters) to reassure Broad Street Line riders that all is well.
"We expect this to be an absolutely non-story. Non-issue. We're making sure that it's safe for our customers, and there's no reason to believe at this moment that it's anything but safe." - SEPTA Minister of Misinformation Richard Maloney
"There was nothing found that was of any hazard to anyone or anything. It's not anything that we would deem as being a serious threat to anybody. People don't have to be concerned with getting on the subway and going to work in the morning." - Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Joseph O'Connor
Well, gentlemen, terrorism is probably the furthest thing from the minds of most Broad St line riders; the top concern for most would be getting to work without fear of being shot, as was the case on August 6 at Girard station.
According to reports, most of the bottles were placed at emergency exits leading from the tunnel to Broad St along the line between Olney and Pattison, and along the Ridge Spur. Police have ruled out terrorism, and believe that it may have been either a prank or some homeless people responsible for the scare. If this was a prank, it was a pretty stupid prank at that. If it was homeless related, then haven't these people heard of shelters? The last time I checked, the Broad Street Subway is not a homeless shelter, but that's another rant for another time.
(Of course, it could've been worse. The water could've been confiscated by Iggles officials at the Linc's first NFL game last Friday night - in which the Iggles showed less enthusiasm than the Phils did over the past two days...)
Philadelphia Inquirer
POLICING ITSELF? Six years ago, SEPTA commissioned a management audit by the Phoenix Group of Chadds Ford (who reportedly got the contract thanks to some strong support by former Delaware County Councilman and SEPTA Board member Wally Nunn). Now, SEPTA is required by law to conduct a management audit every five years. To that end, SEPTA recently issued an RFP seeking a company to perform a management audit of ... SEPTA. What may have seemed like a great idea in 1996-97, thanks in part to some actual forward thinking by Nunn (political connections notwithstanding), now seems like a bad idea, given the current micromanagement of SEPTA by Don Pasquale and the rudderless leadership of Fearless Leader and the rotating resumes at 1234 Market.
Somehow, given the fact that SEPTA management (and to a greater extend, the SEPTA Board under Don Pasquale) in recent years couldn't figure out how to be accountable to the public, for PennDOT to allow SEPTA to conduct a management audit of itself is akin to the Philadelphia Police allowing drug dealers to police their own neighborhoods. If SEPTA is required to have it's management structure audited, fine. The audit, however, should originate at either PennDOT or through the Auditor General's office in Harrisburg, not from 1234 Market. What's to stop the consultants from rigging the audit to come out favorably of SEPTA instead of uncovering the truth about the mismanagement that seems to occur on a regular basis, or to take shots at a union that - in the eyes of some outside observers - is not exactly unified (see the ongoing controversies involving TWU Local 234 President Jean Alexander and some of her more vocal critics within the union).
The report from the former Amtrak executive commissioned by Governor Rendell will probably have more of an impact on what changes need to be made within SEPTA more than a hand-picked consultant prone to rigging results to curry favor with the SEPTA Board. Then again, given the unwillingness by SEPTA to even consider even some of the most fundamental changes (such as an AGM solely for the Railroad instead of an AGM level manager overseeing both transit and Regional Rail operations), don't hold your breath, unless Fearless Leader actually decides to quit before 2004 (Faye Moore's contract, though publicized as a 5 year deal, is actually a 3 year deal with two 1-year options).
Yesterday, Philadelphia Police and SEPTA officials held a joint press conference at the Roundhouse (Philadelphia Police Headquarters) to reassure Broad Street Line riders that all is well.
"We expect this to be an absolutely non-story. Non-issue. We're making sure that it's safe for our customers, and there's no reason to believe at this moment that it's anything but safe." - SEPTA Minister of Misinformation Richard Maloney
"There was nothing found that was of any hazard to anyone or anything. It's not anything that we would deem as being a serious threat to anybody. People don't have to be concerned with getting on the subway and going to work in the morning." - Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Joseph O'Connor
Well, gentlemen, terrorism is probably the furthest thing from the minds of most Broad St line riders; the top concern for most would be getting to work without fear of being shot, as was the case on August 6 at Girard station.
According to reports, most of the bottles were placed at emergency exits leading from the tunnel to Broad St along the line between Olney and Pattison, and along the Ridge Spur. Police have ruled out terrorism, and believe that it may have been either a prank or some homeless people responsible for the scare. If this was a prank, it was a pretty stupid prank at that. If it was homeless related, then haven't these people heard of shelters? The last time I checked, the Broad Street Subway is not a homeless shelter, but that's another rant for another time.
(Of course, it could've been worse. The water could've been confiscated by Iggles officials at the Linc's first NFL game last Friday night - in which the Iggles showed less enthusiasm than the Phils did over the past two days...)
Philadelphia Inquirer
POLICING ITSELF? Six years ago, SEPTA commissioned a management audit by the Phoenix Group of Chadds Ford (who reportedly got the contract thanks to some strong support by former Delaware County Councilman and SEPTA Board member Wally Nunn). Now, SEPTA is required by law to conduct a management audit every five years. To that end, SEPTA recently issued an RFP seeking a company to perform a management audit of ... SEPTA. What may have seemed like a great idea in 1996-97, thanks in part to some actual forward thinking by Nunn (political connections notwithstanding), now seems like a bad idea, given the current micromanagement of SEPTA by Don Pasquale and the rudderless leadership of Fearless Leader and the rotating resumes at 1234 Market.
Somehow, given the fact that SEPTA management (and to a greater extend, the SEPTA Board under Don Pasquale) in recent years couldn't figure out how to be accountable to the public, for PennDOT to allow SEPTA to conduct a management audit of itself is akin to the Philadelphia Police allowing drug dealers to police their own neighborhoods. If SEPTA is required to have it's management structure audited, fine. The audit, however, should originate at either PennDOT or through the Auditor General's office in Harrisburg, not from 1234 Market. What's to stop the consultants from rigging the audit to come out favorably of SEPTA instead of uncovering the truth about the mismanagement that seems to occur on a regular basis, or to take shots at a union that - in the eyes of some outside observers - is not exactly unified (see the ongoing controversies involving TWU Local 234 President Jean Alexander and some of her more vocal critics within the union).
The report from the former Amtrak executive commissioned by Governor Rendell will probably have more of an impact on what changes need to be made within SEPTA more than a hand-picked consultant prone to rigging results to curry favor with the SEPTA Board. Then again, given the unwillingness by SEPTA to even consider even some of the most fundamental changes (such as an AGM solely for the Railroad instead of an AGM level manager overseeing both transit and Regional Rail operations), don't hold your breath, unless Fearless Leader actually decides to quit before 2004 (Faye Moore's contract, though publicized as a 5 year deal, is actually a 3 year deal with two 1-year options).
Monday, August 25, 2003
STOP ME IF YOU'VE HEARD THIS ONE... The on-time performance on the 104 is starting to get worse. Not only are operators forced to deal with the construction on Market St in downtown West Chester, but West Chester University is back in session. Toss in a lot of congestion along Church St and on Rosedale Av near the college, and you have drivers who are supposed to cover the WCU to Market St/Westtown Rd in about 12-15 minutes taking nearly 30 minutes to cover. As such, buses during the mid-day hours have been arriving at 69 St Terminal anywhere from 15 to 25 minutes late, causing a ripple effect up and down the line. Pair that with the fact that the West Chester trips have seen the older and slower Neoplans and you have a recipe for reliability problems. And yes, the buses coming in from West Chester are very overcrowded. I will post some of the findings from today's mess either tomorrow or Wednesday (I grabbed the wrong notes ... d'oh!).
SCHEDULE CHANGE DATE CONFIRMED The City and Red Arrow schedules will change on Monday, September 8. I have yet to hear if any additional schedule changes or service cuts will be implemented in addition to those approved by the Board in June, but if I see one more trip added to the 14 while the 104 continues to get screwed, well, let's just say I won't be a happy camper...
(And if you can't tell that I'm in a bad mood, blame Randy Wolf and his second crappy outing in a row. And while you're at it, blame the Phillies alleged offense for going into witness protection since they left on their 13-game road trip last week.)
SCHEDULE CHANGE DATE CONFIRMED The City and Red Arrow schedules will change on Monday, September 8. I have yet to hear if any additional schedule changes or service cuts will be implemented in addition to those approved by the Board in June, but if I see one more trip added to the 14 while the 104 continues to get screwed, well, let's just say I won't be a happy camper...
(And if you can't tell that I'm in a bad mood, blame Randy Wolf and his second crappy outing in a row. And while you're at it, blame the Phillies alleged offense for going into witness protection since they left on their 13-game road trip last week.)
Tuesday, August 19, 2003
MORE 104 PROBLEMS It seems that every week, there's always at least 3 or 4 incidents of missing buses on 104 trips to West Chester. On Saturday, the 10:10am departure to 69 St Terminal was a no show, apparently due to mechanical problems. Yesterday, the 3:50pm to 69 St also never made it to West Chester for the same reasons. Missing buses, however, seem to be the least of the line's problems.
For the past two days, Sharpless St in West Chester has been blocked off due to a crane blocking the intersection of Sharpless and Church. In theory, 104 buses en route to West Chester University would turn right on Price St, then left on Church and resume the normal routing. Um, no. Some buses went one block south of Sharpless to University Av, which is a very narrow street and not suitable for 102-inch wide buses. Other buses were not running to the college at all, simply laying over at New and Market. From here, things get crazier...
The operator on the 4:20pm from West Chester claimed that the control center had instructed him to lay over at New and Market. A call to SEPTA's Travel Mis-Information Center claimed that no detours had been reported on the 104, but that the 3:50pm from West Chester was a no-show. This was in spite of the fact that the Travel Mis-Information Center was notified at around 12:00pm that Sharpless was closed and that buses would have to detour via Price. In fact, the 11:05pm to 69 St Terminal also bypassed the college, as, I'm sure, a lot of the other runs over the course of the day.
Somehow, with all the new technology that SEPTA has deployed over the past few years (or not deployed as is the case of the defribulators hiding in a closet at 1234 Market), you'd think that the Control Center would be able to give the Travel Mis-Information Center access to real-time transit delays and detours. You would also think that someone would be smart enough to send a supervisor out to West Chester to figure out what the actual detour is supposed to be. Of course not, this is West Chester we're talking about, which time and time again has become the step-child of the region as far as SEPTA is concerned. SEPTA has no problem posting detour information affecting routes in Montgomery or Bucks Counties, but once you get west of Lower Merion, you're on your own.
RED ARROW SCHEDULE CONTROVERSY The schedules for Red Arrow buses and trolleys were to have changed over Labor Day weekend. The schedule change was then pushed back to September 8. Now, the changes are on hold indefinately, thanks to a problem with the cutting of runs. Apparently, the runs were cut using City Transit Division policies, which involves a lot of en route relief points (such as Wissahickon Transfer Center for Allegheny runs). Such relief points are neither permitted nor feasible under the Red Arrow contract. So now, the rotating resumes at 1234 Market have to go back to the drawing board.
As a result of the run cutting problems, some extra 120 "trippers" to Cheyney will have to be added until the full fall schedule becomes official, which could be as late as September 15. By that time, both Cheyney and West Chester will be three weeks into their respective fall semesters, while Delaware County Community College starts its fall semester a week later.
The run cutting problems, apparently, was the reason why the June 16 Red Arrow schedule change was pushed back to July 7. Wow, and you wonder why a lot of the griping in the suburbs about SEPTA has come from the western suburbs?
For the past two days, Sharpless St in West Chester has been blocked off due to a crane blocking the intersection of Sharpless and Church. In theory, 104 buses en route to West Chester University would turn right on Price St, then left on Church and resume the normal routing. Um, no. Some buses went one block south of Sharpless to University Av, which is a very narrow street and not suitable for 102-inch wide buses. Other buses were not running to the college at all, simply laying over at New and Market. From here, things get crazier...
The operator on the 4:20pm from West Chester claimed that the control center had instructed him to lay over at New and Market. A call to SEPTA's Travel Mis-Information Center claimed that no detours had been reported on the 104, but that the 3:50pm from West Chester was a no-show. This was in spite of the fact that the Travel Mis-Information Center was notified at around 12:00pm that Sharpless was closed and that buses would have to detour via Price. In fact, the 11:05pm to 69 St Terminal also bypassed the college, as, I'm sure, a lot of the other runs over the course of the day.
Somehow, with all the new technology that SEPTA has deployed over the past few years (or not deployed as is the case of the defribulators hiding in a closet at 1234 Market), you'd think that the Control Center would be able to give the Travel Mis-Information Center access to real-time transit delays and detours. You would also think that someone would be smart enough to send a supervisor out to West Chester to figure out what the actual detour is supposed to be. Of course not, this is West Chester we're talking about, which time and time again has become the step-child of the region as far as SEPTA is concerned. SEPTA has no problem posting detour information affecting routes in Montgomery or Bucks Counties, but once you get west of Lower Merion, you're on your own.
RED ARROW SCHEDULE CONTROVERSY The schedules for Red Arrow buses and trolleys were to have changed over Labor Day weekend. The schedule change was then pushed back to September 8. Now, the changes are on hold indefinately, thanks to a problem with the cutting of runs. Apparently, the runs were cut using City Transit Division policies, which involves a lot of en route relief points (such as Wissahickon Transfer Center for Allegheny runs). Such relief points are neither permitted nor feasible under the Red Arrow contract. So now, the rotating resumes at 1234 Market have to go back to the drawing board.
As a result of the run cutting problems, some extra 120 "trippers" to Cheyney will have to be added until the full fall schedule becomes official, which could be as late as September 15. By that time, both Cheyney and West Chester will be three weeks into their respective fall semesters, while Delaware County Community College starts its fall semester a week later.
The run cutting problems, apparently, was the reason why the June 16 Red Arrow schedule change was pushed back to July 7. Wow, and you wonder why a lot of the griping in the suburbs about SEPTA has come from the western suburbs?
Monday, August 18, 2003
THE NEW "BLOCK FROM HELL" And now, a message for anyone who has to rely on the weekday 4541 block on the 113: Watch out!
This warning comes after a female passenger suffered injuries to her left leg last week. The incident occured at around 4:30am as the 113 was barrelling through Darby Borough en route to Marcus Hook. As the bus sped past the intersection of Chester Pike and Springfield Rd, the bus - a 5500 series New Flyer - hit a pothole, and the unfortunate passenger ultimately suffered ligament damage. As a result, the victim went to Mercy Fitzgerald Hosptial and is due for x-rays later this week. Surgery is a distinct probability for this passenger, whose only crime seems to have been riding with a reckless and unsafe operator.
According to this passenger, the operator of 4541 block has been notorious for covering the 69 St to Darby stretch in 9 minutes, and driving excessively fast over the Lansdowne Av R3 overpass in Lansdowne (which can be a very dangerous bridge even if you obey the speed limit). During the day, the 69 St-Darby segment is usually covered in about 20-25 minutes, depending on how bad traffic is through Lansdowne. At night, the scheduled running time is no less than 15 minutes. Obviously, minimal ridership exists on the 113 OWL service (hence, SEPTA's decision to cut overnight trips), but still, that's no excuse for an operator to drive like a maniac.
At last report, the victim is filing a complaint with Customer Service, who hopefully will give her a number to call to file a medical claim. Though, given the institutional arrogance within SEPTA, I highly doubt it.
ARE YOU REALLY SAFE? The Northeast News Gleaner recently ran an article in which residents near the new Frankford Terminal have expressed concerns about ongoing drug and vandalism problems, particularly along Frankford Av. SEPTA Transit Police are scheduled to move the Zone 4 headquarters from Frankford Av between Margaret-Orthodox and Church stations to the new terminal building within the year. Whether or not they actually do any real police work remains to be seen...
And on a related note, SEPTA sure did a great job in burying this story. On August 5, a shooting occured on the southbound platform at Girard Station on the Broad St line. According to an eyewitness, two men were involved in an arguement while on board the train. Moments after they got off the train at Girard, shots were fired. Very little information has come out regarding this incident (not surprising, considering this is SEPTA we're talking about), however it appears that no other passengers were struck by stray bullets. I would suspect that both suspects are now facing weapons charges, but again, SEPTA isn't telling us anything.
WANTED: CAC MEMBERS Jere Downs reports in today's Inquirer that several positions are vacant on SEPTA's Citizens Advisory Committee. Many of the vacancies that have yet to be filled are from the City of Philadelphia, however other openings due to CAC members service well past their terms are due to open up in Chester and Delaware Counties. Chester County's representative on the CAC, Paoli attorney M. Scott Magargee, was initially appointed to the CAC in 1985; his term was to have expired in 1991, as CAC members are limited to 2 consecutive 3-year terms. The other two members whose terms have long since expired are Belknap Freeman, an Amtrak retiree from the Rosemont of Radnor Twp whose third term expired in 1990, and H. L. Lin Bongaardt, a transit consultant from Glen Mills, whose term expired in 1991.
While the CAC had been very active in support of the riding public during the mid- to late-1980s, in recent years, it would appear that their effectiveness has been reduced in recent years. Except of course to the rotating resumes at 1234 Market, as evidenced by this statement from SEPTA's Minister of Mis-Information Richard Maloney:
"They have provided over a period of time very valuable consultation and advice ... They study our programs and projects very carefully. They provide excellent, sophisticated consumer advice."
That advice has not necessarily been focused on SEPTA's current crisis - on the $41 million budget hole, the cutbacks in state funding or the system's declining ridership. Two committee members attended one budget hearing in May. But so far this year, the group's major initiative has been a study of rail-station signage, which was found to be antiquated at some stops and absent at others. The report was submitted to agency management in February.
"We've heard nothing since. It goes into a deep dark hole and that's it," said (Magargee).
File this under, "Oh how the mighty have fallen..."
Magargee, as noted, was still serving a term that was to have expired 12 years ago. However, whether or not this was related to the term limit issue that is finally being raised, he plans to leave the CAC at the end of this month.
"I have concluded that my usefulness is now over."
With all due respect to Mr. Magargee, that he feels that way shouldn't be entirely placed on his shoulders. Management has been thumbing its collective nose to the ridership at large for the past few years. Somehow, it seems as though the arrogance from the ivory towers at 1234 Market is slowly starting to spread to the CAC itself.
The term of Montgomery County representative and CAC Chair Robert Szwajkos is due to expire at the end of the year, had also indicated that he would also remain on the board after his term expires, unless TPTB in Norristown name a replacement. Szwajkos put in his own two cents on the matter:
(Swajkos) maintains that the committee can still be an effective voice for transit riders, not "in a public display of complaining and letters to the editor - but in establishing confidence with the management and SEPTA board."
"At the appropriate times," he added, "we may go public."
Establishing confidence with the management and SEPTA board? Good luck.
This warning comes after a female passenger suffered injuries to her left leg last week. The incident occured at around 4:30am as the 113 was barrelling through Darby Borough en route to Marcus Hook. As the bus sped past the intersection of Chester Pike and Springfield Rd, the bus - a 5500 series New Flyer - hit a pothole, and the unfortunate passenger ultimately suffered ligament damage. As a result, the victim went to Mercy Fitzgerald Hosptial and is due for x-rays later this week. Surgery is a distinct probability for this passenger, whose only crime seems to have been riding with a reckless and unsafe operator.
According to this passenger, the operator of 4541 block has been notorious for covering the 69 St to Darby stretch in 9 minutes, and driving excessively fast over the Lansdowne Av R3 overpass in Lansdowne (which can be a very dangerous bridge even if you obey the speed limit). During the day, the 69 St-Darby segment is usually covered in about 20-25 minutes, depending on how bad traffic is through Lansdowne. At night, the scheduled running time is no less than 15 minutes. Obviously, minimal ridership exists on the 113 OWL service (hence, SEPTA's decision to cut overnight trips), but still, that's no excuse for an operator to drive like a maniac.
At last report, the victim is filing a complaint with Customer Service, who hopefully will give her a number to call to file a medical claim. Though, given the institutional arrogance within SEPTA, I highly doubt it.
ARE YOU REALLY SAFE? The Northeast News Gleaner recently ran an article in which residents near the new Frankford Terminal have expressed concerns about ongoing drug and vandalism problems, particularly along Frankford Av. SEPTA Transit Police are scheduled to move the Zone 4 headquarters from Frankford Av between Margaret-Orthodox and Church stations to the new terminal building within the year. Whether or not they actually do any real police work remains to be seen...
And on a related note, SEPTA sure did a great job in burying this story. On August 5, a shooting occured on the southbound platform at Girard Station on the Broad St line. According to an eyewitness, two men were involved in an arguement while on board the train. Moments after they got off the train at Girard, shots were fired. Very little information has come out regarding this incident (not surprising, considering this is SEPTA we're talking about), however it appears that no other passengers were struck by stray bullets. I would suspect that both suspects are now facing weapons charges, but again, SEPTA isn't telling us anything.
WANTED: CAC MEMBERS Jere Downs reports in today's Inquirer that several positions are vacant on SEPTA's Citizens Advisory Committee. Many of the vacancies that have yet to be filled are from the City of Philadelphia, however other openings due to CAC members service well past their terms are due to open up in Chester and Delaware Counties. Chester County's representative on the CAC, Paoli attorney M. Scott Magargee, was initially appointed to the CAC in 1985; his term was to have expired in 1991, as CAC members are limited to 2 consecutive 3-year terms. The other two members whose terms have long since expired are Belknap Freeman, an Amtrak retiree from the Rosemont of Radnor Twp whose third term expired in 1990, and H. L. Lin Bongaardt, a transit consultant from Glen Mills, whose term expired in 1991.
While the CAC had been very active in support of the riding public during the mid- to late-1980s, in recent years, it would appear that their effectiveness has been reduced in recent years. Except of course to the rotating resumes at 1234 Market, as evidenced by this statement from SEPTA's Minister of Mis-Information Richard Maloney:
"They have provided over a period of time very valuable consultation and advice ... They study our programs and projects very carefully. They provide excellent, sophisticated consumer advice."
That advice has not necessarily been focused on SEPTA's current crisis - on the $41 million budget hole, the cutbacks in state funding or the system's declining ridership. Two committee members attended one budget hearing in May. But so far this year, the group's major initiative has been a study of rail-station signage, which was found to be antiquated at some stops and absent at others. The report was submitted to agency management in February.
"We've heard nothing since. It goes into a deep dark hole and that's it," said (Magargee).
File this under, "Oh how the mighty have fallen..."
Magargee, as noted, was still serving a term that was to have expired 12 years ago. However, whether or not this was related to the term limit issue that is finally being raised, he plans to leave the CAC at the end of this month.
"I have concluded that my usefulness is now over."
With all due respect to Mr. Magargee, that he feels that way shouldn't be entirely placed on his shoulders. Management has been thumbing its collective nose to the ridership at large for the past few years. Somehow, it seems as though the arrogance from the ivory towers at 1234 Market is slowly starting to spread to the CAC itself.
The term of Montgomery County representative and CAC Chair Robert Szwajkos is due to expire at the end of the year, had also indicated that he would also remain on the board after his term expires, unless TPTB in Norristown name a replacement. Szwajkos put in his own two cents on the matter:
(Swajkos) maintains that the committee can still be an effective voice for transit riders, not "in a public display of complaining and letters to the editor - but in establishing confidence with the management and SEPTA board."
"At the appropriate times," he added, "we may go public."
Establishing confidence with the management and SEPTA board? Good luck.
Friday, August 15, 2003
BLACKOUT HAD MINIMAL EFFECT HERE Despite the major problems encountered by NJ Transit, Amtrak, LIRR, and Metro-North, there were very few problems reported on SEPTA's Regional Rail, particularly the R3 West Trenton and R7 Trenton lines. The R7, however, may have been impacted indirectly due to the reduced service on NJT's Northeast Corridor line. If you were planning to head towards New York or North Jersey this weekend - don't. As for 3:30pm, all inbound NJT bus service to Manhattan is suspended, with only outbound service operating to the Meadowlands, where connecting buses will be available to points in Central and North Jersey. The NEC, North Jersey Coast Line, Raritan Valley, and Morris & Essex/Gladstone and Morristown branches are operating on a Saturday schedule. Rail lines to North Jersey, including the Pascack Valley and Main/Bergen lines, are not operating. Let's hope things can get back to normal by the end of the weekend...
Wednesday, August 13, 2003
ROUTE 29 HEARING SCHEDULED A public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, September 16 in South Philadelphia regarding the "temporary bus detour" for trackless route 29. The 29 was "temporarily" converted to diesel bus due to the reconstruction of the Tasker Homes project in South Philadelphia and extended to Pier 70. The hearing will start at 6:30pm at the Barrett Nabuurs Rec Center, 2738 Dickenson St. Although SEPTA's tariffs are calling this a "temporary" bus operation, you get the feeling that SEPTA would rather have nothing to do with trackless trolleys, which is a damn shame...
UPGRADES ON THE MEDIA TROLLEY SEPTA is in the process of awarding a contract to upgrade 10 crossings along the 101/Media and 102/Sharon Hill trolley lines. It would appear that this would cover the mainline corridor between 69 St Terminal and Shadeland Av. The bids are expected to be opened in August with an award due by September or October at the latest.
MORE CONSULTANTS? Fresh off the controversy between City Council and SEPTA management over the Market St El reconstruction, SEPTA is soliciting proposals for "Affirmative Action Consulting Services" for the project. On the surface, it appears to be nothing more than lip service by SEPTA to get City Council off their collective backs, but still, you have to wonder (1) if funding for these "consultants" will come out of the capital budget and (2) if not, how is SEPTA going to be able to pay for it given the financial uncertainty in Harrisburg.
EL RUNNING SLOWER Speaking of the El, service between 30 St and 15 St is running slower than usual due to the track renewal along the subway-surface tunnel. Most of the track has been removed between 22 St and 15 St eastbound. Rail renewal crews from Elmwood have, for the most part, been efficient enough to have normal service resume on schedule. On a related note, the 34 bus bridge ended this weekend, with reports that the track bed along Baltimore Av is in fact smoother than it was prior to the track renewal (as one would expect).
BRT IN FUTURE FOR CENTRAL JERSEY? The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission's Regional Citizens Committee held a meeting yesterday at the Bourse, despite the massive power failure that struck Center City. (For the record, I was trying to get there on time, however when I got to the Bourse, power there had failed and was not restored until around 1:20pm, when the bulk of the meeting had ended. This, coupled with the slower running El and the even slower operator I was stuck with on the 10:15am 104 from West Chester (3263/4216 block), which arrived at 69 St Terminal 12 minutes late, prevented me from making it to the meeting on time.) The major topic of this meeting was a proposal by NJ Transit to operate a Bus Rapid Transit system connecting the US 1 corridor between Lawrence Twp, Mercer County and South Brunswick Twp, Middlesex County. An official alternatives analysis is due to be issued by NJDOT and NJ Transit by the end of the fall.
COATESVILLE RAIL STATION IN BAD SHAPE Today's Daily Local News reports that the Coatesville City Council approved a study regarding the renovation of the Coatesville Train Station, which is presently served only by limited Amtrak service. Preservation Pennsylvania recently listed the station - and the Amtrak stop in Elizabethtown, Lancaster County - among the 10 most endangered historic sites in Pennsylvania.
UPGRADES ON THE MEDIA TROLLEY SEPTA is in the process of awarding a contract to upgrade 10 crossings along the 101/Media and 102/Sharon Hill trolley lines. It would appear that this would cover the mainline corridor between 69 St Terminal and Shadeland Av. The bids are expected to be opened in August with an award due by September or October at the latest.
MORE CONSULTANTS? Fresh off the controversy between City Council and SEPTA management over the Market St El reconstruction, SEPTA is soliciting proposals for "Affirmative Action Consulting Services" for the project. On the surface, it appears to be nothing more than lip service by SEPTA to get City Council off their collective backs, but still, you have to wonder (1) if funding for these "consultants" will come out of the capital budget and (2) if not, how is SEPTA going to be able to pay for it given the financial uncertainty in Harrisburg.
EL RUNNING SLOWER Speaking of the El, service between 30 St and 15 St is running slower than usual due to the track renewal along the subway-surface tunnel. Most of the track has been removed between 22 St and 15 St eastbound. Rail renewal crews from Elmwood have, for the most part, been efficient enough to have normal service resume on schedule. On a related note, the 34 bus bridge ended this weekend, with reports that the track bed along Baltimore Av is in fact smoother than it was prior to the track renewal (as one would expect).
BRT IN FUTURE FOR CENTRAL JERSEY? The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission's Regional Citizens Committee held a meeting yesterday at the Bourse, despite the massive power failure that struck Center City. (For the record, I was trying to get there on time, however when I got to the Bourse, power there had failed and was not restored until around 1:20pm, when the bulk of the meeting had ended. This, coupled with the slower running El and the even slower operator I was stuck with on the 10:15am 104 from West Chester (3263/4216 block), which arrived at 69 St Terminal 12 minutes late, prevented me from making it to the meeting on time.) The major topic of this meeting was a proposal by NJ Transit to operate a Bus Rapid Transit system connecting the US 1 corridor between Lawrence Twp, Mercer County and South Brunswick Twp, Middlesex County. An official alternatives analysis is due to be issued by NJDOT and NJ Transit by the end of the fall.
COATESVILLE RAIL STATION IN BAD SHAPE Today's Daily Local News reports that the Coatesville City Council approved a study regarding the renovation of the Coatesville Train Station, which is presently served only by limited Amtrak service. Preservation Pennsylvania recently listed the station - and the Amtrak stop in Elizabethtown, Lancaster County - among the 10 most endangered historic sites in Pennsylvania.
Monday, August 11, 2003
NEW BOARD MEMBER FROM DELCO Delaware County Council recently named Cornelius J. Cassidy, a major player in the Darby Borough GOP, to replace Tom Killion, who was recently elected to fill the house seat vacated by the death of House Speaker Matthew Ryan. Cassidy's appointment seemed to surprise some DelCo pols as he was selected over a Ridley Township commissioner.
BIKE RACK UPDATE SEPTA recently reissued a request for bids to purchase bike racks for the NABI, New Flyer, and Neo artic fleet. The original contract, which was awarded earlier in the year, requested 500 bike racks for the NABIs and New Flyers, however SEPTA has decided to re-bid the order to include an additional 155 bike racks for the Neoplan artic fleet. The deadline for the re-bids is Wednesday, with a contract to likely be awarded either in September or October. Delivery of the new racks would take place over an 18 month period upon awarding of the contract. For obvious reasons (ie. they're near retirement), the 40-ft Neos won't be getting bike racks.
BIKE RACK UPDATE SEPTA recently reissued a request for bids to purchase bike racks for the NABI, New Flyer, and Neo artic fleet. The original contract, which was awarded earlier in the year, requested 500 bike racks for the NABIs and New Flyers, however SEPTA has decided to re-bid the order to include an additional 155 bike racks for the Neoplan artic fleet. The deadline for the re-bids is Wednesday, with a contract to likely be awarded either in September or October. Delivery of the new racks would take place over an 18 month period upon awarding of the contract. For obvious reasons (ie. they're near retirement), the 40-ft Neos won't be getting bike racks.
Saturday, August 09, 2003
HYBRIDS COMING? According to Andre Kristopans - a semi-regular contributor to one of my other sites - New Flyer Hybrid buses 5603H-5612H were on the assembly line in Minnesota on June 4. This would indicate that the remaining 10 hybrids, plus pilot buses 5601H-5602H are probably about to be delivered to SEPTA within the next month or so. This may mean that some of the Neoplan EBs at Southern may be about ready to be moved, possibly to Callowhill (to allow the remaining DKs to be retired).
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