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Delaware Valley Rail Passenger Vol 10 No 01
1972 - 1992 DVARP Twentieth Anniversary
1892 - 1992 Philadelphia Electric Streetcar Centennial
The
Delaware Valley
Rail Passenger
January 6, 1992
Vol. X, No. 1
Published by the Delaware Valley Association of Railroad Passengers in the interest of continued, improved, and expanded rail service for the present and potential railroad and rail transit passengers of southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and nearby areas.
For more information about DVARP and good rail service, please write to us:
P.O. Box 7505,
Philadelphia, PA 19101
Dues Rates: Please see inside, page 13. Renewals for 1992 are now due!
Inside The Delaware Valley Rail PassengerÉ
2 DVARP alternative service plan gains strength at SEPTA public hearing.
3, 14 Éand the railroad dies again! Did SEPTA fiddle while 30th Street burned?
DVARP reports from 30th Street and other affected locations, but many questions remain unanswered.
4 On the Railroad Lines: Good news in Delaware, SEPTA listens to Rose Valley neighbors and helps Mount Airy, Park and ride expansions planned for North Penn area, SEPTA ÒRailworksÓ plans for R6, R7, and R8 lines and the DVARP alternative, and much more.
7 Fern Rock Transportation Center to open this month? What about Tabor?
8 Deficient bridges found on ÒCross-county MetroÓ route
New operator for freight/tourist services in South Jersey
9 City Transit news: El service levels restored, Subway owl buses improved, ÒRailworksÓ schedule plans, Smoking ban, and more.
10 Federal transportation bill enacted: a better break for transit,
Suburban news: SEPTA proposes to abandon 211, slash 205.
11 City and Suburban transit schedule changes. Get the highlights here.
12 Harrisburg asks for second Pennsylvanian: how can we make it a reality and improve the Keystone Corridor service at the same time?
Intercity rail service news: NARP sues Mass. over Boston highway project
13 DVARP membership renewal: how to read your mailing label.
15 Up and Down the Corridor: up to the minute information on the ever-volatile New York TA fare (itÕs $1.25 for now), Meetings of Interest.
Hearing Brings Good News for Alternate Service Proponents
The alternative route for Reading-side commuter rail service advocated by DVARP won support from other individuals and groups at last monthÕs hearing on SEPTAÕs proposal to suspend rail service during the ÒRailworksÓ construction project. Railroad Construction Inc, a private-sector firm bidding for the R8 Fox Chase-Newtown route, proposed that its trains use the DVARP route, and revealed that it had already received initial promises of cooperation from Conrail and Amtrak.
DVARPÕs three-page statement, read at the hearing, detailed the history of the project and of public opposition to the proposed service shutdowns. It compared SEPTAÕs construction project to commuter rail projects in other cities where service was continued either by careful staging of construction or use of alternate routes. DVARP stressed that service should continue. ÒDVARP is not asking SEPTA to do something unusual; it is SEPTA which is making unusual demands on its passengers.Ó
A 54-page book of appendix material backed up DVARPÕs statement with documentation that alternative service to 30th Street over Conrail and Amtrak tracks is both cost-effective and easy to implement quickly. The DVARP economic analysis showed that permanent ridership losses costing SEPTA $25 million can be expected if direct rail service to Center City is cut off.
Other hearing participants praised DVARPÕs proposal. Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers spokesman Tom Dorricott urged SEPTA to give DVARP a written response to its proposal. Individual riders denounced the SEPTA plan to divert most riders to the subway and provide no service at all to some.
Much attention was paid to the increased likelihood and possibly devastating effects of a SEPTA transit strike while the core section of railroad is shut down. Mary Dougherty, an R8 Fox Chase rider, told the hearing in no uncertain terms of the threat, while DVARP pointed out how the shutdown would permanently increase the cost of CTD service.
News media attention to the hearing and the shutdown has been mixed. Television crews were off covering the Blue Route opening and the boisterous City Council hearings on street vending regulations. Those reporters who came to the hearing, especially Bob Warner of the Daily News, and Tom Content of the Lansdale Reporter, found insightful angles on the conflict between SEPTA and its passengers.
The decision whether to approve the plan is now in the hands of the newly-expanded SEPTA board, which meets Wednesday, January 22. Members who are concerned about the effects of the proposed shutdown should write directly to the Board at 714 Market St., Philadelphia, 19106; or contact their County Commissioners or Mayor Rendell.
For a copy of the DVARP statement, please send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to P.O. Box 7505, Philadelphia, PA 19101.ÑMDM
(More Ninth Street shutdown news on pages 5, 6, 7, 9)
About Our New LookÉ
As you can see, The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger is changing. We hope itÕs for the better: to give you more news, in a timely manner and an easy to use format. Send your complements and criticism to DVARP, P.O. Box 7505, Philadelphia, PA 19101
Fire at 30th StreetÉ
For the second time in as many months, passenger rail service was severely disrupted in the Philadelphia area. The smoky fire in 30th Street Station December 23 could not have been at a worse location. It was directly above AmtrakÕs main line and directly below SEPTAÕs main line, in a former bowling alley being used as a storage area for the reconstruction of the station.
Amtrak and SEPTA halted service about 5:00 pm. Amtrak bussed passengers between Trenton, Philadelphia, and Wilmington. SEPTA provided only limited bus service, directing most passengers to alternate transit routes. Most service was restored by the following morning. The big exception was that SEPTA trains did not pick up or discharge passengers at 30th Street. Connections for travelers trying to catch Amtrak trains were made very difficult., but a SEPTA employee was stationed at the base of the closed commuter concourse to direct passengers to alternate routes. Although the station smelled heavily of smoke, surprisingly little damage was apparent and service returned almost to normal on the 24th.ÑMDM
Éand the railroad died again
SEPTA regional rail passengers were stymied by the fire which smoldered within the northeast corner of 30th Street Station just before 5 PM on Monday, December 23. It appears that SEPTA shut off power to its center-city part Amtrak-fed side of the system shortly thereafterÉ well before Amtrak did. Apparently, early peak commuter trains which had moved beyond the central area (westward onto Amtrak-controlled segments or northward or to the separately-powered Reading side of the system) were allowed to complete their runs.
After that, we're told, SEPTA just shut down all operations for the evening, both on the Amtrak-powered and on unaffected Wayne Junction-powered parts of the system.
Apparently on the next morning, the lightly-traveled (for SEPTA) day before Christmas, full schedules were operated. However, no stops were made at 30th Street upper level station while several shifts of Amtrak workers cleaned up the area. Little or no structural damage happened to the facilities essential to SEPTA's trains and passengers.
Service at the SEPTA station returned to normal by December 26th.ÑJRP
Inordinate effects on Reading side
Although the fire was on the ex-Pennsylvania half of SEPTAÕs rail system, many Reading-side commuters were stranded for hours. A variety of problems which may never be sorted out kept trains from running for about two and a half hours. A series of trains ran from Penn Center to the former Reading lines about 8:30 pm, then all remaining trains were annulled by SEPTA except for the last train of the night on each line.
Compared to the November 15 power failure knocking out the whole Reading side, passenger relations were handled better by SEPTA personnel. With most of the affected passengers downtown where plenty of station personnel are available and communications facilities are good, that was to be expected. Station crews had notebooks full of emergency directions to stations via alternate routes and gave individual advice to passengers. Sometimes, the advice was mistaken though, as passengers were directed to bus routes which had already stopped running for the day.
The heralded ÒSEPTA Emergency Response TeamÓ of management employees was again conspicuous by its absence. The team is made up of management employees, and most of them were already on their buses and trains going home when the disaster struck. Many top staff did pitch in to get commuters home, like Hal Davidow, Assistant General Manager of the Subway-Elevated Division, who manned a cashier booth. ÑMDM
30th Street Fire Raises Questions
The fire is said to have started in debris from station reconstruction that was stored in the former bus terminal and later bowling alley. Some Amtrak offices were damaged, and fire-fighting was hampered by the presence of live-power lines.
Smoke was so dense that Amtrak service through the underground station was stopped. However, Amtrak power was not shut off immediately but only at 7:50 PM. This decision allowed trains to reach destinations. Some Amtrak passengers reported detraining south of the post office area. Thereafter, the Trenton-Wilmington route segment was without Amtrak service for several hours.
Early visitors to the station have reported a shocking situation. It's said that smoke detectors were observed to be covered with plastic cavdeved bags. Furthermore, DVARP has heard from employees that frequent and spurious soundings of fire alarms in the recent past has led to a general practice of ignoring the smoke-alarm system. Even worse, rumors have circulated that the fire was set by disgruntled Amtrak employees. Whatever the causes, proximate or ultimate, it should be obvious that trash should not be allowed to accumulate in buildings-- a cause of fires again and again.ÑJRP
Once again, DVARP would like to hear from members and other passengers who had particularly good or bad experiences on the 23rd. Your comments will be compiled and directed to the appropriate personnel at SEPTA and Amtrak.
On the Railroad LinesÉ
R1
NewÊSeatsÊforÊAirportÊFleet
James Palmer, Assistant General Manager of SEPTAÕs Railroad Division, informs DVARP that the uncomfortable seats in car 269 (see 11/91 DVRP) are replacements necessitated by a fire some time ago. He indicated that SEPTA plans to install improved seats in the Airport Line cars (232-239) this spring. Then some of the seats from the Airport cars will be installed in car 206, which got the bad seats in an overhaul.ÑCB
TicketÊMachinesÊReduced
Some ticket vending machines have been removed from stations on the Airport line, which had each had two machines previously. The reason for their removal or whether this is permanent is not known at this time. Machine failures now mean tickets are unavailable, so cash fare collections on the line have increased, with penalties frequently waived by the conductors.ÑMDM
R2
ClaymontÊSuccessÊLeadsÊDelawareÊRailÊRenaissance
SEPTA statistics show the R2 Wilmington line as the only commuter rail line with an increasing ridership trend. Weekday ridership at Delaware stations is now over 1500 and still growing by some 5% per month. The reopening of the park and ride station at Claymont deserves much of the credit. R2 commuters have had high praise for the convenient location of the lot and for the security guard on duty there. Perhaps the most impressive fact is that this success is continuing even after the completion of reconstruction work on I-95. This certainly supports the theory that commuter habits, once learned are hard to break.
Delaware officials continue to mull proposals for more rail expansions in the Diamond State. An agreement with SEPTA to extend some R2 service to Newark, DE is reportedly near. Extension of the new MARC Perryville service to Wilmington is proposed. Railroad Management Services, the firm which has proposed privately-operated rail service from the R8 Newtown line to 30th Street, is making plans for a private-sector operation from Wilmington to Dover. RMS is discussing a trackage rights agreement with Conrail which would allow for passenger service over the Delmarva Secondary.Self-propelled diesel railcars made surplus by the major cuts in CanadaÕs passenger rail service would be used.
For news of new bus service in Dover, DE, see Transit Notes on page 11
SEPTA proposes to make abandon Route 211 bus service from Warminster to Ivyland: see page 10 for details.
R3
CheyneyÑWestÊChester:ÊOutÊofÊService
SEPTA has officially placed a part of its West Chester track out of service, according to an operating document. The segment is from Cheyney (last station in Delaware County) to State, near the West Chester terminus. Local officials in Chester County (but not Delaware) are unenthusiastic about restoring service.
SEPTA General Manager Louis Gambaccini recently told a DVARP member at a public meeting that SEPTA considers service restoration between Wawa and West Chester as Ònot cost-effective.ÓÑJRP
MoylanÊParkingÊExpansionÊCauseÊforÊConcern
DVARP member Andrew Saul reports of SEPTA plans to increase parking capacity at Rose Valley-Moylan. Neighbors were concerned that the original plan called for the removal of about 25 trees. A loose group of individuals dedicated to maintaining an attractive area around the station held a community meeting in September, at which alternatives were discussed. Other elements of the project, including paving areas close to the tracks and reconfiguring the lot won praise, and a compromise plan saving all but a half-dozen trees was worked out and presented to SEPTA. SEPTA intends to solicit bids for the work a month or two from now.
An informal survey indicated that about 60% of the lotÕs users come from Aston, Middletown, and Brookhaven, all to the southwest of the station. The neighbors also proposed a shuttle van from parking lots in those towns to the station as one of several possible ways to ease the Moylan parking problem. DVARP points out that reopening of the Elwyn to West Chester segment of the line would help, too.ÑCB, MDM
R5
MoreÊParkÊ&ÊRideÊforÊNorthÊPenn
The $5 million ÒGwyneddÓ station passed muster on the recently passed Federal transportation bill. Newspaper reporters and editorialists have verbally scratched their heads on this oneÑ is it needed? Accounts suggest that the concept originated in the Montgomery County Planning Commission. Apparently, construction interests in SEPTA didnÕt object nor try to rationalize it.
Observation shows that the likely site is on the north side of route 202 (DeKalb Pike) where the R5 crosses on a relatively new bridge (occasioned by a road widening about two decades ago). Several acres in each of the northern quadrants lie undeveloped beside the tracks, which top a long, 20-foot-high fill. Simple construction that is cost effectively limited to passengers "and motorist's" needs should consume only 1/4 to 1/7 of the voted total project cost of $5 million according to recent Metra estimates.
No one seems to know whether the existing Gwynedd Valley Station, located to the south, (with existing parking lots) will be abandoned. The project is not in SEPTA'S Fiscal 1992 program or the subsequent plan. No public hearing has been held.
The thought occurs that if highway route 202 is the "god" that the pols nominally "worship" here, why not spread the money to improve or to open initially four to seven sites that are located on or near that highway ? A surprisingly large number of such stations or potential open-land sites exist: south of West Chester on R3 West, Immaculata/Frazer on R5 West, Norristown (three stations) on R6 and Gwynedd Valley itself, Chalfont, New Britain, DelVal College and Doylestown on R5 North.
It must be dismaying to work for SEPTA and to see this endless rush of expensive, one-site political plans diverting attention away from long-recognized needs. -John Pawson
Souderton park and ride: now we need a train!
Last monthÕs Delaware Valley Rail Passenger mentioned the revived proposal for a new freeway from the Pennsylvania Turnpike to Souderton, which is being called the Piedmont Highway. In a welcome show of forethought, county planners are reserving space for a substantial park and ride lot where the highway meets the Bethlehem Branch. Should rail service be restored on this line, the highway could actually improve train ridership.ÑMDM
SEPTA proposes to make major cuts in Route 205 bus service from Wayne to King of Prussia: see page 10 for details.
R6
DVARP'SÊAnti-ShutdownÊPlanÊforÊR6
DVARP proposed to SEPTA that R6 Norristown Trains (except the afternoon limited) be detoured via an existing 2000-foot long track which the Amtrak Northeast Corridor with SEPTA's Norristown line near 18th Street and Indiana Avenue in North Philadelphia. The track would be electrified at a cost of about $100,000. The cost would be low because most of the track already is covered by SEPTA H-frames from which catenary easily can be hung.
There is a crossover on the SEPTA Norristown line near 28th Street which would be used to get trains in a double track operating mode. On the Amtrak side, the connecting track ends directly via powered track switches to two main tracks of Amtrak's Northeast Corridor. South of the connection, R6 electric trains would use the same route into Center City as R7 Trenton and R8 Chestnut Hill West Trains do. The trains would operate at least to 30th Street Upper Level and Penn Center. The running time from Penn Center to Norristown Line points via the detours would be about the same as it is now via the Ninth Street Line, which is to be taken out of service part of this year and next. The relatively short single-track stretches present the need for only slight schedule adjustments of some of the existing R6 trains.
R6 passengers should contact SEPTA board chairman J. Clayton Undercofter at SEPTA, 714 Market Street, Philadelphia, 19106 to insist on detoured train service, not detoured, disaffected passengers. Please send copies of your local letter to your township, county and state legislators. If you don't know names and addresses, look in your phone book's blue and white pages or call DVARP at 222-3373.ÑJRP
SEPTA Shutdown Plans Ignore Intermediate Riders
SEPTAÕs plans for alternate service on the Norristown line fail to serve the increasing number of intermediate riders on the R6. SEPTA released details of its replacement bus service at the public hearing last month. Norristown riders are to use the light rail Route 100 to 69th Street and the El, or a temporary peak hour express bus to Center City. A second express bus will serve Conshohocken and Spring Mill. Express service on the 61 bus will be increased from 3 to 10 round trips each rush hour for R6 passengers from Miquon to Manayunk. East Falls will be served by a shuttle bus to the R8 line. None of these bus services will run during any off-peak hours, but they will run both inbound and outbound during both rush hours. Passengers at Mogees, Wissahickon, and Allegheny will have to use existing bus service.ÑMDM
R7
ÒRailworksÓÊImpact:ÊBuses,ÊBuses,ÊMoreÊBuses
R7 Chestnut Hill East passengers will be diverted to the R8 Chestnut Hill West line while rail service on their line is totally shut down. In the peak hours, three shuttle bus routes will be used to connect R7 stations with the R8 trains. The buses are to run every 15 to 20 minutes. In mid-day hours, only one bus route will be used, on a half-hourly schedule. There will be no connection to the R8 on weekends; passengers are expected to fend for themselves. Passengers from Fishers to Washington Lane will have no shuttle buses at all. Full details of the plan are available from DVARP.
While the shuttle buses will not be popular among R7 commuters, they most certainly will be unwelcome in the residential neighborhoods they are to traverse. These residents have often opposed SEPTA bus route changes in the past.ÑMDM
Residents and SEPTA Team Up in Mount Airy
SEPTA staffers won praise from neighborhood residents for helping to improve their communities. Robert McGowen provided support and vandal-resistant coatings to residents who took the initiative to clean up the R7 station at Mount Airy. A few blocks away, Daniel DiSantis, a maintenance supervisor, arranged to have benches removed from a park which Òinvited undesirable behaviorÓnext to the Germantown depot. Seemingly-small gestures like these can help SEPTAÕs image as much as expensive ad campaigns can.ÑMDM
SEPTA, NJT Equipment Incompatible
A letter from SEPTA's Chief of Operations, Charles W. Thomas, advises that the predominant rolling stock of SEPTA and NJ Transit, The Silverliner IV and Arrow III have "trainline incompatibilities." He continues that the propulsion trainlines and air brake pneumatic systems are compatible but that the door buzzers, application/release wires, etc. are not compatible. It appears to SEPTA that current Arrow III changes are moving away from compatibility with SEPTA, and that only emergency towing soon will be possible.
Back to the drawing board. Technology notwithstanding, a major problem (or opportunity!) remains: the Manhattan and center-city Philadelphia commuter skeds overlap to an increasing degree. The balkanized passenger-change-at-Trenton (or elsewhere) becomes more and more counterproductive. Even if the rolling stock must be kept separate and crews must be swapped, the market demands through service.
Any observant person who rides the ÒconnectingÓ trains will see that a through service would save five to ten minutes. Trains of both NJT and SEPTA approaching the station waste half that amount of time (a) just crossing over the Amtrak center tracks, (b) waiting for Amtrak trains which block the crossover move, or (c) creeping miles on side tracks to reach the station. Additional time of course is required physically to connect 10 to 100 passengers from one train to another.
Time saved is money saved, and convenience gained in revenue gainedÑ both economic positives. Sheer economics, if not customer convenience, demands restoration of through Penn Center- Penn Station commuter train service. -John Pawson
SEPTA said that R7 Trenton service would be expanded for the duration of Ninth St. Branch construction, in hopes that some displaced R3 passengers will use it.
Sales of SEPTA tickets at NJ Transit stations has been a success. Cash fare collections on board all R7 trains are down approximately 25% from 1989 levels.
R8
FoxÊChaseÊShutdownÊService
On the Fox Chase line, all rail service will cease during the construction seasons. Expanded service on Route 24 to Frankford Terminal will serve most stations of the line in peak hours, but Thomas Collins of SEPTAÕs Schedule Section predicted that many passengers will find existing bus routes like the 8, 18, and 26 more convenient. New 24 express service will run nonstop from Fox Chase and Ryers to Frankford. At off-peak hours, no extra service will be provided.
On the other side of the line, R8 Chestnut Hill West service will be expanded to carry diverted R6 and R7 passengers. Peak hour service will be every 20 minutes instead of 30, and additional cars will be added to all trains.ÑMDM
Fern Rock Set to Open This Month
Although conflicting dates have been heard from our SEPTA sources, the opening date for the Fern Rock Transportation Center should be sometime in January. The new intermodal station was originally expected to open late last summer, but was postponed several times. Work on installation of catenary and the last parts of the Regional Rail station resumed last month. Once the station opens, all R2 Warminster, R3 West Trenton, and R5 Doylestown local trains will stop there, and the R2 stops at Fern Rock and Tabor will be discontinued.
Passengers are likely to get their first visit to the station when the bridges over Ontario and Venango Sts. are replaced by SEPTA contractors. The two prefabricated bridges appear ready to roll into place in the same weekend routine which was used at Elkins Park and 18th St. SEPTA has announced neither a date for the installation nor a service plan, but it is likely that weekend R2, R3, and R5 passengers will be urged to use the subway instead of shuttle buses, in what could be considered a dry run of the SEPTA proposal to divert all passengers to the subway.
Will Tabor passengers have a station?
Passengers in the Tabor neighborhood who are pressing for pedestrian access from their side of the tracks to the new station should not be optimistic. Because there will be three tracks at the grade-separated station, an additional staircase would have to be provided to that side. Federal legislation would likely require installation of an additional and costly elevator if that staircase is added.ÑMDM
COMMUTER RAIL NOTES: Commuter train service to Reading which might functionally be an extension of R6 or might be separate, has reached an obstacle. Corridor analysis, which can be partly funded by a federal source, has failed to achieve a local match from the state, the City of Reading and Berks County. Funding squeezes have been given as the cause. -John Pawson
DVARP gratefully acknowledges John McGee, Director of Revenue Development of SEPTA, for ridership and revenue data; Charles W. Thomas, Chief of Operations, for updates on operating information; and news contributors Bob Boden, Opal Palmer, Andrew Saul, Betty Blake, and Joseph Petaccio.
Cross-County Metro $100 Million:. What Do We Get?
The Cross County Metro (Trenton Cut-off) is budgeted for $100 million in the SEPTA 10 year Capital Plan. Will this be the entire cost ? The photo at right shows a bridge of the future Cross County Metro propped up with a temporary I-beam brace. The abutment behind it is cracked and missing stones. For the SEPTA budget to be an honest one, It should include the cost of repairing or replacing this bridge and other bridges on the line. We donÕt know if it does or not.
Part of the early mission of DVARP was to save service on the Reading, Bethlehem, Newtown and other lines. They have a slim chance of being restarted if a bridge hungry Cross County Metro is the bull in the capital budget china shop. -Tom Borawski
New Rail Operator in South Jersey
DVARP member Joseph Petaccio, Jr. recently purchased several railroad lines in South Jersey. Formerly known as the Shore Fast Line Railroad Company, it has been renamed Souther Railroad Company of New Jersey.
The new railroad is headquartered at Winslow Junction. From Winslow Jct., the NJ Transit/Amtrak Atlantic City line is used to reach Pleasantville. SRNJ-owned track goes from there to Linwood and Northfield. From Winslow Jct., another SRNJ branch goes to Vineland and a connection with the Winchester and Western RR. The third branch is of more interest to passengers. It consists of trackage rights on NJ Transit-owned track from Tuckahoe to Rio Grande: part of the former Cape May passenger line.
Initial operations are freight only, mostly stone and gravel. Future plans include a concept new to the Delaware Valley: dinner trains. These trains usually provide a round trip train ride while serving an upscale dinner to the passengers. While not a real transportation service, these trains generate much interest in in rail travel in the public at large, and the publicity to begin to create a favorable environment for eventual passenger rail service to Ocean City and Cape May.
One complication is that NJ Transit seems to have granted operating rights from Tuckahoe to Rio Grande to two companies. SRNJ seems to have clear authority to operate freight trains. Authority to operate tourist trains, whatever that may mean, seems to have been assigned to a different company, which we understand mover some equipment to Rio Grande. Another complication is that a lumber yard has built upon the track south of Rio Grande. It is unclear how NJ Transit allowed construction over its right of way.
We wish our member good luck in his new business and look forward to the time we can again get to more shore points in passenger train safety and comfort.ÑCB
MFSE
PeakÊServiceÊRestored
With the completion of bridge repair and single-tracking, SEPTA says that Market-Frankford El service will be increased to every three minutes from every four during the busiest 40 minutes every morning and afternoon.
LookÊforÊCashierÊBoothÊNumbers
In the continuing trend of increased accountability on the rapid transit lines, SEPTA is installing large signs over each cashierÕs booth. The signs give the booth number and identify the zone manager responsible for the station, encouraging passengers to call with comments or complaints.
DVARP reminds passengers who wish to comment, complain, compliment, or suggest to be specific. Use the booth numbers SEPTA is providing, the automated turnstile numbers found on the side of the alphanumeric display; and be specific about station location, direction, date and time. The same goes for comments about specific vehicles or operators. DVARP has created a special pocket-sized form with spaces for recording all the appropriate information. All you need to obtain your own supply, with instructions for using them, is to send a long stamped self-addressed envelope to DVARP.ÑMDM
BSS
RevisedÊExpressÊOperationsÊonÊNewÊTracks
New Broad Street Subway express schedules taking advantage of the new tracks between Erie and Olney do not yet make improvements in running time, though reliability is likely to be better. Current plans for the ÒRailworksÓ project anticipate peak hour headways of 4Ê1/2 minutes for express trains, 8 minutes local. By comparison, the current peak commuter rail headway at Fern Rock averages 6 minutes, so there will be only 1.33 subway trains for every commuter train. This subway schedule depends on a very high availability of the car fleet (114 out of 125), but SEPTA is confident it can keep the trains in service.ÑMDM
Owl Bus Improvements
Late night buses on the Broad Street route will have faster running times in next monthÕs schedules. DVARP had noted that some buses got ahead of schedule; Chuck Thomas of SEPTA informs us that the problem has been resolved. SEPTA noticed the same thing and added time checkpoints to the route. Checkpoint results showed where the time could be trimmed. Anecdotal reports from SEPTA say that the bus service has been a success. If this is so, SEPTA ought to report it to the public as an example of how it is trying to maximize efficiency.ÑMDM
SSL
11ÊServiceÊRestoredÊtoÊDarby
Following satisfactory repairs to the crossing of the CSX railroad main freight line in Darby, Route 11 service west of 49th St. was restored last month and shuttle bus operations ended. Extra late night service was added on the outer end of the 36 line last month and will continue in the new schedules. No other significant subway-surface schedule changes are anticipated. Running times and reliability in the tunnel are reported to have improved as a result of the Òdouble-berthingÓ of trolleys in most stations. Green Line supervisor David Stumpo proudly displays comments from satisfied passengers on the new electronic information signs, which recently have run an effective anti-litter campaign.ÑMDM
New Smoking Ban in City Stations
A new City ordinance prohibits smoking in the majority of passenger rail stations in the city. The law extends SEPTAÕs current Òno smokingÓ rules to the paid areas inside the turnstiles of elevated stations, as well as to all subway stations and transportation terminals, and punishes violators with a fine of up to $300 and/or 10 days imprisonment.. While most passengers will welcome the new law, it will only work if it is enforced. SEPTAÕs current rules are widely ignored because employees do not enforce them.ÑMDM
Federal Bill Increases Transit Support
Lobbying efforts by SEPTAÕs Area Coalition for Transportation, other coalitions following its model, and DVARP, paid off last month in Washington. Although George Bush chose to sign the transportation reauthorization bill at a highway construction site in Texas, the new bill is a step forward in redressing decades of imbalanced Federal transportation priorities.
The bill authorizes spending up to $31.5 billion on mass transit over six years, almost double what the Bush Administration had wanted. BushÕs threat to eliminate Federal operating assistance to large agencies like SEPTA and NJ Transit was repelled, and local authorities were given more power to determine whether Federal dollars should be spent on highways or transit. But the biggest long-term gain for mass transit advocates is the balancing of Federal/state/local funding ratios for transit and highway projects. The previous policy where states and localities could capture up to four times as much Federal money by spending on highways instead of transit has much to do with our current transportation problems.
Even the media started to get the message. Reporters who at first referred to the legislation as a Òhighway billÓ soon used the term Òtransportation bill.Ó
Like most Federal programs, the transportation bill includes its share of Òpork barrelÓ spending, much of it in the form of grants to Òdemonstration projects.Ó Because of constituents who have convinced area lawmakers of the importance of mass transit, our region got a generous portion of these dollars. Projects to be funded include the restoration of Frankford Terminal, a new park and ride station at Gwynedd Valley, and the ÒCross-county Metro.ÓÑMDM
200
SEPTAÊProposesÊ211ÊAbandonment,Ê205ÊCuts
Public hearings will be held this month (see Meetings of Interest) on SEPTAÕs request to abandon service on the Route 211 bus from Warminster to Ivyland, and cut back 205 Wayne to King of Prussia bus service to Saturdays only. Like all 200-series routes, these lines depend on private-sector funding to make up any gap between fares and expenses. When the financial support ends, so does the service. Bucks County intervened last year to keep the 211 running, but that is not expected to be repeated. A rail service extension to Ivyland has been considered, but is on the back burner.
The 205 route, part of the package of King of Prussia service improvements put into place in 1989, got off to a rocky start when residents north of Wayne protested the buses running through their neighborhood. The sometimes unreliable bus-rail connection did not compete well with SEPTAÕs direct service on Routes 124 and 125, while the three colleges along the route did not prove to yield as many passengers as SEPTA had hoped. DVARP has suggested running this route to Radnor instead, where connections to Route 100 are also possible.ÑMDM
SuburbanÊTransitÊNotes: The new Norristown High-Speed Line car has yet to enter revenue service testing. SEPTA hopes to roll up wintertime mileage on the problem-plagued prototype before final assembly of the remaining 25 cars. Track and signal work on the P&W will continue through the winter, causing scattered delays and single-track operations.
Track on the 102 from Collingdale to Sharon Hill was replaced last month. The track improvements made last year on both the Sharon Hill and Media lines, plus completion of some of the grade crossing improvements requested by DVARP (see February 1991 DVRP) has led to improved running times, reversing the dreadful trend.
Minor bus schedule changes will also be made next month on routes 103, 104, and 109. Watch for the STD passenger newsletter available at 69th Street and Norristown next month. The 110 is to serve the Elwyn Institute, and the first of several Route 118 improvements this year will be a minor routing change in Media. Public hearings on these route changes are to be held this month. See ÒMeetings of InterestÓ for times and places.
SEPTA managers will meet with STD passengers in the regularly-scheduled SEPTA On Site program January 15 and February 19, during the morning and afternoon rush hours at 69th Street Terminal and Norristown Transportation Center.
Transit Schedules to Change Next Month
The regularly-scheduled general change of SEPTA transit schedules on the City and Red Arrow Divisions is slated to take place February 23. Make sure you have current schedules for the routes you ride. Pick them up at SEPTA locations including 9th and Chestnut, 15th & Market, and Market East, or call the answering machine at 580-7777.
In general, service is to be cut on a number of routes due to decreasing ridership. Some other routes will have service added at specific times where overcrowding has been experienced, as SEPTA tries to increase the efficiency of its service. Some highlights of the changes follow:
The 55 bus from Doylestown and Willow Grove to Olney Terminal will get 2 additional reverse commute express trips. SEPTA says that reverse commuter ridership on this route and the 22 is growing rapidly. Neither line has express service in the traditional commute to Philadelphia Minor increases in peak service will be made on the 8 (Frankford-Olney Express), 17 (19th St.), and 18 (Cheltenham) lines. Peak service will be cut on the 26 (Germantown-Olney-Frankford), the 32 (Andorra Local), and the 40 (South St.) Mid-day service is to be cut on the 57 (Front St.) and 59 (Castor Av.) routes. Running time improvements on the 65 (City Av.) will save money while not harming service. Finally, the G bus will have have new Night Owl service from South Philadelphia to 56th and Haverford. G service to Lankenau Hospital is unchanged.
Full trolley service on Route 23 will be restored next month on a new schedule. This date may not coincide with the regular schedule change, so passengers should look out for the additional change. See the articles on pages 9 and 10 for subway-elevated, subway-surface, and suburban transit schedule information, and once again DVARP thanks J. Thomas Collins of SEPTA for this information.
More good marketing news
SEPTA has made noticeable strides in improvement of its marketing. Several West Philadelphia residents have told us about a Subway-Surface car decorated for the holidays, complete with operator in Santa costume. We have also noticed the SEPTA banner in the Gallery and much more appreciation by SEPTA of its passengers. Even the information signs in the subway thank you for using SEPTA. Two information kiosks with maps and transit schedules have been placed in the Amtrak concourse of 30th Street Station.
These seemingly small touches which make mass transit easier and more pleasant to use, are a necessary complement to the large advertising campaigns of both SEPTA and NJ Transit. We hope these programs will be continued as a start at offsetting the vast barrage of automobile-oriented advertising that has been brainwashing the population.ÑCB
TRANSIT NOTES: Recently, we published information about the Saturday bus service of Burlington County Transit. We have been unable to find the bus lately, and the listed telephone numbers are disconnected. The company may be out of business.
We also are having difficulty in determining if Garden State Coachways is still operating from Bridgeton to Vineland, Mt. Holly, and on to New York City, and if the Route 10 Woodbury-Williamstown bus is still operating. While there seem to be many theoretical advantages to privatization, public agencies seldom disappear.
Delaware Department of Transportation has taken another step forward with the recent startup of a bus system in Dover. Six radial routes operate on 45 minute headways Monday through Friday from 7 am to just before 6 pm. Base fare is 75¢, with discounts for students, the elderly, and handicapped passengers.ÑCB
Penna. Legislature on Record for Second Pennsylvanian:
Can Improved Harrisburg Service be Part of the Deal?
A resolution in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives asks its Federal counterpart to modify AmtrakÕs enabling legislation to permit a second daily round trip of the Pennsylvanian. The New York-Philadelphia-Pittsburgh train currently earns more money than it costs, but still receives Ò403bÓ operating support from Pennsylvania. The bill asks for the surplus to be transferred to a trust fund supporting the second run.
However, operating funds arenÕt stopping the second Pennsylvanian: capital costs of the additional trains are. While this looks like bad news, it could be turned into good news if Amtrak and Pennsylvania follow DVARPÕs 1990 report ÒA Plan for Cost-Effective Harrisburg Trains.Ó In it, DVARP recommended that the second Pennsylvanian be equipped with locomotives and cars now used by Amtrak to operate the dwindling Keystone Service from Philadelphia to Harrisburg.
Many unofficial sources say that the Harrisburg service is a money-loser which Amtrak would like to abandon. With its lower cost structure, SEPTA could operate this service more efficiently and perhaps break even on it. The catch is what to do with AmtrakÕs ownership of the tracks and equipment. The DVARP report offers a win-win proposition for everyone involved. Demand for the second Pennsylvanian could be the catalyst of the transfer deal.ÑMDM
More New Amtrak Service in California
Amtrak introduced its ÒCapital CorridorÓ service in California last month. Three trains per day connect San Jose with Oakland, Sacramento, Roseville, and points in between, taking about four hours. Call 1-800-USA-RAIL for information.
The first of AmtrakÕs new G.E. locomotives were assigned to California service, introducing a somewhat garish new paint scheme. The rapid delivery of the much needed motive power was made possible by using off-the-shelf technology and by the weak market for new locomotives. The locomotives, the cars, and other resources needed to start this new service were all funded by the $3 billion bond issue passed by California voters in 1990. With its wealth of existing rail infrastructure, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware could do much more with less money.ÑMDM
NARP Leads Suit Against Downtown Boston Highway
The National Association of Railroad Passengers sued the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the Federal Highway Administration in an effort to block construction of a new Central Artery highway and tunnel under Boston Harbor. NARP and the environmental groups which have also sued are demanding that the project include a rail connection between North and South Stations similar to PhiladelphiaÕs Center City Commuter Connection. A rail connection would make Amtrak service to New Hampshire and Maine much more feasible, and would increase ridership on MBTA commuter trains. The plaintiffs claim that highway planners violated federal and state environmental laws by ignoring non-highway alternatives for the $5 billion project. ÑMDM
ItÕs Time for DVARP Membership Renewal
DVARP membership is by calendar year, so all 1991 memberships expired December 31. If you have already renewed, thank you. Your newsletter mailing label should say Ò1992Ó in the upper right corner. If your label says Ò1991,Ó your membership has not been renewed yet. Please send your renewal dues to DVARP, P.O. Box 7505, Philadelphia, PA 19101, so we can continue to serve you. Sending your renewal today will enable us to process it before other activities pick up in the spring.
Please allow two weeks for our volunteers to process your renewal. Writing the member number found on the upper left of your label on your check or money order will help us process your renewal more efficiently. The letter found on your newsletter label identifies your current category of membership. See the list below for explanation of codes. Label code I is for an introductory membership. It must be renewed at the regular rate or higher.
Please consider increasing your level of support. Many important decisions about the future transportation plans of our region will be made in 1992, and many new decision-makers are entering the fray. Passengers like us will have an unusually good chance to be heardÑif they are informed and organized. Your increased contributions will strengthen DVARPÕs message in this important year.
DVARP Membership renewal categories and rates for 1992:
Regular (R) $15.00 Family (F: 1 mailing, 2 votes) $20.00
Supporting (Q) $25.00 Sustaining (S) $50.00
Patron (N) $75.00 Benefactor (B) $100.00
Under 21, over 65, retired, or unemployed (A) $7.50
Family membership label codes: supporting: #, sustaining: &, patron: *, benefactor: $;
Code P is for a non-member subscription to The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger ($15.00), L is for library rate ($5.00).ÑCB, MDM
WhatÕs in a Name?
If you can remember when American industry tried to demonstrate a commitment to quality by having employees put their names on manufactured products, you may have noticed how a recent SEPTA flyer ended with an invitation from Jim Palmer to tell him your suggestions and complaints. Palmer is the Assistant General Manager responsible for day to day railroad operations. This could be the extension of a positive trend begun on the Subway-Surface Lines (see October DVRP).
While the signed message is a clear sign of the accountability stressed in SEPTAÕs current organizational chart, it has benefits to the managers, too. Putting a human face on management is likely to elicit constructive criticism from the passengers and sympathy with Palmer and his staff as they cope with the problems caused by an aging physical plant. But these efforts must be sustained, in order to work. In the meantime, you can write to Palmer at:
Regional Rail Operations Center, 1515 Market St., Philadelphia, PA 19102
ÑMDM
DVARP congratulates George Staskevitz, who has worked for Martz Trailways for 77 years. He began at age 12 in 1914, and has passed the Commercial DriverÕs License test so he can continue bus driving at age 89. We hope he takes some time to record his experiences which encompass essentially the entire time of motor bus operations.
Up and Down the Corridor
News of other Northeastern Commuter Rail and Rail Transit Services
Connecticut MNCR Fares to Go Up
Connecticut DOT will increase fares on its part of the Metro-North Commuter Railroad next year. The increase will be about 8 percent. Fares in New York will be unchanged next year. The opposite was true last year: New York fares increased, while CDOT held the line. Shore Line East ridership is above initial projections: an extra trip has been added and shoppersÕ specials were operated on Saturdays last month.
New York Fare: $1.25 for Now
New $1.25 tokens entered circulation at the New York City Transit Authority on New YearÕs Day, while the political compromise limiting the fare increase to 10¢ was crumbling. Charges and counter charges flew as legislative Republicans denied an agreement to find some $38 million in state funds needed to balance the TA budget. If a solution is not agreed to, a further fare increase will come later in the year in a process quite similar to what happened on SEPTA some five years ago. The fare increase is expected to raise about half the needed funds; administrative efficiencies worth $33 million were budgeted while the city is to add $15 million and the state $52 million. Commuter rail fares on Metro-North and the Long Island RR were unchanged this year.
There is some good news on the subways, though: reported felony crimes were down 13 percent in 1990-91. Added police patrols were credited with the crime dropoff, while an emphasis on improving the ridersÕ environment resulted in huge increases in arrests, ejections, and tickets for minor offenses like fare evasion.
NJ Transit: Stable Fares in Ô92?
NJ Transit hopes to avoid increasing fares in the new year, despite an anticipated $70 million operating budget shortfall in the coming fiscal year, said to be caused by increased cost of employee benefits and increased payments to Amtrak. Accounting changes taking some $55 million from the Transportation Trust Fund prevented a fare increase this year, but the budget and political crisis in Trenton may prevent it from being used again. Much hinges on legislative Republicans, who have promised budget cuts when they take control this month.
Washington Metro Completion: Red Light or Yellow?
Budget squeezes induced by the recession have given the counties surrounding Washington pause in funding the final proposed segements of the Washington Metro.
Meetings of Interest
Delmarva Rail Passenger Association: Thurs., Feb. 6, 6:30 pm at Wilmington Station.
DVARP General Meeting: Sat., Jan. 18, 1:00 pm at Temple University Center City, 1616 Walnut St., Philadelphia. Look for room assignment in building lobby.
SEPTA on Site (Suburban Transit): Wed., Jan 15, at 69th St. and Norristown.
Institute for Cooperation in Environmental Management Delaware Valley Air Initiative: Fri., Jan. 17, 9:00 am, at Ben Franklin House, 834 Chestnut St., Philadelphia.
SEPTA Public Hearings on Route 211 Abandonment and Route 205 Service Cutbacks:
Fri., Jan. 17, 10:00 am at Spring Mill Country Club, Ivyland
and 2:00 pm at Holiday Inn, King of Prussia.
SEPTA Public Hearing on Route 110 Extension: Fri., Jan. 24, 10:00 am, Media Inn, Baltimore Pike & Providence Road, Media.
SEPTA Public Hearing on Route 118 Revisions: Fri., Jan. 24, 2:00 pm, Media Inn.
SEPTA Citizen Advisory Committee: Tues., Jan. 21, in SEPTA Board Room.
SEPTA Board Meeting: Wed., Jan. 22, 3:00, in SEPTA Board Room, Third Floor, 714 Market St., Philadelphia. (also Feb. 26, Mar. 25)
Environmentalists for Public Transportation: Tue., Jan. 28, call DVARP for time and place.
IEEE Vehicluar Technology Society: Wed., Feb. 19, call DVARP for time and place. Topic: DART Light Rail
DVARP General Meeting: Sat., Feb. 15, 1:00 pm at Temple University Center City, 1616 Walnut St., Philadelphia. Look for room assignment in building lobby.
