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Delaware Valley Rail Passenger Vol 12 No 06
The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger
June 1994
Vol. XII, No. 6
ISSN 1073-6859
For more information about DVARP and good rail service, please contact us:
P.O. Box 7505, Philadelphia, PA 19101
215-222-3373
<mmitchell@asrr.arsusda.gov> or <73243.1224@compuserve.com>
The electronic edition is produced as a public service to the network community.
It is archived on the CUNYVM Listserver in the RAILNEWS directory. An index of
back issues is available by sending INDEX RAILNEWS to LISTSERV@CUNYVM. Thanks
to Geert K. Marien (GKMQC@CUNYVM) for maintaining this archive! If you have
comments or questions, please contact us, not Geert!
The DVRP is also archived on these FTP servers
wuarchive.wustl.edu, directory graphics/trains/text or graphics/trains/incoming
hipp.etsu.edu, directory pub/railroad/dvarp (Thanks to Bob Weir)
Volumes X (1992) and XI (1993) are on floppy disk for $4.00 each from DVARP.
We hope you consider joining DVARP; your financial support makes possible
this newsletter and our many other activities on behalf of rail and transit
passengers. Annual dues are $15.00. see the coupon below.
Contents copyright (C) 1994 DVARP, except photos (C) 1994 credited photographers
Opinions expressed in The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger are not necessarily
those of DVARP or its members. We welcome your comments: call 215-222-3373
DVARP President: Chuck Bode Newsletter Editor: Matthew Mitchell
Production Manager: Tom Borawski
for other officers and committee chairs, search for ##BB
**Schedule change alert: SEPTA City Transit schedules change June 12.
contents:
use the search function of your word processor to find articles
##A City Thinks Subway/El for Northeast Again: Are they missing a better choice?
##B From the Editor's Seat: Why Gild the Lilly?
Positives and Negatives
##C SEPTA Board Passes Budget, Hopes for $$
##D DVARP Backs SEPTA Capital Plan
##E On the Railroad Lines...
So Soon?
Who Would Have Thought...
##R1
##R3 Up All Night
##R5 Trespasser was Drunk
Take the H-Frame
##R6 Conrail Takes Heat on Fire
##R7 Signal Work
It Hit the Fan
##R8 Newtown Work, Finally
Octoraro RR in Trouble
##MFSE Improvements on West End
##STD Multi-Modal Marriage
N5 Vandalized
Route 125a Ended
##CTD
Route Change in Northeast
A Cover as Good as the Contents
##ATK Changes at the Top
Metroliner Service Marks 25th
##DART New Fare System, Map
##NJT Buses Over the Bridge Again
West Trenton Restoration Out
Hoboken Service Boosted
##F Touch Me There!
##G Empowering Employees?
##H Graham Claytor, 1913-1994
##I Amtrak Investment Means PA Jobs
##J Industrial Site Bills Pass Senate
##K Federal Mandates Exceed Federal Support
##L FHwA Seeks Comments
##M Borski Bill Would Balance "System"
##N The Hidden Subsidies: Tax and Subsidy History of the Railroads
##O RailReading: Spotlight Philadelphia
##P California Puts "ZEST" into Transit
##Q New Jersey Offers New Rail Bargains
##R Computer Corner Amtrak Schedules on the Internet
Selected VIA Schedules On Line
##S Canadian Government Plans Huge Rail Cuts
##T England to France by Rail a Reality
##U Privatization Casualties
##V Newshounds Wanted
##W Inside DVARP
Volunteers Wanted
Meetings to Feature More Guests
Voice-mail Change
##X Delaware Fair Train Returns
##Y Dates of Interest
##Z Up and Down the Corridor
Fresh Off the Lot
It's Really Happening!
##AA DVARP Phone & Voice-mail Directory
##BB Upcoming DVARP Meetings:
DVARP Membership Coupon
Yes, I want to support improved passenger train service in our region!
Here are my DVARP membership dues for 1994! 6/94
Name
Address
City, State, Zip
Please choose a membership category below, enclose check and mail to:
DVARP, PO Box 7505, Philadelphia, PA 19101
( ) Regular: $15.00 ( ) Family: $20.00 ( ) Supporting: $25.00
( ) Sustaining: $50.00 ( ) Patron: $75.00 ( ) Benefactor: $100.00
( ) Under 21 or over 65: $7.50
( ) Introductory membership remainder of 1994): $10.00
##A City Thinks Subway/El for Northeast Again: Are they missing a better choice?
by Matthew Mitchell
At two workshops last month, the Philadelphia City Planning Commission and SEPTA
sought public comment on a series of conceptual plans for rapid transit expansion
in Northeast Philadelphia. Unlike other parts of the City, transportation in the
Northeast is dominated by highways and arterial streets. New passenger rail lines
would be a welcome alternative to continued auto-centered thinking.
Unfortunately, the plans being talked about are like an ice cream shop which sells
ten flavors-nine of them strawberry. The City remains locked into heavy rapid
transit as the only option. Plans to extend the Broad Street Subway or Frankford
El have been floated regularly for over fifty years and shot down every time. Why
do we keep going back to them?
Decades ago, before SEPTA, the City insistence on rapid transit extensions was more
understandable. The subway and elevated lines were owned by the City, even though
they were operated by the private sector. Tying a new City investment into the
existing city-owned system made sense. Using the Pennsy or Reading didn't; both
were private companies and would insist on control of the project, and passenger
service was seen by the post-war railroads as a money-loser which got in the way of
more-renumerative freight trains.
Fast-forward to the nineties, and into the 21st century. The Pennsy and Reading
are both parts of Conrail, and much of the area's railroad lines are in the hands
of public or quasi-public agencies. The freight that still moves by rail has been
consolidated onto tracks bypassing the city. In the case of the Northeast, the
planners have recognized that the New York Short Line, an ex-Reading line which
saved miles for freights bound for New Jersey, could be reused for passenger
service to the Far Northeast (north of Pennypack Creek).
So while it's good that city officials are proposing rails instead of roads for
meeting the Northeast's transportation needs, the project may be stillborn again
if they insist on convoluted routes and costly subways to tie this line into the
Subway or El. A new solution: tying the new Northeast line into the commuter rail
network, was not included in the alternatives presented to the public at the
meetings.
Where rapid transit requires elaborate stations, tunnels, and other structures,
commuter rail can be put into this corridor easily and at a sensible price, and
that is going to be the difference between actually serving the people of the
Northeast and giving them lip-service with yet another study to gather dust on
government's shelf.
Where the rapid transit lines force a choice between serving North Philadelphia
(and its transit-dependent workers) and serving University City (and its growing
concentration of jobs), the commuter-rail trunk serves both. Where there is still
a need to finish reconstruction of the El, work on the railroad is essentially
done, and a commuter rail line could be serving the Northeast as early as next
year. Where the rapid transit lines both have capacity problems, the commuter rail
lines have excess capacity. Shouldn't the better way to Center City be obvious?
How is NE Philadelphia served today?
Current passenger train service just touches the edges of Northeast Philadelphia.
The Market-Frankford El barely penetrates the market, terminating at Bridge St,
some eight miles from the city line. Of present commuter rail lines, the R7
Trenton Line has the most stations in the Northeast, but it runs on the eastern
edge, close to the Delaware River. On the western edge, the R8 Fox Chase Line
serves a few neighborhoods; and way out in Somerton, some Northeast residents use
the R3 West Trenton Line. The corridor between those commuter rail lines is one of
the two largest gaps in the SEPTA rail network.
Circumstances have conspired against commuter rail in Northeast Philadelphia.
Compared to many suburban towns, the Far Northeast was developed rather late, and
in more of a car-centered pattern. Unlike parts of the region where the railroad is
the most direct route to Center City (e.g. Overbrook, Fort Washington), I-95 is
shorter than the R7 Trenton line.
While the railroads treated the Northeast like any other area in terms of fares, a
flat city-wide bus fare for trips of any distance has been maintained (by the City
as a political concession to Northeast residents who feel they get little in return
for their taxes). To ride commuter rail instead of transit from the Northeast to
Center City, one must pay a premium of as much as 100 percent.
As a result of this and the fairly direct network of major streets, the majority of
Northeast SEPTA riders ride long distances on buses to transfer to the El at
Frankford Terminal. That makes Frankford the second busiest station in the SEPTA
system. (The 15th St-City Hall complex is first). Just blocks away, the two
Frankford commuter rail stations were abandoned due to low patronage. The station
is in sore need of renovation; SEPTA's latest Capital plan calls for a $100 million
project, but remarkably the only conceptual plans seen by DVARP make no provision
for possible Subway or El extension relocating the transfer point farther
northeast.
The routing options
Working out from Center City, there are five possible rail routes to the Lower
Northeast, of which only two are given serious consideration in the Planning
Commission proposals: extension of the Frankford El or the Broad Street Subway. A
third, added late in the process, is a mostly in-street routing for trolleys
through Olney and North Philadelphia. While residents in North Philadelphia and
Olney would benefit greatly from a light rail line tying their neighborhoods to
local commercial districts, a surface routing would be virtually worthless for
Northeast residents traveling to Center City because of the the lengthy travel
time.
Also in the mix, but not talked about by the consultants are the two commuter rail
trunks. While the R7 Trenton line uses the high-speed Northeast Corridor tracks,
it reaches Center City by a roundabout route; conflicting movements with Amtrak
trains further hinder R7 trains. It would be hard to accomodate a major increase
in R7 service in the Zoo-North Philadelphia bottleneck without a major reworking of
traffic patterns.
That leaves three workable choices: Frankford El, Broad Street Subway, or the
Reading commuter rail trunk. None of them are perfect, but when when compared, the
Reading is best.
route speed capacity distrib. condition cost
Broad Street 24 min+ ** ** **** $$$$
Frankford El 25 min ** *** *(**) $$
Reading 20 min **** *** **** $
+-by express trains, locals: 33 min
Broad Street is in good shape, and is four tracks most of the way, but RailWorks(R)
proved that that capacity cannot be used to its fullest. Most passengers have to
ride to or from City Hall because the line's distribution is limited, and it would
be hard to get those people in or out of the station fast enough. But the biggest
practical obstacle to tying a Northeast line to the Subway is the extra miles of
new grade-separated line needed to get it to where the other contenders are
already. But maybe City officials see that as a plus, a way to get hundreds of
millions of dollars of additional Federal and state dollars spent in the City.
Though the condition of the Frankford El is not very good today, reconstruction
will be done before the end of the decade. In some ways, the El has location on
its side. Not only does it run closest to where people travel from, it runs
closest to where people travel to. But traffic loads are already unbalanced
between the two halves of the line. If total ridership on the Frankford El goes up
with the extension, that will get worse. Unless a turnback in Center City is built
or an extension boosts ridership on the West Philadelphia elevated, more empty
seats will have to be hauled to 69th Street and back. Furthermore, there are no
express tracks on the El, despite its direct route, it is likely to be slowest.
The Reading trunk had its rebuilding in 1992 and 1993 and is in very good shape.
It distributes people to nearly all the major everyday trip generators: both sides
of Center City, the area of North Philadelphia and Temple University, and
University City. Capacity is not a problem; the line is four tracks from Wayne
Junction to Center City. Working against it are a few problems such as what to do
with the existing part of the line from Cheltenham to Fox Chase. Selection of the
commuter rail mode solves problems too: balancing the railroad's Pennsy-side and
Reading-side loads and being generally compatible with the freight trains which use
the New York Short Line, one candidate route.
More Options
Once in the Northeast, the planners must then choose a route which balances speed
with easy rider access, service to employment centers and other destinations, cost,
and other factors. This comparison is a lot tougher, and may hinge on very local
factors such as which neighborhoods are most likely to oppose the construction.
The meetings held last month were a good way to gauge local sentiment on these
alternatives.
Possible routes for a new rail line in the Northeast lie fairly close to each
other:
Here are at least the main contenders; some proposed routes use parts of several of
them, along with other streets to link them:
Roosevelt Blvd.: The backbone of the Northeast, it runs right through the center
of the gap between SEPTA's existing lines. Planners have envisioned a rail line in
its wide median for generations now. Most intersections have been either closed off
or grade separated. Turns into mostly commercial/industrial zone in Far Northeast.
Bustleton Ave.: Lacks the width and median of the Boulevard, but it serves more
residential neighborhoods. Likely to be more costly than the other routes, due to
the tight fit. It is, however, the direct route between the Boulevard at Oxford
Circle and Frankford Terminal and the existing El.
New York Short Line: Originally allowing New York-bound Reading trains to bypass
Jenkintown, this route has not had local passenger service in many decades. It
lost much of its freight traffic under Conrail, but the recent traffic trend has
been back up. Parallel to the Boulevard, it too runs in mostly industrial areas in
the Far Northeast. There isn't as much activity around it as there used to be, but
that allows lots of space for park-and-ride stations and other service needs. This
route's biggest advantage is that both the grade-separated right-of-way and the
connection to downtown are already in place, which means that service could begin
on this route several years and millions of dollars sooner than any other.
Frankford Ave.: While occasionally talked about in rail expansion plans, this
route serves different neighborhoods than the other possible routes, and is
separated from the others by Northeast Philadelphia Airport. This route is not
likely to be used unless a two-pronged plan is selected.
Designing and building a passenger rail line to meet the needs of Northeast
Philadelphia won't be an easy task. Dozens of competing interests and desires will
have to be balanced against each other, and invariably some people will be
disappointed. But by making sure all possible options are considered in the first
phase of the planning process, and by consulting the public early and often, as has
been done this time, the chances of success are enhanced.
##B From the Editor's Seat: Why Gild the Lilly?
Another Amtrak derailment is in the news, and before the train is rerailed,
ignorant people are demanding that the government force rail operators to add yet
more expensive gadgets to prevent some once in a hundred million miles accident.
The cold-blooded, number-crunching scientist in me wants to grab these people by
the throat and shake some sense into them.
Accidents involving passenger trains are news because they are rare, not because
they are common. If all the fatal auto accidents in the country were reported on
with the same hype of a train wreck, there wouldn't be time on TV for any other
news. All the news coverage in the world won't change the fact that on average,
rail travel is ten times safer per passenger-mile than riding in an automobile.
(Airlines are about even with trains in their safety record.)
Besides that fact, one should recognize that Amtrak cannot be reasonably blamed for
any of the three most widely-reported accidents in the last year or so: the
Florida collision with a tanker truck who had stopped (in violation of the law) on
the tracks, the Bayou Canot calamity caused when a tugboat lacking even rudimentary
navigational equipment ran into a bridge, and now the Smithfield accident where a
trailer shifted off a freight train. Each one of these unfortunate events resulted
from a human error, and no form of transportation has been able to eliminate every
possiblity of such errors, but rail has done a lot better than any other mode in
doing so.
So why do people demand that we equip railroad bridges with integrity sensors
instead of demanding we invest more in rails than in highways? Maybe I have to go
back to school and study psychology.
Positives and Negatives
Every so often, someone complains that DVARP and this newsletter are too negative.
I think those people aren't seeing the whole of what we say or do.
DVARP's purpose is to be an advocate for passenger trains and transit. Shouldn't
we always be supportive of the people who bring us that service? Sure, just as
long as they put the rider's interest first. And I'm sad to say that doesn't
happen all the time.
My job, and that of the other people who write for this newsletter or speak on
behalf of DVARP, is to call them as we see them. Sometimes people who truly want a
good rail system for our region do things which we think go in the wrong direction.
And some proposals would drain resources away from more effective projects; that's
why we opposed SEPTA's original "Cross-County Metro." When we oppose a project, we
usually put forth an alternative we think is more effective. We did with Cross-
County, we did with RailWorks(R), and we do so with highway projects and auto-
centered plans.
And as for the positives, look around and see if anyone else is out there gathering
signatures in support of SEPTA funding? Who got invited to the Board meeting to be
an independent voice confirming SEPTA's financial needs? That same organization
which is always so negative.-MDM
##C SEPTA Board Passes Budget, Hopes for $$
At its May meeting, the SEPTA Board passed a budget which on paper is balanced, but
in reality presumes that state and local governments will provide an additional $25
million in funding than previously committed to. The stage may be being set for a
brinksmanship game the likes of which we haven't seen for several years. Though
the budget doesn't provide a contingency plan in case the money does not come
through, SEPTA General Manager Louis Gambaccini has raised the possibility of a
huge fare increase or drastic cuts in service, in hopes of motivating the citizens
to demand that elected officials fund SEPTA more generously.
DVARP Working to Build Support
DVARP's Chuck Bode testified at the Board Meeting about SEPTA's need, and also
spoke to the news media about SEPTA's fiscal problems. DVARP's turnaround from
past years of opposing major parts of the budget came because many of DVARP's
recommendations were finally heeded, such as renewed marketing of SEPTA services
and reduction of administrative costs. Even though there are still items where we
differ with management, we agreed with the overall fiscal strategy, and are doing
our part to see that the funding is there to implement it. Right now, that takes
the form of a drive to gather thousands of signatures on a petition asking the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to fully fund mass transit.
##D DVARP Backs SEPTA Capital Plan
In a lengthy statement which commented on nearly all of the dozens of projects
proposed, DVARP lent its support to the SEPTA Fiscal 1995 Capital Budget and FY
1995-2006 Capital Plan. The document is expected to be approved at this month's
SEPTA Board meeting. With relatively few questionable projects than in past years
and a more realistic view of Federal and state funding for the projects, DVARP
spent a portion of its effort this year bringing in new ideas for SEPTA to
consider: everything from fuel-cell buses to devices for detecting people who step
or drive in front of a train. While those kind of projects are clearly less
important than things like rebuilding the Frankford El or restoring the train and
trolley services cut by SEPTA in they past, they could attract new money for SEPTA
in the form of demonstration grants.
This year's Capital Budget totals $251.5 million, while the entire twelve-year plan
is estimated at $4.5 billion, including inflation. The budget is made a little
bigger and more complicated by various provisions of the Federal ISTEA legislation
supporting specific kinds of projects. The plan proposes to use 'flexed' Federal
highway funds to pay for station and parking lot improvements at numerous
locations, and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvements (CMAQ) funds to
pay a portion of the cost of new El cars, new non-diesel buses for new services to
meet employer trip reduction needs, light rail infrastructure for Route 15, and for
more station projects. Formula funds and other general dollars would be spent for
200 new buses, garages and other maintenance facilities, and for the ongoing
reconstruction of the Frankford El. Exact breakdowns of what pool of funds will
pay for what project are not available in the SEPTA document.
Federal mandates require spending over $15 million on specific projects: removal or
replacement of underground tanks used for fuel and oil, 'black box' event recorders
for commuter trains, handicapped access to SEPTA facilities and a new earmark for
work at the Chester Transportation Center.
The budget document continues the trend of slow improvement in documenting what the
riding public should expect to get in return for its investment, but DVARP still
isn't satisfied with this aspect or with the continuing practice of lumping
sometimes-unrelated projects into a single budget item without breakouts of the
cost of those individual elements.
If DVARP were in control of the budget, some priorities would be different. Repair
of North Philadelphia streetcar track and purchase of new LRVs would be advanced,
while station projects would be made less complicated and less costly. Restoration
of service on closed rail lines could also happen a lot sooner if the less-
costlyplans DVARP suggests are substituted for SEPTA's proposals. DVARP also calls
for more urgent action to increase grade crossing protection, so trains and
trolleys can travel at full speed with less risk of hitting automobiles whose
drivers ignore the warnings.
The full 16-page statement is available from DVARP for $2.00. -MDM
##E On the Railroad Lines...
So Soon?
The newly-replaced escalators to the SEPTA platforms at 30th Street Station have
been out of service several times already. With half the platform stairways out of
service for reconstruction, all the people getting off trains at 30th Street have
to funnel through a single set of stairs. An escalator failure can cause real
problems with the smooth flow of passengers to and from their trains. Be sure to
allow a couple of extra minutes to get to your connecting train during the morning
rush. We have also received reports that some of the platform lights are not
working consistently.
Who Would Have Thought...
...that a McDonalds restaurant would add to the classic ambience of the Beaux Arts
30th Street Station building? The popular fast-food outlet closed down briefly
last month for renovations, and now sports an art deco-inspired design. While you
may find the other food purveyors in the station more to your taste, the new
McDonalds is well worth a visit the next time you're at the station.
##R1
Service on the Reading Trunk was disrupted on the 20th due to fire department
activity at Jenkintown.
##R3 Up All Night
Crews replacing rail on the Media-West Chester Line are making the most of their
weekend track outage 'windows.' Work has been going on all night, which annoys
some residents living near the line. However, the alternatives aren't any better:
shutdowns of train service to do the work or a steadily decreasing ride quality and
speed.
On May 1, the outbound track on the Media Line south of Secane was taken out of
service for repairs.
##R5 Trespasser was Drunk
According to the Inquirer, Bucks County Coroner Thomas J. Rosko has determined that
the 21 year-old Delaware Valley College student killed April 10th by a train was
intoxicated at the time of the accident.
Take the H-Frame
PECO crews were spotted in the vicinity of Fort Washington replacing insulators on
the very top of a catenary "H" frame on the 29th of April.
##R6 Conrail Takes Heat on Fire
Conrail representatives met with officials from the municipalities affected by the
ten-mile brush fire along the Stony Creek Branch April 15th. 35 fire departments
were involved in fighting it. The Inquirer adds that Conrail will reimburse the
fire companies. Minor Johnson, Conrail's Manager of Community Relations is quoted:
"If they document it and send us the bill, [we'll] just plain pay it."
*On the 30th of April, the Norristown Line was single tracking between Miquon and
North Broad due to track work.
##R7 Signal Work
New signals are being installed on the Chestnut Hill East line.
*Service was suspended on the Chestnut Hill East Line during the afternoon of the
20th and the 21st due to a fire.
*New Connection to NJ: see elsewhere in this newsletter for information about NJ
Transit's new Route 414, which stops at Bridesburg on its way to and from
Burlington County.
It Hit the Fan
Following an incident of a passenger being told to walk across the busy Northeast
Corridor tracks, reported to regulatory agencies and to SEPTA and Amtrak (as well
as in these pages), new and prominent directional signs have gone up at North
Philadelphia Station. The canopy over the northbound platform and the canopy
supports have been torn down in preparation for renovation.
##R8 Newtown Work, Finally
After years of neglect, the first few steps towards getting passenger trains back
to Newtown should be coming soon. The Bucks County Commissioners approved an
advance of $100,000 to Rodney Fisk's National Interurban Coalition, for clearing
the brush which crew along (and through) the tracks during the line's decade of
inactivity.
A progress report released by Fisk says that operation of the trains hinges on his
company's securing relief from some insurance requirements. It is also implied
that some kind of government support is needed to broker a trackage-rights deal
with Conrail. However, a startup target is set: Labor Day 1995. We're looking
forward to it!
Octoraro RR in Trouble
PennDOT has assumed operation of the Octoraro Railroad in Chester County following
a fiscal crisis last month in which employees were not paid. Another company is
expected to take over sometime soon. Details of the problem are sketchy, but it is
reported that CSX Corporation, the big railroad the Octo sends most its traffic to,
had the assets of the Octoraro frozen for non-payment of debts.
##MFSE Improvements on West End
New track and switches were being installed last month in the 69th Street Terminal
area.
##STD Multi-Modal Marriage
A Norristown couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary by taking a romantic
cruise between 69th Street Terminal and back on the Route 100. Their courtship
started on the P&W during the summer of 1941. The anniversary ride was on ex-CTA
stock, not the N5 shown in a photo in the Times-Herald.
N5 Vandalized
Seats on at least one N5 car have been spotted with graffiti. Will someone help
these vandals procure a life?
Route 125a Ended
The experimental Route 125a bus service from Philadelphia and King of Prussia to
Collegeville has been eliminated in the latest Frontier Division schedule. The
line was sponsored by several large employers and by Montgomery County, who covered
the route's operating losses during the trial period. The cessation of service is
a disappointment, as it comes just months before employer trip reduction rules
force suburban employers and employees to think about alternatives to the
automobile, but the sponsors should be given credit for trying transit instead of
just assuming it won't work in outer-suburban areas.
##CTD
Route Change in Northeast
The Linden Ave. bridge has been closed indefinitely, forcing the Route 84 bus to
stay on State Road instead of serving Gregg St. Route 70 has been diverted to
serve that portion of the former 84.
A Cover as Good as the Contents
SEPTA has unveiled a new look for the cover of its bus timetables, along the lines
of the Regional Rail and Norristown High-Speed Line schedules. The route number
(112 is the first new-look schedule) is in black print on a white top background,
while the bottom twothirds are still white on black. A drawing of a Neoplan bus
graces the bottom of the schedule, where the Philadelphia skyline is on the RRD
schedules. Inside, there are no changes; SEPTA's present schedule design is quite
clear and simple to use.
##ATK Changes at the Top
Amtrak has announced the first in a series of restructuring moves initiated by the
Downs administration. The Transportation Department is being merged with the
Passenger Services Department to form the Customer Services Department. The
management makeovers will take effect first on the Northeast Corridor. Amtrak
spokesmen say the goal is to give Amtrak more function-oriented management.
Metroliner Service Marks 25th
Amtrak held a small celebration at Union Station in Washington, celebrating the
25th anniversary of Metroliner service. The service inaugurated by the
Pennsylvania Railroad and the U.S. Department of Transportation has flourished
under Amtrak's care. The Metroliners now routinely travel at 125 miles per hour,
beating airlines both in comfort and in downtown-to-downtown travel time.
More improvements are in store for Metroliner service, as electrification will be
extended to Boston and new high-speed trains will be acquired by Amtrak. Last
year's test service of European X2000 and ICE trains has raised excitement about
high-speed rail for America.
##DART New Fare System, Map
The DART bus system in Delaware has introduced a new fare collection system and
several new and convenient tickets. The system is based on magnetic cards like
SEPTA's passes and New York's Metrocard. The old four-zone fare system was reduced
to two zones. Though the cash base fare was hiked from 90c to $1.15, most riders
using the new tickets will not see a fare increase.
The old ten ride tickets are replaced by ten-ride cards named A1 and A2, for one-
or two-zone rides. A weekly pass is now available for $9.50, and a new off-peak-
only pass is sold for $6.25. Senior citizens and disabled persons have their own
ten-ride and weekly cards for $3.50 and $4.50.
The new fareboxes print coded transfers which can be read and validated by the bus
the passenger transfers to. DART transfers are now also valid for stopovers where
the passenger continues on the same route. A new one-day pass, sold for only
$2.50, rounds out the selection. Regular commuters who ride SEPTA's R2 train to
Wilmington don't need to worry about all this; their TrailPasses are still good for
free DART travel in downtown Wilmington. For more information or for sales
locations, phone 302-655-3381.
##NJT Buses Over the Bridge Again
NJ Transit has begun bus service from Frankford Terminal in Philadelphia to
Burlington County, via the Betsy Ross Bridge. Route 414 continues to Moorestown,
Mount Laurel, and Evesham, operating ten round-trips each weekday. Passengers
catching the bus in Frankford should know that it stops at the corner of Bridge and
Bustleton, not in the Terminal area with the SEPTA buses.
Several different operators have tried bus service in this corridor, which does see
significant automobile traffic; but like elsewhere, mass transit will take a while
to catch on, and further efforts to adjust the service to customer needs. In the
meantime, consider the 414 the next time you need to travel between South Jersey
and Bucks County or the Northeast.
West Trenton Restoration Out
NJ Transit has officially closed the door on restoring commuter rail service from
West Trenton to Newark via Bound Brook and the Raritan Valley Line. DVARP supports
the service as a way to attract more long-distance commuters out of their cars
while alleviating parking and train capacity problems on the Northeast Corridor.
DVARP alleged last year that NJT's study of the line was biased against its
reopening: overestimating start-up and operating costs while undervaluing the
projected shift of Bucks County commuters to the closer West Trenton station and
giving no consideration to originating the service in Philadelphia or a suburban
location, a move which DVARP says would greatly increase ridership.
*A signal outage April 27th brought hour-long delays to several Amtrak and NJT
Atlantic City trains at the peak of the afternoon rush.
Hoboken Service Boosted
Riders from NJ Transit's Newark Division lines (Corridor, North Jersey Coast, and
Raritan Valley) are enjoying more connections than ever from their lines to Hoboken
Terminal (where they can catch other NJT trains, PATH, and the ferry to Manhattan.
Hoboken Division riders will also welcome the connections, which allow them to
travel to Shore points like Monmouth and Asbury Park.
Northeast Corridor Line trains will continue travelling to and from New York City,
but the connection at Newark is easy to make, and fares are very reasonable. See
the new Northeast Corridor schedule for train times.
##F Touch Me There!
Metra in Chicago has a new way to fight ticket counterfeiting. Their ten-ride
tickets now include a section printed on a heat-sensitive stock which changes color
when someone touches it. Metra's newsletter editiors say it reminds them of that
'70s fad: the mood ring.
##G Empowering Employees?
In an effort to find low-cost ways of improving its service, SEPTA has formed a
committee to seek out ideas for "empowering" SEPTA's line employees: the people who
run the trains and buses. To those of you who aren't up on the latest in
management trends, that means giving them more responsibility for making decisions
about the service they deliver. The goal is to improve SEPTA, thus increasing
ridership and revenue. Employee morale may be improved as well.
The committee is charged with developing short-term improvements through changes in
policy, procedures, training, and other employee-centered changes. One or two
projects are to be developed for each division: RRD, STD, Light Rail, Subway-
Elevated and Surface. DVARP and the Citizens Advisory Committee have been included
on the committee. Our role is to identify top-priority changes that would calm
passenger frustration and increase ridership. It's a pleasant change to have SEPTA
management consult with the customers; now it is up to us to constructively use
this opportunity.
What would you do if you were in the conductor's shoes? What change would
eliminiate your top frustration with SEPTA? What change most induce new ridership?
How would the change be implemented? How would progress be measured? Drop us a
line with your ideas, and we'll forward them to the right place.-CB
##H Graham Claytor, 1913-1994
Former Amtrak president Graham Claytor, 82, died May 15th in Florida. He had
headed the Southern Railway before coming to Amtrak in 1982. A long-time rail
buff, Claytor believed in using the romance of the rails to sell a modern
transportation service. He was credited with keeping the national passenger
railroad alive during difficult political times, being described by his successor,
Thomas Downs, as the right person for the job. Claytor's body was returned to
Roanoke, Virginia for burial, in one final ride on Amtrak and the Southern.
##I Amtrak Investment Means PA Jobs
Young Windows, of Conshohocken, has received a $3 million subcontract from
Morrison-Knudsen Co., for making the windows of the new Amtrak Viewliners. Those
windows are a key part of the new sleepers and diners; the double-row of Young's
product put the 'View' into the Viewliners.
##J Industrial Site Bills Pass Senate
An industrial site recycling measure passed by the Senate may help SEPTA handle
problems inherited from former private carriers. Senate Bills 972, 650 and 528 are
an effort to promote the reuse of old industrial sites so that farmland will not be
paved over for industrial parks. SB 528 sets aside a small sum to finance
environmental assessments.
##K Federal Mandates Exceed Federal Support
In a congressional hearing in late April, members of the American Public
Transportation Association told how Federal operating aid for mass transit has not
kept up with increasing demands on those operators made by the same Federal
Government. The cost of Federal mandates, particularly increased drug and alcohol
testing, additional paratransit service required by the Americans with Disabilities
Act, and new bus and locomotive emissions standards in the Clean Air Act, now
exceeds $800 million annually, but Congress appropriated no extra money to pay for
these mandates, so the riders have to pay-in the form of reduced service and
increased fares.
##L FHwA Seeks Comments
Notice has been given of a public hearing in Washington June 2 for review of the
Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program, intended to ensure that
local transportation decisions are not so imbalanced that they cause more problems
than they solve. For those who can't travel to D.C. to testify in person, written
comments will be accepted until June 20. Comments should be addressed to Docket
94-11, Federal Highway Administration, 400 Seventh St. SW, Washington DC 20590.
CMAQ is one of the programs by which money can be diverted from highway projects to
transit and other modes which don't add to air pollution. Though Federal law
requires that transportation agencies in polluted areas like Philadelphia not
approve projects which will increase the number of single-occupant cars on area
roads, there are concerns that this requirement is often ignored, and transit
alternatives to yet more road-building are being given short shrift.
DVARP members are urged to send a letter about the need for more balance in our
area's transportation policy.
##M Borski Bill Would Balance "System"
A bill introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. Bob Borski (D-PA) would
establish a "National Transportation System" to include the already-designated
National Highway System and equally-important air, rail, and water links for moving
people and goods. While the bill would not necessarily make a huge shift in
Federal transportation policy, it would have great symbolic value. Jack Gilstrap,
executive vice-president of APTA, called it "the framework to create a rational
transportation policy." Borski added that the system his bill would identify would
serve many more people than a highway-exclusive system.
News compiled by Matthew Mitchell and correspondents: Chuck Bode, Howard Bender,
Tom Borawski, Betsey Clarke, Aron Eisenpress, Lucia Esther, John Hay, Bob Machler,
Mike McEnaney, Don Nigro, Bill Ritzler.
Additional news from BITNET, CBC Radio, Norristown Times-Herald, On the (Bi)Level,
Passenger Transport, Philadelphia Inquirer, Santa Fe News Bulletin, USENET
The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger is a charter member of the Rail Online Newswire.
Grade Crossing Safety Improves
Highway-rail grade crossing collisions in 1993 showed record-low numbers for the
fourth consecutive year, according to preliminary Federal Railroad Administration
(FRA) reports. There were 4,827 highway-rail grade crossing crashes in 1993 which
resulted in 1,792 injuries and 614 fatalities, according to the FRA. Crashes in
1993 were below 1992 figures by 1.6 percent. Fatalities rose 6 percent.
In the early 1970s, the number of reported grade crossing collisions averaged twice
what they do today-over 12,000 crashes annually resulting in an average of 1,200
fatalities. The 50 percent decline in crashes and casualties has occurred despite a
significant increase in road and rail traffic during the last two decades.
The Federal Highway Administration attributes the decline largely to the combined
benefits of dedicated funding for the Federal Crossing Improvement Program
continued in the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 and the
efforts of Operation Lifesaver, the grass-roots program promoting public
information, driver education and traffic law enforcement.
##N The Hidden Subsidies: Tax and Subsidy History of the Railroads
Because most railroads in America were built by private corporations, capital had
to be raised to acquire rights-of-way and lay the track. Most of it came from
investors who demanded a return on their money.
Though it's true that some railroads (particularly out west) received land-grants
at no cost, roads consumed even more land, nearly all of which was paid for by
government. The railroads which recieved those grants often repaid them many times
over in the form of money-losing tariff concessions which came as part of the deal.
That kind of deal (on rates for carrying grain) nearly brought the great Canadian
Pacific to its knees just a few years ago. Passenger lines faced those concessions
too: remember the five-cent subway fare?
During the post-war era when Pentagon dollars pushed the construction of the
Interstate Highway System, railroad passengers paid a two percent Federal tax on
all tickets. Unlike gas taxes on cars, the rail passengers' money didn't go into a
trust fund for transportation. And public operation of commuter trains is only a
recent phenomenon. Up until 1983, most of them ran on tracks owned by Conrail or
one of its predecessors. How many billions of dollars in property taxes did local
governments levy on the railroads, and how much of that went to pay for the
infrastructure of the railroad's chief competitor: the private automobile? Did we
tax our railroads to death?-MDM
"The Hidden Subsidies" is an occasional series dedicated to shedding light on
imbalances in our present transportation policy.
##O RailReading: Spotlight Philadelphia
Two magazines recently featured rail services in Philadelphia; the articles make a
good addition to your collection. Railpace published a guide to Philadelphia in
its May issue-it's aimed at people who wish to watch and photograph freight trains,
but it includes maps and operational info that everyone will find useful.
Meanwhile, The New Electric Railway Journal has an article on our light rail
services in its Spring issue. Look for these magazines at model train and hobby
shops.-MDM
##P California Puts "ZEST" into Transit
Last fall, Torrance Transit of California began a new era in public transit by
introducing the Zero Emission Surface Transit (ZEST) electric bus. The ZEST bus is
the first medium-duty vehicle in the nation with all-electric self-propulsion.
Whay is this important to our area? DVARP recognizes the need for bus services to
complement our region's rail network, and SEPTA has too, through its 200-series
routes. SEPTA now proposes to expand that role greatly, to help suburban employers
comply with new trip reduction mandates. Low-pollution vehicles are to be used in
this project.
How did ZEST come about? Industries in the Torrance area, 12 miles southwest of
L.A.,have been hit by the post-Cold War decline in military spending. They and the
City of Torrance recognized the need to convert defense technologies for civilian
use, so a public-private venture was set up.
The ZEST bus measures thirty feet in length, smaller than the standard forty-foot
long transit bus, but appropriate for service in less-dense areas. Its body, built
by Specialty Vehicle Manufacturing Co., incorporates a low-floor design for easy
access. The electric drive system was designed by Hughes Power Control Systems.
Already looking at this technology for cars, Hughes was asked by the city to apply
it to a bus. AC motors are powered by batteries through an inverter. Eight to ten
hours charging provides a range of 75 miles. An auxiliary power module supplies
proper voltage to systems like lighting and ventilation.
Reports say that passengers like the ZEST vehicle, which entered revenue service in
January. Meanwhile, its reliability is as good as the diesel buses, and expected
to get even better.
All kinds of new technologies are being offered to meet clean air requirements, but
the most effective way to clean the air is still to get people out of their cars
and into trains and other transit vehicles. "Smart" highways and other auto
technologies take attention away from this basic point, so transit operators should
counter by supporting demonstration projects like this, and adopt the technology if
it proves effective.
-BR (with thanks to Theresa Laura of Torrance Transit and Fred Silver of Hughes)
##Q New Jersey Offers New Rail Bargains
by Michael J. McEnaney and Matthew Mitchell
Smart travelers have known for years that SEPTA and New Jersey Transit offer a
cheap and convenient way to get to the New York area. Round trip to Manhattan via
the SEPTA/NJT connection is $22.00, compared to $48.00 on Amtrak. This alternative
got more convenient when NJ Transit installed a ticket vending machine at 30th
Street Station. New fares and new destinations mean new chances to save money
while you see the Garden State.
For most passengers, the dash to buy an NJT ticket in the few short minutes at
Trenton between SEPTA arrival and NJT departure is over. The new NJ Transit ticket
machine located next to the SEPTA machines at 30th Street Station can sell complete
one-way and round-trip tickets from Philadelphia to all NEC line points, including
Princeton (via the 'PJ&B' shuttle train). Credit cards are accepted for purchases
over $10.00, and you can purchase more than one ticket at a time, which can save
button-pushing and bill-inserting. For most passengers, the machine offers your
best fare deal, but there are some exceptions.
While special fares for seniors, children, and the disabled are included, riders
who already have SEPTA passes or are traveling from outside Center City will still
have to stop at the Trenton ticket window for an NJ Transit ticket; the machine
sells tickets only from Center City Philadelphia. If you're coming from other
suburban points, you'll have to weigh the convenience of the NJT machine against
the cost of buying a separate ticket from your home station to 30th Street. A
SEPTA ticket from any station to Trenton costs just $4.50 during off-peak hours,
only 50c more than Center City to Trenton.
To use the machine, first look at the video screen and press the button for cash or
credit purchase. Insert your credit card if necessary. Then look at the list of
stations and enter the three-digit code on the keypad (e.g. New York-000). Press
the button for the type of ticket you need (one-way, excursion, senior, etc.) and
then enter the number of tickets you'd like to buy. Cash purchasers then put bills
or coins into the machine (like SEPTA's, the NJT machines prefer new bills, and
will gladly take the SBA dollar coins). Make sure to wait for all your tickets to
be printed and to drop into the tray; unlike SEPTA, NJ Transit prints separate
tickets for each leg of your trip.
Coming from New York or New Jersey to Philadelphia, purchase your tickets at the
ticket office; NJ Transit's regular machines do not offer tickets to Philadelphia,
but the human ticket agents do. Buying your tickets there saves you the trouble of
using the SEPTA machine at Trenton. If you come to Trenton early, you can purchase
a ticket from the NJT agent, which will be good on the SEPTA R7.
The connections between SEPTA and NJ Transit are acceptable, but not perfect or
guaranteed. A late train one way may leave you no time to purchase tickets at
Trenton. You might avoid an on-board fare penalty by showing a receipt or pass
from the other carrier as proof that you came on the connecting train.
Special Offers and Hints
For travel to lower Manhattan (Wall Street or Greenwich Village), save time and
money by transferring to the PATH trains at Newark. There are direct PATH trains
to the World Trade Center and connecting service to Hoboken and the Village, all
the way up to 33th Street/Penn Station and all at a flat $1.00 fare.
If you're not sure which way you're going to go or come back, buy a round-trip
ticket to Newark and pay the difference to or from New York on the train. The fare
between Newark and New York is the same whether you travel south of Newark or not.
The expansion of Waterfront Connection service to and from Hoboken (see next page)
makes a terrific new bargain available to us in the Delaware Valley. NJ Transit
offers round-trip tickets from Trenton to any station on another NJT rail line for
$10.90, just 40c more than the Newark fare. You could use this ticket to ride to
the shore via the North Jersey Coast Line, and with the Waterfront Connection, you
could go to Morristown, Bergen County, or as far as Port Jervis, NY. These tickets
are not available from the machine at 30th Street; you'll have to purchase them at
Trenton.
If riding a lot of trains is your bag, go for the $22.00 all-day Saturday or Sunday
NJ Transit unlimited rail ticket; ask the agent for code SD02. For senior
citizens, the pass is $7.00, which is actually less than senior round-trip fare
from Trenton to New York.
Senior citizens must remember that the special $1.00 off-peak fare and PACE free
senior rides are valid only within Pennsylvania. Rides to Trenton cost the full
$5.50 on peak trains and a half-fare of $2.00 off peak.
##R Computer Corner Amtrak Schedules on the Internet
The power of the internet now lets you get schedules for all of Amtrak's trains
with the touch of a few keys. A collaborative project led by DVARP's Matthew
Mitchell and involving dozens of volunteers from across the country got all the
schedules typed in and arranged in a menu-driven format.
Other collaborators have placed the schedules on their public-access computer
systems, and links to those systems will appear very soon on area computer
networks, just as they did for the SEPTA schedules which now have been on line for
over a year.
To get the full set of schedules, download the file amsched.taz (unix format) or
amsched.hqx (Mac format) from directory graphics/trains/incoming of the ftp server
wuarchive.wustl.edu
For the menu-driven schedule system, use telnet or gopher to gwis.circ.gwu.edu and
look in the "General Information" menu.
Selected VIA Schedules On Line
CompuServe members who use the Eaasy Sabre airline reservations system can access
schedule and fare information for selected VIA Rail Canada trains, primarily in the
Quebec-Montreal-Toronto-Windsor corridor. Look for 'airline' code A6, and note
that the city codes for rail stations may be different from those of airports.
Amtrak information is not yet available on this system, even though it is on the
airline computer systems which most travel agents use.
##S Canadian Government Plans Huge Rail Cuts
Canada's Ministry of Transportation plans a drastic cut in its support of VIA Rail
Canada, Canada's equivalent of Amtrak. Under Canada's parliamentary system, what
the government (now controlled by the Liberal Party) wants, the government gets. A
pair of plans for reduced service to keep the budget balanced, one by the ministry
and one by VIA, reveal dramatic cuts. Several long-distance trains would be
abandoned (on top of the 1990 abandonment of the "Canadian"), and the one remaining
train across the country would be reduced to just one trip per week.
The Royal Commission on National Passenger Transportation recently reported on
VIA's sad state. It said that in general, VIA was worse off than Amtrak, and had
similar problems of deferred maintenance. Like Amtrak, the government wants more
service from VIA than it is willing to pay for, but unlike Amtrak, VIA is not at
"arm's length" from the government. Like Amtrak, VIA is several different
railroads: a fast, heavily-used corridor, trains to cities which have no other form
of intercity transportation, and long-distance trains for sightseers.
VIA president Terry Ivany has asked for the federal government to give him a
strategic plan to carry out, but the Transport Minister, Doug Young, says meeting
the financial targets (a reduction of over $100 million in VIA's $350 operating
subsidy) must come first. Ivany has contered with a dramatic plan: if the
government will pay the capital cost of improvements needed to being high-speed
trains to the Toronto-Montreal corridor, VIA will make enough money operating those
trains to support the rest of the nationwide network.
The questionable status of VIA's services has not deterred the Canadian government
from its effort to sell part or all of VIA to the private sector. Bids are being
actively solicited by the ministry, which hopes to replicate the privatization of
tourist trains from Vancouver through the Rockies to Jasper.
Rails United a Country
In another blow to passenger trains in Canada, the Supreme Court of Canada has
decided that the treaty which required the government to maintain the rail services
around which the provinces united is no longer in force. Rail advocates expect the
Esquimaut and Nanaimo route on Vancouver Island to be abandoned shortly, and the
Chretien Government may see in this an opportunity to abandon many VIA services.
##T England to France by Rail a Reality
The first revenue trains, a pair of truck-carrying shuttles, traveled through
Eurotunnel at noon local time May 19th. Hourly trains are now being operated from
Dover to Coquelles. Through freights and the shuttle for tourists and their autos
are next to come into service, and the direct London-Paris and London-Brussels
trains will follow.
more on the Chunnel in "Eurorail Views" in an upcoming edition of the DVRP
##U Privatization Casualties
The CBC reports that Red Star, the overnight package delivery division of British
Rail, will no longer offer free transportation to St. Tiggywinkle's Hospital
Buckinghamshire, (Bucks County) England, for injured hedgehogs (woodchucks). St.
Tiggywinkles is a vetrinary hospital specializing in the treatment of wild animals.
The hedgehogs were not the only quadrupeds losing their welcome; BR has laid off
the cats who were responsible for vermin control at dozens of train stations.
Their work has been given to a private contractor, but we understand that
retirement homes have been found for all the railwaycats.
##V Newshounds Wanted
We have a big region to cover, with lots of train and transit services. Reporting
all the news from these lines is a big job. You don't need to be a rail expert or
professional writer to make our coverage better: just call or write us when you
notice something on your line whch we ought to cover. DVARP's voice mail line is
215-222-3373, message box 3. Or send an e-mail message to us at
73243.1224@compuserve.com
##W Inside DVARP
Volunteers Wanted
If you have a video camcorder or have used one before, DVARP is looking for you.
We are considering making a short video about the benefits of passenger trains, to
show to community groups. If you can help us with this project, call DVARP
Volunteer Coordinator Betsey Clark, at 215-222-3373, message box 4.
Meetings to Feature More Guests
After some discussion of the effects on the length of DVARP meetings and other
considerations, the members attending last month's DVARP general meeting decided
that guest speakers should be invited to DVARP meetings more often. Where guests'
schedules require, special meetings may have to be scheduled. It is hoped that
having more guests attend will not only bring new perspectives to DVARP
discussions, but also increase interest and attendance at the meetings.
Also at the May DVARP meeting, a resolution was unamiously passed stating that
DVARP will cooperate with other organizations for the common good of promoting
public transportation in the Delaware Valley It was also resolved that anyone
speaking on behalf of DVARP will not publicly critize similar organizations without
the consent of either the president or the general meeting.
Voice-mail Change
To better accomodate the officers and committees of DVARP, a few voice-mail numbers
have been changed. Tom Borawski, VP for Transportation, has now been assigned box
1, and Chuck Bode, DVARP president, will take messages in box 9. As always, if you
call from a rotary phone or aren't sure where to direct your message, just stay on
the line, and Chuck will manually forward it to the right person.
##X Delaware Fair Train Returns
Delmarva RPA is bringing back its successful "Rail to the Fair" excursion to the
Delaware State Fair in Harrington July 23. This time, the Delaware Railroad
Administration is a partner in the effort.
The chartered Amtrak train will travel from 30th Street (10:10 am), Claymont,
Wilmington, and Newark to Harrington, stopping at Middletown and Dover. Arrival at
the Fair will be at 1:16 pm. After dropping off fairgoers, the train will continue
down the Delmarva Penninsula to Georgetown and Frankford before returning to
Harrington. The return trip will leave the fair at 6:21 pm, arriving Philadelphia
9:53 pm.
The round trip fare from Philadelphia to the Fair is $45 for adults, $31 for
children; from Wilmington $33 and $19. For the full rail trip to Frankford, there
is an additional $20 fare for adults and $12 for children. Advance purchase of
tickets is required, and credit cards are accepted this year, call DRA at 302-577-
RAIL for tickets and information.
##Y Dates of Interest
*DVARP Incorporation Committee: Sat., June 11, 11:15 at Chestnut Gourmet 1121
Chestnut St., Phila.
*DVARP Commuter Rail Committee: Sat., June 11, 12:00 at Chestnut Gourmet, 1121
Chestnut St., Phila.
*DVARP South Jersey Committee: Sat., June 18, 9:30 at 104 Edison Ave.,
Collingswood, NJ.
*DVARP General Meeting: Sat., June 18, 1:00 to 4:00 at Bucks County Library,
Doylestown.
*SEPTA on Site (Suburban Transit): Wed., June 15, 7:30 to 9:30 am and 3:30 to 5:30
pm at 69th St. Terminal, 7:30 to 9:30 am at Norristown Transportation Center.
*American Rail Heritage Conference: Thu.-Sun., June 16-19, at Penn State-Altoona.
For information and registration, phone 814-949-5048.
*SEPTA Citizen Advisory Committee: Tues., June 21, 5:45 pm at SEPTA Board Room,
714 Market St.
*Deadline for July newsletter material: Tues., June 21, to Matthew Mitchell or in
DVARP mailbox.
*SEPTA Board Meeting: Thu., June 23, 3:00 pm at SEPTA Board Room, 714 Market St.
*SEPTA Hearing on Route 70 and 84 Changes: Fri. June 24, 2:00 at Press Catering,
Torresdale Ave. and Kraydor St., Philadelphia
*Delmarva Rail Passenger Association: Thu., July 7, 6:30 pm, at Stationmaster's
Office, Amtrak Wilmington Station. Call Ken Berg, 410-648-5961, for more
information.
*DVARP Incorporation Committee: Sat., July 9, 11:15 at Chestnut Gourmet 1121
Chestnut St., Phila.
*DVARP Commuter Rail Committee: Sat., July 9, 12:00 at Chestnut Gourmet, 1121
Chestnut St., Phila.
*DVARP South Jersey Committee: Sat., July 16, 11:00 at 104 Edison Ave.,
Collingswood, NJ.
*DVARP General Meeting: Sat., July 16, 1:00 to 4:00 at Collingswood Library,
Collingswood, NJ.
*Rail to the [Delaware State] Fair: Sat., July 23. Train leaves Claymont, DE at
10:25 am, stops at Wilmington and Newark, continues to Fairgrounds in Harrington,
and Frankford, DE.. Return trip from fair leaves 6:21 pm, arrives Claymont 9:26
pm. For tickets or more information, call Delaware Railroad Administration, 302-
577-RAIL.
*Listings based on information provided to DVARP. Contact sponsor to confirm time
& place. Call 215-222-3373, message box 3, to add your event to this calendar.
##Z Up and Down the Corridor
News of other Northeastern commuter rail and rail transit services
Fresh Off the Lot
MARC commuters are enjoying the improved service reliability brought by 19 new
locomotives. Rapid expansion of service and the resulting ridership growth had
necessitated MARC's lease and/or purchase of hand-me-down equipment from several
other commuter lines. The old equipment was a good, inexpensive way to test the
market, though.
Meanwhile, NJ Transit has ordered two more ALP-44 locomotives from ABB. NJT
already uses a fleet of the units (similar to SEPTA and Amtrak's AEM-7s) on its
electrified lines.
It's Really Happening!
By the end of the summer, Syracuse, NY will be the smallest city to enjoy its own
commuter rail service. The New York, Susquehanna, and Western has started
construction on stations and track upgrading for a line which will link a park and
ride station at the Carousel Center mall with the Carrier Dome via downtown
Syracuse. Parking at the Dome has been a problem ever since it opened. Relocation
of the Salt City's Amtrak station from its present East Syracuse location to the
Carousel Center has been proposed. NYSW will carry its passengers using RDC cars
formerly owned by Metro-North, and says that its new Chinese-built steam locomotive
will also have some duties on the line. Operating support from the Federal
government and New York State will be important, but the Susquehanna's strong
interest in getting new business, passenger or freight, is the key to this success
story. Who can replicate that story in Harrisburg or Allentown or Wilmington?
Correction: The endpoint of NJ Transit's proposed commuter train service on the
Susquehanna line is Hawthorne, NY. Warwick is on the ex-New York Central West Shore
line, another candidate for NJT reinstatement.
##AA DVARP Phone & Voice-mail Directory
When you dial DVARP's main number, you can leave a message for any of the officers
or coommittee chairs: use the mailbox numbers listed below, or dial that person
direct if a separate phone number is given
DVARP main number (voice mail line) 215-222-3373
9 Chuck Bode, President 215-222-3373
1 Tom Borawski, VP-Transportation 215-552-4198
6 Robe
rt H. Machler, VP-Administration 215-222-3373
5 Sharon Shneyer, VP-Public Relations 215-386-2644
3 Matthew Mitchell, Newsletter Editor 215-885-7448
4 Betsey Clark, Volunteer Coordinator 215-222-3373
8 Treasurer 215-222-3373
2 John Pawson, Commuter RR Comm. 215-659-7736 (6 to 9 pm please)
3 Transit Committee 215-222-3373
7 Don Nigro, South Jersey Committee 609-869-0020
9 Dan Radack, Bicycle Coordinator 215-232-6303
Media Hotline (digital beeper) 215-552-4198
Computer e-mail (internet) 73243.1224@compuserve.com
##BB Upcoming DVARP Meetings:
Saturday June 18, 1:00 to 4:00 Bucks County Library, Doylestown
R5 train leaves Suburban Station at 11:20, arrives Doylestown 12:39.
From station, walk five blocks north on Ashland St., turn right on Pine St. to
library located next to Michener and Mercer Museums. Return train departs 4:22
Saturday, July 16, 1:00 to 4:00 Collingswood Library, Collingswood NJ
PATCO trains operate frequently; travel time to Collingswood 14 minutes.
From Collingswood PATCO, walk one block to Haddon Ave., turn left (towards Camden)
walk three blocks to library on right, turn right at entry for meeting room.
Saturday, August 20 DVARP Annual Picnic and Meeting
Agenda for the June meeting:
1:00 Introductions, agenda, minutes
1:15 Issues requiring immediate action
SEPTA funding
2:30 Other issues
Commuter Rail Committee:
Newtown and other service extensions
South Jersey Committee:
Gloucester County service
Transit Committee:
Performance audit of SEPTA
Outreach:
Petition drive
Guests for upcoming meetings
Administration:
Elections
Incorporation
Committee Meetings:
South Jersey Committee: Sat., June 18, 11:30 at 104 Edison Ave., Collingswood, NJ
Incorporation Committee: Sat., July 9, 11:15 at Chestnut Gourmet, 1121 Chestnut
St.
Commuter Rail Committee: Sat., July 9, 12:00 at Chestnut Gourmet, 1121 Chestnut
St.
Transit Committee: Call DVARP Voice-mail, 215-222-3373, message box 3.
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