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Delaware Valley Rail Passenger Vol 13 No 03
The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger
March 1995
Vol. XIII, No. 3
ISSN 1073-6859
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 contact
us:
P.O. Box 7505,
Philadelphia, PA 19101
215-222-3373
contents: page 2
Schedule change alert: All Amtrak and area commuter rail schedules
change April 2. SEPTA Suburban Transit schedules change April 2.
New Bills in Congress Threaten Amtrak
Fox a Co-Sponsor of One by John A. Dawson
At least three bills recently introduced in the House of
Representatives, and now wending their way through the committee system,
would pose trouble for Amtrak if enacted into law. They are designed to
deny funding or otherwise make it easier to shut down parts or all of
the system.
Taking them in numerical order, the first, H.R. 259, has been sponsored
by Joel Hefley (R-CO) and seeks to eliminate all Federal funding for
Amtrak over a five-year period. Mr. Hefley argues that there is no
reason to support Amtrak, as people no longer want to ride trains. This
belies the experience of would-be passengers who have been unable to buy
space on sold out
trains. The problem is less one of too few riders than of too few
trains. In effect, this bill abolishes all intercity rail service. It
has twelve cosponsors; none from this area.
Currently, labor protection rules provide one of the major impediments
to route abandonments. H.R. 832 would limit severance benefits to six
months and allow Amtrak to reassign employees to other parts of the
system. These provisions are not entirely unreasonable, but would do
nothing to reduce AmtrakÕs costs. Their sole purpose is to make it
easier to eliminate routes. The bill is sponsored by Joe Barton (R-TX)
and has 16 cosponsors; none from this area.
The last, H.R. 841, establishes a route closure commission, whose job
will be to rank AmtrakÕs routes on the basis of long-term economic loss
and identify those which are candidates for closure or realignment. The
package would then be presented to the full House for an up or down
vote. Members would not be allowed to select which routes they wanted
to eliminate and which they wanted to keep.
continued on page 8
NJT Considers Halting Atlantic City Train
The Board of New Jersey Transit was told at its meeting last month that
commuter rail service to Atlantic City may have to be eliminated as a
result of AmtrakÕs intention to shut down intercity service on the
Atlantic City line. If NJT has to bear all the cost of maintaining and
dispatching the rail line reopened just six years ago instead of sharing
the cost with Amtrak, it may not be feasible to continue service.
DVARPÕs South Jersey Committee is investigating the situation will chart
a course for keeping the trains running and not wasting the publicÕs
investment. Hopes focus on AmtrakÕs Richmond-Atlantic City service, the
most successful of the Amtrak trains.
Inside: States Making Deals to Save Their Trains
see page 3
From the Editor's Seat:
Settle the Contract
By the time you get this in the mail, either there will have been a
contract settlement between the Transportation Workers Union and SEPTA,
or there will be a City Transit Division strike. If it comes to a
strike, it will be largely because of the intransigence of TWU. Union
leadership knows that its product is priced more than the market is
willing to bear. ThereÕs no better proof than the agreement TWU made
with SEPTA in order to capture the Philly Flash contract. That
contract, with a long-dormant SEPTA subsidiary, offered reduced wages
and less restrictive work rules than TWUÕs City Transit contract. With
the lower total cost of labor, SEPTA won the contract, and TWU won more
jobs for its members.
Despite this acknowledgment of market realities, TWU is demanding big
increases in wages and rejecting work rule changes out of hand. SEPTAÕs
line employees work hard, but so do most of the people who ride SEPTA.
And many of those riders would be happy to be making as much as the
people who operate and maintain SEPTA vehicles. Maybe sensing the
weakness of their economic case, TWU leadership went nuclear;
distributing an ugly flyer making personal attacks on SEPTAÕs
negotiating team. That kind of behavior cost TWU my respect. Other
SEPTA unions have had plenty of disagreements with management too, but
do not resort to such tactics.
These parties are capable of making a deal that benefits both sides.
ThereÕs the Phlash contract, and the deal two contracts ago which
reformed the attendance provisions, giving employees more flexibility in
getting days off in exchange for incentives yielding more reliable
attendance. If TWU yields on work rules, SEPTA can raise wages and
preserve union jobs.--MDM
From the EditorÕs Seat:
No More ÔNo-BidÕ
IÕd really like to think that when the SEPTA Board meets in executive
session prior to its public meetings, it is hashing out important
transportation issues like adapting the SEPTA system to meet the travel
demand created by King of Prussia and other Ôedge citiesÕ or how to best
serve the needs of disabled persons. But IÕve read and listened to the
words of too many Board members and politicians to hold that rosy view.
All too often, the main interest elected officials, and by extension
their representatives on the Board have, is in making sure that their
friends are at the head of the line when SEPTA spends our money.
An inordinate number of the controversies we find out about have to do
with the awarding of contracts. The Market-Frankford car order (subject
of a blitz of legislators adamant on delivering the $300 million deal to
a multinational company headquartered in Pittsburgh) was just the
biggest.
Smaller pies attract almost as much interest from the pork barrelers.
Take the complicated arrangement for Òbond-runningÓ Éplease! Days, if
not weeks, of backroom brokering resulted in a deal dividing this white-
collar patronage among firms backed by all the various political
factions.
If the new leadership in Harrisburg is really as concerned about saving
taxpayers money as it says it is, then it ought to pass a law banning
no-bid contracts.
continued on page 6
Inside The Delaware Valley Rail PassengerÉ
1-3 House working on anti-Amtrak bills; States, Clinton Administration
work to keep trains.
4 On the Railroad Lines: Houstoun, Wooten join Ridge admin.;
Overbrook Shop opens
5 Transit News Update: CTD snow plan; El service guaranteed.
5-6 South Jersey News: DVARP committee gets passengers working for
Gloucester Co. rail.
7 Direct rail service will improve MoorestownÕs quality of life.
9 Fox explains his support for H.R. 841.; Special Feature: History
of the Clockers
10-11 Up and Down the Corridor, Dates of Interest, DVARP Directory,
Membership Renewal
DVARP President: Donald Nigro
Newsletter Editor: Matthew D. Mitchell
for other officers and committee chairs, see page 11
entire contents copyright © 1995 DVARP, except photos © 1995 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
Clinton Budget Keeps Amtrak Funding
Here is a summary of the Clinton AdministrationÕs proposed fiscal 1996
budget for Amtrak: (amounts in millions).
Operating subsidy $ 300
Systemwide capital improvements $ 230
Northeast Corridor upgrading $ 235
Restructuring costs $ 100
Penn Station, New York $ 50
Mandatory payments (taxes) $ 120
Total $1,035
Clinton and Transportation Secretary Frederico Pena propose to
incorporate the Amtrak funds into a ÒUnified Transportation
Infrastructure Investment ProgramÓ which will also include the following
rail programs: (dollar amounts in millions).
Railroad safety $ 51
(enforcement of Federal regulations--paid for by user fees)
Next Generation High-Speed Rail $ 68
(research and development--no maglev prototypes or funds for specific
corridors)
Railroad research and development $ 48
Airport and transit system construction $1,143
(combined for the first time)
Transit operating assistance $ 500
(reduced from $710 in FY 95)
Information on subsidies for other modes was not available at press
time.
States Making Deals to Prevent Amtrak Cuts
AmtrakÕs announcement of dramatic service cuts is having what was
apparently the desired effect: to shake down the states for new funding.
A number of states have reached agreement with the nationÕs passenger
railroad to retain services scheduled to be eliminated next month.
Pennsylvania and New Jersey have not yet reached deals.
The loudest outrage over the service cuts came from Wisconsin, where the
Milwaukee-Chicago Hiawatha Service was to be eliminated. Four of the
seven daily round-trips will be kept, and fares will increase
substantially. The results may look like those of the Keystone service
after Amtrak cut service and SEPTA started serving Parkesburg with much
cheaper fares. Anticipating just such an occurrence, Wisconsin is
seeking alternative operators (most notably Metra) to replace Amtrak if
Amtrak can not run a cost-effective service.
Several statesÕ objections to the service cuts revolved around the
accounting procedures Amtrak used to allocate its costs among various
services. Governor Tommy Thompson of Wisconsin (a former member of
AmtrakÕs Board) reportedly won a concession from Amtrak President Downs
that AmtrakÕs figures were in error. Sources say New JerseyÕs
negotiations with Amtrak also center on the Atlantic City lineÕs cost
figures. External consultants developed the controversial accounting,
which Amtrak has not released to the public.
California has paid $846,000 to keep the Capitols running until Sept.
30. State officials there are especially mad because their state spent
millions of dollars San Jose-Sacramento corridor into operation. A deal
in Missouri to retain Kansas City-St. Louis service is imminent.
Alabama is ready to pay more to keep the Gulf Breeze, but AmtrakÕs
demand for more money for existing service is putting the trainÕs
extension to New Orleans into jeopardy.
Vermont will put up $580,000 for continued operation of its portion of
the Montrealer. The state will watch performance of the train closely,
and has demanded that Amtrak turn any surplus resulting after the
increased fares and subsidy back to the state. With the service
targeted to Vermont residents, the train will run by day rather than
overnight. A VIA Rail Canada spokesman said his company has no plans to
support continuation of the train to Montreal. However, Government
officials in Canada are considering it.
DVARP has asked Governor Ridge and PennDOT to move forward with
restructuring the Keystone Corridor, so better service can be provided
at less cost, as outlined in DVARPÕs Harrisburg report. The letter and
the report are both available online from DVARP (see Feb. DVRP), or by
sending a SASE (for the letter) or $2.00 (for the report) to DVARP.--MDM
On the Railroad LinesÉ
ÔWill CallÕ Will Save Time
SEPTA has followed the lead of other commuter railroads and set up a
special drop-box and express pick-up window to speed up monthly pass
orders and make more efficient use of both your time and their clerkÕs
time. The box is located on the ticket office side wall, to the right
of the Amtrak windows. Pick up an envelope, fill out your name, zone
and check, or credit card info. Drop it off by 9:30 am, and your pass
will be ready for pick-up between 3:30 and 6:30.
U. City Deadline Missed
Opening of the University City/Civic Center RRD station continues to be
delayed. Sources say that an elevator required for wheelchair access is
holding back the opening. When the initial January opening date passed,
SEPTA officials hoped that the station would be ready for the annual
surge of ridership for the Philadelphia Flower Show.
R5
Doylestown Trains Back
With the first phase of the track replacement project done, SEPTA issued
a revised midday Lansdale-Doylestown schedule last month. The bus
shuttle operation from Gwynedd Valley to Doylestown is no longer
necessary, but the temporary cutback in service between Gwynedd Valley
and Lansdale continues.
R7
An inbound Trenton train struck a trespasser at Morrisville Feb. 22.
CTD
City, SEPTA Develop Snow Plan
Responding to a DVARP suggestion, SEPTAÕs City Transit Division has
worked with the Managing DirectorÕs office of the City of Philadelphia
to make sure transit really does come first when snow or ice strikes. A
city-wide network of key routes has been established; City road-clearing
efforts will focus on those streets, so buses and trolleys can get
through. The object is to keep transit service running on those routes
with maximum reliability, while still putting safety first.
The plan has three levels: level one does not affect service, but
serves as a warning to all involved that bad weather is coming. At
level two, route detours may go into effect; and buses will stay on
major arterials rather than local streets. Level three is for severe
storms. In a level three snow emergency, SEPTA will concentrate service
on the subway-elevated and subway-surface lines, trackless trolleys 29,
59, 66, 75, and 79, and on bus routes 6, 14, 15, 17, 20, 21, 33, 47, 52,
56, 59, 60, C, and R. Experience tells us that the rail routes are best
by far when the weather is very bad.
In a level three storm, the following bus routes are likely to not run
at all: 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 19, 25, 35, 39, 40, 43, 48, 53, 57, 61, 73,
76, 84, 88, 89, 90, G, and X. Service on the remaining routes will be
sporadic, but SEPTA will try to keep them running. Announcements of
snow plans will be made through radio stations and other news media;
they will be in effect for specific periods beginning at 6:00 am, 10:00
am, 6:30 pm, and 10:00 pm. This way, riders will know in advance
whether their route is on diversion.
In recommending the fixed snow plans, DVARPÕs Transit Committee cited
Maryland MTAÕs successful ÒSnow MotionÓ program. Each MTA schedule
lists the changes which take effect if ÒSnow Motion BlueÓ or ÒSnow
Motion RedÓ is declared. While those details are not yet in the
schedules, Philadelphia did do Baltimore one better by coordinating its
snow-removal plans with transit plans. The City is getting serious
about its snow emergency plan. Parked cars which are not moved from
designated streets will be towed so City trucks can plow from curb to
curb.
Though City Transit was the focus of last monthÕs announcement, SEPTA
reiterated its winter weather procedures for its other divisions. On
Suburban Transit, service priorities will be the Norristown and Media-
Sharon Hill light rail lines and the 104 bus. SEPTAÕs Regional Rail
storm plan has to be coordinated with Amtrak (Amtrak has an excellent
record for keeping its trains running), so a fixed plan could not be
issued. SEPTA did say that on its own lines, the railroad trunk from
Center City to Lansdale (R5) would be the highest priority. Taken in
conjunction with the R2 Wilmington, R5 Paoli, and R7 Trenton services
using Amtrak rails, they form a reasonable skeleton network crews can
try to keep open.--MDM
CTD
Service Guarantee on Market-Frankford
SEPTA has extended its Òon-time or freeÓ promise to weekday service on
the Market-Frankford Subway-Elevated. If your train is delayed 15
minutes or more by a cause that was SEPTAÕs fault, you can get either a
free token or a voucher good for a discount off your next SEPTA pass.
Broad Street has been covered since 1992.
If you ride the subway or el, be sure to pick up a couple of the
postage-paid cards from a SEPTA sales office or Center City train
station. Get a current schedule, too, so youÕll know how long your
train is expected to take. Then if you get delayed, fill in the date
and time on the card, along with your name and address, and drop it in
the mail.
El Station Work Scheduled
SEPTA has announced the schedule for completing station renovations.
Stop off at Girard or Margaret-Orthodox to get a preview of what your
station will look like when the work is done. Each of the projects is
expected to take about two years. York-Dauphin, Somerset, and Tioga
will be worked on this year and in 1996; Allegheny (K&A) and Erie-
Torresdale, 1996-97; and Berks, Huntingdon, and Church will be rebuilt
in 1997-99.
The design process is underway for Frankford Transportation Center;
DVARP will be taking part in the public meetings where SEPTA will unveil
its proposals and listen to comments from riders and neighbors. Three
years of construction is expected to be complete in 2001.
STD
Interstate Service Here
As mentioned here last month, SEPTA and DelDOTÕs privatized Route 202
West Chester-Wilmington bus service is underway. Chester County has
contributed a free park-and-ride lot at the Government Services Center
near U.S. 202 and Westtown Road: the bus starts there. Service runs
every half-hour during the morning and evening rush, with an extra trip
at mid-day. Now you relax, catch up on your reading, or get a head
start on work instead of fighting traffic and sun-glare on highway 202.
Schedules for the 202 bus include a feature liked by DART riders:
letters marking key points on the route map and linking them to time
columns on the schedule.
STD
New schedules went into effect on the Norristown High-Speed Line
February 6. Two-car express trains are now operating in the peak hours,
along with a pair of reverse-peak non-stop ÔlimitedÕ trips which make
the 69th Street-Radnor trip in only 15 minutes.
Committee Campaigns for Direct South Jersey Trains
Public officials in South Jersey have questioned the need for the
proposed Burlington/Gloucester corridors to have a one-seat ride into
Philadelphia. In Gloucester County, the Freeholder Board voted to
support light rail prior to the public release of the
Burlington/Gloucester Corridor Assessment in May, 1993. More recently,
Freeholder Francis McDevitt commented that the choice of any technology
other than light rail may decrease the possibility of rail transit ever
being built. With this in mind, the DVARP South Jersey Committee
initiated a leafleting effort in support of a one-seat ride from
Gloucester county to Philadelphia.
Members of the South Jersey Committee, along with other interested
individuals, went to Ferry Ave. PATCO station January 26. Approximately
700 flyers were distributed. It is interesting to note that many people
driving to the station identified themselves as residents of Cumberland
and Salem counties. Each county is now served by two Philadelphia-
oriented NJ Transit bus routes, yet they drive to a train station
instead.
The South Jersey Committee also made contact with a resident of
Woodbury, author of an editorial which supported the one-seat ride
concept. She agreed to distribute the flyers on the various NJ Transit
bus routes traveling through Woodbury. This effort resulted in flyer
requests from the Woodbury Merchants Association, the Woodbury Old City
Restoration Committee, and various church groups. All organizations
were given flyers to distribute.
As of March 1, approximately 850 flyers were in circulation. The
Gloucester County Planning Board reports that 122 postcards have been
received from people reading the flyer. The officials there have been
surprised by the number of responses. A companion effort is occurring
at the PATCO Woodcrest station March 2.--BR, DN
SJTA Plans Roads, Airports Only
The South Jersey Transportation Authority recently presented plans for
expansion of the facilities it operates to the Gloucester County Board
of Freeholders. The capacity of Atlantic City International Airport
will be increased. The Atlantic City Expressway through the back bay
area west of Atlantic City will be expanded one additional lane in each
direction. This at the same time Amtrak is eliminating service on the
Atlantic City Rail Line.
The Atlantic City International Airport improvements include the
following: terminal expansion, longer runways, taxiway expansion,
relocation of Tilton Rd., road sign improvements, parking improvements,
and construction of a dedicated access road from the Atlantic City
Expressway. Total cost of the three phases of the project is estimated
at $154.5 million. Demand is projected to increase from 902,600
passengers in 1992 to 2.6 million in the year 2013.
SJTA wants to convince a major airline to locate a hub operation at
Atlantic City Airport. The hope is to change the airport, now primarily
used as a destination, to one at which many passengers would originate
travel to other areas of the country. SJTA officials cited potential
future overload in both Philadelphia and Newark airports in their
presentation. They claimed that 21% of Philadelphia International
Airport passengers from the Delaware Valley reside in South Jersey. When
asked by Freeholder Salvatore if they expected people from areas
adjacent to Philadelphia to drive to A.C., they replied that the service
area covered all of South Jersey, including Burlington and upper Ocean
counties.
A new terminal site on the opposite side of the airport, with a
connecting station to the Atlantic City rail line was evaluated.
Wetland mitigation efforts would have been too costly; therefore the
existing terminal site was retained. If a terminal is ever built on the
auxiliary development area, a rail station may be built. SJTA does not
own, operate, or fund any aspect of any rail transportation.
The DVARP South Jersey Committee is opposed to this project. We believe
that the money could be better spent providing rail access to
PhiladelphiaÕs airport via 30th St. Station or, even better, improving
and marketing the existing Amtrak/NJ Transit service. We find the
projected airport passenger increase to be questionable. Wake up folks;
there are better ways to spend $154.5 million!--BR
Woodbury Station Preserved
The City of Woodbury will purchase the old PRSL Woodbury rail station
[on the Glassboro line], now owned by Conrail, for $150,000. The
station will be leased by the Woodbury Old City Restoration Committee
for $1 a year. WORC hopes to obtain a $60,000 grant from New Jersey
Historic Trust Fund to renovate the station. Plans for the station
include conversion to a community center.
News compiled by Matthew Mitchell and correspondents: John Hay, Don
Nigro, Bill Ritzler, Sharon Shneyer.
Additional news from BITNET, USENET, Mobilizing the Region, Philadelphia
Inquirer.
Your news tips are always welcome!
Phone 215-222-3373, message box 3
or mail them to dvarp@libertynet.org
The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger is a member of RailWire and Railnews
Online
Editorial
continued from page 2
There arenÕt any good reasons left not to switch the gravy train into a
siding forever. ItÕs impossible to create an objective standard to
measure bids with? What standards are the Board using to evaluate
proposals today? Ending the no-bid system will prevent minority
contractors from getting their fair share? Getting rid of the
subjective element in awarding these contracts makes discriminating
against qualified minorities harder.
And if politicians donÕt know what to do with their time once thereÕs no
more patronage to fight over, they could start by riding the system for
a day and finding our what the riders they are supposed to serve think.-
-MDM
Ride in Luxury
The American Association of Private Railroad Car Owners has a new
directory of cars available for charter trips: call 202-547-5696.
AAPRCOÕs annual convention will be Labor Day weekend in Nelson, BC.
Moorestown NIMBYs Could Derail Train
by Donald Nigro
The following is an expanded version of an op-ed piece published in the
Burlington County Times.
Many opinions have been expressed regarding the routing of potential
passenger rail service for Burlington County. Some have offered highly
focused insight; others divert attention from an effective and fundable
solution. Regardless of the personal preferences, the available data
indicates that the existing railroad right-of-way from Mount Holly
through Mount Laurel, Moorestown, Maple Shade and Pennsauken is the
quickest, most effective and direct, and by far the least expensive of
all of the available routing options. The other alternatives are
slower, circuitous and, most critically, far less efficient, with poor
ridership/expense ratios.
All alignments under consideration would have a station in Mount Laurel
near Routes 295/38. The real debate is which route should be used.
Moorestown officials, in response to the emotional NIMBY (Not In My Back
Yard) attitudes of some who live along the right-of-way, at one time or
another have argued for all the options but the one that would make the
most sense. Earlier this year, Moorestown Mayor Walter Maahs even
forwarded the idea to create a bus line that would offer feeder service
to existing stations. That bus exists already, and isnÕt attractive
enough.
Now, Moorestown officials are advocating the use of the median of Route
295 to a link with the existing Lindenwold Line. This routing from
Mount Laurel is four miles longer and would require greater travel time,
even compared to a direct train with 40 mph. speed restrictions in
Moorestown and slower speeds along Third Street. Furthermore, because
of the travel time similarity with driving to the existing Woodcrest
Station, the Route 295 alignment would draw far fewer commuters than the
considered existing right-of-way which would offer service to or near
many densely populated communities.
For funding from the state and, more importantly, the Federal Transit
Administration, a proposed project must compete with many other
projects. The poor performance of a 295 option would significantly
decrease the chances of the project being awarded the necessary funds
for construction (as many taxpayers would probably agree it should).
With clean air, automobile congestion mitigation, and economic
development as incentives, it is difficult to justify spending for a
project that would draw many thousands of fewer daily riders and cost
more than a rejected alternative.
The railroad opponents along the existing (and active) railroad right-
of-way in Moorestown have tried to make grade crossings the defining and
sole issue in the debate about the best route. NIMBYs cite the dozen
grade crossings on the four mile right-of-way in Moorestown. Ignoring
all other facts, they claim that this is the reason why passenger rail
service should not return to Moorestown.
The fact of matter is that grade crossings are the norm and not the
exception with passenger rail service. They are present on virtually
all passenger rail lines. In fact, the 16 miles between Bay Head and
Long Branch of NJ TransitÕs North Jersey Coast Line has 62 of them. 14
are in a 1.5 mile section between Asbury Park and Allenhurst. With
modern protection devices, safety is ensured. The unsafe alternative is
relying on roads instead of rails.
The railroad opponents also cite the traffic delays that would be caused
by crossing gates. Unlike the freight trains that go through
Moorestown, passenger rail vehicles would close the crossing gates for
only about 30 seconds (the length of most traffic lights). Depending on
the rail vehicle technology chosen, as few as three trains (one every 20
minutes) would travel each direction during the peak hour and as few as
one train per hour would travel each direction during the off-peak
hours.
NIMBYs have also claimed that passenger rail service would degrade the
townÕs character. This could not be further from the truth. In its
September 1993 issue, Philadelphia magazine rated the Delaware ValleyÕs
most desirable communities in which to live. Passenger rail service is
present in six of the seven communities that Moorestown did not outrank.
It thrives in such exclusive communities as Bryn Mawr, Jenkintown,
Princeton and Swarthmore.
Service for Moorestown and Burlington County would not be something new
but something old, yet improved. Dozens of passenger trains used to
come through Moorestown from as far away as Pemberton and Toms River.
The town grew around the rail line and prospered because of it. Riders
on the steam engine-pulled trains were taken into Camden. To get to
Philadelphia, they were required to take the Bridge Line, predecessor to
PATCO.
With expansion of highways, train ridership declined, and service
eventually failed in 1969 because it did not offer a one-seat ride to
the city. In the near future, travelers could have both a one-seat ride
to Philadelphia and effective intra-county travel on a clean, electric
rail vehicle.
Effective passenger rail service adds value to the properties in the
corridor. Such service has been shown to increase values on an average
of 6.4% according to a 1991 study conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank
of Philadelphia. A 10% increase is shown for the Lindenwold Line. In
anticipation of passenger rail service for Gloucester County, numerous
properties are now indicating an increase of 10% in value in Woodbury.
Gloucester County is moving ahead with their intended use of an existing
right-of-way--a right-of-way not unlike the one in Burlington County.
Burlington County should not languish or else it may miss the train and
its destination of varied and enormous opportunities.
Amtrak Bills in House
continued from page 1
This Commission is patterned after the one established earlier for
closing surplus military bases. The concept is based on the assumption
that AmtrakÕs network contains numerous inefficient routes that are
there as a result of political pull and if pruned away would leave a
healthy core that could be operated within available resources.
This may have been true in the 1970s, but such routes (remember the
Potomac Special and the Hilltopper?) have already been pruned. What is
proposed here is more akin to amputation. Especially scary is some of
the language contained in the bill, such as: ÒThe system which remains
after closure and realignment of routes shall not be required to be a
national, interconnected system.Ó It also postulates that, ÒFederal
operating subsidies shall be assumed to decline over the 5-year period
beginning on the date of enactment É possibly to the point of zero
Federal operating subsidy.Ó The bill has been sponsored by Frank Wolf
(R-VA) and has five cosponsors, including Jon Fox (R-PA) who represents
the 13th District in Montgomery County.
Enactment of these bills would greatly complicate the job of preserving
a viable network. We could end easily up with no system at all, or at
best with the Northeast Corridor, supplemented by a handful of corridors
elsewhere. As a tradeoff for states assuming greater responsibility for
corridor service, we should insist that the Federal government retain
responsibility for operating a sound connected national system.
Amtrak does have supporters in Congress, including most of the
Representatives and Senators from our area; but Congress is now in a
feeding frenzy with powerful forces seeking to reduce Federal
discretionary spending. We need to make sure our elected officials
understand that Amtrak is an essential part of our national
transportation system and must be preserved.
Fox Explains Support for H.R. 841
Representative Jon Fox (R-Montgomery Co) co-sponsored the house bill
which would set up a Federal commission to determine which Amtrak routes
should be eliminated. In response to a DVARP telephone call asking why
he is supporting the bill, Fox replied:
ÒIÕm a very much pro-rail congressman who uses the rails every week to
get to and from work. IÕm on 841 so that we can make sure Amtrak is
saved and I will do anything and everything to make sure we maintain our
subsidies as well. And from my point of view if we have enough public
input about the importance of keeping the rails and expanding the rails,
then any kind of commission that is established to study the rails will
not decrease our subsidies nor decrease the number of lines. I got on
the bill to save Amtrak and thatÕs what IÕll do unless you feel there is
a problem with the bill that I need to know about.Ó
Be Heard!
Richard Donnelly, VP of Marketing for AmtrakÕs new Northeast Business
Unit, wants to hear from his customers. You can phone his office at
215-349-1602.
History of the Clockers by Charles Anderson
special to The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger
The term ÒclockerÓ is an old one and is derived from the competitive
traditions established by the Pennsylvania and Reading railroads. They
competed quite vigorously for passenger traffic in two ÔcorridorsÕ:
Philadelphia/Camden to Atlantic City and other south Jersey resorts and
Philadelphia to New York/Jersey City.
The competition really started in the last quarter of the 19th century,
during and after the Centennial Exposition held here in 1876. During
that year both the Pennsy and Reading operated numerous excursions to
the fairgrounds located in Fairmount Park. After the centennial there
were substantial improvements to both track and equipment on both
railroads: remember the famous Camelback locomotives of the Reading and
high stepping Atlantics of the Pennsy? Emphasis was placed on garnering
vacation traffic to the shore and drawing the businessmen to the New
York Division. Both groups of passengers demanded speed and comfort,
along with cheap fares of course. The public got it all during those
years.
The services on both lines thrived well into the 1920s and began their
slow decline during the depression years. It was never the same after
that time. The PRR and Reading combined their seashore services in 1932
to form the Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines,
Though many of the trains were essentially commuter services, they
generated considerable publicity in the press. Of course the railroads
capitalized upon this. The Reading led in flashy advertisements and
catchy names. Perhaps the two which are most firmly in the mind of the
public are: Boardwalk Flyer and Clocker. The names the Pennsy coined
stuck in the mind of the public of the time, but did not become
legendary: how often did you hear about the Nellie Bly? (the
PennsylvaniaÕs premier train to the shore)
During the 1920Õs the Reading established its Clocker series trains to
Jersey City with ferry connections to both upper and lower Manhattan.
Advertisements of the day heralded ÒTrains To New York--Every Hour On
The Hour In Two HoursÓ. One of the premier trains was the Ò7
OÕClockerÓ: a favorite of businessman who were whisked to their lower
Manhattan offices, with New York arrival at 9:00 am. One of the busiest
stops on the run was Jenkintown. For those wishing to travel to New
York from this point the Reading saved additional time compared to the
twenty-minute trip into the city plus a brisk five-minute walk to the
PRRÕs Broad Street Station.
Reading New York/Jersey City service dwindled until the last trains, the
RDC-equipped Wall Street and Crusader, ended in the early 1980s.
Although the PennsyÕs direct route into the Big Apple fared better,
traffic was never the same until the introduction of Metroliner service
in 1968.
After the 1950s, the term ÔClockerÕ became a general term used by the
public for any commuter train originating in Philly and going to New
York, whether it be Reading, Pennsy or B&O! Amtrak picked up on this
concept during its early days, so that any 600-series train originating
in Philly and terminating at Penn Station was called ÒClockerÓ. You can
attribute passage of the term to Amtrak to Charlie Bertrand, an early
Amtrak VP--he was the ReadingÕs last President before its conveyance to
Conrail!
TodayÕs Clockers use anything sitting around Penn Coach Yard. Some
riders like to call these trains ÔjunkersÕ since the older Heritage
equipment is assigned such runs. Amfleet equipment occasionally finds
its way into the Clocker trains, and once in a blue moon, a metroliner
coach slips in. With Amtrak in its present financial state, previous
plans may be moot; however, there was a plan to refurbish a number of E-
60 locomotives and Heritage coaches to give the daily commuters (realize
that these are regular Amtrak patrons paying premium fares) a better
service.
Conservatives Air Pro-Rail Program
National Empowerment Television (NET), the cable/satellite network set
up by Paul Weyrich (see ÒPeople of the Year,Ó January DVRP), has added a
new program about Amtrak. America on Track airs Thursdays at 10:00 pm,
with rebroadcasts Fridays at 3:00 pm and Sundays at 5:00 am and 11:00
pm.
The first program was introduced by Tom Downs. Guests were authors
Steven Goddard (Getting There) and Frank Wilner (The Amtrak Story), and
Betsy Reveal, AmtrakÕs Chief Financial Officer.
Up and Down the Corridor
News of other Northeastern commuter rail and rail transit services
TA Riders Face Service Cuts
Bus service in all five New York City boroughs will be trimmed under an
MTA budget-cutting plan. Some routes will be shortened, others will be
operated fewer hours per day, and some express routes will be eliminated
altogether. On the subways, a few branches will lose night-owl service.
Dean St.(Franklin Ave. Shuttle, Brooklyn), is to be closed. With a
combination of low ridership and a high fare-evasion rate, it is the
least-productive station on the system. Mayor Rudolph Guliani made it
clear that service was to be cut; he does not want to be blamed for a
fare increase.
Hartford Wants Rail
Business owners in Hartford are so convinced that light rail will
improve their city, that they will give transit benefits to employees
and stop subsidizing parking if the Griffin Line is built.
New Haven-Old Saybrook Jeopardized
Shore Line East commuter service in Connecticut is under fire. Newly
elected Governor John Rowland(R) wants to zero-out funding for the
trains and kill the service. New Haven municipal officials and
businesses see the trains as a way of solving traffic problems on I-95
without spending millions and millions of dollars widening the road.
Right of Way Protected
The Freeholders of Union County approved a resolution taking an active
role in restoring rail freight service to two rail branches which could
later be part of an expanded light rail system for North Jersey. The
tracks were purchased by NJDOT following the 1989 railbanking bond
issue. The affirmative action makes it clear to present and future
residents that the tracks are a transportation facility, and will not be
converted to other uses or given away to landowners.
Dates of Interest
DVARP Commuter Rail Committee: Wed., Mar. 15, 5:30, location to be
announced: call John Pawson, 215-659-7736, between 6:00 and 9:00 pm for
location and other information. SEPTA RRD riders welcome.
DVARP Amtrak Committee: Thurs., Mar. 16, 5:00 at Food Court in lower
level of The Gallery: 10th and Market Sts., Philadelphia. Call John
Dawson, 215-222-3373, message box 4, for more information.
SEPTA hearing on Route 18 curtailment: Mar. 17, 1:00 at Cedarbrook
Plaza, Cheltenham Av. and Easton Rd.
DVARP South Jersey Committee: Sat., Mar. 18, 11:00, at 104 Edison Ave.,
Collingswood NJ.
DVARP General Meeting: Sat., Mar. 18, 1:00 to 4:00 at Temple University
Center City, 1616 Walnut St.,.
SEPTA Board Meeting: Thu., Mar. 23, 3:00 pm at SEPTA Board Room, 714
Market St.
NJ Transit Board Meeting, Tues., Mar. 28, 10:00 am, NJT Headquarters,
Newark.
Deadline for April newsletter material: Tues., Mar. 28, to Matthew
Mitchell or in DVARP mailbox.
Amtrak schedules change and service cuts take effect April 2.
SEPTA and NJ Transit commuter rail schedules change April 2.
SEPTA suburban transit schedules change April 2.
TransAction Conference: Tues.-Thurs. April 4-6, Trump Plaza, Atlantic
City. For more information, call 908-903-1122.
Delmarva Rail Passenger Association: Thu., Apr. 6. Call Ken Berg, 410-
648-5961, for more information.
DVARP Transit Committee: Wed., Apr. 12, 5:30 to 6:30 at 30th Street
Station, south concourse exit opposite Post Office. Call Bill Mulloy,
215-222-3373, message box 1, for more information.
IEEE Vehicular Technology Society: Wed. March 8, 6:30 pm at Lebow
Engineering Center, Drexel University, 31st & Market Sts. Guest: Joseph
Noffsinger, Conrail. Topic: Positive Train Separation.
DVARP Commuter Rail Committee: Wed., Apr. 12, 5:30, location to be
announced: call John Pawson, 215-659-7736, between 6:00 and 9:00 pm for
location and other information. SEPTA RRD riders welcome.
DVARP South Jersey Committee: Sat., Apr. 15, 11:00, at 104 Edison Ave.,
Collingswood NJ.
DVARP General Meeting: Sat., April. 15, 1:00 to 4:00 at Temple
University Center City, 1616 Walnut St.
NJ-ARP Meeting: Wed., April 19, 6:30 pm at Towne House Restaurant,
Rahway. For more information, call James Ciacciarelli, 908-727-3173.
Philadelphia Trolley Coalition: Meeting to be announced. Call Chuck
Bode, 215-222-3955 for information.
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.
DVARP Membership Coupon
Yes, I want to support improved passenger train service in our region!
Here are my DVARP membership dues for 1995! 3/95
Name
Address
City, State, Zip
Please choose a membership category below, enclose check and mail to:
DVARP, PO Box 7505, Philadelphia, PA 19101
( ) Regular: $16.00 ( ) Family: $20.00 ( ) Supporting: $25.00
( ) Sustaining: $50.00 ( ) Patron: $75.00 ( ) Benefactor: $100.00
( ) under 21 or over 65: $7.50
South Jersey Notes
*Three bills of note in the New Jersey Assembly: A1275 mandates that
NJT start an off-peak bike-on-rail, and that new trains have space for
storage of bikes. A1617 guarantees state funding of the ÒCircle of
MobilityÓ rail projects even if the Federal government fails to
contribute. A2457 would set up roadside safety enforcement checks for
trucks and buses, helping to reduce the indirect subsidy those modes
receive by not having to meet as stringent safety requirements as
passenger and freight trains.
*The Turnpike Authority approved a 6.7 mile superhighway from a
connection with the Turnpike at Monroe to US 1 in Plainsboro--to be NJ
Route 92 Opponents of the plan called it a Òprivate drivewayÓ for
Princeton Forrestal business park, and a giveaway of tax dollars to the
park, because tolls will nowhere near pay for construction.
Amtrak Notes
*Metroliner fares increased Mar. 1 on those routes which had not already
been increased this year.
*New menus can be found on Metroliner cafe cars.
*Amtrak is offering special fares March 6-16 for fans attending the Big
East basketball tournament.
*The first bodyshells for AmtrakÕs Viewliner sleepers and dining cars
were completed in December by Morrison-Knudsen. They have been shipped
to Hornell, NY for final assembly.
Like, Intermodal, Man
San Diego CountyÕs ÒCoasterÓ commuter train service to Oceanside went
into service late last month. Coaster riders may bring surfboards
(under six feet long) on board the train.
Supporting Transit is Good Business
When Washington MetroÕs Green Line opened a year ago, the owners of
MarylandÕs Prince GeorgeÕs Plaza shopping mall found Metro riders
parking in their lot rather than paying to park in the WMATA garage.
But rather than kicking the rail passengers out, P.G. Plaza saw an
opportunity. They now offer commuters a free monthly parking pass in
exchange for $75.00 in receipts from mall stores. Most merchants love
to have these customers who come to their place of business every day.
Next month in the DVRP
Special Issue: The Future of the Northeast Corridor
NEW Phone & Voice-mail Directory
DVARP main number (voice mail line) 215-222-3373
1 Bill Mulloy, Transit Committee 215-222-3373
2 John Pawson, Commuter RR Comm. 215-659-7736
(6 to 9 pm please)
3 Matthew Mitchell, Newsletter Editor 215-885-7448
4 John Dawson, Amtrak Committee 215-222-3373
5 Sharon Shneyer, External Affairs 215-386-2644
6 Robert H. Machler, Vice President 215-222-3373
7 Bill Ritzler, South Jersey Committee 609-869-0020
9 Don Nigro, President 609-869-0020
Betsey Clark, Volunteer Coordinator 215-222-3373
Dan Radack, Bicycle Coordinator 215-232-6303
Computer e-mail (internet) dvarp@libertynet.org
World-Wide Web http://libertynet.org/~dvarp/dvarp.html
