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Delaware Valley Rail Passenger Vol 12 No 01
The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger
Electronic Edition
January 1994
Vol. XII, No. 1
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.
The Electronic Edition is published as a service to the network community
by DVARP. We hope you consider joining DVARP or your local rail passenger
organization.
Back issues are available from LISTSERV@cunyvm.cuny.edu (send a message
including the text "GET DVARP 9401 RAILNEWS" (substitute desired year
and month for 9401) Thanks to archivist Geert K. Marien
or by FTP from hipp.etsu.edu, directory pub/railroad/dvarp Thanks to
archivist Robert Wier.
Please send comments and suggestions to <mmitchell@asrr.arsusda.gov>
or to the address below.
For more information about DVARP and good rail service, please contact us:
P.O. Box 7505,
Philadelphia, PA 19101
215-222-3373
Schedule change alert: SEPTA trains will run on a weekday schedule
Presidents' Day.
New R5 Paoli schedules in effect this month.
Watch for seasonal schedule changes on SEPTA City Transit and NJ Transit
bus lines.
Time to Renew Your DVARP Membership! use the coupon on ##TT
New! Expanded Contents! Searchable Flags!
To quickly go to an article, use the "Find" function of your word
processor to find the ## heading. On the Railroad Lines articles
are headed with the route number (e.g. ##R1) or with the SEPTA division
initials (e.g. ##CTD). We hope you find this useful.
##A. NJ Transportation Commissioner Downs Named Amtrak President
##B. Editorial: People of the Year
##C. RailWorks¨ Ridership Statistics: Coming Back
##D. Yerusalim Reacts to DVRP Story
##E. On the Railroad Lines...
##F. Streetcars Versus Buses
##G. SEPTA Ridership Update
##H. SEPTA Takes Bids For Computerized Info System
##I. 30th St.: Transportation or Mall?
##J. Wow, Look! Raves for a trolley fleet
##K. An Ocean City Connection for the Atlantic City Rail Line
##L. NJT Plans to Keep Building Ridership
##M. Cape May Shuttle Train is Coming!
##N. NJ Sets Transportation Conference
##O. Big Three Automakers will get Half-Billion Handout
##P. You Can Fool Some of the People Some of the Time: Padding of
Passenger Train Schedules
##Q. ISSN?
##R. Well Said! Gordon Linton Speaks About His Goals
##S. NC Shows the Way
##T. What is "Commuter Rail"?
##U. What is "Regional Rail"?
##V. Gore Proposes End to Railroad Retirement Board
##W. Clinton Seeks Equal Tax on Parking
##X. Quebec Moves Forward for Commuters
##Y. Pollution Standards Too Loose?
##Z. NARP Discusses Amtrak Finances, Future
##AA. Hearings on Sunset Wreck Yield More Confusion
##BB. Texas TGV Fails to Meet Financial Target
##CC. Eurorail Views
##DD. New European Travel, Pass Options
##EE. ICE/X2000 Feedback
##FF. Computer Corner-BBS Systems in the Delaware Valley
##GG. Have Too Many Assets Been Removed?
##HH. Membership Renewal
##II. DVARP Considers New By-Laws: We Need Your Opinion!
##JJ. Volunteer Opportunity: Highway Safety Liaison
##KK. NARP Regional Meetings
##LL. Shop Tour for Trolley Coalition
##MM. SEPTA Board Meeting Schedule
##NN. DVARP Meeting Schedule
##OO. Conrail Double-Stack Progress
##PP. Dates of Interest
##QQ. Up and Down the Corridor
##RR. Voice Mail is Pulse Friendly
##SS. DVARP Phone & Voice-mail Directory
##TT. DVARP Membership/Renewal Coupon
##UU. Upcoming DVARP Meetings:
DVARP President: Chuck Bode Newsletter Editor: Matthew Mitchell
for other officers and committee chairs, see page 19 Production Manager:
Tom Borawski
entire 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
##A NJ Transportation Commissioner Downs Named Amtrak President by
Matthew Mitchell
The Board of Directors of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation
(Amtrak) announced the retirement of its Chairman and President, W. Graham
Claytor, Jr., effective December 6, 1993. Claytor, 81, has served as
President and Chairman of Amtrak since July, 1982. The Board also
announced the appointment of Thomas M. Downs as President and Chairman,
effective December 7, 1993.
Downs, who is 50, will leave his positions as Commissioner of the New
Jersey Department of Transportation, and Chairman of the New Jersey Transit
Corporation, which he has held since March, 1990. His previous positions
included President, Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority in New York
City, 1988-1990; City Administrator, Washington, D.C., 1983-1988; Director
of the D.C. Department of Transportation, 1981-1983; Executive Director of
the Urban Mass Transportation Administration, U.S. Department of
Transportation, 1980-1981; and White House Fellow to the Secretary of
Transportation, 1977-1978. He also served as the District of Columbia's
representative to the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation which planned
and guided the restoration and development of the landmark station.
In choosing Downs, the Amtrak Board went to an outsider instead of
promoting from within, a decision which was closely watched inside Amtrak.
Outgoing President Claytor, who came up through the railroad industry
ranks, was keenly interested in the choice of his successor. It was
reported that Claytor threatened to withdraw his resignation last year if
he was unsatisfied with the Board's choice.
Downs will face both immediate and long-term challenges as he takes the
helm. Facing a reduction in Federal operating grants and hit by costly
floods and wrecks in 1993, Amtrak made minor cuts in service in October,
and continues to defer needed maintenance. The quality and reliability of
Amtrak services remain unsatisfactory as a result.
The good news though, is that Amtrak is looking forward to putting new
'Genesis' locomotives, Viewliner sleepers and dining cars, and Superliners
into service in the coming years; and efforts to extend Northeast Corridor
electrification to Boston and obtain new high-speed trains are well
underway. Amtrak's commuter and real estate subsidiaries are successful,
and it is increasing its revenue from carrying mail. The states are
clamoring for more trains, and many of them are willing to back their
requests up with money. [see NARP Directors Meeting story on page 16 for
more about Amtrak's problems and opportunities]
##B From the Editor's Seat:
People of the Year
The biggest story of 1993 was the conclusion of the RailWorks(R)
megaproject. While the people who did the construction work and got the
job done on time and under budget have gotten well-deserved credit for
their efforts, DVARP pointed to the loss of RRD ridership as cause for
concern. Finally, this threat to the long-term health of the railroad has
been recognized by SEPTA management, and work is underway to stem the flow
of passengers to the private auto. Richard DiLullo, SEPTA's head of
marketing, is in charge of this effort. In a move we applauded in these
pages, he's meeting the challenge head-on, with the "SEPTA, Better than
Driving" campaign.
New Jersey Transit is giving serious thought to passenger rail service for
Burlington and Gloucester Counties. James Schwartzwalder, Area Planning
Manager for NJ Transit has set an excellent example for his peers in the
transit planning business by going out to the community both to sell NJ
Transit's ideas and more importantly to hear the public response to them.
That kind of attitude is essential in winning public support for any
project.
Kim Heinle is recognized here as an example of new thinking within SEPTA.
Heinle has filled a variety of roles in the Authority, and in each of them
been willing to reject the tired excuses offered by other management
personnel--'we need more money,' 'it won't work in Philadelphia,' 'what if
it doesn't work?' He has also been willing to look outside the usual
places for support--Heinle's vision created the widely acclaimed
Trolleyfest '93.
Not all of our persons of the year represented good news though. Political
interference with the business of public transportation was popular sport
in Harrisburg, so State Senator Vince Fumo (D-South Phila.) is recognized
on behalf of his colleagues. Fumo's efforts to wring money for
Philadelphia interests out of the Delaware River Port Authority are likely
to lead to a fare increase for PATCO riders, while the State Legislature's
short-sighted efforts to protect a foreign company with ties to Pittsburgh
caused the SEPTA Board to waste four months and a quarter-million dollars.
It could have cost taxpayers millions more had the contractors not extended
the validity of their bids.
The team of Gayle Belford and Alan Wickersham are abject proof of the adage
that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. An existing schedule
spreadsheet, a growing public information service, and a few hours of
formatting work yielded a first-of-its kind information resource at
virtually no cost to SEPTA. While their project of getting SEPTA train
schedules on the internet is not going to have a big impact right away, it
is an excellent demonstration of how public agencies can and should be
seeking out and using unusual resources: an example of "Reinventing
Government."--MDM
##C RailWorks(R) Ridership Statistics: Coming Back
Official reports released by SEPTA last month show passengers returning to
the Reading-side commuter rail lines now that construction-related service
outages are over. The good news, while expected, is reassuring. Ridership
changes so far have been close to DVARP predictions.
Ridership losses during phase II of the megaproject were less than during
phase I, since many the people who switched to their cars or stopped going
to Center City during phase I stayed off the rails last winter and were not
counted as lost this year. The net number of SEPTA riders decreased only
slightly this year.
The biggest variable in determining how much RailWorks will cost SEPTA will
be how long it takes for the lost ridership to return to SEPTA. After the
1983 strike, that took three years. Perhaps because of the aggressive
"Better Than Driving" marketing campaign, rider recovery proceeded well in
the fall. The pace is better than DVARP anticipated, but it remains to be
seen if the positive trend can be maintained through 1994; if so, the
RailWorks drain on SEPTA finances will be reduced.
% returned
Period Mar 92 Aug 92 Oct 92 Mar 93 July 93
Sept 93 Nov 93 % lost Sept Nov
R2, R3, R5 118,996 69,901 95,974 107,326 68,925
105,758 108,743 42% 74% 80%
Norr., Fox Ch. 40,016 0 28,179 30,509 0 30,571
33,906 100% 76% 85%
Chestnut Hill 49,009 40,962 44,751 43,382 39,295
47,304 48,037 20% 82% 90%
Total* 256,729 198,187 217,006 230,073 193,041
230,437 238,185 25% 59% 71%
*total includes R7 Trenton riders and "transit shift"
As SEPTA Revenue Development Director John McGee notes in his report, it is
not easy to isolate the effects of RailWorks from other trends in RRD
ridership. Because an overall decrease in ridership has taken place over
the past several years, marketing efforts were applied to the whole system
rather than specifically to the RailWorks lines. So far, this looks like a
smart decision.s--MDM
##D Yerusalim Reacts to DVRP Story
In the November DVRP, we reported on the appearance of Pennsylvania
Secretary of Transportation Howard Yerusalim before a Federal hearing. The
editing for publication of a quote from Yerusalim inadvertently changed the
meaning intended. The full quote with the missing words underscored is,
"Transit is an issue for people who can't afford an automobile, or are too
old or too young to drive."
The November story caused a number of readers to write to Yerusalim and/or
other state officials to express their dismay at the implied disdain for
public transit users, and in turn, Yerusalim has requested space in the
DVRP to clarify his statement and put it into a more complete context.
DVARP voted to grant that request, to be as fair as possible to the
Secretary The full text of his letter is published in the print edition of
this newsletter.
DVARP has struggled for years to inform elected officials and the general
public that public transit benefits everyone, not just those who are unable
to drive. When people use public transit instead of driving, the community
as a whole gains cleaner air, safer and less-crowded streets, conservation
of energy, land, and other resources, and a reduction in the need for
taxpayer subsidies of automobile transportation. Imbalanced, highway-
dependent transportation policies of the past have had a profound effect on
development patterns and taken some of the vitality out of Pennsylvania
communities, while reducing the opportunities that senior citizens and
others who do not drive have to contribute to society. This newsletter has
been reporting for several months about how other states have taken action
to put the transportation system back into balance; PennDOT continues to
lag behind its peers in this respect, and it is Yerusalim who can and
should turn it around.
To operate a public transportation system solely for those who have no
other means of getting around is economically and politically unsound. To
maximize the financial and environmental return on the public investment,
public transit services have to be able to attract people out of their
heavily-subsidized automobiles. Rail transit does this best, which is why
DVARP believes that good rail transit is essential to the quality of life
in the Delaware Valley. While we regret any inconvenience to the
Secretary, we hope this matter leads to awareness that public transit is an
issue for everyone in our region, even those of us who own and use cars.s--
MDM
##E On the Railroad Lines...
Holiday Schedules
Contrary to notes in the published timetables, SEPTA Regional Rail routes
will run on a weekday schedule Presidents' Day: February 21. 200-series
buses will operate.
SEPTA Submits Station Grants
Five RRD stations: one in each county, are to be restored if SEPTA gets
"transportation enhancement" grants authorized under ISTEA. The stations
selected are: Allen Lane, Haverford, Radnor, Strafford, and Doylestown.
A 'Zoo' in Winter Cold
Freezing temperatures caused an after cooler to fail, bringing down
Amtrak's Zoo and Penn (30th St. Station) interlockings for two hours
December 27. Thirteen SEPTA and fifteen Amtrak trains were delayed.
##R1
Saturday Snarl
Service to Jenkintown and north was delayed more than a half hour mid-day
December 11.
Watch your Head!
Use caution on windy days at Elkins Park. Slates have been falling from
the roof.
##R2
No Parking!
Amtrak's Merchants Limited struck an abandoned car left on the tracks in
Chester December 1.
##R3
Construction Phase I Done
Limited weekend train service was restored to Elwyn last month. Trains
will run on single track on two hour headways to accommodate continuing
construction work.
More Delays
The Elwyn line experienced 15 minute delays on the 2nd of December due to
"equipment problems."
The West Trenton Line was hit with up to 45 minute delays in the morning
rush, December 27th due to downed wires at Philmont Station.
##R5
Slow Trains in North Wales
In response to a recent grade crossing accident that caused the death of a
North Wales child (see November DVRP), SEPTA has agreed to reduce the speed
limit for trains approaching the North Wales Station to 35 mph. The speed
limit was originally 55 mph, and was temporarily lowered to 45 pending an
investigation. SEPTA acknowledges that the reduced speeds will have little
real effect on crossing safety.
The speed was permanently lowered by SEPTA in exchange for North Wales
Borough's participation in an anti-trespassing campaign. Railroad AGM
James Palmer told KYW that the campaign will have a strong enforcement
provision. The Borough and SEPTA also are reviewing the crossing
protection equipment and may possibly close one of the four crossings.
Minor Schedule Change
Look for a new R5 Paoli schedule this month. One outbound Sunday train,
reportedly #2593, is to run 10 minutes later.
Bucks County Woman Found Dead in Lansdale Train Yard
An 18 year old Chalfont woman was found dead in the Lansdale freight yard,
a murder victim. According to the Reporter the victim took the 11:13 train
from Fern Rock November 8th and arrived in Lansdale about 11:43 pm. The
paper states that she called home at 12:25 am and asked her father for a
ride.
The father, noting that his daughter sounded "distracted," arrived at the
station 20 minutes later to pick her up. "I waited around and looked for
her. Then I went home thinking we'd get another call from her in a half
hour or an hour," he told the Reporter. Her body was found December 2nd.
DVARP members who may have been in the vicinity of the freight yard on the
night of November 8th or in the area of the yard between November 8th and
December 2nd are urged to call Lansdale Police at 368-1800 to report any
unusual observations. Those who may have been on the train (Mon., Nov 8th,
train 596, 10:55 out of Market East) are especially asked to call.
Murder Sparks Cleanup Finger Pointing
According to the Reporter, Borough officials may cite SEPTA for "poor
conditions" at the Lansdale Yard. Says SEPTA spokesman Jim Whitaker:
"Conrail uses the area. It's their freight area. I think they are
responsible for maintaining it." Conrail spokeswoman Andrea Just replied:
"we think it is SEPTA's responsibility."
Lansdale Cleanup Gets OK
DVARP has learned that efforts to clean up PCB contamination at the
Lansdale train station are locked into efforts to clean up the entire
Borough of Lansdale. A state legislator's aide told DVARP that the entire
borough is a Superfund site. A train station redevelopment effort was
scuttled because of the presence of the chemicals.
DVARP has also learned that an effort is underway to transfer the $5
million Federal grant earmarked for the proposed Gwynedd Valley
Transportation Center to the repair and restoration of the station at
Lansdale. DVARP has in the past opposed the ill-conceived Gwynedd Valley
project in public hearing testimony.
##R6
'Conshohocken Creek'
The R6 Norristown line was flooded out again in December. DVARP has learned
from a SEPTA engineer that the authority is involved in a lawsuit with a
Conshohocken property owner who filled in a nearby creek bed. The water
which would normally flow into the creek bed is collecting on the right of
way as the photo shows.
Inbound R6 Norristown train fords the flooded area near Conshohocken.
Photo: Tom Borawski
DVARP Acts to Protect Cynwyd
In a letter to SEPTA's Carol Lavoritano, who is responsible for SEPTA
capital planning, DVARP VP for Transportation Tom Borawski formally
alerted the authority of Amtrak's plans to deactivate the 52nd Street
Jumpover (the outbound connection to the R6 Cynwyd line) and urged SEPTA to
begin the job of finding an new connection so Cynwyd train service remains
uninterrupted.
##R7
Up All Night!
SEPTA offered all-night service on the Trenton line to New Year's revelers
coming back from Times Square.
End the 'Trenton Dash'
The NJ Transit ticket machine at 30th Street Station is now in service.
Riders can purchase through tickets from Philadelphia to New Jersey points
and New York City from the machine, which accepts credit cards for
purchases over $10.00. More details next month.
AEM-7 Wheels a Steal
The board recently voted on a contract for 40 AEM-7 wheels for a total
price of $112,000. That's $2800 each, road hazard not included.
New Seats for SEPTA's Engineers
SEPTA recently awarded a contract for 450 engineer's seats at $760 each for
the Silverliner fleet.
##100 ##STD
Bizarre Accident
A man was killed by a Route 100 train as he was attempting to board at the
Conshohocken Road station. The accident occurred at 9:20 am December 22nd.
According to The Times Herald, the man rushed up to the station platform
after the train began to depart. The operator, seeing the man, stopped the
train and started to back up. Lower Merion Police Lt. Michael Tansey said
the man slipped off the platform and was pinned between the right rear
train wheel and the third rail cover board.
It was then discovered that the victim was allegedly fleeing the scene of
a burglary he had just committed. The Times Herald reported that the
victim was found with personal papers and cash stolen from a house in Upper
Merion Township. The burglar had broken into the house and taken boxes
containing the papers and cash. Police believe that he was attempting to
flee the scene of the crime when the accident occurred.
SEPTA Staff Notes
SEPTA's Cecil W. Bond Jr. has been elected chairman of APTA's Minority
Affairs Committee.
##LRD Patchwork Track
A welding truck seems to be in service nearly full time attempting to
manufacture rail an inch at a time in the streets--replacing worn out track
and fixing broken rails. When that attempt completely fails, a track crew
installs about 15 feet of rail. Patching can only hang on so long. Public
support is necessary to get funds for new track--letters to Harrisburg and
Washington from DVARP members can help. SEPTA is also working to increase
the flexibility of subway-surface operations by adding additional track
connections.
SEPTA is still working on the design for new LRVs. Suggestions can be sent
to Kim Scott Heinle, SEPTA's Chief Officer-Light Rail, who is also working
on a new image for the routes. First change is a new name: Route 15
becomes Girard Avenue Light Rail Line and Route 56 becomes Erie-Torresdale
Light Rail Line. Second change is a transit first strategy. Route 23 is
expected to need a "quite aggressive" transit first strategy. 'Transit
First' has been stated City policy since the Goode Administration, but
little has actually been done to actually enhance the speed of streetcars
and buses by reducing interference from cars and trucks.
Detour Ends
Routes 11 and 36 returned to their normal routing December 23.
Holiday Spirit Department
SEPTA LRVs 9047 and 9048 were decorated inside in a Christmas motif. They
operated as a train on Route 10 on at least one day. A SEPTA bus was also
observed in Center City with a Santa attached to the front. DVARP commends
SEPTA for these initiatives to make public transportation more friendly.
##CTD
Protesters Capture Bus
Seven protesters briefly captured a SEPTA Route 38 bus in a protest
designed to dramatize SEPTA's lack of progress in making its vehicles
wheelchair-accessible according to a story in the Inquirer. The protesters
were representatives of three groups, Disabled in Action, Consumer
Connection and ADAPT. The bus was held up for about an hour on Market
Street east of City Hall; the protesters were taken away by police.
##F Streetcars Versus Buses
For several years buses that resemble turn of the century streetcars have
been promoted by several builders. Typically these buses are used on
downtown circulator routes, tourist oriented service, and special services
such as RRTA's Christmas light tours. After going into service, reports
typically indicated increased ridership and that passengers liked the "fun"
sort of vehicle. Always unanswered was the question: How do these replicas
compare to a real streetcar?
Tuscon has unwittingly answered the question. The Arizona city has operated
the bus replicas for some time, but recently volunteers uncovered a mile of
trolley track, obtained two streetcars, and began limited service over
about half the route of the replica bus. A few sentences from the New
Electric Railway Journal sum up the results. First a description: "A ride
on the historic line costs one dollar while the SunTran shuttle bus fare is
25 cents. The trolley line is only one mile in length while the bus route
is about two miles and connects more activity centers including downtown
Tuscon and the convention center. Further discouraging riders, the
streetcar only runs three days a week while the bus runs six days." Not
quite a level playing field, but the best test to date.
And the winner?: "During May, the first full month of operation, three
times as many riders paid four times as much to ride half as far in the
newly restored rail line...."--CB
(Members interested in streetcars may find the New Electric Railway Journal
of interest. $25.00 for four issues a year. 717 Second St, Washington, DC
2002.)
##G SEPTA Ridership Update
In the first quarter of fiscal year 1994 the only ridership bright spots
were city subway and trolley routes. A big decline in city bus ridership
led to an overall drop in patronage for the three-month period of over two
million. (courtesy John McGee)
First quarter 1993 1992 change
Subway-Elevated 12,458M 12,378M +1.8
Surface (bus) 24,644M 26,663M -7.6
Light Rail 2,407M 2,325M +3.5
City Transit Total 39,509M 41,366M -4.5
Red Arrow 2,923M 3,140M -6.9
Frontier 509M 533M -4.5
Sub. Transit Total 3,432M 3,673M -6.6
Railroad Total 4,276M 4,268M +0.2
SEPTA TOTAL 47,217M 49,307M -4.2
##H SEPTA Takes Bids For Computerized Info System
SEPTA recently accepted bids for a "Computer Based Voice Response System"
which will enhance the delivery of transit information to the riding
public.
According to the Request For Proposal, the system will have the capability
of providing Railroad Division, Subway-Elevated Division and Suburban
Division (high speed) schedule information based on "station to station,
time of day and day of week requirements" of the caller. Maryland's MARC
has had this kind of 'talking timetable' in service for some time now.
For Suburban and City bus, trolley and trackless trolley routes the system
will provide "frequency of service schedule and general route information
based on route, time of day and day of week specification" by the caller.
The system will also give information on fares, and sales outlet addresses.
For the Railroad Division, Subway-Elevated Division and Suburban Transit
rail lines the system will provide a station locator index which has the
caller use the touch-tone keypad to spell the station name.
The system will retain the voice-mail "Dial-a-Schedule" function and will
also retain the customer's option to speak to a live SEPTA agent. Those
with pulse-type phones will automatically be transferred to an agent.--TB
##I 30th St.: Transportation or Mall?
Several months ago, SEPTA installed new schedule racks in 30th Street
Station. One was strategically located at the southwest corner just inside
the door used by pedestrians entering the station. It was stocked with
train, subway surface, and even NJ Transit bus schedules--a rare example of
interagency cooperation here. We are distressed to report that this
display has been banished to a much less visible location by another
trinket cart.
The effort to partially fund the station by commercial rent and to attract
persons there with trendy merchandise is commendable. However, the primary
purpose of a station is public transportation. We urge relocation of the
cart and restoration of the schedule display to its unobstructed former
location.--CB
##J Wow, Look!
Raves for a trolley fleet reported by San Francisco's Market Street
Railway:
San Franciscans have been doing double-takes along the city's streetcar
lines the past few weeks, as brightly colored trolleys swoosh by, looking
like they just came from the showroom floor.
...the car was really zipping along. A test ride along the J-line right-
of-way on San Jose Avenue clocked the car at nearly 50 mph. It rode
exceedingly smoothly at that speed, too, without the bobbing and weaving of
many of Muni's old PCCs.
When used with the raised boarding islands now under construction... [they]
comply with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. A
lightweight folding bridge stored behind the operator's seat and deployed
manually allows wheelchair users to roll from the island right through the
front doors, from which the center stanchion has been removed.
New Breda LRVs? A new generation of streetcar from the aerospace industry?
Guess again. These excerpts from the Inside Track newsletter are
describing--hard to believe, but true--SEPTA's PCCs now entering service in
San Francisco after an overhaul by Morrison-Knudsen. Hope SEPTA's new LRVs
get reviews this good when--and if --they come.!--CB
##CTD Bus Hearings on Tap
Public hearings on proposed changes to SEPTA routes 68 and 95 are to be
held January 14. Details are unavailable at this time, phone Mary Donahue
of SEPTA at 580-7333 for more information.
##CREDITS##
News compiled by Matthew Mitchell and correspondents: Chuck Bode, Howard
Bender, Tom Borawski, Bob Machler, James Morgan,
Don Nigro, John Pawson.
Additional news from BITNET, Carolina Association for Passenger Trains,
Conrail Newswire, KYW, Lansdale Reporter, Market Street Railway Co., New
electric Railway Journal, Newark Star-Ledger, Norristown Times-Herald,
Philadelphia Inquirer, Railway Age, USENET.
Special thanks to Amtrak Public Affairs, and to Mary Donahue, John McGee,
and Kim Scott Heinle of SEPTA
The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger is a charter member of the Rail Online
Newswire.
##K An Ocean City Connection for the Atlantic City Rail Line
by Don Nigro
With the exception of the two weekday roundtrip commuter runs of New Jersey
Transit's 555 bus and three weekend round trips (via Atlantic City) of the
551, the authority's connections between Ocean City and the Delaware Valley
are an ordeal for travelers. Travel between the two points requires a
transfer at Atlantic City to or from the 507 bus. The 507 is a local bus
with a one hour travel time between the two cities' bus terminals. With
the addition of a 20 minute layover in Atlantic City and a 93 minute rail
travel time between Atlantic City and Philadelphia, the total trip duration
between Ocean City and Philadelphia is 2 hours, 53 minutes. Even with no
transfer, the 551 takes 2 hours, 13 minutes. This is entirely unacceptable
to most potential customers.
Ocean City and its clogged approach highways need an efficient, attractive
alternative to the unwelcome cycle of highway congestion/highway
construction. The answer for the immediate future lies with the
underutilized capacity of the Atlantic City Rail Line. Express feeder bus
service should be established between Ocean City and the Absecon railroad
station allowing for a convenient and rapid connection with the rail line's
ten most strategic trains: the ones to and from 30th Street Station,
Philadelphia
The rail line's running time between Absecon and 30th Street is 75 minutes.
From Absecon to Lindenwold the time is 42 minutes. Both are competitive
with other modes of transportation. Better yet, they should show an
improvement with the next schedule release. Until recently, NJ Transit's
trains were required to travel 15 mph slower than Amtrak's Atlantic City
trains through towns. Now, the speed restrictions for NJ Transit have been
lifted, so there should be even faster service between Absecon and the
Delaware Valley in spring of 1994.
When combined with a 20 or 25 minute Absecon to Ocean City feeder bus, the
AC train would offer Ocean City residents a rapid and comfortable way to
travel, with net trip time under 100 minutes of over 170 minutes. Such a
feeder bus operation would remove many of the automobiles of summer
tourists from the streets of Ocean City and offer relief to the summer
pressure points of highways in many parts of Southern New Jersey, one of
the most notorious being the intersection of NJ 42 and Interstate 295. In
addition, an Absecon to Ocean City feeder bus would put many more riders on
the Atlantic City Line, trains which have a significantly underutilized
capacity.
Although there are several possible routings for an Absecon to Ocean City
feeder bus, the ideal one may be US 9 to NJ 52 via the Atlantic City
Expressway and Garden State Parkway. The 16 mile express route would
ensure a swift connection to and from the rail line, which offers a
spacious, comfortable mode of travel. Such a service would be attractive
to the automobile-owning, discretionary transit customer, a vast pool of
potential riders whose needs NJ Transit must continually attempt to meet.
Through such actions, the authority will continue to see an increase in its
ridership and farebox revenue.
NJ Transit has had an impressive ridership record for 1993. This past
summer, the authority experienced a 14.6 percent increase in ridership on
its southern New Jersey bus routes. The northern part of the state
experienced an 8.1 percent increase for buses. The state has also seen
impressive ridership increases for its rail service. Thomas M. Downs,
state Transportation Commissioner, [see cover] who chairs NJ Transit's
board of directors, attributed this in part to the authority's quality of
service and its promotional efforts of the bus services to the Jersey
shore. This same dedicated effort should be applied to Ocean City. The
Long Island Rail Road offers feeder bus connections from its Freeport, Long
Beach and Babylon Stations to the local beaches. So too should NJ Transit
offer the comfort and speed of a train to Ocean City travelers.
Adding a feeder bus connection, thus reducing the travel time between Ocean
City and Philadelphia would result in a substantial increase in revenue for
the Atlantic City Rail Line. For example, each rider brought to the line
by the feeder bus who travels one-way to Philadelphia would result in an
additional $6 in revenue for the authority.
NJ Transit runs 12 weekday trains each direction (13 on weekends) between
Atlantic City and the Delaware Valley. Six originate at Amtrak's 30th
Street Station in Philadelphia and six terminate there. The other trains
use Cherry Hill or Lindenwold as an end-point. DVARP and NJ-ARP recommend
the operation of an Ocean City feeder bus connecting to the following ten
trains at Absecon Station:
Absecon 30th 30th Absecon
6:26 M-F 7:48 6:52 M-F 8:09
7:14 S-S 8:36 7:44 S-S 9:03
8:51 10:16 9:54 11:10
1:39 3:01 1:43 3:00
5:47 7:18 4:43 5:59
11:02 12:18 8:23 9:44
With one exception which might be able to be resolved with a new train
schedule, one operating bus should be able to handle all of the connections
between Ocean City and Absecon.
In fact, if this service is integrated with the two weekday roundtrip
commuter runs of New Jersey Transit's 555 bus, one of the 555 round trips
between Ocean City and Philadelphia could be eliminated provided that a
multi-modal weekly and monthly fare would be established between the 555
and the Atlantic City Rail Line. The 555 offers a 95 minute ride leaving
Ocean City at 6:00 and 7:00 am and returning from Philadelphia at 6:30 pm
and 7:05 pm With a feeder bus, the 6:00 am Ocean City bus could meet the
6:26 am train at Absecon; the first 555 bus to Ocean City could be replaced
by a feeder from the 5:59 train at Absecon. This change in service would
lead to additional financial benefits for the authority without infringing
on current riders.
The underutilized capacity of the Atlantic City Rail Line provides an
attractive immediate option for travel between Ocean City and the Delaware
Valley.
##L NJT Plans to Keep Building Ridership
New Jersey Transit systemwide ridership increased 1.7% during the last
fiscal year. Passenger Transport also reports that this fiscal year NJ
Transit budgeted for 41 new services to get people to jobs in the suburbs.
"The services will include extensions of existing bus and rail services and
a variety of new kinds of transit, including 'flex routes,' rail station
shuttles, park-and-rides, mini-buses, and circulators." Along with these
new ideas, we encourage NJ Transit to work on the basics including
elimination of the penalty fares from Pennsylvania and provision of NJ
Transit-SEPTA transfers and passes so passengers can afford to use public
transportation.
Cape May Shuttle Train is Coming!
Cape May Seashore Lines is ready to go ahead with its park and ride train
service from Tuckahoe to Cape May (see Feb 92 DVRP) as early as next month.
Stops at Rio Grand and Cape May Court House are proposed; shopkeepers in
Middletown are clamoring for a stop there too.
##N NJ Sets Transportation Conference
"TransAction '94," the New Jersey statewide intermodal transportation
conference, is to be held March 29 and 30 at the Trump Plaza in Atlantic
City. For information and registration, contact Frank Reilly, Morris
County DOT, PO Box 900, Morristown, NJ 07963, phone 201-829-8101.
##O Big Three Automakers will get Half-Billion Handout
Defense Electronics reports that the Clinton Administration "has united
Detroit's Big Three Automakers with the nation's defense agencies and
laboratories in a wide-ranging research project."
The magazine quotes Clinton, "The project will involve federal and industry
funding. The government will pick up a greater share of the high-risk
projects, ones identified by an auto industry-government team." It reports
that "a senior administration official, who requested anonymity, told a
separate White House background briefing for reporters that most of the
government's share of the project's funding will come from existing
research in the Department of Defense, Commerce Department, NASA and Energy
Department." The "anonymous official" estimated the government now spends
about $500 million on such projects which will now be re-directed to the
joint Detroit-Washington effort.--TB
##P You Can Fool Some of the People Some of the Time: Padding of
Passenger Train Schedules by Matthew Mitchell
Long Island Rail Road, SEPTA, and other commuter train operators all are
patting themselves on the back for setting new highs in on-time
performance. Conclusive proof that their service is getting better? Or an
attempt to deceive the riding public?
A key ingredient in those successes has been the deliberate addition of
unnecessary time to train schedules--a lowering of the standard rather than
an improvement of the service. While this "padding" takes several
different forms, they all are an inadequate substitute for solving the real
causes of unreliable service.
The most obvious padding went on on the LIRR a year ago. New schedules
added time to nearly all trains between Jamaica and Penn Station, for the
express purpose of improving the on-time statistics. While representatives
of the passengers fumed about the slower schedules, the politicians who
determine whether LIRR management is doing an acceptable job only saw the
inflated percentages. In the days before public operation of commuter
trains, railroad managers who had come up through the ranks would have seen
right through the subterfuge.
SEPTA also tried to lower the standard in 1987, by changing the definition
of on-time from the industry-standard scheduled time plus five minutes to
"time-and-six." DVARP called attention to the deception, and when railroad
management changed, SEPTA went back to the standard measure.
Travel time varies from day to day...
But padding still remains in RRD schedules, in the form of "recovery time"
for trains in the Center City tunnel. While it takes only three minutes
for Pennsy-side trains to make a station stop at Suburban Station and
travel on to Market East, five minutes are allowed in the schedule. The
excess time causes some trains to sit at Suburban Station to wait for the
scheduled departure time, frustrating Market East riders who want to get to
their destination. The slack schedules also impede the smooth flow of
trains through the tunnel; some must wait for platform space while the
train ahead is holding.
No schedule is perfect
In real life, trains rarely take the same time to complete their trip; bad
weather can slow a trip while light loads will result in a faster run. Add
to this the more serious delays caused by equipment or signal problems,
etc. and you'll see a distribution of travel times which looks like Figure
1. The graph makes it easy to determine what the scheduled time should be.
There will always be some compromise between minimizing the number of
trains which are early and minimizing the number which are late, which is
why a five-minute 'on-time' window is reasonable.
Move the goal closer, and fewer trains are late...
In Figure 2, the line representing scheduled time is moved to the right,
padding the schedule so that fewer trains will be late. But now many
trains are early. Anyone who has ridden between Fern Rock and Market East
or sat waiting to leave Suburban Station knows what happens next:
engineers have to slow down, so as not to be early. So the real result is
described by Figure 3. Management looks great, but in fact is failing to
make best use of the hard work and money which went into the
infrastructure. Why spend the extra dollars maintaining a railroad capable
of 60 mph speeds when 45 is all that's needed to meet the padded schedule.
...but more trains have to wait, which causes the average to be much
slower!
Unchecked, the attitude which breeds padded schedules leads to other lax
practices: failure to look at alternative solutions to a problem, having
trains make all stops instead of examining the market and having trains
meet market needs, and treating symptoms instead of root causes of a
problem. By comparison, the railroad which takes a sharp pencil to its
schedules is the railroad which uses the same sharp pencil for writing
budgets.
When people bemoan the shift in RRD management to people from outside the
railroad, they really say they miss having someone in charge who won't
accept rigged numbers. Expecting employees to do the best job they can is
unrealistic when they see management taking the easy way out.
##Q ISSN?
Sharp-eyed readers who checked the cover of this DVRP (to see if we got the
date right!) might have seen "ISSN 1073-6859." The name of the next
European high-speed train Amtrak will run on the corridor? No, its an
"International Standard Serial Number," used for library cataloging
purposes.--MDM
##R Well Said!
Railway Age published an interview with Philadelphia's Gordon Linton, new
head of the Federal Transit Administration. In the section on goals Linton
said: "At the FTA, we are engaging in a strategic planning process where
our number one goal is making transit in this country a very good choice,
not the second choice."
Asked what he would like to be remembered for, he replied: "I'd like to
wake up in the morning, turn on the television and see the same type of
excitement and attractiveness portrayed for people boarding a light rail
system, a heavy rail system, or a bus, as there is for a person getting
into their car and driving alone along a highway."
DVARP encourages members to support Linton by writing to their Senators and
Representatives, and state transportation officials, about the importance
of attractive public transportation options for everyone in the community.-
-CB
##S NC Shows the Way
The Carolina Association for Passenger Trains newsletter reprinted "Transit
Plans at Crossroads" from the Charlotte Observer. The gist of the story is
that Charlotte is well along investigating a new rail transit system for
the area. City-county planning director Martin Cramton seems to have a
vision significantly different than our state's suburban sprawl plans.
Cramton thinks a transit system will not only cut pollution but will also
make the community a better place to live. It could cut a two-car family
to one car and families could put that savings into houses. "In 10 years,
this will be a very different community than it was 15 years ago," Cramton
said. "At the turn of the century, the economic pressures, cost of housing
and transportation and demand for different types of housing will all come
together. And a successful city will be able to make that jump."
Unbelievable--a planner proposing to invest in the community instead of
pouring the income into automobile transportation costs. Imagine what this
revolutionary thinking could do for Philadelphia, Camden, Norristown,
Chester,... CB
##T What is "Commuter Rail"?
by John Pawson
An example of the way in which the meaning of words in common use can
change is the word "commute." The little-used original meaning is "to
exchange items of value." In the mid-nineteenth century, a railroad
looking for immediate revenue offered unlimited travel in a given area in
exchange for a yearly advance payment, an arrangement which on the Paoli
line lasted into the 1950s.
Today's usage of the verb is "to travel back and forth daily between
places, as to and from a city." A "commuter" is one who does this.
"Commutation" is the act of commuting. That's as far as the dictionary
takes us.
At the heart of the current usage is what the travel industry calls a "one-
day round-trip." Those who commute over 50 miles each way are called
"super-commuters." Some highly-paid entertainers can afford to commute
across the country and even between continents. Notice that the usage has
changed from an exchange to an agreement with a carrier (a "tariff") to a
way of life. No longer need it involve a journey to and from a workplace.
"Intercity rail" seems to have become prominent, if it wasn't actually
coined, when Amtrak was created 23 years ago. [ed. note: many European
railways use the name 'Inter-city' as a brand for their express services]
It describes a passenger train which runs between stations located in or
near city centers with few stops in less-developed areas. At that time,
the railroad companies which offered commuter service had no incentive to
protect a largely unwanted 'turf;' they were looking to pass it on to some
other entity.
"Commuter rail" was thereby defined legislatively. Use of multiple-trip
tickets by the majority of passengers was one test, even though the
definition had moved beyond the mere tariff to a way of life. The other
test was mileage, either travel distance or end-to-end train run; 75 or 100
miles was defined as the limit. There is some belief that the former
number was meant to corral the New York-Philadelphia and Chicago-Milwaukee
markets for Amtrak, while the latter would exclude Philadelphia-Harrisburg
as a commuter rail line.
Protecting Amtrak's 'turf' is becoming a moot question. Cost and funding
pressures now require that company to look towards its more renumerative
markets. Another change over the years is that people are commuting
farther. 'Back-to-back' commuter service is effective: a train caries
commuters to one city, then quickly turns and takes others from the same
home stations to another city in the opposite direction.
To resort to arbitrary definitions to separate commuter and intercity rail
services is not useful, if it ever was. The relative number of stations
between the city centers probably is the closest one can come to a litmus
test. Disputed cases should be resolved on the basis of the economics of
the carriers and their services and the needs of the market. Eventually,
the law will catch up to the economic realities.
##U What is "Regional Rail"?
by Matthew Mitchell
Knowledgeable observers find significance in SEPTA's choice of the phrase
"Regional Rail" to brand its suburban trains rather than "Commuter Rail."
To some, the choice belies ulterior motives. To detractors, regional rail
means 'transitization' of commuter rail service, a lowering of standards
for speed and comfort in an attempt to be all things to all markets. But
it could also greatly increase the use of public transit, thereby
increasing the community's return on its transit assets.
Regional rail is an operating rationale most often seen in Europe,
especially Germany. Several principal cities have both a city subway
system (referred to as the U-bahn or 'underground railway') and a suburban
train network (referred to as the S-bahn or 'regional railway'). The
electrified S-bahn lines provide frequent service to a relatively dense
network of stations. Like in post-tunnel Philadelphia, the S-bahn acts as
its own distributor; there are several downtown stations. Trains are
through-routed from one line to another in a fixed pattern designated by a
number like S1. (Sound familiar?) In looking at North American rail
systems, the one which may come closest to the 'Regional Rail' model is
actually the Washington Metro, but SEPTA's Railroad Division shares some of
the characteristics.
The 'commuter rail' operations of most other North American transit
properties are not meant to serve as many different travel markets as the
European 'regional rail' systems; they gear their service towards a single
market of middle-to-upper class downtown office workers who drive to a
station and ride an express train downtown. A significant number offer no
off-peak service, running trains only at times they can be filled up.
Better for the balance sheet, but not as good for the community.
But Philadelphia's rail network was designed in and for another era. The
SEPTA system has hundreds of stations on a dozen lines, spaced more closely
than on any other US commuter railroad. That characteristic, inherited
from the competing Pennsylvania and Reading systems, is both SEPTA's
blessing and SEPTA's curse. While more of our population can access and
use the railroad, per-line and per-station ridership is diluted.
The plan
In planning service through the new Center City tunnel, SEPTA managers who
themselves had little experience running a commuter railroad relied on a
plan drawn up by University of Pennsylvania professor Vukan Vuchic, an
expert in planning of transportation operations. Vuchic in turn was
influenced by European (and especially German) practices, and parts of the
plan he created for SEPTA belie that influence.
While Vuchic's analysis is not in error, some of the conditions he based
the plan on have not come to pass. Pairing of lines was based on
ridership, to reduce the number of cars required. But few of our off-peak
trains run with more than minimum consists. Slow crew changes and padding
of schedules have cut into the promised efficiency of through service.
Thru-tunnel ridership has always been quite small; the chief advantage of
the tunnel has been delivery of passengers closer to their final
destinations. The plan should be revisited in light of the realities, now
that the tunnel has been open a decade.
Will we take advantage of regional rail?
In all its lines and all its stations, not to mention electrification,
there is a vast investment in our region's rail network. There is a good
case to be made for getting the most return on this investment by operating
it as 'regional rail,' even though it may not be the most efficient
strictly in terms of the operating budget. But that argument can't be used
to justify inefficiencies in the present operation, and mustn't be allowed
to dictate the operating philosophy of any new services.
The regional rail system has been an undervalued asset, especially in the
City of Philadelphia. Do we downsize the network to better serve the
traditional commuter market, or do we revise the transit network to direct
more passengers to Regional Rail?s
##V Gore Proposes End to Railroad Retirement Board
A provision to transfer Railroad Retirement Board functions to other
agencies was part of the recommendations made by Vice President Al Gore's
National Performance Review The review recommends that Tier 1 benefits be
handled by the Social Security Administration, that unemployment benefits
be transferred to state systems, and that administration of health care
benefits be transferred to the Health Care Financing Administration. The
report does not specify what should be done with Tier II benefits.
Additional details on Tier II's disposition are expected shortly. (Rail
Online)
##W Clinton Seeks Equal Tax on Parking
In a move to cut air pollution, President Clinton has asked Congress to
reduce or eliminate the tax deduction employers can take on free parking
they provide to employees. Currently the tax-free parking benefit is
unlimited, while transit passes or tokens given to employees are taxed if
they exceed $60 per month.
##X Quebec Moves Forward for Commuters
The province of Quebec has purchased 80 used single-level coaches from
Ontario's GO Transit. New service on at least two, and as many as six
lines radiating from Montreal is planned, pending a financial arrangement
between the province and the municipalities to be served.
##Y Pollution Standards Too Loose?
The Inquirer reports that a recent study published in the New England
Journal of Medicine concluded that air pollution can shorten lives by up to
two years, even in areas where present 'clean air' standards are attained.
The study suggests that current air quality standards may be too weak.
##Z NARP Discusses Amtrak Finances, Future
by John Dawson, NARP Region III Director
The fall Board of Directors meeting of the National Association of Railroad
Passengers was held October 22nd and 23rd at the Merchandise Mart in
Chicago. This is the third time NARP has met in Chicago, but the city
always represents a good choice, since it enjoys a central location with
direct rail service from most parts of the country. Our hotel atop the
Apparel Center overlooked the busy suburban rail lines feeding Northwestern
and Union stations. On the day preceding the meeting, early arriving
attendees were offered tours of Metra's Western Avenue shops, Union
Station, and Amtrak's maintenance facility.
Amtrak Issues.
Despite the pleasant setting, the meeting was a somewhat discordant one.
Members were frustrated both about the inconsistent quality of Amtrak
service and the cuts proposed for November, and they took out their
frustrations on what were seen as failures by a top-heavy management. "If
only those people at headquarters could be more innovative, or do a better
job of marketing, or ensure that workers do the jobs they are paid to do."
Undoubtedly there are things that management could do better and areas in
which they could economize without affecting service, but the truth of the
matter is that Amtrak's budget is being squeezed. For years its capital
budget has not matched depreciation, let alone provided for expansion, and
its fiscal 1994 operating grant is six percent smaller than last year's.
This is not sufficient to operate the current system. Much of the capital
budget is now being eaten up by the need to convert onboard toilets to a
full retention system and to improve handicapped accessibility.
The budget squeeze has also reduced spending on maintenance and led to
layoffs at Beech Grove [maintenance facility], and this has affected
reliability. The stimulus package submitted to Congress last spring would
have addressed this last area, but it did was filibustered to death. It is
easy to look good when resources are adequate, but difficult when they are
not.
Several external factors have also contributed to Amtrak's financial
distress. Not only have airline fare wars adversely affected that
industry's earnings, they have pulled customers away from Amtrak and
reduced yield by limiting the railroad's ability to raise fares. And
further, when Congress passed the budget authorization last summer, it
exempted the airlines from paying federal fuel taxes for two years on the
grounds that a fuel tax could force some lines into bankruptcy. But
railroads were not exempted, and Amtrak is now paying $5.55 million per
year on this account. Hardly a level playing field, and it certainly does
not help the cause of energy conservation when fees are waived for the most
energy intensive mode and charged on the more efficient ones.
The midwestern floods last summer blocked the running of through trains
between Chicago and California for several weeks, and this produced a dip
in Amtrak's revenues at the peak of the travel season. Amtrak normally
sells out most of the space on Western trains during the summer and relies
on this revenue to balance the books. And the recent Sunset accident near
Mobile did not help financial matters, aside from the human tragedy it
produced.
Amtrak's management is in a holding pattern right now as it awaits the
selection of Graham Claytor's replacement [see cover story], and this has
stifled innovative thinking at the top. Hopefully, a new CEO will begin to
address some of the fundamental problems facing the corporation.
Luncheon Speakers.
One of the highlights of attending any NARP meeting is listening to the
luncheon speakers, and this year's speakers were no exception. Gil
Carmichael, the former FRA administrator and now senior VP at Morrison
Knudsen (MK) spoke to us Friday. He believes that Amtrak is frustrated
with itself, that Claytor and his staff with 1200 pieces of rolling stock
have staved off a shutdown, but the equipment is now strained. MK believes
in a rail renaissance.
The Staggers Act led to a downsizing of the US rail network, but the
surviving core has received $40 billion worth of new investment and is now
in better shape than ever before. But it is only used at 25% of capacity.
Amtrak and the bus lines should work together to develop a true national
passenger system.
Amtrak needs to replace its fleet; and investment bankers will fund
equipment acquisition and station investments. Better rail access to
airports is needed, but the stations should be at the terminal and not at
the edge of the field. Cities should build intermodal terminals downtown,
in the role they play with airports.
Freight railroads see opportunities in passengers, not in carrying them,
but in joint ventures, such as providing corridors and real estate
development. States should use a penny of their fuel tax to support line
acquisition and rail service. He cautioned rail supporters to not let
states raise their gas tax without including the penny for rail.
The viewpoint of the Clinton Administration was presented on Saturday by
the new FRA administrator, Jolene Molitoris. She was dynamic and quite
upbeat, pointing out that this Administration is the first since 1980 to
put forward a non-zero budget for Amtrak and is also very supportive of
high-speed rail corridors. She promised that this Administration will be
proactive, instead of reactive, and will push for a true national
transportation system, one that is more than just a national highway
system.
On the financial side, she noted that budgets will be especially tight in
FY96 and FY97 as the effort to reduce the deficit takes hold, and she
clearly felt that corridor services were more important than long-distance
trains. This thought worried many of the Directors who fear that we could
end up with a collection of rail corridors and lose the national system.
NARP Priorities.
Every six months the Directors reexamine NARP's priorities and select up to
ten issues on which the organization should now focus its attention. It
was almost a unanimous decision that the highest priority should be given
to ensuring adequate funding for Amtrak, both short- and long-term. The
others, in no particular order, were:
2) A rail tunnel to connect North and South stations in Boston
3) The overall quality of rail service;
4) NARP's goals pamphlet;
5) Preservation of the national system (in response to Molitoris'
comments);
6) ISTEA station enhancements;
7) Daily long-distance trains (in response to Amtrak's proposed service
cuts);
8) Enhanced intermodal connections (very important to Pennsylvania);
9) More communications by NARP with the media (to give rail perspective).
##AA Hearings on Sunset Wreck Yield More Confusion
Federal hearings into the cause of the fatal derailment of Amtrak's Sunset
Limited determined that the accident was caused by a barge entering a non-
navigable bayou and colliding with the railroad bridge, but how the barge
and its tugboat got there remains a mystery. Members of the tug crew have
given conflicting accounts, alternately blaming fog, navigational lights,
and radar failure.
A formal report will not be out for some time, but uninformed commentators
dreamed up elaborate bridge safety devices and suggested they be applied to
every railroad bridge in the country, not knowing that they number in the
hundreds of thousands and that the cost of such schemes could reach
billions of dollars. Of course those same commentators never thought about
who would pay for yet another rail safety overkill measure, or how many
more people die because they drive instead of riding a train.
Lawyers at Work
Meanwhile, attorneys for Amtrak and for crash victims are proceeding with
multi-million dollar lawsuits against anyone and everyone involved.
Also on the legal front, Amtrak has sued the operator of a truck which
became stuck on a grade crossing near Kissimmee, Florida and was smashed by
Amtrak's Silver Meteor November 30. The trucker was hauling an oversized
load, and had failed to survey the route or obtain a state-required permit
for the move. One piece of good news is that the safety cab of the new GE
"Genesis" locomotive worked exactly as designed, protecting the crew from
harm and minimizing damage to the train.--MDM
##BB Texas TGV Fails to Meet Financial Target
High-speed rail in the Lone Star state is now much less likely to become a
reality, thanks to subsidized road and air competition and unrealistic
financial demands placed on the promoters. The Texas TGV consortium
announced last month that it could not raise the necessary $170 million in
private capital necessary to advance the project. The TGV was to have
served a triangle formed by Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio.
##CC Eurorail Views by James S. Morgan
There are a lot of changes going on in European railroading these days, and
the impact of these changes is a frequent topic for newspaper editorials
and articles. I subscribe to a German newspaper, Die Zeit [Time], and
occasionally buy Le Monde [The World] and El Pais [The Nation], French and
Spanish papers. This article will review some recent articles which raise
issues which could affect transit in the Delaware Valley.
An article in the May 21 issue of Die Zeit entitled "Uber die
Verfassungswidrigkeit unserer Autos" [On the Unconstitutionality of our
Automobiles] is a spoof on some antirailroad forces, in which a law
professor, Michael Ronellen-fitsch, claimed to have discovered a new German
constitutional right to mobility. He based his argument on an appeal to
Article 4 of the German constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion.
Missionaries require mobility. Hence, the failure of the state to build
more roads restricts the freedom to proselytize.
Wesel argues that there is no constitutional right to mobility. Instead,
he relies on Article 2 of the constitution to urge that the use of
automobiles violates the constitutional guarantee of freedom from bodily
injury [krperliche Unversehrtheit], the inviolability of the person.
Wesel is mocking cons
ervatives who urge diminution of railway
appropriations in the name of privatization and the automobile. Note that
former Chancellor Helmut Schmidt is on the editorial board of the
newspaper. Wesel seeks to show tongue in cheek that the same basic right
that the Constitutional Supreme Court in Karlsruhe invoked to deny then
West German women access to abortion should now be invoked to vouchsafe the
same right on the highways. The court will not have to criminalize acts,
but simply lower speed limits!
The article concludes with a quotation from Erich Honecker, former East
German Communist Party boss, uttered during his trial for ordering the
shooting of fleeing refugees. More than 200 refugees were shot, but every
year 10,000 people die on German highways. Until unification, the use of
automobiles was restricted in East Germany. Honecker suggests that the
Department of Governmental Criminality turn its attention to those
bureaucrats in the West who, unresponsive to public needs, shaped a
transportation system which kills so many people every year. Wesel
concludes by saying that when Honecker is right (which may not be often),
he is right!
A quasi-satire on the unconstitutionality of automobile travel may not seem
quite germane to rail transportation. And, of course, the German
constitutional context is very different from our own, in part as a result
of measures designed to prevent a recurrence of Nazi atrocities. But then,
Die Zeit really does not believe that at least British railfans know what
the relevant issues are. Reiner Luyken's "Funf Uhr dreissig ab Charing
Cross" [Five thirty from Charing Cross] on in the April 23 issue criticizes
British attempts to sabotage the Eurotunnel by insisting upon the use of
diesel locomotives. Luyken pokes fun at British railfans with their
checklists of ancient diesels that rail enthusiasts should see, and at
their chauvinistic adoration of British diesels as the best and fastest in
the world. Such "fans" unwittingly serve the interests of Times readers
who drive Volvos or Mercedes Benz's and oppose the Eurotunnel because
British Rail is one of the last non-privatized state enterprises, and a
symbol of union power.
Die Zeit does not quite wholeheartedly endorse the French TGV (Train a
grande vitesse), however. Developments in France suggest that it would not
be appropriate. "Cinq syndicats de cheminots lancent un appel a la grve
pour le 12 octobre" [Five rail unions call for a strike October 12] in the
October 8 Le Monde states that the unions believe that the quality and
safety of public service will be impaired if TGV East continues to be
financed out of the already indebted Fernch National Railway: SNCF. The
question is, then, why are local SNCF stations being closed and operations
being reorganized in favor of TGV service?
An article by Wolfgang Blum, "Streit um den Superzug" [Controversy over the
Supertrain], which appeared in the April 9 Die Zeit addresses this question
both in terms of the French TGV and the German ICE. The ICE is designed
for service at 250 kilometers per hour or faster, and uses one third more
electricity per passenger-kilometer than do conventional trains. The ICE
is energy competitive only in comparison with the automobile and airplane.
In other words, the ICE and the TGV are forms of rail transit designed to
be competitive in a privatized transportation industry where speed is king
because of the preeminence of the automobile and the airplane.
Blum simply recommends that the environmental costs of automobile and
airplane travel be taken into account. He does not mount the attack on the
speed cult which they have engendered that Wesel does. Blum suggests that
the public be informed that time spent travelling on conventional trains
can be used for reading, resting or sightseeing in ways in which the time
spent rushing about in cars, or even planes, cannot be. Some of Blum's
arguments that train travel time is time that can be better utilized might
prove valuable to area rail transit advocates. But when I read William
Vigrass's history of PATCO, I think we need more of Wesel's direct attacks
on the car cult, and some Luyken-style self-criticism for not having seen
this earlier.
##DD New European Travel, Pass Options
The passenger rail network in Europe undergoes a dramatic change this year,
with the opening of the Channel Tunnel. Less obvious are the new tourist
passes to be offered by the railways. Rail Europe, the joint marketing
agent for most European railways, has created a pass covering the most
popular countries for US visitors: France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and
Switzerland. The traditional Eurailpasses and Flexipasses are still
available: fares for travel on the Continent have increased about 12
percent, while British Rail is not increasing its pass rates: with hefty
fare increases for regular tickets in effect for the run-up to
privatization, the Britrailpass will be a bargain in 1994.
More information about rail travel in Europe will be included in next
month's DVRP. In the meantime, travelers who are considering seeing Europe
by train should visit their travel agent for more informaÐtion, or call
Rail Europe, 1-800-438-7245 for a brochure. For do-it-yourselfers, the
Thomas Cook European Timetable is available at Rand McNally in Liberty
Place.s--MDM
##EE ICE/X2000 Feedback
by Roger Pitcairn
The November 1993 Delaware Valley Rail Passenger asked if any DVARP members
had ridden both the X2000 and the ICE. I did. Specifically, I took the ICE
once (1 southbound PHL-WAS trip) and the X2000 five times (1 southbound
express Metroliner NYC-WAS trip; 1 NYC-WAS round trip; and 1 PHL-WAS round
trip).
The X2000 wins my vote. The X2000 rode more smoothly and quietly than the
ICE. Obviously, the X2000's better ride is a function of the tilt
mechanism which the ICE train lacks. On its native tracks, the ICE train
may ride smoothly; however, on my trip south, I thought the ride was
possibly even worse than regular Amtrak equipment. I walked the through
all the non-first class areas of the ICE and, in doing so, was frequently
buffeted from side to side. Furthermore, there were no overhead luggage
racks or grab rails to grasp. (Presumably, in Germany, the ICE track
conditions are such that no overhead grab rails are needed.) The ICE train
was surprisingly noisy--the train made a loud high pitched whine throughout
my trip.
In term of high tech gadgets, I would say the ICE beats the X2000. The LCD
color TVs on the seat backs were neat; however, in terms of appearance and
overall comfort, the X2000 beats the ICE. I think the X2000 designers had
much better taste than the ICE designers in choosing interior and exterior
colors. Also, I thought the ICE train's seats had an incredibly ugly shape
and were extremely uncomfortable--the portions supporting the lower back
were very hard. Amtrak should have handed out instructions explaining how
to use the ICE train's features. For most of the trip, I shared a
compartment with some people and we had lots of fun guessing what various
knobs, bars, and buttons did!
##FF Computer Corner
A free local computer bulletin board operated by the Philadelphia Area
Computer Society has a forum where some people discuss transit issues. Dial
215-842-9600 (8-N-1). Once connected type "J RAIL"' There's also a railfan
BBS which has a national forum--609-723-1393.
##G Have Too Many Assets Been Removed?
by Chuck Bode
The Pennsylvanian was nearly on time from Pittsburgh to about six blocks
from Harrisburg Station October 31 despite an early season snowfall. About
5:55 pm the train stopped opposite the parking garage slightly west of the
station. After an extended delay a vague announcement was made. At 6:46 pm
passengers were told there was a problem with another train and we would
have to go back. The train backed about four miles onto the Rockville
bridge (taking over half an hour), changed tracks, and returned to
Harrisburg--one track south, but otherwise no closer to the station. Still
a problem with another train.
The crew claimed to be making PA announcements, but the speakers did not
work in car 21225. When asked, the crew said that the PA had not worked in
that car all week. At 7:45 pm a freight train moved on a nearby track. At
about 8 pm the Pennsylvanian finally proceeded, arriving Harrisburg at 8:04
pm--2 1/4 hours late.
Like the Broadway incident reported last month, we must inquire: Why are
problems so difficult to resolve? While most of the passengers had no
information, we were fortunate to be sitting behind several railfans with
scanning radios. The "problem" seems to be that the freight train went past
a stop signal and then through a switch directly onto the track on which
the Pennsylvanian was coming--almost causing a head on collision.
Being a rather serious error, messages over the radio at first were vague
as the freight crew seemed to figure what to do. It became obvious that the
situation could not be covered up. Once this stage was reached, it would
have been logical to back up the freight allowing the Pennsylvanian to
proceed.
Afterward, formalities could have been taken care of. What seems to have
happened instead, is that the freight crew was removed from service for
drug and alcohol testing following the safety violation, leaving the
Conrail train standing in the way. It also seems that the railroad has
been reduced to a single serviceable track, which meant that all train
service across Pennsylvania came to a halt for two hours while another
freight crew was brought to the site--along with numerous supervisors and
signal crew.
Readers who have been in the Harrisburg area may wonder why it took so long
to get a crew when there is the huge Enola Yard only a couple miles away.
The answer is simple--the yard is gone, removed as part of the asset-
stripping process. The major US railroads have all sold off materials,
land, equipment and other assets in an effort to both raise immediate cash
and increase the percentage return on the remaining assets.
But as in the Broadway breakdown, we find that there are only the barest
minimal facilities, personnel, and management for the intended scheduled
operations. Any unscheduled incidents cannot be handled.
Also, like the Broadway, some far away decisions seem to be made--farther
along the train made an unscheduled 5 minute stop at Malvern to swap crews
with a westbound train--adding to the delay. Was this so urgent that it
could not have been done two minutes later during the scheduled Paoli stop?
The farthest decisions are political. Is the United States to have a
functional railroad system? If so, changes are necessary in Washington and
50 other places including the Harrisburg Capitol Building. Had the trains
collided, a large part of the blame would have had to be our elected
officials promotion of highways. How else can we explain the four track
'Broad Way' mainline dwindling to a single track?
##HH Membership Renewal
A big thank you to the 25% of the members who have paid for 1994. Other
members are urged to promptly send in their 1994 dues so that the
volunteers can complete this project before the annual hearing cycle
begins. Prompt renewal also eliminates the cost and effort of mailing
renewal notices.
DVARP is again holding the line on dues so that as many passengers as
possible can afford to be members. Members who can afford are urged to
renew at higher rates which support additional projects beyond the
newsletter. Postage rates decrease as the number of members per zip code
increases. You can help by recruiting other passengers, co-workers,
friends, & neighbors to become DVARP members. Or consider gift
memberships. Don't be bashful--make your voice heard over the highway
lobby.--CB
##II DVARP Considers New By-Laws: We Need Your Opinion!
DVARP is in the process of revising its by-laws in order to achieve tax-
exempt status. The first draft of the by-laws has been written and will be
sent to those who have attend past DVARP meetings for comments/corrections.
The next step is to have them reviewed by our attorney. The by-laws will
then be published in the newsletter for your review and comments.
Any proposed changes will be discussed at a DVARP regular meeting (and any
special meetings needed) to assure the by-laws writing process is open and
fair. After final review by an attorney, papers will be filed.
At this point we need our members to think of one topic: conflict of
interest. We are in the business of educating the public of the virtues of
a balanced transportation system. We are also in the business of providing
information to decision makers. We are but a small voice, and it is
important that it be a voice which can be trusted.
People with connections to the transit industry bring important information
and skills to our organization. But could DVARP's voice be trusted if
SEPTA, NJT or PATCO employees were elected to the Board of Directors? How
would we be viewed if officials of the Pennsylvania's highway lobby could
pack DVARP meetings or even run for a DVARP elected office ?
The draft By-Laws would create two classes of membership: Subscriber and
Non-Voting Subscriber. Subscribers will have the right to run for DVARP
elected office, vote for resolutions at DVARP meetings--in general nothing
changes from before. Non-Voting Subscribers will not have the right to run
for DVARP elected office nor to vote upon corporate matters;however, they
are invited to all meetings to voice their views, and can take part in
formulating testimony before planning and transportation authorities.
Non-Voting Subscribers, of course, will continue to receive the newsletter.
Presently, the conditions for non-voting subscriber classification are if
the member:
(1) Is a board member, officer or employee of SEPTA, NJT, Amtrak, DRPA or
any other public or private common carrier engaged in passenger transport.
(2) Is an policy making official at any of the state departments of
transportation in the DVARP coverage area.
(3) Is a board member, officer or employee of any contractor which receives
25% or more of its annual revenue from SEPTA, NJT, Amtrak, DRPA or any
other public or private common carrier engaged in passenger transport.
(4) Is a board member, officer or employee of any business that is engaged
primarily in highway reconstruction, highway construction or supplier to
the highway industry.
(5) Is a board member, officer or employee of any business that is engaged
primarily in petroleum industry.
It should be stressed that DVARP will not be sending out Pinkertons to
check on each subscriber's status, but it is important that the bylaws
state these rules (particularly for election to DVARP office) and hope that
those who fall into the category of non-voting subscriber understand the
need for our independence.--TB
##JJ Volunteer Opportunity: Highway Safety Liaison
DVARP is looking for a Highway Safety Liaison to foster communication and
cooperation with safety groups like CRASH (Citizens For Reliable And Safe
Highways). It is common knowledge among motorists that highway speeds 10-
15 mph faster than posted limits have been effectively legalized because
highway patrol agencies look the other way. In addition to their cost in
lives lost (effectively another public subsidy of highways), these speeds
extend an unfair competitive advantage over rail passenger service. If you
are concerned about highway safety and rail transit patronage, why not
volunteer to serve as our Highway Safety Liaison? Call our volunteer
hotline, 215-222-3373, message box 4.
##KK NARP Regional Meetings
The annual regional meetings of the National Association of Railroad
Passengers are coming up. These all-day events feature important guest
speakers and are an excellent opportunity to discuss issues like intercity
train service or cooperation among local transit authorities. Region II,
which includes New York and Connecticuit will meet Sat., Feb. 26 in Albany,
NY. Call ESPA at 315-963-3169 for information
Our own Region III (PA, NJ, DE) meets Sat., Apr. 16 in Wilmington. Call
Doug Andrews, 302-995-6419, for details.
##LL Shop Tour for Trolley Coalition
A unique opportunity to go behind the scenes of SEPTA's Light Rail Division
will be yours if you come to the Philadelphia Trolley Coalition tour of
Elmwood District Sunday, January 23. Elmwood is the maintenance and
storage base for SEPTA's 125-vehicle City LRV fleet.
Coalition members will be meeting at the Blue Bell, at the corner of
Woodland Ave. and Island Rd. (across from the depot) for a brown-bag lunch
before the tour. Call Joel Spivak, 215-755-7717 for more information.
##MM SEPTA Board Meeting Schedule
The SEPTA Board has scheduled its meetings for the fourth Thursday of each
month (except November and December) in the Board Room on the third floor
of 714 Market St. As in 1993, meetings will begin at 3:00. Jan. 27, Feb.
24, Mar. 24, Apr. 28, May 26, June 23, July 28, Aug. 25, Sep. 22, Oct. 27,
Nov. 17, Dec. 15.
##NN DVARP Meeting Schedule
DVARP will continue its practice of meeting the third Saturday afternoon
each month, with the exception of April, when the meeting will be Thursday
night to prevent a conflict with the NARP Region III Meeting. The dates
are as follows: Jan. 15, Feb. 19, Mar. 19, Apr. 14, May 21, June 18, July
16, Aug. 20, Sep. 17, Oct. 15, Nov. 19, Dec. 17. Please check the schedule
printed on the back page of the DVRP each month for possible changes. The
annual DVARP picnic and meeting will be August 20.
Meeting locations have been tentatively set for 1994, but are subject to
confirmation: Jan.-Marcus Hook, Feb.-Center City, Mar.-Collingswood, Apr.-
Center City, May-Bryn Mawr, June-Doylestown, July-Collingswood, Aug.-
picnic, Sept.-Center City, Oct.-Norristown, Nov.-Collingswood, Dec.-
Jenkintown. Again, please check the DVRP each month in case of changes.
##OO Conrail Double-Stack Progress
According to the Conrail Newswire of December 14th, state-sponsored
clearance work to allow double-stack freight trains to move across
Pennsylvania is well underway. The employee newsletter states that of the
total of roughly 140 structures where higher clearances were necessary, 25
are done.
Conrail reports that undercutting work is complete on the Trenton Line to
clear a route between Hagerstown, MD and Oak Island, NJ to accommodate
double-stack traffic moving on Conrail and the Norfolk Southern. Work is
also underway on two tunnels on the CP Rail (ex-D&H) route between
Philadelphia and New York state, Rockport Tunnel and White Haven Tunnel.
Undercutting work in western Pennsylvania will break for the winter when
the route is cleared to Conpit Junction, just west of Johnstown. Tunnel
work and undercutting in eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey will
continue.--TB
##PP Dates of Interest
SEPTA on Site (RRD): Thursday mornings: 7:30 to 9:00 am, at Suburban
Station or Market East Station.
Center for Greater Philadelphia "Region at the Crossroads" Forum on Land
Use and Growth Management: Thurs. Jan. 13, 8:00 to 10:00 am at Pennsbury
Manor, 400 Pennsbury Memorial Rd., Morrisville, PA. Information: Ted
Hershberg, 215-898-8713.
FTA/FHWA Workshop on Transportation & Planning Regulations: Jan. 13-14 at
Sheraton Hotel, Washington
DVARP South Jersey Committee: Sat., Jan. 15, 10:15 to 11:45 at 104 Edison
Ave., Collingswood, NJ.
DVARP General Meeting: Sat., Jan. 15, 1:15 to 4:15 at Mary Campbell
Library, Post Road, Marcus Hook.
SEPTA Citizen Advisory Committee: Tues., Jan. 18, 5:45 pm at SEPTA Board
Room, 714 Market St.
SEPTA on Site (Suburban Transit): Wed., Jan. 19, 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.
Philadelphia Trolley Coalition: Sun. Jan. 23, 2:00 pm at the Blue Bell,
Woodland and Island Avenue. Bring your own brown bag lunch, beverage and
dessert provided. Meeting includes tour of Elmwood depot.
SEPTA Board Meeting: Thu., Jan. 27, 5:45 pm at SEPTA Board Room, 714
Market St.
Deadline for February newsletter material: Thurs., Jan. 27, to Matthew
Mitchell or in DVARP mailbox.
Delmarva Rail Passenger Association: Thu., Feb. 3., 7:00 pm, in State
Senate Chamber, Legislative Hall, Dover. Call Doug Andrews, 302-995-6419,
for more information.
DVARP Commuter Rail Committee: Sat., Feb. 12, 12:00 at Chestnut Gourmet,
1121 Chestnut St., Phila.
DVARP General Meeting: Sat., Feb. 19, 1:00 to 4:00 at Temple University
Center City, 1616 Walnut St.
NARP Region II Meeting: Sat., Feb. 26 in Albany, NY. Call ESPA at 315-
963-3169 for information
NARP Region III Meeting: Sat., Apr. 16 in Wilmington. Call Doug Andrews,
302-995-6419, for details.
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.
##QQ Up and Down the Corridor
News of other Northeastern commuter rail and rail transit services
Feds Intervene in LI Dispute
A Presidential Emergency Board established under the archaic Railway Labor
Act handed down a recommended contract settlement for Long Island Rail Road
employees in a labor dispute going back to 1992. The package includes
modest wage increases and work rule changes. If the UTU and LIRR cannot
settle their differences based on this proposal, a settlement can be
imposed by Congress.
NJ-LI Tunnel Under Study
The Star-Ledger reports that the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
is planning a $5 million study to explore the feasibility of a second Long
Island to New Jersey connection, via midtown Manhattan. The study will
also look at the possibility of using such a tunnel to provide freight
access to Long Island.
Bronx, LI Opened to Longer Railcars
Conrail can now handle longer railcars, to destinations in the Bronx and
Long Island as a result of a project that reduced a curve through the Port
Morris section of the Bronx. The arc of the curve was reduced by
realigning 1,700 feet of track, some of it by as much as 25 feet laterally.
As a result of the $162,000 investment, the curve can now handle railcars
longer than 70 feet, 6 inches, including centerbeam lumber flat cars as
long as 73 feet. Previously, lumber shipments bound for points in Long
Island and the Bronx were unloaded in New Jersey or Connecticut and
trucked. Now they can move through to Conrail's Oak Point Yard in the
Bronx or to its interchange with the Long Island Rail Road at Fresh Pond,
Queens.s
##RR Voice Mail is Pulse Friendly
While persons with touch-tone phones can route calls directly to many DVARP
officers and committees, persons calling from rotary phones are not shut
out--just stay on the line and leave your message; and your call will be
forwarded manually to the right person. The recorded greeting is being
changed to remind callers of this feature.s--DN
##SS DVARP Phone & Voice-mail Directory
DVARP main number (voice mail line) 215-222-3373
1 Chuck Bode, President 215-222-3373
5 Tom Borawski, VP-Transportation 215-552-4198
6 Robert 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
Dan Radack, Bicycle Coordinator 215-232-6303
Media Hotline (digital beeper) 215-552-4198
Computer e-mail (internet) 73243.1224@compuserve.com
##TT DVARP Membership/Renewal Coupon
Yes, I want to support improved passenger train service in our region!
Here are my DVARP membership dues for 1994! 1/94
Name Membership Number
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 ( ) Newsletter Subscription
only: $7.50
##UU Upcoming DVARP Meetings:
Saturday, January 15, 1:15 to 4:15 Mary Campbell Library, Marcus Hook
R2 train leaves Suburban Station at 12:25, arrives Marcus Hook 1:02
Cross to inbound side of tracks, walk two blocks to Post Road (Route 13)
turn right, walk one block to library, on left
R2 train leaves Marcus Hook at 4:46, arrives Suburban Station 5:25
Saturday, February 19, 1:00 to 4:00 Temple University Center City
Saturday, March 19, 1:00 to 4:00 Collingswood Public Library
Agenda for the January meeting:
1:15 Introductions, agenda, minutes
1:20 Issues requiring immediate action
2:00 Other issues
Commuter Rail Committee:
Harrisburg Line
Off-peak and airport service
South Jersey Committee:
Ocean City, Cape May
Transit Committee:
New SEPTA streetcars
Administration:
By-laws
Goals for 1994
Committee Meetings:
South Jersey Committee: Sat., Jan. 15, 10:15 at 104 Edison Ave.,
Collingswood, NJ
Commuter Rail Committee: Sat., Feb. 12, 12:00 at Chestnut Gourmet, 1121
Chestnut St.
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