by prr60
The rebuild of the track bed across the Ben Franklin Bridge will start this Saturday (1/18/14). PATCO has issued a special construction timetable for the first phase of the work.
The Cliffs Notes version is that PATCO will single-track across the bridge each week beginning 11am Friday and ending 3:30am the following Tuesday. This will result in single-track rush hours Friday PM, and Monday AM and PM. PATCO’s operating plan is to run peak-direction trains in banks, with more or less normal rush hour headways for about 30 minutes, then a long break with no trains in the peak direction (26-28 minutes) while trains are moved back across the bridge (some deadheading). Then they will return to short headways, then another long break, etc. In the afternoon rush, a couple of eastbound trains will originate at 12th-13th, and 8th Street after one of the breaks. This Friday 11am to Tuesday 3:30am plan will continue for a couple of months at which time the other shoe drops and they go to single-track 24 hours a day, seven days a week for an additional four-month period.
It seems like a lot of thought went onto devising the plan, but with only one track open in the heart of the system, there is only so much that can be done. This would seem to be a situation that cries out for finally running eight-car revenue trains (without Santa on board) even if they have to add a second operator to handle door closings due to restricted visibility from the cab. It will be very interesting to see how this works out.
The Cliffs Notes version is that PATCO will single-track across the bridge each week beginning 11am Friday and ending 3:30am the following Tuesday. This will result in single-track rush hours Friday PM, and Monday AM and PM. PATCO’s operating plan is to run peak-direction trains in banks, with more or less normal rush hour headways for about 30 minutes, then a long break with no trains in the peak direction (26-28 minutes) while trains are moved back across the bridge (some deadheading). Then they will return to short headways, then another long break, etc. In the afternoon rush, a couple of eastbound trains will originate at 12th-13th, and 8th Street after one of the breaks. This Friday 11am to Tuesday 3:30am plan will continue for a couple of months at which time the other shoe drops and they go to single-track 24 hours a day, seven days a week for an additional four-month period.
It seems like a lot of thought went onto devising the plan, but with only one track open in the heart of the system, there is only so much that can be done. This would seem to be a situation that cries out for finally running eight-car revenue trains (without Santa on board) even if they have to add a second operator to handle door closings due to restricted visibility from the cab. It will be very interesting to see how this works out.