In depth proposals from 1993, The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger
SEPTA Receives Newtown Rail Proposals
by John Pawson
Both bidders who on April 12 presented SEPTA with private-sector plans to
serve the Newtown Line described those plans at a May 13 meeting of the
Newtown Township Transportation Advisory Committee. They are: National
Interurban Coalition, composed of Rail Easton and other companies, who were
represented at the Newtown meeting by Rodney Fisk; and Northeast
Transportation and Development Corporation, a joint venture of Newtown
Short Line and other firms, who were represented by Robert Regensberger.
Each bidder proposed to operate through peak-direction service between
Newtown and center-city Philadelphia. The two groups voiced their belief
that only a through service would be marketable. We received the impression
that some SEPTA staffers are apprehensive about private operation over the
in-service R8 line because they fear problems from unionized SEPTA workers
if that is done.
NIC proposes to receive two two-car train-sets from the Duewag type 628
production line set up for German Federal Railway, but modified for US
service. Later, four more sets of the twin double-truck cars would arrive,
along with back-up RDCs from VIA Rail Canada.
By Spring 1994, NIC would operate the initial two-train service between
Newtown and Suburban Station, using the RailWorks routing now operated by
RRD. Fisk said that the low-pollution engines of the Duewag trains are
already certified by the U.S. Bureau of Mines [for tunnel use]. Running
closed-door over the in-service R8 trackage, the end-to-end travel time is
expected to be 55 minutes, Off-peak service would operate as a shuttle
north of Fox Chase.
Operation of excursions between Suburban Station and the factory outlets in
Reading is a key part of NIC's economic plan. Later, additional trains
would operate on the Quakertown line, ultimately to Allentown, assuming
support from LANTA, the public transit agency in that area.
With a $32.8 million investment, NIC expects to begin service on all of
those routes. The $1.2 million committed to the Newtown Line by Bucks
County would be leveraged to $36 million using Federal and state
components. The mileage-driven Federal capital subsidy would be sufficient
to retire the privately funded part of the capital requirements. The
$300,000 annual payment by SEPTA in lieu of its current Fox Chase-Newtown
bus losses would become a contingent reserve, probably not needed to cover
operating costs.
NTDC proposes a different operating method for Newtown service. SEPTA push-
pull cars and electric locomotives would be used in conjunction with
otherwise-obtained diesel locomotives. Operations would follow the current
R8 service between Fox Chase and 30th Street Station: and like the NIC
proposal, there would be no stops in currently-served areas outside Center
City. The electric locomotive would be attached at some point on the Fox
Chase line. Three or four peak round trips would be run, the latter number
if Conrail keeps intact the double-track of the R8 line between Newt-own
and Cheltenham Junctions. Also like the NIC proposal, fares and tickets
would resemble SEPTA's.
Moderator Eli Cooper noted that mandates to reduce automobile commuting
will induce more center city employees to ride SEPTA trains. In order to
make the most of limited commuter parking, he urged recognition by SEPTA of
an "all lines running" policy. Regensberger suggested that SEPTA needs
outside pressure, given the history of slow progress toward privatization
of a service which has lapsed for over ten years.
Newtown Service Via Willow Grove?
In December, SEPTA planners examined a scheme for diverting the Newtown
Line service away from the well-known landed estate near Bryn Athyn. This
concept would create a Newtown service which on a map would resemble a
letter "z" turned on its end. As its cross-link, the concept would use two
miles of the east-west Conrail Morrisville Line between the parallel north-
south R2 Warminster and R8 Newtown lines.
Thus under this concept, the Newtown service would duplicate the R2 service
between Center City and a point 1 mile north of Willow Grove, then turn
east along the Morrisville Line, then northeast to include the outer end of
the Newtown Line: stations County Line through Newtown. Trackage north of
Fox Chase in the Pennypack Creek valley presumably would be abandoned in
order to end opposition from the Bryn Athyn billionaires.
It's a fascinating, if desperate, connect-the-dots exercise. For one
thing, it politically props up the increasingly dubious Cross-County Metro
plan by using two miles of that route's intended right of way. It ignores
the slowness of the Warminster Line and its reliability problem which
results from its mostly-single-track construction through built-up areas.
Land around the two railroad intersection points is mostly developed, so
ramps would be needed to bring the lower-level SEPTA lines up to the
Conrail grade. In alignment terms, the connection north of Willow Grove is
described as a "jughandle".
The worst realization in this appeasement scheme comes when one estimates
the resulting Suburban Station-Newtown travel time. If the jughandle and
ramps can survive NIMBYism and are built, the running time would be at
least 70 minutes. Without the jughandle, a passenger transfer would be
needed; and travel time increases to at least 75 minutes. Compare that to
the 55 minutes of the private proposal to run via Fox Chase.
