SEPTA subway and el rolling stock.

I am not a big fan of the M4 trains but the ride isn't that bad. The old M3 cars were hot with no A/C and they were a rough ride. The cars would shake side to side so violently people actually fell out of their seats. No joke. I almost lost my footing as the train lurched between 40th and 46th street stations. My biggest complaint about M4s is the design. The doors should be wider and seats in the middle should be bench style. The el is much busier than the BSS and the design should allow for people to quickly and easily enter and exit and get up from their seats.

SCB2525 wrote:The M4s are the loudest, jerkiest, worst riding pieces of junk I've ever ridden on. Its almost like they have no sprung suspension to speak of and their brakes are rubbing out of round at all times. That said, I know SEPTA couldn't justify replacing them; I just hope to god they try to overhaul them with better trucks and controls.

The BIVs are comparatively an absolute dream, and CWR on the BSL makes it even dreamier. I want them to stay a good long time.

You think the M4's are crap? Try out the R32s.

Be that as it may, It's pretty sad to have to even compare similarities of cars built in 98-99 to cars built 64-65.

Those bad R-32's! I make a point of riding Brightliners every time I'm in New York.

I hope the B-IV's last another thirty years... they actually look like real subway cars... they definitely would look right at home rolling down New Utrecht Ave or Brooklyn's Broadway.

SCB2525 wrote:The M4s are the loudest, jerkiest, worst riding pieces of junk I've ever ridden on. It's almost like they have no sprung suspension to speak of and their brakes are rubbing out of round at all times.

You obviously don't ride very many freight cars!

I do not use any SEPTA services very often, but last time I was in Philly, I rode on the M4's several times. I found they were pretty tolerable. Sure, it wasn't exactly a ride on a Cadillac, but for a subway, I really couldn't complain. They were not noticeably worse (or better for that matter) than any other subway in any other major city.

Who knows, maybe I just got all the best riding ones?