by MACTRAXX
Everyone:
35 years ago this Summer - SEPTA Regional Rail (then operated under contract by Conrail) underwent its most significant service cuts
in its history - until this year in which the Silverliner 5 cars were removed from service as a result of truck defects causing service to
be cut in response to this car shortage and outside equipment leased to provide added capacity as a result.
Back then SEPTA Regional Rail was two separate operations of the former Reading Company commuter routes to Reading Terminal and
the Penn Central formerly PRR routes into Suburban and 30th Street Stations.
These cuts - which were at least partially in response to three fare increases in just over a year (1980) totalling 50 percent and more
were best known for the elimination of all diesel services - of which all four were former RDG routes: Pottstown-Reading-Pottsville;
Quakertown-Bethlehem-Allentown, Fox Chase-Newtown (revived as the ill-fated "Fox Chase Rapid Transit Line") and the two runs to
Newark: Wall Street and Crusader by way of West Trenton and Bound Brook, NJ.
Because of the system ridership loss SEPTA cut train service on all of its routes - I referred to a small timetable archive I have to note
what these cuts were then - schedules showing reduced service levels went into effect on August 2, 1981.
I took notes primarily by numbers of round trips available before and after these cutbacks - the Reading Division first:
Newtown-Fox Chase: 22 to RDG TML; 20 to FXC down to 20 trips and 19 on weekdays - 7 Fox Chase-Newtown round trips were cut.
12 Saturday and 3 Sunday round trips remained the same.
The first "Fox Chase Rapid Transit Line" schedule was effective October 5, 1981.
West Trenton: 25 to RDG TML and 24 to WTR down to 19 and 18 trips weekdays; 13 down to 12 Saturdays; 7 down to 6 trips Sundays.
Warminster: 20 weekday; 16 Saturday and 6 Sunday trips - no change in round trip numbers.
Chestnut Hill East: 37 trips down to 22 trips weekdays; 27 Saturday and 10 Sunday to 18 RDG TML and 17 CHE Saturday and 10 to
RDG TML and 9 to CHE on Sundays.
Norristown: 29 weekday; 20 Saturday and 9 Sunday trips down to 19 weekday; 17 RDG TML and 16 NOR Saturday and 8 trips Sunday.
Lansdale-Doylestown: 33 to RDG TML- 31 to L-D weekdays; 22 to RDG TML and 23 L-D Saturdays and 10 Sundays.
(15 weekday, 10 Saturday and 5 Sunday trains were Doylestown trains; others terminated at Lansdale. One peak round trip
originated/terminated at Link Belt) The Lansdale-Doylestown Line was cut substantially losing its half hourly midday weekday
service to hourly. This became 21 to RDG TML (two peak hour AM trips began at Ambler) and 19 to L-D weekdays; 17 trips Saturday
and 10 Sunday (there were 7 weekday and Saturday Doylestown trips and 5 on Sundays.)
The Reading timetables carried a special schedule operated on only Christmas and New Year's Day which was:
Fox Chase: 4 round trips
West Trenton: 4 round trips
Warminster: 4 round trips
Chestnut Hill East: 4 round trips
Norristown: 5 round trips cut to one in 1981: a midday run to NOR and back.
Lansdale-Doylestown: 4 cut to 2 Doylestown round trips in 1981.
I understood the lack of patronage on Christmas Day but wondered why so few trains were operated on New Years Day with the
Mummers Parade in Center City being a big drawing card - was it to discourage use of RDG commuter trains on NYD?
I will post the PC Philadelphia Division cutbacks in my next post...MACTRAXX
35 years ago this Summer - SEPTA Regional Rail (then operated under contract by Conrail) underwent its most significant service cuts
in its history - until this year in which the Silverliner 5 cars were removed from service as a result of truck defects causing service to
be cut in response to this car shortage and outside equipment leased to provide added capacity as a result.
Back then SEPTA Regional Rail was two separate operations of the former Reading Company commuter routes to Reading Terminal and
the Penn Central formerly PRR routes into Suburban and 30th Street Stations.
These cuts - which were at least partially in response to three fare increases in just over a year (1980) totalling 50 percent and more
were best known for the elimination of all diesel services - of which all four were former RDG routes: Pottstown-Reading-Pottsville;
Quakertown-Bethlehem-Allentown, Fox Chase-Newtown (revived as the ill-fated "Fox Chase Rapid Transit Line") and the two runs to
Newark: Wall Street and Crusader by way of West Trenton and Bound Brook, NJ.
Because of the system ridership loss SEPTA cut train service on all of its routes - I referred to a small timetable archive I have to note
what these cuts were then - schedules showing reduced service levels went into effect on August 2, 1981.
I took notes primarily by numbers of round trips available before and after these cutbacks - the Reading Division first:
Newtown-Fox Chase: 22 to RDG TML; 20 to FXC down to 20 trips and 19 on weekdays - 7 Fox Chase-Newtown round trips were cut.
12 Saturday and 3 Sunday round trips remained the same.
The first "Fox Chase Rapid Transit Line" schedule was effective October 5, 1981.
West Trenton: 25 to RDG TML and 24 to WTR down to 19 and 18 trips weekdays; 13 down to 12 Saturdays; 7 down to 6 trips Sundays.
Warminster: 20 weekday; 16 Saturday and 6 Sunday trips - no change in round trip numbers.
Chestnut Hill East: 37 trips down to 22 trips weekdays; 27 Saturday and 10 Sunday to 18 RDG TML and 17 CHE Saturday and 10 to
RDG TML and 9 to CHE on Sundays.
Norristown: 29 weekday; 20 Saturday and 9 Sunday trips down to 19 weekday; 17 RDG TML and 16 NOR Saturday and 8 trips Sunday.
Lansdale-Doylestown: 33 to RDG TML- 31 to L-D weekdays; 22 to RDG TML and 23 L-D Saturdays and 10 Sundays.
(15 weekday, 10 Saturday and 5 Sunday trains were Doylestown trains; others terminated at Lansdale. One peak round trip
originated/terminated at Link Belt) The Lansdale-Doylestown Line was cut substantially losing its half hourly midday weekday
service to hourly. This became 21 to RDG TML (two peak hour AM trips began at Ambler) and 19 to L-D weekdays; 17 trips Saturday
and 10 Sunday (there were 7 weekday and Saturday Doylestown trips and 5 on Sundays.)
The Reading timetables carried a special schedule operated on only Christmas and New Year's Day which was:
Fox Chase: 4 round trips
West Trenton: 4 round trips
Warminster: 4 round trips
Chestnut Hill East: 4 round trips
Norristown: 5 round trips cut to one in 1981: a midday run to NOR and back.
Lansdale-Doylestown: 4 cut to 2 Doylestown round trips in 1981.
I understood the lack of patronage on Christmas Day but wondered why so few trains were operated on New Years Day with the
Mummers Parade in Center City being a big drawing card - was it to discourage use of RDG commuter trains on NYD?
I will post the PC Philadelphia Division cutbacks in my next post...MACTRAXX
EXPRESS TRAIN TO NEW YORK PENN STATION-NO JAMAICA ON THIS TRAIN-PLEASE STAND CLEAR OF THE CLOSING TRAIN DOORS