The future of the SEPTA fleet

JeffK wrote:And if you can avoid the infamous surcharge-that-isn't-a-surcharge, the train should be $6.50 so the difference drops to about 2.3x

On the other hand, SEPTA isn't charged for maintenance of the road between Doylestown and Olney, but they're on the hook for everything from Doylestown to Suburban Station on Regional Rail. And I don't think there's a single restroom or open waiting room the whole length of the 55, except for Olney.

sammy2009 wrote:

zebrasepta wrote:I wonder how often SEPTA is gonna use the bells on the ACS-64s/Multilevels when they eventually get them and pretty sure the bathrooms are out of the question on the multilevels

Is it a rule for them to use the bells when coming into a station /and departing ? Or there is no such thing ?......I think for some reason SEPTA and the bathrooms might be a last minute thing. But then again knowing them SEPTA will take the bathrooms out and add more seats. I actually forgot what the bathroom and area is at on the MLV lol. Haven't used the bathroom on them in so long.

SEPTA's rules prohibit use of sounding horns/bells when coming into a station, stopping or not. I guess to placate NIMBYs.

bikentransit wrote:SEPTA's rules prohibit use of sounding horns/bells when coming into a station, stopping or not. I guess to placate NIMBYs.

Hmm, interesting. The PP I rode last week used the bell into 30th St and did a few rings before leaving the station I alighted at. Maybe it was an old school rouge engineer or the restrictions are on certain lines. I do know that Bucks County has been frequently referred to as "The Maternity Ward" by many - full of babies and you always have to be quiet.

I don't have the exact wording of the rule, but I believe the engineer has discretion on that of course. Langhorne is notorious for whiners.

It is prohibited to ring the engine or cab car bells approaching 30th Street Station, Suburban Station, and Market East Station. However, bell may be rung at those locations at engineer's discretion if he/she believes a safety issue is present (i.e. people too close to the edge of the platform).

Not the exact wording, but that is the summary.

No rules about using or not using the bell at outlying stations.

The locomotives and new cab cars will be equipped with them; I think that is an FRA requirement.

do silverliners have bells? Are the bells used at crossings on the push pulls?

jackintosh11 wrote:do silverliners have bells? Are the bells used at crossings on the push pulls?

No bells on the Silverliners. And on the push-pulls, the horn and bell controls are separate (in other words, operation of the horn does not activate the bell automatically, as on most locomotives today), so it's up to the engineer to operate the bell button at crossings. Some do, most do not.

jackintosh11 wrote:do silverliners have bells? Are the bells used at crossings on the push pulls?

pretty sure a lot of EMU's don't have bells in the USA
I think somewhere in Chicago area has EMU's that actually has bells (Metra and South Shore Line)

zebrasepta wrote:

jackintosh11 wrote:do silverliners have bells? Are the bells used at crossings on the push pulls?

pretty sure a lot of EMU's don't have bells in the USA
I think somewhere in Chicago area has EMU's that actually has bells (Metra and South Shore Line)

And the imitation Silverliner V EMU's heading to Denver have bells as well.

Silverliner II wrote:It is prohibited to ring the engine or cab car bells approaching 30th Street Station, Suburban Station, and Market East Station. However, bell may be rung at those locations at engineer's discretion if he/she believes a safety issue is present (i.e. people too close to the edge of the platform).

Not the exact wording, but that is the summary.

No rules about using or not using the bell at outlying stations.

The locomotives and new cab cars will be equipped with them; I think that is an FRA requirement.

Thanks for the clarification. Do you know why such a rule was created?

zebrasepta wrote:I think somewhere in Chicago area has EMU's that actually has bells (Metra and South Shore Line)

Gotta love Michigan City and gong bells on the South Shore: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yc50TRno_aE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

the sarge wrote:

Silverliner II wrote:It is prohibited to ring the engine or cab car bells approaching 30th Street Station, Suburban Station, and Market East Station. However, bell may be rung at those locations at engineer's discretion if he/she believes a safety issue is present (i.e. people too close to the edge of the platform).

Not the exact wording, but that is the summary.

Thanks for the clarification. Do you know why such a rule was created?

Officially, no, I don't know. The reason I heard from an engineer was "due to complaints from riders on the platforms about the loud bells echoing in the station."