Blue-light special in the Trolley Subway

[ChemiosMurphy]

I believe that's their normal policy during diversions. Contrary to some snarky comments you see here and there, SEPTA has the sense to recognize that decanting an entire passenger load from one trolley at the same time and requiring everybody to go through the turnstiles, by which time the next lot would be on their heels, would cause intolerable congestion (some of it on the stairs leading down from the street), so they don't do it.

Way to go Septa. That revenue could be funding expansion to new towns and climate controlled stations. /S

Kidding aside, it works well and there isn't a bottleneck. In and out to work in no time at all.

[jackintosh11]

Are the gates open on the outbound side?

[train2]

For an out of town person who has riddend the entire trolley system, how much track are we talking about? It is worth much time and money to do so? Are there any photos on this section that are really outstanding, location they pass?

Walk me through what is happening with this, I see a green dashed line from the south lines to the route 10 line. Do the cars continue through to the 10 route or do they just go to the M-F line and then reverse? To ride the entire diversion route would you have to take one trip across the whole line or two short stub ends to the M-F line?

[chuchubob]

IIRC, the diversion route (other than Route 10) diverts off Woodland north onto 42nd, turns east onto Spruce, north on 38th, west on Filbert, and south on 40th, where connections are made with the MFSE. Route 10 diversion comes south from Lancaster Ave on 40th to Filbert and heads west before turning north again on 41st back to Lancaster.

[ExCon90]

You'd have to take the subway to 40th St., then take an 11 or 36 to get the full trackage (the 34 turns off 42nd at Baltimore Ave., and the 13 at Chester Ave.); you can get off at 42nd & Woodland or ride as far as 49th & Woodland and still get either the 11 or 36 back in. (The outbound route from 40th St. is via 40th to Spruce, then the reverse of the route outlined by chuchubob.) I can't think of any particular photo spot, but there are some nice old homes on Spruce St., with plenty of shade trees to give the scene some character, and 38th St. is quite wide and open, but of course the cars are facing north. If you're going to ride the 10, and if you haven't yet done the new trackage at the east end of the 15, you might be able to work that in by continuing out Lancaster Ave. to Girard, but the trolley service on the 15 is sort of catch-as-catch-can, with buses having to be substituted at times because of operational issues. If you can manage it on a weekday you might get quite a parade during rush hours, especially at the layover point along Filbert St. east of 40th.

[the sarge]

The 15 is 100% bus until September 6. http://www.septa.org/media/releases/2015/5-28-15.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[ekt8750]

Also the trolley doesn't make any stops on the diversion trackage til 40th & Market.

[ChemiosMurphy]

Are the gates open on the outbound side?

Yes

[train2]

Is the 15 track back in service, baring any bus service, to the east end of the line? I am taking about the part out of service for so long due to the freeway construction. That is the only part of the system I have not ridden.

[ExCon90]

Is the 15 track back in service, baring any bus service, to the east end of the line? I am taking about the part out of service for so long due to the freeway construction. That is the only part of the system I have not ridden.

If you mean the tracks that went to Richmond & Westmoreland, that's still a long way away; I can't recall whether there's an announced target date, or whether it's realistic. (I thought there was a thread on that, but I can't find it right away.)

[ekt8750]

Is the 15 track back in service, baring any bus service, to the east end of the line? I am taking about the part out of service for so long due to the freeway construction. That is the only part of the system I have not ridden.

If you mean the tracks that went to Richmond & Westmoreland, that's still a long way away; I can't recall whether there's an announced target date, or whether it's realistic. (I thought there was a thread on that, but I can't find it right away.)

It's realistic. Richmond St from the freight overpass down to Girard and the Girard Av ramp through the I-95 interchange has all been rebuilt complete with trolley tracks. The line from Ann St to the loop is supposed to be rebuilt next year but don't hold me to that.

[trackwelder]

before i went out hurt last year my boss told me they're shooting for 2019. it seams pretty stupid to me to replace the whole length of east girard ave when they don't even have a place to turn them past frankford, but hey, what do i know? there's also planse to make frankford and girard a full wye, but it seams that's not happening at the moment. why should they do something when the equipment is at hand, right?

[transit man]

As noted previously, no fares are being collected at 40th Street when entering the station. Is a transfer required when boarding the surface trolley after exiting the MFSE at 40th Street?

[TomNelligan]

When I rode the diversion trackage a week ago today, no fares were being collected on outbound trolleys at 40th Street, and both doors were opened to speed boarding.

As an out-of-towner it was neat to finally get a chance to ride that part of the system without having to stay up all night, although the delays caused by clogged traffic southbound on 40th leads me to believe that regular riders probably haven't enjoyed the experience.

[ExCon90]

Trolley Blitz 2017:

Starting Friday, July 7 at 10:00 pm and continuing until Monday, July 17 at 5:00 am.

" ...critical track and power upgrades; station painting, tile replacement, and maintenance work; and intensive tunnel, track area and station cleaning..."
At 40th & Market, "tents will be available as a temporary shelter for customers transferring from Trolleys/Market Frankford Line.