Acquisition of any NEW equipment is years off; the only way to ease overcrowding in the short-term is to acquire second-hand equipment.
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SEPTA overcrowding on Regional Rail
- Discussion relating to Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (Philadelphia Metro Area). Official web site can be found here: www.septa.com. Also including discussion related to the PATCO Speedline rapid transit operated by Delaware River Port Authority. Official web site can be found here: http://www.ridepatco.org/.
Moderator: AlexC
Does NJT still have the Comet IIIs?
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXu4mb ... 8cuxblPB9g Videos, including SEPTA time lapses.
jackintosh11 wrote:Does NJT still have the Comet IIIs?Last I heard, they were a low priority for post-Sandy cleanup, having been swimming when NJT left them in Bay Head. I and my mold allergies say, "no, thank you".
There's a 25-car unexercised option on NJT's MultiLevel order. I don't believe decision needs to be made on those until the 54-car option that MARC picked up on NJT's order are done, and those deliveries only began in June. Not enough to replace the full SEPTA fleet, but enough to retire the cab cars and Comet I's then add +7 cars in expansion capacity. Have to accept them with as-is NJT specs, but saves the cost of having to go through design pilot testing.
F-line to Dudley via Park wrote:There's a 25-car unexercised option on NJT's MultiLevel order. I don't believe decision needs to be made on those until the 54-car option that MARC picked up on NJT's order are done, and those deliveries only began in June. Not enough to replace the full SEPTA fleet, but enough to retire the cab cars and Comet I's then add +7 cars in expansion capacity. Have to accept them with as-is NJT specs, but saves the cost of having to go through design pilot testing.All fine and dandy but are you going to have pulling them?
Conductor for Norfolk Southern Corp. Opinions expressed are my own and don't represent the company in any way.
ekt8750 wrote:AEM7-AC's will last at least a few years, well into the timeframe needed to procure new locos. Bombardier is bored and would gladly sell ALP-46 derivatives, and Siemens will presumptively sell Sprinter derivatives when it's done with Amtrak's 70 ACS-64s. What price those options will be remains to be seen...F-line to Dudley via Park wrote:There's a 25-car unexercised option on NJT's MultiLevel order. I don't believe decision needs to be made on those until the 54-car option that MARC picked up on NJT's order are done, and those deliveries only began in June. Not enough to replace the full SEPTA fleet, but enough to retire the cab cars and Comet I's then add +7 cars in expansion capacity. Have to accept them with as-is NJT specs, but saves the cost of having to go through design pilot testing.All fine and dandy but are you going to have pulling them?
ekt8750 wrote:6 (at least) of the remanufactured Amtrak AEM-7AC's, which are powered to haul 12-car Regionals. That is what the Amtrak engineers reported a month ago on the AEM7 Disposition thread on the Amtrak forum. If that plan changes, it changes. But that's the latest they have heard on the matter.F-line to Dudley via Park wrote:There's a 25-car unexercised option on NJT's MultiLevel order. I don't believe decision needs to be made on those until the 54-car option that MARC picked up on NJT's order are done, and those deliveries only began in June. Not enough to replace the full SEPTA fleet, but enough to retire the cab cars and Comet I's then add +7 cars in expansion capacity. Have to accept them with as-is NJT specs, but saves the cost of having to go through design pilot testing.All fine and dandy but are you going to have pulling them?
If SEPTA's equipment is shot, rush hour is overcrowded, and there's no money to clean-room a new loco order and a full-size coach order...they don't have a lot of awesome alternatives. Retired water-damaged Comet III's are not a feasible alternative. Retired MBTA BTC-3 coaches needing full rehab for rotted floors are not a feasible alternative. Worn-out MARC IIA coaches are not a feasible alternative. Obsolete ALP-44's from NJT's dead line with no parts availability are not a feasible alternative.
NJT's unexercised 25-car MLV option...that's a potentially feasible alternative. 6 Amtrak remans...that's not only feasible, but apparently a likely alternative.
This isn't hard.
Not to armchair quarterback, but the QUICK FIX is to pump money into the mechanical department, run the 4 shops around the clock 7 days per week and reduce the number of MU's that are on the OOS list for repairs and 92 day inspections.
More cars on the road = longer trains with less crowding.
Every time I go past the 2 Wayne Junction shops, I see a full house with MU's parked outside waiting to get in. If each shop is holding 15-20 cars X 4 shops, that's 60 to 80 cars that aren't hauling people each day.
I'm sure a fleet of equipment purchased during the Carter and Ford presidency doesn't have a long life out on the railroad before it needs some TLC in the shop. And you see just as many new cars in the shops as the old cars. (Not that I'm implying there is anything wrong with the craftsmanship of the new cars)
More cars on the road = longer trains with less crowding.
Every time I go past the 2 Wayne Junction shops, I see a full house with MU's parked outside waiting to get in. If each shop is holding 15-20 cars X 4 shops, that's 60 to 80 cars that aren't hauling people each day.
I'm sure a fleet of equipment purchased during the Carter and Ford presidency doesn't have a long life out on the railroad before it needs some TLC in the shop. And you see just as many new cars in the shops as the old cars. (Not that I'm implying there is anything wrong with the craftsmanship of the new cars)
NorthPennLimited wrote:Not to armchair quarterback, but the QUICK FIX is to pump money into the mechanical department, run the 4 shops around the clock 7 days per week and reduce the number of MU's that are on the OOS list for repairs and 92 day inspections.You sir just won the internet. Two internets, in fact.
More cars on the road = longer trains with less crowding.
Every time I go past the 2 Wayne Junction shops, I see a full house with MU's parked outside waiting to get in. If each shop is holding 15-20 cars X 4 shops, that's 60 to 80 cars that aren't hauling people each day.
I'm sure a fleet of equipment purchased during the Carter and Ford presidency doesn't have a long life out on the railroad before it needs some TLC in the shop. And you see just as many new cars in the shops as the old cars. (Not that I'm implying there is anything wrong with the craftsmanship of the new cars)
I just want my trains to run on time, with no asinine schedule gaps & not be silverliner 5. Other than that, i honestly don't really care what is done, but more equipment availability and not running the service like a broken bus route might help.
Next stop the square, journal square station next!
SEPTA says they WILL buy bi-levels and they even state getting new Locomotives
http://septa.org/rebuilding/vehicles/locomotives.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
In order to accomodate ridership growth on the Regional Railroad, SEPTA will purchase bi-level cars. A fleet study is being conducted to assess the appropriate type and quantity of new cars in order to increase ridership capacity.
Work includes providing additional capacity to meet increased ridership through the purchase of new electric locomotives to replace the existing AEM-7 locomotives and push-pull cars. Project Budget $120M.http://septa.org/rebuilding/vehicles/bi-level.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://septa.org/rebuilding/vehicles/locomotives.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
F-line to Dudley via Park wrote:Septa could always also see if Kawasaki could make an updated version of the C3s. I'm pretty sure they are short enough to fit in the tunnels. Also, with Septa planning only 36 bilevel coaches, would they be replacing any of the Bombers which are already being overhauled?ekt8750 wrote:6 (at least) of the remanufactured Amtrak AEM-7AC's, which are powered to haul 12-car Regionals. That is what the Amtrak engineers reported a month ago on the AEM7 Disposition thread on the Amtrak forum. If that plan changes, it changes. But that's the latest they have heard on the matter.F-line to Dudley via Park wrote:There's a 25-car unexercised option on NJT's MultiLevel order. I don't believe decision needs to be made on those until the 54-car option that MARC picked up on NJT's order are done, and those deliveries only began in June. Not enough to replace the full SEPTA fleet, but enough to retire the cab cars and Comet I's then add +7 cars in expansion capacity. Have to accept them with as-is NJT specs, but saves the cost of having to go through design pilot testing.All fine and dandy but are you going to have pulling them?
If SEPTA's equipment is shot, rush hour is overcrowded, and there's no money to clean-room a new loco order and a full-size coach order...they don't have a lot of awesome alternatives. Retired water-damaged Comet III's are not a feasible alternative. Retired MBTA BTC-3 coaches needing full rehab for rotted floors are not a feasible alternative. Worn-out MARC IIA coaches are not a feasible alternative. Obsolete ALP-44's from NJT's dead line with no parts availability are not a feasible alternative.
NJT's unexercised 25-car MLV option...that's a potentially feasible alternative. 6 Amtrak remans...that's not only feasible, but apparently a likely alternative.
This isn't hard.
C3 is high level only. Would not work.
Next stop the square, journal square station next!
25Hz wrote:C3 is high level only. Would not work.They could always add trapdoors. That's what I meant by update. Sorry.
Whens the last time they made a Comet though? 1996?
It would be like asking Boeing to make some new 727s and also heavily modify it.
It would be like asking Boeing to make some new 727s and also heavily modify it.
SCB2525 wrote:Whens the last time they made a Comet though? 1996?are you confusing c3 as comet 3?
It would be like asking Boeing to make some new 727s and also heavily modify it.