Railroad Forums 

  • SEPTA Destination Signs

  • 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/.
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

 #354953  by NJTKid01
 
I recently visited the 1234 Museum store and I picked up a "R5 MALVERN/PARKESBURG" destination sign for $ 10. I wanted to know, How can I get signs for other lines? Is it that SEPTA sells these signs as a railfan's souvenir or for another source of revenue? Thanks!
 #354992  by Matthew Mitchell
 
NJTKid01 wrote:I recently visited the 1234 Museum store and I picked up a "R5 MALVERN/PARKESBURG" destination sign for $ 10. I wanted to know, How can I get signs for other lines? Is it that SEPTA sells these signs as a railfan's souvenir or for another source of revenue? Thanks!
Yes, SEPTA sells signs that are no longer needed, and that's something they deserve credit for--every bit of extra revenue helps. Actually, though, I'm surprised they're selling the Malvern signs. While they no longer serve Parkesburg, they do terminate a lot of R5 trains in Malvern.

Now for obtaining signs for other lines, your best bet is to keep an eye out on (or off) the right of way adjacent to the tracks. I happened to notice today a 30th Street Station sign that had gotten lost (off the property), and would have claimed it but for a lot of snow that would have made it a bit dangerous to go get. I'll pick it up next week, unless somebody with an extra bottle of good scotch wants to know where it is and contacts me offline....
 #354993  by Matthew Mitchell
 
NJTKid01 wrote:I recently visited the 1234 Museum store and I picked up a "R5 MALVERN/PARKESBURG" destination sign for $ 10. I wanted to know, How can I get signs for other lines? Is it that SEPTA sells these signs as a railfan's souvenir or for another source of revenue? Thanks!
Yes, SEPTA sells signs that are no longer needed, and that's something they deserve credit for--every bit of extra revenue helps. Actually, though, I'm surprised they're selling the Malvern signs. While they no longer serve Parkesburg, they do terminate a lot of R5 trains in Malvern.

Now for obtaining signs for other lines, your best bet is to keep an eye out on (or off) the right of way adjacent to the tracks. I happened to notice today a 30th Street Station sign that had gotten lost (off the property), and would have claimed it but for a lot of snow that would have made it a bit dangerous to go get. I'll pick it up next week, unless somebody with an extra bottle of good scotch wants to know where it is and contacts me offline....

 #355174  by cpontani
 
My guess is that since they don't terminate trains at Parkersburg any more is that half of the sign is useless, so why carry them on the trains? I wonder when the SL V's come online if they'll make some of the extras available to the general public...
 #355177  by ekt8750
 
Matthew Mitchell wrote:
NJTKid01 wrote:I recently visited the 1234 Museum store and I picked up a "R5 MALVERN/PARKESBURG" destination sign for $ 10. I wanted to know, How can I get signs for other lines? Is it that SEPTA sells these signs as a railfan's souvenir or for another source of revenue? Thanks!
Yes, SEPTA sells signs that are no longer needed, and that's something they deserve credit for--every bit of extra revenue helps. Actually, though, I'm surprised they're selling the Malvern signs. While they no longer serve Parkesburg, they do terminate a lot of R5 trains in Malvern.

Now for obtaining signs for other lines, your best bet is to keep an eye out on (or off) the right of way adjacent to the tracks. I happened to notice today a 30th Street Station sign that had gotten lost (off the property), and would have claimed it but for a lot of snow that would have made it a bit dangerous to go get. I'll pick it up next week, unless somebody with an extra bottle of good scotch wants to know where it is and contacts me offline....
I don't advocate theft but you can swipe an R8 sign off of the set of cars that are left on track 1 in CHW. They get picked up by the 432PM train so you have a good 45 mins. not that I'm advocating theft. :wink:
 #355225  by DickyDunn
 
Matthew Mitchell wrote:
NJTKid01 wrote:I recently visited the 1234 Museum store and I picked up a "R5 MALVERN/PARKESBURG" destination sign for $ 10. I wanted to know, How can I get signs for other lines? Is it that SEPTA sells these signs as a railfan's souvenir or for another source of revenue? Thanks!
Yes, SEPTA sells signs that are no longer needed, and that's something they deserve credit for--every bit of extra revenue helps. Actually, though, I'm surprised they're selling the Malvern signs. While they no longer serve Parkesburg, they do terminate a lot of R5 trains in Malvern.

Now for obtaining signs for other lines, your best bet is to keep an eye out on (or off) the right of way adjacent to the tracks. I happened to notice today a 30th Street Station sign that had gotten lost (off the property), and would have claimed it but for a lot of snow that would have made it a bit dangerous to go get. I'll pick it up next week, unless somebody with an extra bottle of good scotch wants to know where it is and contacts me offline....

How good of a bottle of Scotch? Are we talking "Chester" good or "West Chester" good?

 #355247  by GooStats
 
A favorite sport back at St. Joe's was for people to sneak into the nearby Overbrook Train yards at night and swipe them from both outside and inside the train (they were always open.) Then the kids would sell them to people (i.e. a kid from Norristown would buy a R6 sign, etc) on campus for anywhere from $5 to $15 dollars.

 #355255  by Matthew Mitchell
 
GooStats wrote:A favorite sport back at St. Joe's was for people to sneak into the nearby Overbrook Train yards at night and swipe them from both outside and inside the train (they were always open.) Then the kids would sell them to people (i.e. a kid from Norristown would buy a R6 sign, etc) on campus for anywhere from $5 to $15 dollars.
Reminds me of my college days, long enough ago that the 'two-sheet' billboards at the Main Line stations advertised Broadway shows like 42nd Street and Sweeny Todd (did I ever mention that a guy I went to school with starred in it and Tommy?).

I made a few phone calls and eventually tracked down the shop/warehouse that the poster hangers worked out of (not far from 52nd and Lancaster), and a couple of bottles of scotch later (coin of the realm...), I had a big roll of posters which I subsequently sold at Bryn Mawr for $10-20 apiece.
 #355534  by Matthew Mitchell
 
DickyDunn wrote:
Matthew Mitchell wrote:I happened to notice today a 30th Street Station sign that had gotten lost (off the property), and would have claimed it but for a lot of snow that would have made it a bit dangerous to go get. I'll pick it up next week, unless somebody with an extra bottle of good scotch wants to know where it is and contacts me offline....
How good of a bottle of Scotch? Are we talking "Chester" good or "West Chester" good?
I'm partial to Glenmorangie (I'd describe it as a wine-drinker's malt), though I did have a dram of Laphroaig the other night in honor of Robbie Burns.
 #356279  by jsc
 
Matthew Mitchell wrote:I'm partial to Glenmorangie (I'd describe it as a wine-drinker's malt), though I did have a dram of Laphroaig the other night in honor of Robbie Burns.
Glenmorangie has an amazing single malt called "Cellar 13" which, for some odd reason, one can only buy in duty-free. I buy some whenever I travel.

Recently I was turned onto Isle of Jura which has been my scotch of choice for the past several months.

On a transit related note, one can take the #40 bus to the dark horse tavern on 2nd where they have a respectible scotch bar.

 #356300  by CSXrules4eva
 
Interesting..... I obtained all of my Septa signs from conductors I knew on the line. I have all of the recent fiberglass Septa signs from all of the regonal rail lines. I also knew a couple of maintainers down at 30th street station, because of this I obtained a Septa High Speed Rail System sign too. I to this day am still trying to figure out were on the wall is should be hung, it's very big!

I wonder by chance will Septa sell any signs that indicated the Newtown branch that used to continue on from Fox Chase?? I guess I'll have to track that one down.
 #523158  by amtrakhogger
 
One sign I don't see is a R1 West Trenton. That has to be a rare one
since the R1 WT designation did last long.

 #523246  by newjackRR
 
I have an R-1 West Trenton sign, I also have a R-1/ R-3 Neshinmy Falls Sign.
 #523279  by Red Arrow Fan
 
pafpdd wrote:i have so many i used to give extras away, i never thought of selling them. i really love them though. i also have a HUGE metal sign me and myfriend took from market east, its like 4 X 4, we just walked out with it! its lovely...

http://a53.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/ima ... e67124.jpg

Thanks for sharing your past exploits of theft. Your IP address has been duly noted, and will be passed on to interested parties. :(