History of the Broad Street Line

[Matthew Mitchell]

So I'm guessing that there haven't been any fatalities in the BSL?

I'm sure there've been too many jumpers over the years.

[NortheastTrainMan]

there haven't been any accidents? No one tripped on a 3rd rail or hit by a train? I can't find any articles on this. When I search Broad Street Subway Fatality on Google I just see NYC Subway fatalities.

I just find it weird that there has been a low amount of fatalities on the BSL if any have even been recorded. I mean no accidents or anything? no derailments,head-on collisons, or rear endings?

[scotty269]

there haven't been any accidents? No one tripped on a 3rd rail or hit by a train? I can't find any articles on this. When I search Broad Street Subway Fatality on Google I just see NYC Subway fatalities.

I just find it weird that there has been a low amount of fatalities on the BSL if any have even been recorded. I mean no accidents or anything? no derailments,head-on collisons, or rear endings?

I'm sure there have been some trespassers in the tunnels who've met some unfortunate endings... but not many of these incidents are reported on the news. I'm also sure there have been a few incidents here and there, as I doubt everything can always stay on track. But, with that said, there have not (to my knowledge!) been any major incidents resulting in any injuries or major damage in the past ~20 years. If somebody else needs to, please correct me on this.

[NortheastTrainMan]

Also I wonder why the 3rd rail is placed where it is on the BSL. The 3rd rail in most places on the BSL is placed underneath the platform rather than across from it like in the NYC subway.

[KAWASAKI-FAN100]

Those Suicide attempts happen once in a blue moon. But the recents one was when the one in March were a teen jumped right in front of the train at Susquehanna - Dauphin. The the recent one at Girard might have been foul play?.

[Tritransit Area]

I mean no accidents or anything? no derailments,head-on collisons, or rear endings?

One thing that helps with the BSL is that the line is essentially a straight shot down Broad Street, so often times you have a good view of the tracks ahead (and the blocks as well!). Additionally it doesn't run as frequently as other subway systems that may be prone to having more accidents (WMATA).

Wow, I really miss the days riding the BSL, sitting up front and looking through the Railfan View to see the wayside signals along the way as we fly down the tracks underneath Broad Street.

[NortheastTrainMan]

I recently thought of this question. Seeing how there is bi-directional signalling on parts of the BSL was there ever a time a train ran wrong main? Revenue or Non Revenue service?

[RDG-LNE]

Wow, I really miss the days riding the BSL, sitting up front and looking through the Railfan View to see the wayside signals along the way as we fly down the tracks underneath Broad Street.

It has been a long time since you have ridden the BSL - most of the operators have covered over the windows on the left side of the operator's cab (which I assume is what you mean by "railfan window") with ad posters and newspapers so the view is no longer there. Once in a while you will get a car without the obstructions but it is rare.

Drew

[Matthew Mitchell]

I recently thought of this question. Seeing how there is bi-directional signalling on parts of the BSL was there ever a time a train ran wrong main? Revenue or Non Revenue service?

Saw one Thursday night: a Ridge train turning back southbound on the northward express track down from Olney.

[motor]

Earlier on this thread someone mentioned a car used for something called Cash n Trash. What is Cash n Trash?

motor

[redarrow5591]

Earlier on this thread someone mentioned a car used for something called Cash n Trash. What is Cash n Trash?

motor

Its the nickname for SEPTA's revenue and trash collection trains on the MFSE and BSL. The cars used is CW3 (the Revenue car modified with heavy duty shelves and a SWAT team on board), CW4 (all seats except for some old operators chairs at the A end ripped out and has a constant rotting smell), and a regular line car at the end for additional tractive effort for the Broad Street while the Market-Frankford has 1033 (the trash car), 1034 (the cash car), and a extra married pair for signal shunting.

[NortheastTrainMan]

Wow, I really miss the days riding the BSL, sitting up front and looking through the Railfan View to see the wayside signals along the way as we fly down the tracks underneath Broad Street.

It has been a long time since you have ridden the BSL - most of the operators have covered over the windows on the left side of the operator's cab (which I assume is what you mean by "railfan window") with ad posters and newspapers so the view is no longer there. Once in a while you will get a car without the obstructions but it is rare.

Drew

Thanks for the answer but I was referring to when trains run wrong main for long distances. In other words when a train isn't being turned. I know that many of the BSL trains turn on Track 4 at Pattison. But I don't know if any trains have ran northbound on track one or southbound on track 4 for a significant distance.

[redarrow5591]

Wow, I really miss the days riding the BSL, sitting up front and looking through the Railfan View to see the wayside signals along the way as we fly down the tracks underneath Broad Street.

It has been a long time since you have ridden the BSL - most of the operators have covered over the windows on the left side of the operator's cab (which I assume is what you mean by "railfan window") with ad posters and newspapers so the view is no longer there. Once in a while you will get a car without the obstructions but it is rare.

Drew

Thanks for the answer but I was referring to when trains run wrong main for long distances. In other words when a train isn't being turned. I know that many of the BSL trains turn on Track 4 at Pattison. But I don't know if any trains have ran northbound on track one or southbound on track 4 for a significant distance.

If you're referring to the South Broad, the ABS signals on 3 and 4 has a permanent down setting (I asked about it several years ago when they was doing some heavy track work) when its in single track mode between Pattison-Snyder and Snyder-South. Its to allow reverse track moves to run at speed instead of the usual 30. On the North Broad however reverse moves isn't done normally. If a station must be skipped by running on 2 or 3, its easier to tell passengers to get off and cross over.

[Red Arrow Fan]

... most of the operators have covered over the windows on the left side of the operator's cab (which I assume is what you mean by "railfan window") with ad posters and newspapers so the view is no longer there. ...

Drew

Why would they care?

[NortheastTrainMan]

If you're referring to the South Broad, the ABS signals on 3 and 4 has a permanent down setting (I asked about it several years ago when they was doing some heavy track work) when its in single track mode between Pattison-Snyder and Snyder-South. Its to allow reverse track moves to run at speed instead of the usual 30. On the North Broad however reverse moves isn't done normally. If a station must be skipped by running on 2 or 3, its easier to tell passengers to get off and cross over.

So what you're saying is that the BSL trains don't run wrong main for significant distances because of safety concerns correct?