MACTRAXX wrote: ↑Tue Apr 14, 2020 7:14 am
I have been tracking the consists running between 30th and Jefferson on the app every couple hours. Seems to be the same pattern of 4 car Silverliner IV consists.
Answering my own original question I came up with three train sets making six
one way trips each between Malvern and Lansdale over the course of a day.
The train numbers are included on both timetables making figures easier.
With four MU cars assigned to each set that is just 12 cars total.
It would be interesting to combine the other two routes FXC-ELW and WAR-AIR
along with what the Trenton Line requires to get an idea of how many cars are
needed to provide the current Lifeline Service...MACTRAXX
I just went through the remaining schedules, and this is what I came up with, subject to the same conditions you based your numbers for Malvern-Lansdale (4-car trains) on:
Malvern-Lansdale
3 sets of equipment, 3 round trips for each set.
Total for all three equipment sets: 12 cars
Trenton
2 sets of equipment for the base service, 5 round trips for one set, 4 and a half round trips for the other set.
1 set of equipment on an early inbound trip from Trenton (1704), also balances equipment since 703 comes out of Roberts.
Total for all three equipment sets: 12 cars
Airport-Warminster
1 set of equipment for the trip (which also may double as an equipment swap run during the day) working 403/1406 and 1465/468.
2 sets of equipment for the base service, 5 round trips each.
Total for all three equipment sets: 12 cars.
45-minute layovers at both the Airport and Warminster, with exceptions on 4 trips that have much shorter or much longer layovers.
Fox Chase-Elwyn
1 set of equipment for the base service (6 round trips, with the last only being an Elwyn-Center City turn at the end of the day).
1 set of equipment which covers one full route round trip in the morning, then probably yards at Media (3860/8381). This same set may also cover the one trip out of Media yard for a trip to Center City in the afternoon and return (9398/9399).
1 set of equipment out of Roberts Yard to Fox Chase for a run to Center City.****
2 sets of equipment out of Powelton making one round trip each to Fox Chase and back to Center City in the evening (assuming one of the two sets was used on the morning tripper to Powelton).****
Total for all equipment sets: 16 cars
24 to 28-minute layovers at both ends, with the exception of a 2hr 28-minute break between the turn for 8377/3862 at Elwyn
**** These trips may be in conjunction with SEPTA shuttle bus service that has been spotted operating several trips between Fox Chase and Holy Redeemer Hospital, in a service paid for by Holy Redeemer (as I am hearing) to enable workers to get to and from the hospital, since neither bus routes 24, 88, or West Trenton Line services are running.
Total cars needed for lifeline service, assuming all 4-car sets: 52 cars.
This does not account for the fact that equipment is being rotated. Of note, only Silverliner IV's are being used.