Heritage MUs

SL-4 single 280 (RDG 9018) has been outshopped at Frazer wearing Reading diamonds and the period correct SEPTA logo. The first of allegedly four cars to get heritage decals. There's pictures floating around Facebook but I don't know how to insert them. Not sure where or when the car will enter service.

Look here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1504485 ... 069415066/

The very first Silverliner IV from '73.

CNJ: Placing the original RDG and SEPTA heralds on prototype car #280 (9018) is a good 50th Anniversary gesture.
Let's do the same to car #400 (9019) being that they are the first two cars built by GE for the Silverliner Four fleet.

Sometime during 2024 a one day fantrip to all of the RDG electrified lines (CHE, Fox Chase, Lansdale-Doylestown,
Manayunk-Norristown, Warminster and West Trenton Lines) using these two specific MU cars could be something
planned between rail enthusiast groups (such as Philadelphia Chapter-NRHS) and SEPTA RRD...

Another 50th Anniversary example is Warminster Station - opened July 29, 1974 with the one-station extension
from Hatboro across the Montgomery-Bucks County line which was the first RDG side station to have a high level
platform constructed on the Reading's electrified Commuter Rail routes...

AC: The Facebook SEPTA page has a memberwall...Can we post any new photos of #280 (9018) for all to see?
Thanks all in advance...MACTRAXX

Per another facebook post:

Septa heritage Reading car is running [Friday 4/19] as the rear car on train 9512 frazer at 918 am to roberts yard.
Returning as train 9521 leaving roberts yard as the lead car at 1232 pm going to Frazer.
Then leaving Frazer as the rear car on train 9534 at 245 pm.

Some video:

Is there any regularity as to where these units are going to run? Would be nice to get a reel or two of them, in beautiful 16mm (but I don’t have a sync motor so no sound)

Nasadowsk wrote: ↑Fri Apr 19, 2024 7:22 pm Is there any regularity as to where these units are going to run? Would be nice to get a reel or two of them, in beautiful 16mm (but I don’t have a sync motor so no sound)

they will roam around the SEPTA system just like every other MU, I suggest using either RealTime or getting to know some of the crews.

Everyone - Another thought: Has SEPTA posted any special information inside Car #280 describing the reason
for the original RDG and SEPTA heralds outside being the Silverliner Four original prototype car?

On the AM of Friday April 26 the FIRST train I saw that morning had #280 in the lead westbound towards Malvern
from my vantage point on Platform A at 30th Street - On Saturday April 27 noted #280 leading going to Trenton as
I arrived eastbound at 30th Street from the Paoli Line...#280 (9019) is out and about on RRD...MACTRAXX

MU 401 (PC 270) will be next with the mating PC worms, it was outshopped today and will be released for service in a few days.

CNJ: Thanks for the information about #401 (PC 270) being the next car to get the original heralds back...
Taking note to the stainless steel Silverliner Four carbodies it is hard to believe that the original first order
MU cars are now reaching 50 years of service in 2024-2025...

For those unaware or who were not around 1982 and before the Silverliner Four cars kept their original
SEPTA red ball along with the PC or RDG herald right through the Conrail operation period: April 1, 1976
to December 31, 1982...Very few SEPTA MU cars got the Conrail logo applied and it was actually a rarity...

After SEPTA took over direct operation of the then-separate PC and RDG Commuter Rail systems in 1983
SEPTA placed their then-new red and blue logo on all their MU equipment without removing the original
SEPTA, PC and RDG logo and heralds covering them in a way that if one looked close enough they could
be spotted underneath the newer SEPTA logo...When the current red/blue livery was applied back about
1999-2000 the older heralds and logos were completely removed to apply the new color sheeting...

Good to see that SEPTA remembers the history of the Regional Rail system in this manner...MACTRAXX

This is such a pleasant surprise.

It’s great to see SEPTA honoring their heritage like this. And honestly, the Silverliner IVs deserve it. They’re in remarkably good shape despite 50 years and countless rail miles—better than the IIs and IIIs were, at any rate.

I’m sure they’ll make 60 years at this point, since I don’t think SEPTA’s replacements for them will arrive anytime soon.

401 was released into the wild this morning