Railroad Forums
Route 15
- 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
by jfrey40535
Yes there are ramps, but I'm wondering if the ramps are really wide enough for a wheelchair to be able to turn around on. I suppose they are, but those platforms still make me nervous especially the way people drive these days. They're just begging for someone to plow over a bunch of unsuspecting commuters.
by chuchubob
I got this email from a South Jersey railfan friend on Wednesday April 7:
Guys,
Went over to Philadelphia today on the chance that SEPTA would be conducting operator training with the PCC-II cars on route 15. They were not. However, I decided to take a run up to Callowhill Depot to see if anything was going on there. As luck would have it, as I drove up 60th St, I saw two Kawasakis headed south preceded by a wire truck. The wire truck crew was reconnecting the feeder wires as they went along, so as to provide power to the overhead. The cars sat on 60th street, at Callowhill, until the wire truck had reconnected all the feeders along Callowhill up to 58th St. At that point, the cars turned left from 60th into Callowhill and proceeded to 58th St. Since this track has not seen a car in years, there was all kinds of sparking from the overhead wire and track. At the corner of 58th and Callowhill, of course, there was a car parked at the corner preventing the trolley from making a right turn into 58th St. After some discussion, they decided to push the car back a few feet. This did this with one of their trucks. Both trolleys were now able to turn into 58th St and then almost immediately into Bay 3 of the Depot. This happened after several people attempted to clean years of dirt out of the rail just outside the bay. Apparently their effort was not completely successful, because there was a dead spot. Fortunately, the first car had enough speed (barely) to coast over it. The second car also just made it over. The cars passed through the bay to the other side (59th St) without incident, only to find another car illegally parked on the sidewalk, again blocking the way. This time the car belonged to a SEPTA employee. Again, after some discussion, the trusty truck was moved into position and pushed the car (a Mercedes) several feet out of the way. With more sparking at the rail and overhead, the two Kawasakis left the barn and proceeded up 58th St to Girard. Since it was getting late, the two cars headed back to Elmwood Depot, via Girard Ave to Lancaster Ave (route 10).
One of the operator trainees I spoke to has already operated the PCC-II's. He told me that they are great to operate, very smooth, and that the brakes are excellent, better than the Kawasaki's. There was no consensus, however, when service on route 15 would start. Someone thought the date might be June 13 (as posted on the internet), but someone else thought the date would be sometime in September. Guess that we will have to wait and see. Anyway, it was great to see the first cars to operate over this trackage in quite a few years.
Fred
Guys,
Went over to Philadelphia today on the chance that SEPTA would be conducting operator training with the PCC-II cars on route 15. They were not. However, I decided to take a run up to Callowhill Depot to see if anything was going on there. As luck would have it, as I drove up 60th St, I saw two Kawasakis headed south preceded by a wire truck. The wire truck crew was reconnecting the feeder wires as they went along, so as to provide power to the overhead. The cars sat on 60th street, at Callowhill, until the wire truck had reconnected all the feeders along Callowhill up to 58th St. At that point, the cars turned left from 60th into Callowhill and proceeded to 58th St. Since this track has not seen a car in years, there was all kinds of sparking from the overhead wire and track. At the corner of 58th and Callowhill, of course, there was a car parked at the corner preventing the trolley from making a right turn into 58th St. After some discussion, they decided to push the car back a few feet. This did this with one of their trucks. Both trolleys were now able to turn into 58th St and then almost immediately into Bay 3 of the Depot. This happened after several people attempted to clean years of dirt out of the rail just outside the bay. Apparently their effort was not completely successful, because there was a dead spot. Fortunately, the first car had enough speed (barely) to coast over it. The second car also just made it over. The cars passed through the bay to the other side (59th St) without incident, only to find another car illegally parked on the sidewalk, again blocking the way. This time the car belonged to a SEPTA employee. Again, after some discussion, the trusty truck was moved into position and pushed the car (a Mercedes) several feet out of the way. With more sparking at the rail and overhead, the two Kawasakis left the barn and proceeded up 58th St to Girard. Since it was getting late, the two cars headed back to Elmwood Depot, via Girard Ave to Lancaster Ave (route 10).
One of the operator trainees I spoke to has already operated the PCC-II's. He told me that they are great to operate, very smooth, and that the brakes are excellent, better than the Kawasaki's. There was no consensus, however, when service on route 15 would start. Someone thought the date might be June 13 (as posted on the internet), but someone else thought the date would be sometime in September. Guess that we will have to wait and see. Anyway, it was great to see the first cars to operate over this trackage in quite a few years.
Fred
by ctrabs74
queenlnr8 wrote:So, Route 15 connects with the 10? Could there be a way to run from City Hall and the Tunnel to the end of the 15 with the new PCC IIs?... No.
The signal systems in the tunnel are not compatible with the PCC-II cars.
Creighton Rabs
Tacony - 10 minutes to train or trackless; can't beat it.
Tacony - 10 minutes to train or trackless; can't beat it.
by walt
queenlnr8 wrote:So, Route 15 connects with the 10? Could there be a way to run from City Hall and the Tunnel to the end of the 15 with the new PCC IIs?Except for the signal problem cited, there would be no other reason why PCC II's, or any other compatable cars couldn't use the routing suggested. The track connections described date back to the PTC days when both Route 10 and Route 15 operated out of Callowhill.
Please Move to the Rear and Speed Your Ride
( Philadelphia Transportation Company)
( Philadelphia Transportation Company)
by Bill R.
Slight change of subject here...
In the past, I have considered the value of rerouting the Port Richmond end of Rt 15 onto Aramingo Avenue. Before I go further, I'll stipulate that I don't know where SEPTA would get the money to do this.
From the Cumberland Loop, extend NW on Cumberland Street to Aramingo Avenue. Turn onto Aramingo NE to Castor Ave. Turn N on Castor, then E on Erie to the Rt 56 trolley loop east of the Erie-Torresdale station. Aramingo Avenue is a wide street between Cumberland and Somerset, and again NE of Westmoreland, where a major shopping strip is located. Castor is also a wide street, and Erie already has trolley infrastructure which will require rehabilitation. This service replaces the Rt 25 Bus service on Aramingo.
The Rt 25 bus is rerouted to serve Richmond Street by changing the service to operate SE on Lehigh Avenue beyond Aramingo to Richmond, then turning NE. A Rerouted Rt 25 and Rt 73 could be consolidated into a single route.
A limited extension of Rt J service might fill the missing link between Bridesburg and the Aramingo Avenue shopping area.
Comments?
In the past, I have considered the value of rerouting the Port Richmond end of Rt 15 onto Aramingo Avenue. Before I go further, I'll stipulate that I don't know where SEPTA would get the money to do this.
From the Cumberland Loop, extend NW on Cumberland Street to Aramingo Avenue. Turn onto Aramingo NE to Castor Ave. Turn N on Castor, then E on Erie to the Rt 56 trolley loop east of the Erie-Torresdale station. Aramingo Avenue is a wide street between Cumberland and Somerset, and again NE of Westmoreland, where a major shopping strip is located. Castor is also a wide street, and Erie already has trolley infrastructure which will require rehabilitation. This service replaces the Rt 25 Bus service on Aramingo.
The Rt 25 bus is rerouted to serve Richmond Street by changing the service to operate SE on Lehigh Avenue beyond Aramingo to Richmond, then turning NE. A Rerouted Rt 25 and Rt 73 could be consolidated into a single route.
A limited extension of Rt J service might fill the missing link between Bridesburg and the Aramingo Avenue shopping area.
Comments?
by jfrey40535
Bad idea Bill, because that will create a 3-seat ride for me to CC. It takes long enough as is with the 15 and MFL. Its rediculous that outside of peak hours it takes roughly 40-minutes to go from Richmond & Allegheny to 11th Street. Thats almost as long as a suburbanites commute from places like Warminster, and its all because of infrequent service and poor planning. Get off the El sometime at Girard and watch the 15 driving off as you exit the train. It's great.
by Clearfield
The start date is still apparently mid June, but NO PCC II's till the fall schedule. They'll be using LRV's. Only 5 PCC II's have been delivered, and only three of those run.
by Urban D Kaye
Testing and operator training are under way.
The attached photo was taken today, as two PCC-IIs round the loop track at Girard College.
The attached photo was taken today, as two PCC-IIs round the loop track at Girard College.
by jsc
I like the sign in the back of the PCC advertising unleaded at 1.91/gal. Makes those trolleys seem a real bargin!
by reldnahkram
jsc wrote:I like the sign in the back of the PCC advertising unleaded at 1.91/gal. Makes those trolleys seem a real bargin!At the budget hearing in Media last night, the SEPTA rep said that the new diesel fuel contract they just took bids on came in at $1 a gallon, up from the 76 cents they're currently getting. Hopefully SEPTA considers more trolleys as operating buses just got a lot more expensive.