Septa Trolley Modernization - Alstom Fleet

Silverliner5 wrote: ↑Fri Sep 23, 2022 12:33 pm New Land for the trolleys [trollies] but it's only 13.52 acres compared to the one amazon got which is 29 acres this land is good enough for the new trolleys [trollies] but they need more land for employee parking.

From the Railway Age article:
According to the authority, the property has an existing structure that can be adapted to SEPTA’s use as a facility and has sufficient additional land area to support the planned yard and employee parking.

So two different stories - ?

Yes but almost the same. sometimes that first link I sent could screw up the story sometimes cause that website could be putting in the wrong things at times

Both stories may be correct, in their fashion. According to a story in the Inquirer, the property needed for employee parking is adjacent to the site under discussion but not part of it and will have to be negotiated separately with different owners. I hope it goes through -- it's convenient to 49th and Market, thus handy to the 11, 13, and 36, and far enough from residential areas not to cause NIMBY problems. And handier to the 34 than the Elmwood site.

"Wouldn't-You-Know" Department:

The Inquirer reports today that the Amazon 140,000-square-foot package distribution center, complete with "pristine black asphalt parking spaces for 300 cars and 600 vans and trailers," hasn't opened yet, nearly a year after major construction was completed, and Amazon is keeping mum about when it will. While the project was under construction, Amazon's fortunes declined and the project is temporarily (?) on hold. The State Senator who championed the project in 2021 is quoted as saying, "they are not communicating ... It is really, really, really insulting." The story then adds that he now wishes he had supported SEPTA's plan.

Amazon (along with others) overbuilt warehouse space.

rcthompson04 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 28, 2022 7:24 am Amazon (along with others) overbuilt warehouse space.

Amazon bought my (ex-)employer's site 18 mos. ago for a regional distribution center. So far they haven't even put up a sign. The existing building's now effectively abandoned.

I wonder if there's any way the SW Philly site might be re-acquired for SEPTA if Amazon defaults on it - ?

rcthompson04 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 28, 2022 7:24 am Amazon (along with others) overbuilt warehouse space.

They bought out the Rotem plant.

Septa is purchasing land at 5100 Grays ave for a cost of $21 million instead of the $6 million it would have costed at abandoned Amazon warehouse site.
Also that site seem like a bad location for a Amazon warehouse. It's not close to highway access also there is an industrial area 1 mile away for better truck access. There are serval warehouses being built at the airport and Philaport. Plus a massive warehouse at Erie ave and I street.

Here's a new survey for Station Design!
https://planning.septa.org/projects/tro ... on-design/

Alstom was rewarded the contract to build 130 new LRVs with an option for 30 more.

https://www.inquirer.com/transportation ... utType=amp

Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) on Feb. 23 awarded a contract to Alstom Transportation, Inc., for 130 new Citadis™ light rail vehicles, with an option to order up to 30 more. The base order is valued at approximately $714 million.

https://www.railwayage.com/passenger/al ... -trolleys/

ZS - Interesting news about new LRV equipment for the trolley routes - note the first car delivery will be in 2027. The lead time for this order is going to be four years - as we know the Kawasaki cars have held up well over time... Will there be separate new car variations for the City routes and the Media/Sharon Hill lines?

After reading the RA article (off topic) does the KOP Project that was supposedly cancelled have any chance to be revived? Taking note to the "pricetags" mentioned major SEPTA improvements are expensive in any case...
MACTRAXX

The article was from February, and predated the KOP cancellation.

Hmmm - the article's map shows the 13 and 102 potentially being extended to meet at the Darby TC. Reportedly the city cars will be double-ended to avoid the need for loops or wyes at termini.

I wonder if this could open the possibility of through-running, assuming signals and other infrastructure characteristics are compatible.

Re KoP: As much as I supported the plan, its ballooning costs made it an obvious target. I've read articles in various journals about US construction costs versus those for comparable projects in other industrialized nations; no one seems to have a handle on why there can be 3- and 4-fold differences. KoP exploded from $1.2 billion to $3 billion which just isn't sustainable.

I also wonder why no one is questioning this in the context of SEPTA's long list of failed project plans.

JeffK wrote: ↑Fri Jun 02, 2023 3:56 pm target. I've read articles in various journals about US construction costs versus those for comparable projects in other industrialized nations; no one seems to have a handle on why there can be 3- and 4-fold differences. KoP exploded from $1.2 billion to $3 billion which just isn't sustainable.

Graft, plus EIS/NEPA are probably the key issues. Also to note are "change orders" or added items to project work
which can significantly escalate cost.