First "All-Day" Push-Pull Set coming soon...

[rcthompson04]

That is a problem on the already existing push pull runs. I take one of the three existing push pulls in the evening on the Paoli Thorndale Line almost every evening. The 443pm departure from Suburban seems to have occasional “operating” issues. Some times it is definitely Amtrak related. Other times it cannot be explained by Amtrak alone.

[NorthPennLimited]

A reliable poster on another online forum stated this mid-day push-pull train exists because someone on the SEPTA Board of Directors complained about the excess ACS-64’s laying around until the MLV cars are delivered from CRRC.

In the mean time, the Sprinters will unnecessarily be subjected to the daily beating of start/stop commute service. The same type of service MU’s were designed to handle. Hopefully they are on a good preventative maintenance schedule while they prove themselves in local service.

[MACTRAXX]

NPL: Interesting observation concerning the surplus ACS-64 Sprinters...

This reminds me of how SEPTA tested the then-new push-pull equipment along with the AEM7s
back in 1987 in which a test set ran peak hour trips on each line for a one-week period. It was
found that this equipment was better suited for longer duration trips with less stops as they have
been used overall.

I recall riding a Chestnut Hill East train back then noting that the locomotive was barely able
to get the train under way before having to brake for the next station. The branches that have
stations close together turned out not to be the routes to use push-pull equipment on.

Another thought would be to lease the extra Sprinters to NJT (example) instead of having them
sit around as surplus equipment. Any recent idea when the CRRC multilevels are due?

MACTRAXX

[mcgrath618]

NPL: Interesting observation concerning the surplus ACS-64 Sprinters...

This reminds me of how SEPTA tested the then-new push-pull equipment along with the AEM7s
back in 1987 in which a test set ran peak hour trips on each line for a one-week period. It was
found that this equipment was better suited for longer duration trips with less stops as they have
been used overall.

I recall riding a Chestnut Hill East train back then noting that the locomotive was barely able
to get the train under way before having to brake for the next station. The branches that have
stations close together turned out not to be the routes to use push-pull equipment on.

Another thought would be to lease the extra Sprinters to NJT (example) instead of having them
sit around as surplus equipment. Any recent idea when the CRRC multilevels are due?

MACTRAXX

Latter half of this year IIRC.

[Silverliner II]

Once all the CRRC's are in by 2022, they'll have enough equipment to assemble a total of 14 sets of equipment, leaving three spare cars of each type, and one spare locomotive.

NJ Transit operates push-pulls daily, in local service, on the Morris and Essex lines, on which the trunk has some stations that are as close together as stops on the Chestnut Hill East line. I'm sure if SEPTA had kept it up, they would have adapted accordingly. Still, the CHE is a bit cramped for long trains anyway...

[rcthompson04]

Rode on 4571 out to Exton tonight. It was 10 minutes late coming into Suburban. Lost another 3 minutes between Suburban and Paoli, but it was 17 minutes late at one point. Anyone who rides out here on the Paoli-Thorndale line regularly knows that being a little late can compound tardiness.

I am a fan of running the Sprinter on this run, but it should be running out of Roberts.

[JimBoylan]

the CHE is a bit cramped for long trains anyway...

They could speed up the service on the Reading's Chestnut Hill East branch by doubling the lengths of the trains, so a train could stop at 2 stations at the same time.

[sammy2009]

NPL: Interesting observation concerning the surplus ACS-64 Sprinters...

This reminds me of how SEPTA tested the then-new push-pull equipment along with the AEM7s
back in 1987 in which a test set ran peak hour trips on each line for a one-week period. It was
found that this equipment was better suited for longer duration trips with less stops as they have
been used overall.

I recall riding a Chestnut Hill East train back then noting that the locomotive was barely able
to get the train under way before having to brake for the next station. The branches that have
stations close together turned out not to be the routes to use push-pull equipment on.

Another thought would be to lease the extra Sprinters to NJT (example) instead of having them
sit around as surplus equipment. Any recent idea when the CRRC multilevels are due?

MACTRAXX

Leasing some of the sprinters to NJT wouldn’t be a bad idea at all. With NJT they would get the proper get up that they are capable and designed for. I’d probably leave it strictly to the Northeast Corridor or One of the lines with the proper lengths between stations. SEPTA played it smart with this order by getting the extra sets just Incase for capacity issues. I do still think they would be on the Trenton Line (whatever is going on with that).

[JeffK]

They could speed up the service on the Reading's Chestnut Hill East branch by doubling the lengths of the trains, so a train could stop at 2 stations at the same time.

[rcthompson04]

They could speed up the service on the Reading's Chestnut Hill East branch by doubling the lengths of the trains, so a train could stop at 2 stations at the same time.

There are buses that make less frequent stops!

[EDM5970]

Aren't there two stations on the West Trenton line that pretty much share a parking lot? That sounds like a train length to me.

[Silverliner II]

Aren't there two stations on the West Trenton line that pretty much share a parking lot? That sounds like a train length to me.

The only two stops really close together on the West Trenton Line are Forest Hills and Somerton, but even they are still a good half mile apart or so...

[bikentransit]

Good to see the equipment being used and it gives additional crews a chance to stay qualified on them.

[glennk419]

Train 3420 having problems again today. From Twitter, it is short cars and was expressing from TU to Jenkintown. Just got to Roslyn 23 minutes late.

[Silverliner II]

Train 3420 having problems again today. From Twitter, it is short cars and was expressing from TU to Jenkintown. Just got to Roslyn 23 minutes late.

Short cars? Can't make that PP set much shorter than the 4 cars it normally is...

Edited to add:

I did some digging. The train ran into issues early in the day and Silverliners were substituted for the run cycle prior to 3420. However, the issues must have been resolved, and the push-pull swapped back into the rotation in time for train 4571 out of Center City.