When were the Blueliner MU's retired?

When were the ex-RDG Blueliner MU's retired by SEPTA?

-otto-

Did SEPTA ever run those cars? I ask because the first Silverliners went to both the PRR and Reading in the 1960's and those lines went through Conrail ownership before SEPTA got them. I'm wondering if the "Blues" hadn't been retired before SEPTA took over.

Unless my memory cells are failing more quickly than I realize, I remember riding an occasional Blueliner during the mid or late '80s.

A few cars had rudimentary air conditioning which was a help when wearing a suit in hot weather. However by that era many of the Blues couldn't keep up with the SLs and tended to run late. You'd miss the scheduled time slot between 30th Street and Temple and have to sit till a space opened up.

The Blueliners were retired around 1990 by SEPTA. It was around the time the new Cab Signals and ATC equipment were installed on the Silverliners. They chose not to install the new equipment on the Blueliners which were in pretty sorry shape and phased them out over several months.

So the Blueliners remained in service through 1990? Interesting, I thought it was earlier than that. Thanks for the information!

-otto-

I remember riding a Blueliner in the mid 80's on the R3. There was no airconditioning. You could open the windows and catch a breeze. It was actually fun riding with the windows open.

July 1990 they were officially retired. Its too bad, the interiors weren't in bad shape, they had modern lighting and just needed some new seating. The bodies were painted in the mid 80's and were in good shape. Considering how SEPTA whines how they don't have enough equipment, they shouldn't have thrown these away so quickly. They would have been great for peak service. If there budgets are always so bad, they should be looking to save money where possible while increasing revenue at the same time.

One still exists today for their wire train, still with its pantograph intact. Its sad to see the other one next to the Roberts Ave shop rotting away. Why do they keep that there? DO they like displaying decay?

jfrey40535 wrote:
One still exists today for their wire train, still with its pantograph intact. Its sad to see the other one next to the Roberts Ave shop rotting away. Why do they keep that there? DO they like displaying decay?

http://community.webshots.com/photo/280 ... 9816lnyxey

http://community.webshots.com/photo/280 ... 0034SrhUFy

The Blueliner used for the wire train is only used as a cab car for the diesel at the other end.

The other one parked at Roberts can't really be a Blueliner, its painted the wrong color blue......

It's still a former blueliner car regardless of what color it is now.

I remember reading on the old board that the Blueliners had problems going up the grade in the commuter tunnel. I could be wrong, though.

They were fine through the tunnel grades. They were just fine. Miss 'em.

From what I've heard, it was that it was hard on the motors, not that the cars couldn't do it. And hey, they were pretty antique by 1990 anyway. Where do you find contactors for a 1920's vintage railcar?

I don't have any HP/weights for them, though, and remember they had series wound AC traction motors, as opposed to DC motors (yes) on the Silverliners.

From what I've heard, they were faster than the MP-54s were. Though pretty much everything was, it seemed. When did the last of those clunkers go away, anyway?

I was on the 'Farewell to the Blues' fantrip, and we were doing about 80mph between Wilmington & 30th. I think the MP54's could about 50.

A friend at Wayne electric told me the blueliner eternally parked at Roberts has been converted into a toolshed. He said on one side the door is cut out and there is a ramp leading into it.