[Parkway]

Originally Posted by wanderer34

I never understood why the MFL had to be completely different to the BSL when it came to rolling stock. I also never understood why the Route 100 to Norristown was never connected to the MFL and the Routes 101 and 102 heavy rail which could go to Media and Chester PA. I look at the MFL like this: to me, it's the ugly duckling in the SEPTA system.

It's useful, but it doesn't have any express service like the BSL, it doesn't go all the way to the NE and Bensalem, all the subway stations are unattractive and old, and inside the MFL trains, the seats are all cloth, which makes for a messy situation.

If the city planners at the turn of the century had any foresight, then what should've happened was to not only make the subway system into one type of rolling stock. In other words, the railroad gauge needs to be uniform. And I can agree that we need more subway lines in the city as well as the rest of the area!!!

In short the issue is that the MLF is 5' 2.5" PA trolley gauge where as the BSL and NHSL are 4' 8.5" standard gauge. This difference arose because the routes were originally constructed and operated by different private companies.