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View Poll Results: Is SEPTA doing a great job in regards to bus, subway, and commuter rail overall??????
YES 56 48.70%
NO 59 51.30%
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  #821  
Old Posted Nov 23, 2013, 4:39 PM
Flyers2001 Flyers2001 is offline
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Does anyone know what the expected rise of Gas prices is going to be in PA/Philly area? The news was teasing it will be among the highest in the country.
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  #822  
Old Posted Nov 23, 2013, 10:35 PM
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Originally Posted by afiggatt View Post
For SEPTA, an additional $350 to $400 million a year in direct funding is a huge step forward over the starvation levels of capital funding it has had in recent years. Sure SEPTA could use more funding for capital projects, but now they can tackle the substantial backlog of maintenance, repair, and system modernization. The additional state funding should also help in getting federal funds for transit projects because SEPTA will be able to put up a 25% to 50% match.

What I don't know is whether the additional funding as currently projected will be enough to support system expansion projects in the near term such as restoration of service to Elwyn, Norristown High Speed Line branch to King of Prussia, the subway extension to the Navy Yard that is now being advocated.
When was service to Elwyn axed? The last time I checked, I thought Elwyn was the current terminus and that extension to Wawa was discussed. Personally, I'm still much in favor of extending the line to West Chester with stops at West Chester University, Cheyney, and Glen Mills among a few places.

The estimated cost of doing so I believe is around $350 million...
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  #823  
Old Posted Nov 23, 2013, 10:46 PM
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Originally Posted by Flyers2001 View Post
Does anyone know what the expected rise of Gas prices is going to be in PA/Philly area? The news was teasing it will be among the highest in the country.
Steve Keeley is making me sick with his windshield-perspective B.S. IIRC the gas tax increase is to $0.79/gal, which is still small potatoes compared to infrastructure needs. (Of course, the other side of that coin is that current infrastructure needs are also clearly well beyond the public's willingness to pay.)
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Originally Posted by Jonboy1983 View Post
When was service to Elwyn axed? The last time I checked, I thought Elwyn was the current terminus and that extension to Wawa was discussed. Personally, I'm still much in favor of extending the line to West Chester with stops at West Chester University, Cheyney, and Glen Mills among a few places.

The estimated cost of doing so I believe is around $350 million...
The biggest problem with heading to West Chester via Media IMHO is that it is extremely circuitous. Don't get me wrong: I agree that there are several important destinations along the way, but I think that folks commuting out of West Chester would favor a connection to the Main Line, say via 202 (which AFAIK runs partly along the old rail easement) instead. It would also be a logical extension of the existing Malvern train.
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  #824  
Old Posted Nov 23, 2013, 10:50 PM
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Originally Posted by Jonboy1983 View Post
When was service to Elwyn axed? The last time I checked, I thought Elwyn was the current terminus and that extension to Wawa was discussed. Personally, I'm still much in favor of extending the line to West Chester with stops at West Chester University, Cheyney, and Glen Mills among a few places.

The estimated cost of doing so I believe is around $350 million...
Elywn is fine , the average cost of restoring Regional Rail lines seems to be 350-400 million with the exception of the Allentown and Reading lines which push a billion. The more expensive projects seem to come with addition regional rail car purchases.
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  #825  
Old Posted Nov 23, 2013, 10:51 PM
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Originally Posted by hammersklavier View Post
Steve Keeley is making me sick with his windshield-perspective B.S. IIRC the gas tax increase is to $0.79/gal, which is still small potatoes compared to infrastructure needs. (Of course, the other side of that coin is that current infrastructure needs are also clearly well beyond the public's willingness to pay.)
Can you use the turnpike tolls or DPRA tolls?
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  #826  
Old Posted Nov 23, 2013, 10:56 PM
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Can you use the turnpike tolls or DPRA tolls?
We already tapped and leveraged the Turnpike as far as we could. That's why it's insolvent.

The DRPA is a separate agency altogether. PA tapping it for its needs is unlikely, as NJ would have to agree to an equal and opposite tapping...and NJ would certainly want to tap the (more lucrative) PANYNJ first.
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  #827  
Old Posted Nov 23, 2013, 11:22 PM
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Originally Posted by hammersklavier View Post
We already tapped and leveraged the Turnpike as far as we could. That's why it's insolvent.

The DRPA is a separate agency altogether. PA tapping it for its needs is unlikely, as NJ would have to agree to an equal and opposite tapping...and NJ would certainly want to tap the (more lucrative) PANYNJ first.
NJ and NY already tap the PANJNY hence why tolls keep increasing while critical PA infrastructure isn't being replaced....
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  #828  
Old Posted Nov 24, 2013, 12:48 AM
afiggatt afiggatt is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jonboy1983 View Post
When was service to Elwyn axed? The last time I checked, I thought Elwyn was the current terminus and that extension to Wawa was discussed. Personally, I'm still much in favor of extending the line to West Chester with stops at West Chester University, Cheyney, and Glen Mills among a few places.

The estimated cost of doing so I believe is around $350 million...
Oops, I miswrote it. I meant to say "restoration of service beyond Elwyn", leaving it open to extending service only to Wawa as in the plans or as far as West Chester. I'm old enough to remember when trains still ran to Westtown and West Chester, so to me, it would be logical to restore service to West Chester over the route provided real improvements are made to the tracks and the line for better trip times than back in the day. The good news is that the ROW is intact, which can't be said for other lines abandoned in earlier times.

In the FY2014 capital budget, the cost of restoring service from Elwyn to Wawa with a new station and parking deck at Wawa is $91 million. That is in the unfunded capital needs section, so extension to Wawa is likely back on the table with the new funding because it is not that big of a price tag. Restoration of service from Wawa to West Chester is probably going to be way down the list for a long time behind many other projects that have priority.
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  #829  
Old Posted Nov 24, 2013, 1:29 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by afiggatt View Post
Oops, I miswrote it. I meant to say "restoration of service beyond Elwyn", leaving it open to extending service only to Wawa as in the plans or as far as West Chester. I'm old enough to remember when trains still ran to Westtown and West Chester, so to me, it would be logical to restore service to West Chester over the route provided real improvements are made to the tracks and the line for better trip times than back in the day. The good news is that the ROW is intact, which can't be said for other lines abandoned in earlier times.

In the FY2014 capital budget, the cost of restoring service from Elwyn to Wawa with a new station and parking deck at Wawa is $91 million. That is in the unfunded capital needs section, so extension to Wawa is likely back on the table with the new funding because it is not that big of a price tag. Restoration of service from Wawa to West Chester is probably going to be way down the list for a long time behind many other projects that have priority.
The ROW is used for tourist trains , the only the Newtown , Allentown and Ivy Ridge lines were ripped up...all are easily restorable. It comes down to Money....and Management...they do have enough money for Ivy Ridge and Parkersburg but Management at SEPTA doesn't seem to care... Something the transit advocates and employees both seem to agree on. The Wawa station is a flawed one , the line should have been extended to US-1 for a Park and ride...
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  #830  
Old Posted Nov 25, 2013, 4:31 PM
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Interesting site I found , has all of SEPTA's and the regional planner's wishlist projects....

https://sites.google.com/site/getthe...ailroads/septa
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  #831  
Old Posted Nov 26, 2013, 5:27 PM
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Corbett officially signs new PA transportation bill
http://www.philly.com/philly/busines...e7f9dec05.html
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  #832  
Old Posted Dec 12, 2013, 4:00 PM
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SEPTA to fix up underground concourses which are actually owned the city

http://planphilly.com/articles/2013/...und-concourses
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  #833  
Old Posted Dec 12, 2013, 4:02 PM
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  #834  
Old Posted Dec 13, 2013, 12:21 AM
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^Refurbished not new (at least they are keeping some budd craftsmanship)

Also:
Quote:
Paul Nussbaum, Inquirer Staff Writer
Last updated: Wednesday, December 11, 2013, 11:59 PM
Posted: Tuesday, December 10, 2013, 7:46 PM

After months of trying to fix broken escalators at commuter train stations in Center City and South Jersey, PATCO may demolish and replace some of the equipment.

That process could take nine months or more.

PATCO riders have been dealing with broken escalators and elevators since July, when transit agency officials let a maintenance contract lapse.

An emergency plea to SEPTA for help, apologies from the PATCO board, and a new maintenance contract have brought only marginal relief to many riders.

On Tuesday, six of PATCO's 14 escalators were out of service. At the 11 escalator-equipped stations, five had broken escalators.

Some escalators have been out of service for months, leaving riders to trudge up crowded stairs or seek out elevators, which can carry only a handful of people. And two elevators were broken Tuesday.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/busines...gTa4cv4ML3R.99
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  #835  
Old Posted Dec 14, 2013, 3:05 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nexis4Jersey View Post
Interesting site I found , has all of SEPTA's and the regional planner's wishlist projects....

https://sites.google.com/site/getthe...ailroads/septa
Cool site. Do they still plan to move forward with the Cross County Metro line? It would be nice to travel from Downingtown to King of Prussia without subjecting myself to the mercy (or lack thereof) US 30/US 202!
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  #836  
Old Posted Dec 14, 2013, 8:25 PM
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Originally Posted by Jonboy1983 View Post
Cool site. Do they still plan to move forward with the Cross County Metro line? It would be nice to travel from Downingtown to King of Prussia without subjecting myself to the mercy (or lack thereof) US 30/US 202!
I don't see this line getting built for a long time , even if SEPTA received billions a year. Its one of those lines that while cheap , wouldn't get the high ridership to make it worthwhile as opposed to other extensions or restorations.
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  #837  
Old Posted Dec 15, 2013, 6:29 PM
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While I'm extremely happy Corbett signed the transportation bill, ultimately SEPTA has vast amounts of deferred maintenance it needs to address which will make any real capital expansion very limited.
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  #838  
Old Posted Dec 16, 2013, 1:35 AM
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While I'm extremely happy Corbett signed the transportation bill, ultimately SEPTA has vast amounts of deferred maintenance it needs to address which will make any real capital expansion very limited.
SEPTA won't be able to expand for a while. At least 5 straight years of repairs for SEPTA. I'm just glad SEPTA got more money at all... that means they won't shrink now. Their Doomsday plan was terrifying!
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  #839  
Old Posted Dec 20, 2013, 1:38 AM
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SEPTA announces ambitious capital-improvement plan

Quote:
SEPTA expected to get about $340 million a year, said general manager Joseph Casey.

Paul Nussbaum, Inquirer Staff Writer
Posted: Thursday, December 19, 2013, 6:00 PM

With new state funding on the way from the recently signed transportation law, SEPTA has switched from doomsday threats to promises of a grand restoration.

SEPTA will move quickly to replace aging vehicles and infrastructure to keep trains and trolleys running on routes that had been threatened with extinction, deputy general manager Jeffrey Knueppel told the SEPTA board on Thursday.

SEPTA hopes to double its annual spending for vehicle purchases and construction projects to $600 million within five years, Knueppel said. Currently, SEPTA's capital budget is about $300 million a year; increasing contributions from the state are expected to incrementally boost that amount each year.

"This is an extremely exciting time for us," Knueppel said Thursday, calling the planned projects "transformative" for the transit agency.

SEPTA will finally be able to replace century-old rail bridges, such as the Crum Creek Viaduct on the Media-Elwyn Line, and decrepit power plants, such as the Jenkintown Substation, built in 1931. The agency also will move to replace the 43-year-old Silverliner IV railcars that make up two-thirds of its fleet.

Facing a $5 billion backlog of repairs, SEPTA officials had warned state legislators that without more money, the transit agency would drastically cut service.

In September, general manager Joseph Casey outlined a doomsday plan that proposed to eliminate nine of its 13 rail lines, shorten two others, close a subway line, and convert trolley routes to bus lines.

Last month, the legislature narrowly approved a sweeping transportation-funding measure, and about 70 percent of the mass-transit funding in the package will go to SEPTA, the state's largest transit system. By 2018, that would mean a boost of about $400 million annually for SEPTA.

Construction will begin next summer on some of the most pressing projects, Knueppel said, with a phased plan to do much of the work over five to 10 years, as money becomes available.

In addition to railcars, bridges and power stations, the plans include new trolleys, new overhead power lines for trains, improvements to the Center City trolley tunnel, many miles of new track, shored-up rail beds, new communications and signal equipment, repaired maintenance facilities, more handicapped-accessible subway and elevated stations, and, eventually, rebuilt subway station and pedestrian concourses beneath City Hall.


A dozen Regional Rail stations will be rehabbed, and parking will be increased at some of the busiest stations.

pnussbaum@phillynews.com 215-854-4587

@nussbaumpaul
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/busines...zlcO0IyC6t1.99
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  #840  
Old Posted Dec 20, 2013, 1:55 AM
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Fantastic news for Phila. The news of finally replacing the Kawasaki trolleys and new track is very exciting.
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