Transit Alerts for Thursday, Jan. 26th

President Trump is in town tomorrow, meeting with other legislative Republicans, and this will have some effect on public transit.  Here are details from SEPTA:

SEPTA will make adjustments to Market-Frankford Line and City Trolley service, and detour a number of bus routes in Center City, during Thursday’s visit by President Trump and Vice President Pence to the Republican Congressional Caucus’ annual meeting.

Road closures and other restrictions will be in place surrounding the event, which will be held at the Loews Hotel at 12th and Market Streets. As a result, the following changes will be in effect at the start of service on Thursday, Jan. 26:

 13th Street Station, for the Market-Frankford Line and City Trolley routes, will be closed. MarketFrankford Line trains will bypass 13th Street; customers can exit and enter at 11th Street and 15th Street. City Trolley Routes 10, 11, 13, 34 and 36 will begin and end service at 15th Street Station.

 Bus routes that normally travel through the area bordered east/west by 11th and 13th Streets, and north/south by Filbert and Chestnut Streets, will be on detour due to road closures. Please note that there may be additional routes put on detour and routing changes made throughout the day as road conditions warrant. For up-to-date information on bus detours, go to the System Status page of SEPTA’s website at http://www.septa.org/realtime/status/system-status.shtml or follow @SEPTA_Bus on Twitter.

 Customers using Jefferson Station will need to enter and exit at 11th Street or Filbert Street. The main headhouse on Market Street will be closed.

Also, please note that the regularly scheduled January SEPTA Board meeting will proceed as scheduled at 3 p.m. on Thursday. Members of the public who are attending the meeting can access SEPTA headquarters through the rear of the building, off 13th Street, or the underground concourse.

SEPTA is urging customers to check SEPTA’s website, http://www.septa.org, as well as the Authority’s social media resources for updated travel information throughout the day on Thursday. Travel alerts will also be sent to local news media outlets whenever new information is available.

SEPTA Updates

from the inbox:

 New schedules for SEPTA’s City, Suburban and Victory Transit divisions go into effect beginning Sunday, September 4 and Tuesday, September 6, 2016. Most timetable adjustments are minor and are designed to account for seasonal changes in ridership and to improve customer service. However, SEPTA would like to alert passengers to the following service changes:

 • Route 15: Trolleys return to service between 63rd Street and Girard Avenue and Frankford and Delaware Avenues following summer bus substitution due to a track renewal project. Buses will continue to operate on the portion of the route between Frankford and Girard Avenues and Richmond and Westmoreland Streets.

• Route 40: Added morning and afternoon weekday service. • Route 56: Added morning and afternoon weekday service.

• Routes 201, 204, 205 and 206: These routes will continue to operate on their current schedules as published online at www.septa.org. Schedules are subject to change with Regional Rail interim schedule changes and will be updated online.

• Norristown High Speed Line: Trains will operate on the current summer schedule until the end of the service day on Sunday, September 18, when the Radnor Station improvement project will be completed. A new schedule will go into effect beginning at the start of the service day Monday, September 19. Service information will be published on the System Status section of SEPTA’s website (http://www.septa.org/realtime/status/system-status.shtml) prior to September 19.

New transit schedules are available at SEPTA customer locations and online at www.septa.org. Riders can also access real-time service information by using the official SEPTA App available as a free download for both Apple and Android devices, and by following the @SEPTA Twitter feed. #

SEPTA Refunds and Credits

Our friends at SEPTA are doing their best to ensure we have a safe, comfortable, and timely ride to wherever we are going.  The altered schedules that started today are an inconvenience and SEPTA is offering refunds and credits to passholders:

– Due to the impact on customers from the Silverliner V portion of the rail fleet being taken out of service over a structural defect, SEPTA will provide refunds and credits for customers who have purchased Weekly and Monthly Regional Rail TrailPasses.

The refunds and credits are for customers who purchased Weekly Regional Rail TrailPasses for the week starting Monday, July 4, and those who bought Monthly Regional Rail TrailPasses valid July 1-31.

To receive refunds, customers will have to mail their passes to SEPTA no later than Thursday, July 7. Envelopes must be post-marked July 7 or earlier. A check will be sent to the address provided by the customer. Please note “Silverliner V Pass Refund” on the envelope, place the refund-eligible Regional Rail TrailPass inside and mail it to:

SEPTA P.O. Box 58609 Philadelphia, PA 19102-8849

For customers who want to continue using their TrailPass this week and for July, SEPTA will offer a credit on a future purchase. The credits can be redeemed on any pass purchase made through Monday, Oct. 10. These are the credits SEPTA is making available for TrailPass holders:

Weekly Regional Rail TrailPass Credits (passes valid the week that began Monday, July 4):

 Zone 1, 2 and Cross-County Weekly TrailPasses: $5 credit

 Zone 3 and Anywhere Weekly TrailPasses: $10 credit

Monthly Regional Rail TrailPass Credits (passes valid July 1-31):

 Zone 1 and Cross-County: $20  Zone 2: $25

 Zone 3: $30

 Anywhere: $35 For more information, visit http://www.septa.org.

Regional Rail Changes Start TOMORROW!!!

If you take Regional Rail on a regular basis be forewarned that due to needed repair on about a third of the railcars there will be fewer trains and a reduced schedule, starting TOMORROW!

Monitor this page for schedule updates:  http://www.septa.org/service/contingency.html

Also, a special shout out to the so far unknown SEPTA employee who noticed the structural issue before a disaster happened.  Thank you!

SEPTA Plans to Use Brake Energy

from the inbox:

SEPTA, Constellation, and Viridity Energy are announcing plans to install an 8.75-megawatt battery storage network that will capture and reuse energy generated by braking subway cars.

 An expansion of SEPTA’s 1.8-megawatt battery storage pilot, the 8.75 MW network will help SEPTA reduce operating costs and ensure energy resiliency while providing a clean power source to support the stability of the electrical grid. 

 When complete, the network will be one of the nation’s largest customer-sited battery storage systems -- the first commercially-deployed for a transit operation – and serve as a model for using battery storage assets to supply power in congested parts of the grid. 

SEPTA Police and Body Cameras

from the inbox, amended for posting:

SEPTA Transit Police officers have been equipped with body cameras, tools designed to strengthen relationships with the public, and provide valuable evidence for investigations.

“We’ve done this because we believe it gives the SEPTA Transit Police Department more credibility with the community. They’ll have more trust in us, and feel there are additional checks and balances,” said SEPTA Police Chief Thomas Nestel III. “These cameras will also greatly aide with our investigative efforts by providing audio and visual evidence of officers’ interactions with the public and response to calls.”

The department-wide launch of the program started Jan. 1, 2016. This followed a pilot test that began in July 2014, with 15 officers field-testing cameras from several different manufacturers.

The success of the pilot program prompted SEPTA to pursue adding cameras for all officers. The SEPTA Board approved the purchase of Digital Ally First VU body-worn cameras and related accessories during its regular monthly meeting in July 2015. The overall program, including equipment costs and training, is approximately $400,000.

SEPTA has also adopted a policy for use of the body cameras. It provides guidance on when officers are required to activate the cameras, which in large part includes instances in which they are interacting with the public and responding to calls from police radio. The officer will provide verbal notice of the recording to the individuals involved. Officers will not record during breaks, while writing reports and performing administrative duties, or while having general conversations that are not related to an active incident. The policy also sets rules for the downloading and preservation of video.

This initiative enhances SEPTA’s overall video coverage of the transit system, which currently includes over 18,000 surveillance cameras at stations and on trains, buses and trolleys. 

Driving on I-80

Yesterday I drove halfway across the state on I-80.  It was the first time I've been on that highway.  It rained quite a bit of the time but here are a few impressions:

Trucks.  Lots of trucks.  If it weren't for the trucks I would have gone for miles without seeing another vehicle.

There aren't a lot of exits.  There also aren't rest stops like the rest stops on the Turnpike.  These rest stops just have bathrooms (men on one side of the building, women on the other) and vending machines (in the middle), no restaurants, no stores, no seating, no gas pumps.  I stopped at one rest area, and as I was leaving I noticed that there was a height strip on the door, like the ones in convenience stores and banks.  It marks feet and half feet (4' 4 1/2', 5' 5 1/2', 6', etc) so it is easier to give a good description of suspicious characters you see standing near the door.  This was not reassuring.  I paused inside to check my phone for accumulated emails.  I was the only person in the rest stop until a man stepped in.  He looked startled to see me and I could see his eyes dart to the height strip behind me.  Five feet, two and a half inches, big guy, and perhaps less dangerous than you seem to think.  I left so he could have the place to himself.

At the Turnpike rest stops there are usually opportunities to stretch your legs.  If nothing else you can walk around the parking lot. On I-80 the parking lots aren't large enough for that.  The one I was at was surrounded by woods, with no visible walking paths.  The indoor rest stops weren't large enough to do anything but a tight circle around the vending machines.

It might have been the weather but the landscape looked desolate, sort of like the English moors but with more trees.  The mountains are impressive but intimidating.  Perhaps at other times of the year the landscape is more inviting but this December, in rain and fog, with alternating stretches of empty road and herds of big trucks, it was not.

This might also have been a function of the rain, but it was hard to find radio stations.  For quite a while the clearest station I could find was talk radio.  The host was outraged over a proposed regulation mandating paid sick leave.  He would rant for a bit, then open the phone lines.  All the callers were in favor of paid sick leave.  Then he would rant a bit more and open the phones, and all the callers would be in favor of paid sick leave.  It was mildly entertaining but I was glad when I could find a station with Christmas songs.

It was an interesting experience.  I'm not sure I'd want to make that trip on a regular basis, though.

New SEPTA Schedules

Our friends at SEPTA are releasing new regional rail schedules on Dec. 13th, and some of the newly printed schedules have errors.  Use the online schedules instead.  You can read more here:  http://septa.org/schedules/2015-december-airport.html

SEPTA Special Schedule for Football Game

from the inbox:

As the region gears up for the national attention around the Temple vs. Notre Dame game on Saturday at 8:00 p.m., SEPTA will be making the following service adjustments:

·         Starting at 10:00am on Thursday, October 29^th, SEPTA Bus Routes 17, 33, 44, and 48 will be detoured from Market Street between 5^th and 8^th Streets. These detours will remain in effect through 1:00pm on Sunday, November 1^st due to ESPN’s College Game Day Live Broadcasts. Customers traveling to/from this area may wish to use SEPTA’s Market Frankford Line which has subway stops at 5^th and 8^th Streets along Market Street to avoid surface travel delays. Pedestrian access at 5^th Street Station will remain unaffected by local street closures.

• On Saturday morning, (4) additional trains will operate on the Market Frankford Line. These trains, departing from both 69^th Street and Frankford Transportation Center will make all local stops. Riders heading to the Game Day Live broadcast can use 5th Street Station for easy access to Independence Mall. Riders connecting from Regional Rail trains can transfer at Jefferson Station to the Market Frankford Line at 11^th Street Station. Free weekend parking is available at all SEPTA-owned Regional Rail Lots.

·         On Saturday evening, SEPTA will add (14) southbound train trips on the Broad Street Line beginning at 5:05pm. Operating in addition to regularly scheduled trains, these trains will make all local stops between Fern Rock Transportation Center and AT&T Station. The average trip time from Temple University/Cecil B. Moore Station is 19 minutes on local trains. AT&T Station is located adjacent to Lincoln Financial Field. Riders connecting from Regional Rail can transfer to the Broad Street Line at City Hall Station from Suburban Station and at Fern Rock Transportation Center. Additional northbound Broad Street Line service will be available at AT&T Station after the game ends. Riders connecting to Regional Rail should check their line’s schedule for late-evening departure information from Center City and Fern Rock.

Customers are encouraged to pre-purchase fares in advance to avoid lines and delays when traveling to/from any of the weekends’ special events. For additional SEPTA travel information visit www.septa.org

Sustainable SEPTA

modified press release from our friends at SEPTA:

Today SEPTA’s Board approved two sustainability projects that will reduce energy consumption and improve resilience – at no cost to the Authority.

The two projects –first, an $18.2 million energy retrofit of SEPTA five facilities and railcar fleets with high-efficiency technologies; and second, an estimated $26.8 million natural gas plant to power part of SEPTA’s Regional Rail system and its largest bus garage – will be financed entirely through energy savings guaranteed to SEPTA under the Pennsylvania Guaranteed Energy Savings Act (GESA).

Both projects will be designed and built by a certified energy savings company (ESCO) that specializes in energy efficient technologies to be deployed at each project location. Together, the $45.0 million in energy projects reflect a continued commitment to “budget neutral” implementation of SEPTA’s award-winning Sustainability Program. The ESCOs will be responsible for providing private capital and a savings guarantee; if the savings do not materialize, the ESCOs will be responsible for covering the difference in repayment. For this reason, SEPTA is able to use the self-funding approach to improve its environmental performance without utilizing the Authority’s own capital resources.

Energy Retrofits, SEPTA Facilities & Railcar Fleets SEPTA has finalized the design of an $18.2 million project with Constellation to retrofit five SEPTA facilities and railcar fleets with high-efficiency technologies. Construction will begin in Fall 2015. Facilities and railcar fleets to be retrofitted include:  

FACILITIES:
o Southern Bus Garage (1934 Johnston Street, Philadelphia)
o Berridge/Courtland Shop (200 W. Wyoming Avenue, Philadelphia)
o Fern Rock Shop (5801 N. 11th Street, Philadelphia)
o Germantown Shop (6721 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia) -

RAILCARS:
o Regional Rail (Silverliner IV, Silverliner V, Push-Pull Fleets)
o Broad Street Line (B-IV Fleet)
o Norristown High Speed Line (N-5 Fleet)

The retrofits reflect a broad range of improvements including: LED lighting, building insulation, HVAC controls, and water conservation. In total, the retrofits will generate more than $26 million in guaranteed energy savings over 17 years, an amount sufficient to pay for the entire project and still provide additional net savings to the Operating Budget.

Combined Heat & Power (CHP) Plant, Midvale Complex, North Philadelphia SEPTA has selected Noresco, LLC as the ESCO to design an estimated $26.8 million Combined Heat & Energy (CHP) Plant at SEPTA’s Midvale Complex in North Philadelphia. The proposed CHP plant would use twin natural gas generators to power the Wayne Junction Substation (serving the old Reading Railroad network) and Midvale Bus Garage (SEPTA’s largest, housing more than 300 buses) with clean, abundant and low-cost Pennsylvania natural gas.

Noresco will now conduct an investment grade audit (IGA) to determine the optimal configuration of the CHP Plant. To maximize the efficiency of the gas-powered equipment, the design will size the plant to provide base load power while assigning peak loads to the commercial power system. Excess heat from the CHP plant will cover the heating load at three additional nearby SEPTA facilities. Importantly, the CHP Plant would provide SEPTA with a resilient source of power in the event of a regional electrical grid outage, allowing trains to continue to operate to transport passengers safely to their destinations, even during a blackout. If the IGA determines the CHP Plant can be self-funded under the Pennsylvania Guaranteed Savings Act, the plant could be operational by 2017. 

New SEPTA Schedules

Our friends at SEPTA have announced some changes to transit routes, as follows:

New schedules for City, Suburban, and Victory Transit divisions go into effect beginning Sunday, September 6, Monday, September 7, and Tuesday, September 8, 2015.

Major changes include a return to rail service for Routes 15, 101, and 102, new weekend service added to Routes 11, 13, 34, and 36 and weekday midday schedule changes on the Norristown High Speed Line.

All SEPTA riders are being encouraged to check online and at service locations for new timetables.

SEPTA Work on Route 15 Trolley

from our friends at SEPTA:

SEPTA will conduct a track renewal project on a portion of its Route 15 trolley line from June 14-September 19, 2015. The track in this area was installed in the 1950s. 

The project will take place on Girard Avenue from 3rd to 7th Streets and from just east of Frankford Avenue to Susquehanna Avenue. Track replacement is necessary because the street structure supporting the tracks has deteriorated due to weather, traffic and the age of the road surface. SEPTA will excavate and replace approximately 9,800 track feet and repave the track area. The new track will result in reduced sound, as the continuous welded rail will eliminate rail joints; reduced vibration because the new rail is incased in an insulated rubber boot; and a smoother ride due to the new and improved track components. 

Buses will replace trolleys along the entire Route 15 from June 14-September 5, 2015. Trolleys will return between Frankford and Delaware Avenues and 63rd Street and Girard Avenue on September 6. Shuttle buses currently in use between Richmond Street and Allegheny Avenue and Front Street and Girard Avenue due to PennDOT construction will continue to operate in place of trolleys. 

The project will progress in moving three-block sections. Work will take place first along the section of Girard Avenue between 3rd and 7th Streets and then move to the area just east of Frankford Avenue to Susquehanna Avenue. Normal construction hours will be Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Weekend work may be required to maintain the project schedule.

Girard Avenue will remain open during the track renewal project; work will be kept within the trolley and travel lanes. All side streets in the construction areas will be closed to thru traffic, but local traffic will be permitted up to construction sites. Parking will not be permitted in the area or adjacent to the tracks being reconstructed, however, exceptions will be made for those with special needs. Walking access for businesses will be arranged. 

Some Thoughts on The Gallery

On average three days a week for the past 20 years I have walked through the Gallery, as one of the estimated 13,000 commuters who use Market East / Jefferson Station.  It’s a quick and easy way to get from the train station to the next point of my journey.  I have been reading the articles in the paper about the future of the Gallery, which has been slowly closing stores and clearing out the kiosks.  Without the ambient lighting from the stores and kiosks the walkways are fairly dark and dreary now.

I’ve gone through several stages of thought since the news broke that the Gallery would be closing.  At first I was concerned about public safety – after all, you can’t move 13,000 people from the underground walkway to the city streets unless you widen the sidewalks.  There just wouldn’t be room.  But then the number of people in the Gallery started to decrease.  These days the former streams of people walking through has slowed to a trickle.  There is room enough now for people to charge up their cell phones at the outlets along the wall.  In busier times there wouldn’t have been space for them to do that.  Either there are more high school students loitering around or they are easier to see now that there are fewer commuters there.  The train people I know well enough to ask tell me they have found other ways to get from Jefferson Station to wherever they go next.  They are unlikely to return.

Just the loss of the stores has taken a toll.  For me personally, the Gallery was the second most frequent place I shopped.  I bought something there once or twice a week.  The grocery store is the only place I spend money more frequently.  Granted some of my Gallery purchases were just snacks or cards but others were expensive (clothes, shoes, books, gifts, etc.).  I remember when there was a CVS along the way.  It often opened up early enough to catch the morning commuting crowd and I took advantage of that.   Several of the merchants saved me from disaster – a fruit tray for a work party when I left the one I intended to bring at home, flowers for a new colleague, gifts for the holiday toy drive, safety pins when a wardrobe disaster happened, and so on.  I will miss this quick fix to daily problems, and the convenience of being able to shop going to and from work. 

Mostly I will miss the camaraderie of my fellow commuters.  People were busy and in a hurry so there wasn’t a lot of conversation but if you dropped something someone would tell you or pick it up for you.  On a regular basis a group of deaf people met in the food court and watching their sign language conversations which, for all their silence, could get loud (at least judging by the large and adamant gestures), reminded me that the deaf have a vibrant community of their own.  For awhile a sharply dressed older man would sit facing the foot traffic and insist on making eye contact with the ladies.  I think he just wanted some attention.  One day I was going slower than usual because a toddler was wandering around and I wanted to make sure an adult was with him.  A man behind me was so close he nearly stepped on my heels.  I apologized and said I was just making sure the little boy was okay.  The man stared at me intently and asked “Well, is he?”  My interpretation of this is that he had noticed the boy, too, but did not feel comfortable pausing himself.  He had zeroed in on me as a “safe” women who was also concerned.  One day recently a group of high school kids was loitering in the area and two of the boys started circling each other, fists up.  I used the lowest voice register possible and yelled for them to cut it out.  They mocked me but scattered and I went off in search of a guard.  I helped police my corner of the universe and I saw others doing the same. A few years ago a middle aged man would hang around and try to chat up the teenage girls in school uniforms.  I was not the only woman walking by who told him to buzz off (or some similar to that).

Daily courtesies like friendly smiles, doors held, and so on, gave me a sense of community.  This is pretty much gone now, leaving with most of my fellow commuters.  If the renovation plans were public or if there were a published timeline I would view this as more of a temporary blip.  But all we have heard is that the real estate company that owns the Gallery seems to be in pursuit of the corporate retail unicorn – wealthy shoppers who will stop by every day and spend large sums of money.  There is talk of “upscale” stores and restaurants.  That excludes me and most of my fellow commuters as customers.  We can only provide regular reliable sales of a middling nature.  I do not think upscale stores (whatever that means) will find the location appealing enough, no matter how spruced up the walls and floors are.  Certainly they would not view my level of shopper as sufficient to move in. 

Personally I don’t see how you can do much better than having 13,000 people walk past your store front every day but I’m not a retail specialist.  I do mourn the loss of this pleasant way to begin and end my regular work routine.  Most of the commuters are gone.  I’ll stick around until the rest of the lights go out, but at some point I’ll have to find another way from point A to point B, probably up on the sidewalks or using another train station altogether.  Like the other train people I’ve talked to, I probably won’t return either.  For me, this is a shame.  I’ve enjoyed my walks through the Gallery.  They’ve been an important part of my life for two decades.

So, farewell to a much-loved place and to my fellow travelers, and to the merchants who sold us what we wanted or needed.  The walls and ceiling kept me safe and warm regardless of the weather.  I’m really going to miss this daily ritual.

Statistic on the number of commuters is from “Gallery Mall stores close for planned renovations,” by Valerie Russ, Philadelphia Inquirer 1/22/2105

SEPTA Statement on Controversial Ads

from the inbox:

A federal court judge presiding over a dispute between SEPTA and a group seeking to purchase advertising space on SEPTA vehicles has ruled that SEPTA must accept the ads, even if they contain messages that may be disparaging to riders and SEPTA employees. After careful consideration, SEPTA has decided not to appeal this ruling. Our policy was revised in October 2014 to allow the Authority to reject these types of ads without violating the First Amendment. However, this policy change was made after the American Freedom Defense Initiative’s (AFDI) initial request to purchase advertising space and is not applicable in the matter. 

Consequently, AFDI has executed a contact with SEPTA’s advertising management agency, Titan, to purchase advertising space on the side panel of 84 SEPTA buses. The ads will contain what some may view as anti-Muslim messages. These vehicles will be placed in normal inventory rotation throughout the SEPTA service area. The ads will begin appearing on vehicles during the first week of April for a four-week period. “We understand that our decision to not file an appeal will be disappointing to those who will be forced to view the disparaging ads,” said SEPTA General Manager Joseph M. Casey. 

“We are aware that the presence of the ads could anger the public, but caution that attempts to vandalize the ads or deface SEPTA vehicles will not be tolerated.” 

Abby Stamelman Hocky, Executive Director of the Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia said, “Ads like these violate our values, even if the judge ruled they do not violate the law. We applaud SEPTA for its efforts to restrict the placement of the controversial ads." The Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia has chosen SEPTA as a co-recipient of its annual "Dare to Understand" award, to be presented April 29, at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University. 

SEPTA regrets any discomfort that may be caused from viewing these controversial messages during the weeks they will be displayed. Those who wish to comment or voice their concerns may do so by completing a SEPTA Customer Service comment form at www3.septa.org/customerservice/. 

2015 International Operator Appreciation Day

Tomorrow, Wednesday, is International Operator Appreciation Day, and our friends at SEPTA would like us to thank our favorite SEPTA driver or operator.  In addition feel free to post notes about your favorite drivers or operators in social media.  On Twitter please copy @septa_social

Play nice, now, this is not a time to rant about a few bad apples.  There are some wonderful SEPTA employees out there.  Let's give them a shout out.

SEPTA Asks Regular Riders to Play Nice for Flower Show

from the inbox:

 Each year, the Philadelphia Flower Show (February 28 – March 8) attracts thousands of horticultural fans to the Pennsylvania Convention Center and SEPTA Regional Rail service. In anticipation of the increased ridership during the week of the Flower Show, SEPTA is asking its regular commuters to help welcome the new and infrequent riders.

“We want to remind our customers that there will be many new faces on regional rail trains,” Kim Heinle, SEPTA’s Assistant General Manager of Customer Service and Advocacy said. “Many of the show’s visitors are infrequent riders who may only take the train once a year or are taking it for the first time.”

Regular SEPTA commuters can welcome the new and infrequent riders by:
• Using overhead racks for large carry-on items
• Accommodating other customers that wish to use the middle seats
• Yielding priority seats to riders with disabilities and seniors
• Being courteous and patient with unfamiliar riders

The Quiet Ride Program will be temporarily suspended for the duration of the 2015 Flower Show beginning Saturday, February 28 and continuing through Sunday, March 8. Crews will be focused on safety, fare collection and announcements and will do their best to keep things from getting too noisy. SEPTA is asking regular riders to anticipate some conversation and commotion inside of the QuietRide Car during this heavy travel period.

SEPTA Ambassadors will also be out at Jefferson Station to greet and assist Flower Show visitors.

The 2015 ‘Celebrate the Movies –Lights, Camera, Bloom’ show will attract thousands of visitors. Held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, the annual Philadelphia Flower Show is the oldest and largest event of its kind. SEPTA’s Independence and Family Independence passes offer a convenient, economical way to travel into Center City for the show. Visitors can also purchase discounted admission tickets to the Flower Show at SEPTA sales offices, Regional Rail ticket offices and online at shop.septa.org.

SEPTA Updates for Tuesday Storm

from our friends at SEPTA:

 The winter storm moving into the region tonight is expected to bring snowy conditions that could impact SEPTA services on all modes of travel throughout the transit system. If the forecasts prove true, service disruptions are possible Tuesday morning. SEPTA is urging customers to plan ahead, and if possible, delay their morning commutes.

Below is a summary of some of the issues SEPTA may face, and steps being taken to maintain service and keep customers informed of possible disruptions:

• Proactive Measures & Additional Staffing: SEPTA will have additional personnel on-hand as of 8 p.m. Monday at the SEPTA Headquarters Command Center, and also in the field to monitor conditions. Personnel at bus depots and rail yards will take measures to address vehicle equipment concerns that come with this kind of weather. Track inspectors and maintenance crews, as well as signal maintainers and power crews, will be staged at various locations throughout the system to be available to address issues quickly. By deploying extra staff, SEPTA will be in the best possible position to quickly identify problems and take corrective action to minimize the impact to our riders. Crews will also run pilot vehicles on all trolley routes and the Norristown High Speed Line (NHSL) over night to keep the lines clear and ready for morning service.

• Twenty-Four Hour Market-Frankford Line and Broad Street Line Service: Due to the storm, there will be no OWL Bus service on the Market Frankford and Broad Street Lines — SEPTA’s two busiest routes. Trains will operate every 20 minutes, all-night. This will keep additional buses off potentially hazardous roads, and help with efforts to continue service on these vital transit arteries. Also, trains that are not being used for this overnight service will be stored in subway tunnels –out of the elements, and prepped for Tuesday morning’s commute.

• Regional Rail to Operate on a Severe Storm Schedule: Regional Rail trains will operate on a Saturday schedule. Wilmington/Newark Line service will be enhanced with service to Newark and Churchmans Crossing Stations. The Cynwyd Line will not operate. Complete Regional Rail storm service is available at www.septa.org/service/rail/midday-schedule.html.

 • Historically Affected Bus Routes to be Detoured: In case of heavy snow levels, SEPTA made need to cut back and possibly suspend bus service along routes that are historically impacted by storms, such as hilly areas or on tight streets. Bus detours will be posted online at www.septa.org/realtime/status/systemstatus.shtml. Look for the storm cloud icon for weather-affected routes.

o Beginning at 8 p.m. on January 26, Bus Routes 7, 9, 18, 19, 27, 32 38,48,65,92,94,95,97,99,103,124,107,117,119,120,126,G,H,XH, J, K, and L will be on detour

o Beginning at 12 a.m. on January 27, Bus Routes 14,20,22,23,24, 26,28,29,31,44,46,47,50,52,53,55,57,58,70,73,84,88,108,112,114 will be on detour

• Drifting Snow Could Impact NHSL: On Tuesday, January 27, the NHSL will operate with two-car trains every 20 minutes; however, potentially high winds can cause snow drifts, along the line. NHSL passengers should monitor SEPTA’s website and Twitter alerts for possible service delays.

• Customized Community Transportation (CCT) to Operate Limited Schedule: CCT is planning for limited service” Tuesday, January, 27, 2015, and will only provide eligible customer trips for dialysis, medical and work. Customers should anticipate delays due accumulated snow and icy conditions on streets and sidewalks. Additional service reductions or a suspension in service may become necessary should conditions deteriorate. Impassable streets and/or sidewalks not cleared of accumulated snow and ice may prevent safe boarding and transport. Customers should contact the Control Center at (215) 580-7720 to cancel trips if they don't plan to ride or to inquire about the status of any pending “Same Day” trips. Customers should call CCT Customer Service at (215) 580- 7145 for all other inquiries.

New SEPTA Emergency Snow Measures

from our friends at SEPTA; check their website for a list of Early Exit trains.

 Following last year’s harsh, cold weather conditions, SEPTA has released a new Winter Storm Service Plan to better accommodate customers trying to depart Center City during midday hours, improve service coverage and maintain service in the event of a winter storm. 

SEPTA Customer Connection Team members will distribute 2015 Regional Rail Winter Service Plan pamphlets to riders at Jefferson, Suburban, 30th Street, and University City Stations on Wednesday January 21, 2015 from 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. 

Under the new Winter service plan, SEPTA has identified two possible weather related situations, Severe Storm and Early Exit, that will alter normal weekday Regional Rail schedules. 

SEVERE STORM: A Severe Storm schedule will go into effect when the weather forecast calls for high snow accumulations, high winds and icy conditions.  

During a Severe Storm Schedule the following service modifications will go into effect:

• Regional Rail trains will operate on a Saturday schedule.

• Wilmington/Newark Line service will be enhanced with service to Newark and Churchmans Crossing Stations (see link below for details).
http://www.septa.org/schedules/rail/special/pdf/WIL_1.html

• Cynwyd Line service will not operate.

SEPTA will notify customers by 4:00 p.m. the day before the storm if a Saturday schedule will be in effect. Once a Saturday schedule is announced, it will not be reversed.

EARLY EXIT: The Early Exit service option will go into effect when the City of Philadelphia calls for an early closure of the Central Business District. In this scenario, SEPTA will shift resources and reschedule nine trains that normally operate during the peak evening rush. These nine trains which normally operate between the hours of 4:50 p.m. – 6:03 p.m. will instead operate between the hours of 12:00 p.m. and 12:40 p.m. Customers should note that when this special operating schedule goes into effect and the nine designated trains do not operate at their regularly scheduled PM Peak times, passengers who normally ride those trains during the evening peak period will have to take other available trains to complete their trips home. SEPTA will notify customers by 10:00 a.m. on the day of the storm if the Early Exit Schedule will be in effect. 

SEPTA Strategic Plan

Our friends at SEPTA have created a page on their website solely to present their strategic business plan.  You can read more at:  http://www.septa.org/strategic-plan/

I looked at parts of it but not all, and found it as informative as most strategic plans.  That being said, let me say again, as I have many times before, that I am a loyal and happy SEPTA rider.  The trains are mostly on time.  The conductors are friendly and professional.  The other riders are nice people.

SEPTA Shuttle Service on Manayunk / Norristown Line Two Weekends

-Due to track work along SEPTA’s Manayunk/Norristown Regional Rail Line, shuttle buses will operate in place of train service between Wissahickon Station and Elm Street Station for two consecutive weekends (September 6-7, 2014 and September 13-14, 2014).

Inbound:
Passengers traveling inbound to Center City will board shuttle buses approximately 35 minutes before regularly scheduled train times. After departing from Elm Street Station, buses will stop at Main Street, Norristown Transportation Center (NTC), Conshohocken and Spring Mill Stations before expressing to Wissahickon Station.

Shuttle buses will not serve Manayunk, Ivy Ridge or Miquon Stations. Inbound passengers traveling to these stations will need to transfer from shuttle buses to an outbound train at Wissahickon Station to complete their trips.

Trains will depart from Miquon Station eight minutes before regularly scheduled train times and will depart from from Ivy Ridge, Manayunk, Wissahickon Station, East Falls and Allegheny stations three minutes earlier.

Outbound:
Manayunk/Norristown Line trains will operate as far as Miquon Station. Trains will arrive at regularly
scheduled trip times up to Ivy Ridge Station before arriving at Miquon Station. Passengers traveling to stations beyond Miquon will board waiting shuttle buses at Wissahickon Station to complete their outbound trips. After departing from Wissahickon Station, buses will express to Spring Mill Station and will serve Conshohocken, NTC, Main Street and Elm Street Stations.

All passengers should plan to add approximately 35 minutes on their trips.

During shuttle bus substitution weekends, supplemental late night bus service will be provided for inbound and outbound passengers traveling between Manayunk and Elm Street stations.
Passengers can visit www.septa.org to view changes to their train lines and download the supplemental schedule.