How come SEPTA generally does not offer high speed service or express, lets say from Trenton to Cornwell heights, or North Phila non stop. Remember we are still at the automobile age. Most people still drive to Philly compared to N.Y., Think about it. Septa might gain more ridership if it offers express service like NJT trains do. SEPTA trains are slow in conjunction with an indirect route to Chestnut Hill, wich goes merry go round around Philly, and up to Chestnut Hill. Sadly SEPTA has a regional rail map infastructure that is very poor compared to NJT. I bet the NYC subways offer high speed service compared to SEPTA. In fact the SEPTA infastructure is much more like a poorly infastructured subway system. It’s ironic that these trains go from 80 to speeds of 100 mph.Septa should at least offer express service form Chestnut Hill to Philly or Philly to Trenton NJ. SEPTA 's railroading is primitive with its PA train stations. Conductors still hang on to the outside with train doors open, when train is in motion, and you are not even allowed to ride in the vestibule with a service that is not even an express, while you can witIh hi speed NJT or Amtrak trains, without conductors saying you can’t ride in the vestibule. Common what is this!!! That’s what happens when you are at a Philly market area. That’s why I will always be a New Yorker at heart, though I think Center City is nice, especially with it’s cool futureistically architechted mall, the Gallery. Allot of people think Philly is a smaller dirtier city compared to N.Y. because I assume they wind up in the uptown like areas away from Center City when they go to their silly ball games. People don,t get a chance to get to see Center City. Anyway despite all that I still choose New York, and SEPTA, It’s the 21st century, it’s time to renovate your Rail infatructure. You are telling car drivers not to ride your trains, you executives. I love trains. Trains are fast but people are slooow. Common SEPTA time is running out!!!
HAY YOUR TALKING ABOUT MY HOMETOWN PHILADELPHIA NOW!! [angel]I will say this much Philadelphia has what every other big city has, there are nice areas, bad areas, drugs, mass transit, …ect.
I will say this much. I do think Septa needs to think about upgrading their exsiting track and equipment. I do believe they have new Silverliners on order though.
Septa does offer express services, during peak hours. Useually, trains that have the most passengers like the R5,R3, and R2 tend to run expresses were they don’t stop at certain stations. The R5 is one of the mainlines that does run expresses. There are also some trains that are just center city locals.
Personally, I don’t think the subway lines in Philly are horrible, I think they are rather unique. They are most certainly not like New York’s vast subway system, which reaches just about every block in the city limits. Something that you have to take into consideration too is the fact that Philadelphia is a much smaller city compaired to New York, and doesn’t have as many people either; so of course Philly’s subways aren’t layed out or as big as New York’s subways.
In my opinion I think the unique thing about Philly’s subways are the fact that they all come together at a central location just like the regional rail lines, that place is right in the heart of downtown Philadelphia, in the city hall area. If you look at Septa’s High Speed System Map you will see were all the lines come together. This was an accomplement that Septa had done shortly after it was created, in which no one said it could be done, the connected the Reading and Pennsy Lines. All subway lines also begin and end at Transportation Centers that offer bus, light rai, heavy raill, and regonial rail service. The subway lines also spread out
Every rail transit system has its strengths and weaknesses.
Say I arrive at Penn Station on NJT or Amtrak or the LIRR and want to make a close connection at Grand Central for a Metro North train to Westchester or Connecticut. Lots of people are in that position. So what choice do I have? I go up to the center express platform and two locals go north to the connection with the 42nd St. Shuttle at Time Square before an express comes and so I have to take a later Metro North Train. And if I go to the local platform, the reverse happens! You would think by now the TA would have lighting NEXT TRAIN NORTH sign at the foot of each stairway in the passegway from Penn Station, but do they? (But maybe they will read this and they will!)
Boston and Philadelphia kept the most important of their streetcar lines that ran into their respective trolley subways and got new quipment. The first major Manhattan streetcar line that was replaced by buses was by then owned by GM and used the streetcar subway that had started out as the New York and Harlem’s line south of Grand Central, from 41st Street down to 33rd Street, and it became a private car and taxi tunnel. Similarly all streetcar PRW on the East River Bridges, Brooklyn, Manhattam Willliamsburgh, and 59th Street, which were performing a very useful mass transportation function, are now vehicular lanes.
The Tax base of NY is far greater than either Philadelphia or Boston, and so there is more money both for commuter rail and the local transit system.
Philadelphia’s Media, Sharon Hill, and Norristown lines are more fun for railfans or anyone to ride than anything in NY.
Why isn’t Staten Island and its third rail compatible rapid transit system connected directly to the subway system? The B&O electrified with equpment and electrification compatible completely with the BMT system expecting the city to build the connection. But
SEPTA is in the midst of a infrastructure and equipment upgrades. The rail division’s odd make up is a result of it being a combination of PRR and Reading lines, that weren’t designed to interconnect.
Like everything else in Philly, SEPTA has it’s share of money issues, patronage, and political infighting. SEPTA biggest problem mirrors that of the region as a whole, the suburbs (Regional Rail) vs. the city (Subway/Bus/Trolley). The burbs don’t want to subsidize the city division and the city division doesn’t want to divert money to the regional rail division. And with SEPTA’s board skewed to the city division, they take care of the city division first.
SEPTA does offer express service during the peak times. But if makes little sense to offer expres service when the off peak ridership doesn’t warrent.
Nick