THE DELAWARE VALLEY

RAIL PASSENGER Vol. XIV, No. 4

April 1996

$1.25

Published by the Delaware Valley Association of Railroad F OR MORE INFORMATION about DVARP and good Passengers, Inc. in the interest of continued, improved, rail service, please contact us: and expanded rail service for the present and potential P.O. Box 7505, railroad and rail transit passengers of southeastern Philadelphia, PA 19101 Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and nearby areas. 215-673-6445 609-869-0020

contents: page 2

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SEPTA Rescues I-95 Drivers After Tire Fire by John Hay The I-95 shutdown caused by the March 14 tire fire brought swarms of people onto SEPTA’s Railroad Division. As the tires burned, others learned—that SEPTA was there “at their service.” On the R3 West Trenton line, ridership increased by leaps and bounds. Andy Andrijiwskyj, director of the R3 line, described this increase and the steps that were taken to handle it. “We’ve had an average increase of 900 passengers per weekday in the morning peak,” he said. “Most of these are returning in the evening, so that’s about 1800 new riders.” In order to accommodate this tremendous surge, new parking spaces were to be added at Woodbourne and Yardley. At Yardley, nearly 100 new spaces were created on Sunday, March 24 by dumping gravel on vacant land, on the outbound side near the SEPTA substation. The situation at Woodbourne initially called for 20 extra spaces, requiring dumping of fill before adding gravel, as well as negotiating with Middletown Township for approval, a process which was not yet completed at press time. Andrijiwskyj did point to some progress at Woodbourne for customer convenience: “We dumped gravel on the wet spots in the unpaved parking lot to give customers a path from the car to the train, to keep their shoes dry.” Regarding seats for the new customers, Andrijiwskyj said, “We had four or five senior operations staff members on the trains or at the stations, talking to riders. Cars were added to all peak trains, and we had two extra trains of three cars each in the morning.” These extra trains, like any extra train of any kind anywhere, operated at no scheduled time, and without regard to any schedule; usually they departed West Trenton between 8 and 9 a.m., making all R3 local stops. Increased ridership in the evening was handled using additional cars on existing trains. Further south, on the R7 Trenton line, which parallels I–95 cheek-by-jowl from Eddington to Bridesburg, the situation was still more hectic. Fran Verna, director of the R7 line, described an initial morning peak increase of approximately 1100 riders. “As the fire was raging, we had maintenance crews at the stations, getting ready. We improved the lighting, especially at Bristol, fixed up all the platforms, and painted over graffiti,” said Verna. “We added cars onto every peak train, in and out, and we had two extra trains, one leaving from Bristol around 8:00, and one from Trenton around 9:00. And then we had an extra to Trenton in the PM. As the week went on, we adjusted our consists when necessary.” This level of preparedness led to fully occupied trains—and no standees. At press time, Verna estimated that between 400 and 450 customers stayed on SEPTA after I-95 was reopened (a 5 to 6 percent gain); post-reopening figures were not yet available for the West Trenton line. continued on page 5

Attend SEPTA Hearings This Month: see page 3 for details Schedule Change Alert: Daylight saving time begins April 7 Amtrak, SEPTA, and NJ Transit rail schedules change April 14

From the Editor’s Seat:

Pound Foolish First the blizzard, then the tire fire. Another ‘emergency,’ and the Governor and the Legislature don’t bat an eye spending millions of general fund dollars to fix the roads. Those same politicians turn to skinflints when SEPTA asked for reimbursement of the expenses it incurred to keep Pennsylvania moving after these events. Can they get any more stupid? Even if the majority of people in southeastern Pennsylvania use cars for basic mobility, our rail infrastructure is an essential back-up, whose worth has been proven again and again. Thousands of people switched to SEPTA while 95 was closed (see page 1). Could you imagine what the gridlock would be like if not only those people but the 16,000 who use the R3 and R7 lines every day tried to use the bottlenecked road? What would our hospitals and emergency services have done if essential workers couldn’t get in by train in the blizzard? Making sure SEPTA is in good working order and has the operating funds needed to run a good service is a cheap insurance policy. And in the long run, it’s cheaper to expand our rail system to accomodate a growing economy than it is to build new roads. But a bunch of politicians think SEPTA is a welfare program for Philadelphia, and they brag about cutting it. Call them. Write them. Let them know that starving SEPTA will mean

Pennsylvania losing jobs and taxes. penny-wise and pound-foolish.—MDM

It’s

Pennsylvania Yards? The Phillies wistfully look at Camden Yards in Baltimore as they try to get the state to help fund a new stadium. 7th and Pattison is the leading site, but the best site would be on air rights over the yards north of 30th Street Station. Great access by train or car, a good view, and there’ll be a better effect on the Philadelphia economy than if we put the stadium in the wasteland between 76 and 95.

Want More of Your Newsletter? We have lots of good news items and feature articles for the DVRP coming in each month: more than we have space to publish. Our 1996 budget calls for an average of 14 pages per issue. We have the material to publish 16 pages a month, or even more. Want to see it? Make an extra donation to DVARP today, and mark it ‘newsletter.’ News compiled by Matthew Mitchell and correspondents: Charles Anderson, Howard Bender, Tom Borawski, John Dawson, John Hay, Bob Machler, Don Nigro, Bill Ritzler Additional news from Amtrak Northeast, NRHS Cinders, Phila. Inquirer, Railway Age, USENET. Your news tips are always welcome! Phone 215-673-6445, message box 3 or mail them to DVARP

Inside The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger… 1 3

Railroad ridership swelled by tire fire. SEPTA hearings this month on operating budget, service cuts: be sure to testify Will SEPTA and other Pennsylvania transit operators get a share of proposed gas tax increase? 3-4 On the Railroad Lines: Yard opening delays postpone new schedule; Pioneers for sale. 4 Transit News Update: West Philly bus route changes, new trolley schedules. 7 PATCO issues its capital plan; DVARP comments on projects. 8 Atlantic City Line gets one-year reprieve from NJT Board; DVARP proposes improvements. 9 Amtrak News: Some service cuts in new schedules. 10-11 DVARP Directory, Dates of Interest, Amtrak Travel Survey. The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger (ISSN 1073-6859) is published monthly by DVARP; 104 Edison Ave., Collingswood, NJ 08108-3125. Membership dues are $16.00 per year ($10.00 for persons under 21 or over 65) of which $7.00 is for subscription to The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger. Entire contents copyright © 1996 DVARP, Inc., except photos, figures © 1996 credited artists POSTMASTER: send address changes to DVARP, P.O. Box 7505, Philadelphia PA 19101-7505.

DVARP President: Donald Nigro Newsletter Editor: Matthew D. Mitchell for other officers and committee chairs, see page 10 Opinions expressed in The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger are not necessarily those of DVARP or its members. We welcome your comments: call 215-673-6445 page 2

The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger

SEPTA Operating Budget Hearings This Month The Fiscal 1997 SEPTA Operating Budget will be the subject of public hearings this month in each of the five counties, but once again, SEPTA delayed public release of the draft budget. That’s hard to fathom this year, since Lou Gambaccini says the Board and the public will have to make tough choices about fare increases and service cuts because of declining state and Federal support. DVARP and its committees will examine the budget as soon as it is made available, and will prepare statements for approval at the April 20 DVARP meeting. DVARP storngly encourages its members to attend one or more of the hearings and speak up on the need for efficient rail service.

Hearing Schedule Monday, April 22, 1:30 pm, at West Chester Senior Center, West Chester Wednesday, April 24, 1:30 pm, at Bucks County Courthouse, Doylestown Wednesday, April 24, 7:30 pm, at Montgomery County Courthouse, Norristown Thursday, April 25, 7:30 pm, at Delaware County Government Center, Media Friday, April 26, 11:00 am and 5:00 pm, at SEPTA Board Room, 1234 Market St., Philadelphia.

Service Cuts Threatened To cut the projected deficit in the FY 1997 budget, SEPTA has proposed elimination of several lightly-used routes: the 4, 16, 76, and 121 buses, and the Welcome Line and Chestnut Hill trolley routes. Portions of several other routes: including 20, 32, 46, and 89, are to be cut as well. Sources say these are just the beginning: if increases in Federal, state, or local operating support do not come this year, further cuts including whole railroad lines are to be proposed. Hearings on the cuts will be held in May; see page 11 for the schedule, and be sure to attend. If you can’t get to the hearings, you can mail testimony to SEPTA at 1234 Market St., Phila., 19107

Gas Tax for Roads Proposed: Will Our Area Be Shortchanged? Governor Ridge and state officials are looking at a 6.5¢ fuel tax increase to pay (in part) for needed repairs to Pennsylvania highways, but the tax is running into legislative opposition. Some of the legislators are taking a hard line on any tax increase, while some Philadelphia-area representatives are demanding that our region get a fair share of the money to be raised. Southeastern Pennsylvania has only a small fraction of state highways, but generates a much larger share of state taxes. Some form of dedicated support for SEPTA may be the price of their vote, but two things make that difficult: the state constitution forbids the fuel tax to be spent on things other than roads (why don’t we require that the beer tax be spent on breweries?), and Governor Ridge reneged on a promise predecessor Bob Casey made to ‘flex’ $100 million of highway funds each year to make more necessary investments in mass transit. Either SEPTA and its supporters must struggle to get general funds appropriated each year, or another tax will need to be dedicated to transit investment.—MDM

Bipartisan Move to Increase SEPTA Funds Pennsylvania State Representatives John Taylor (R-Phila.), Kathy Manderino (D-Phila.), Anthony Hardy Williams (D-Phila.), and Pennsylvania State Senator Richard Tilghman (R-Montgomery) have introduced bills that will provide SEPTA with $27.5 million in operating funds and $70 million for important capital programs that the state has failed to fund for the current fiscal year. Urge your state representative today to support House Bills 2421 (capital funding) and 2420 (operating). Ask your state senator to support Senate Bills 1402 (capital) and 2403 (operating).—DN

On the Railroad Lines… No Delays From New Rules SEPTA has now complied with new FRA rules made after two train collisions in February (see March DVRP). Thanks to the convincing arguments SEPTA and other commuter rail operators made, the most short-sighted parts of the rules were rescinded, and the speed restrictions leaving certain stations

April 1996

will not have an appreciable on schedules or on-time performance.

Schedule Change Postponed The general schedule change on SEPTA’s commuter rail lines has been delayed until early May. Sources say that a delay in getting new yard facilities (particularly Frazer) on line is to blame at least in part. Details of the new schedules are not available yet. page 3

Pioneers Up for Sale SEPTA has published rebid invitations for its five Silverliner I cars, numbers 244–248 known to many as the Pioneers. Out of service since 1990 and stored at Frazer Yard, the cars are stripped of pantographs, traction motors, gear boxes, and air conditioning equipment. SEPTA buyer Earl Johnston said, “We’re looking at a minimum of $2500 per car, from any interested bidder. Anyone is welcome to bid on them.” Johnston mentioned that tourist operations might be interested in them; museum display, heavy commuter rebuild, or scrap are several unmentioned possibilities. The final bidding deadline is Thurs., April 25. Next month: a Pioneer retrospective

Bridge Contracts Let SEPTA has contracted with Frederic R. Harris, Inc. to provide professional services for the structural replacement of six rail bridges. Four are on the Chestnut Hill West line, one is on the Warminster line, and the other is on the Market-Frankford Elevated line. The exact locations of these bridges was not known at press time. Construction is scheduled for next spring.

R5

Track Project Resumes

New mid-day schedules are in effect on the Lansdale-Doylestown line as crews resume their reconstruction of the tracks. Work is currently being done from Ambler to Gwynedd Valley. The project is expected to continue for five months.

Bump! in the Night A rockslide near Gwynedd Valley blocked the Lansdale line tracks March 6. A DVARP member was on board the train which struck the rocks and mud. He reports the train did not derail and there were no serious injuries.

b CTD

SEPTA Proposes Part II of West Phila. Service Changes

Also on the docket for the SEPTA service hearings next month is the second phase of SEPTA’s West Philadelphia route restructuring. These proposals are designed to increase efficiency rather than cut service. The 38 and 43 will be rerouted to serve parts of Powelton and Mantua which are presently on Route 30. The 31 will end at 20th St. instead of City Hall, while the 30 will be extended to 69th Street. The route 46 Darby branch is to be eliminated.

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Norristown 140

New Schedules

Unlike Amtrak, the Suburban Transit Division of SEPTA will put its new schedules into effect when the time changes Easter Sunday. Most changes are minor, but the Route 100 Radnor Limiteds are being extended to Bridgeport. New weekday morning schedules will be implemented on the 101 and 102 lines. Some minor cuts in service are being made on the 104 bus, but service is increasing on the 124 and 125. Minor route changes are taking place on Frontier routes 95, 98, and 99. Following complaints made at a public hearing, SEPTA is turning deadheads into passenger-carrying runs on the Fox ChaseNewtown shuttle and the 210 bus. S

STD

¢

New Schedules

Light Rail Division schedules change April 7. Various running time changes are made on all five subway-surface routes. Saturday service on the 13 is being cut, and the 13 Yeadon-Darby shuttle bus will not run. Additional changes to the February schedules were made on CTD routes 8, 17, 66, 68, 88, and G. These and all SEPTA schedules are available by calling 215-580-7777.

LRD

Up and Down the Corridor news of other Northeastern transit systems

CSX Kills Baltimore Baseball Trains Claiming that the unpredictable return-trip schedules interfered with freight traffic, CSX Transportation, operators of MARC’s Camden Line, suddenly canceled MARC’s baseball train service to Camden Yards.

Please complete the Amtrak Travel Survey: page 11 Corrections/Clarifications •The “SEPTA Lines” newsletter mentioned last month is for employees, not passengers, and is not new. •The NJ Transit/NYSW agreement reported last month does not finalize plans to restore passenger service on the Susquehanna line. •Due to space limitations, the second part of James Thornton’s series on train crew scheduling and calling will appear next month instead of this month.

The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger

Riders Flock to SEPTA After Fire continued from page 1 Parking was not dealt with in the same way as it was at Yardley, but it was dealt with. Most noteworthy was the use of a shuttle bus between Franklin Mills Mall and Cornwells Heights station. This service ended after two weeks due to high costs. Parking was a definite problem further inward, and space—legal or not—quickly filled up, especially near Holmesburg Junction. Negotiations for parking rights in a lot near the latter station were underway at press time. Nor was SEPTA’s human touch lacking on the trains and at the stations. “We had customer service representatives at Bridesburg, Wissinoming, Tacony, Holmesburg Junction, Cornwells Heights and Trenton, and senior management riding the trains, to answer any questions people had. We also opened our district field office for the line manager, Gary Simmons, at Levittown,” said Verna. Simmons will maintain regular hours in this trailer office on a regular basis, in a manner similar to other line managers elsewhere on the RRD. The majority of these customers have gone back to their cars. But the many that have remained are indeed cause for hope—hope that those less than thrilled with driving and parking in the city will see SEPTA as a fast, clean and friendly alternative. For those who went back to their cars, they should try SEPTA again next year—in rehabilitated Silverliners with new, cheerful and clean interiors.

Could it Happen to SEPTA? Most of us are familiar with the images of the I-95 fire: a big red inferno; a black, smoldering pile; concrete beams and pillars delaminated or pulverized by the intense heat; traffic backed up on I–95 and other roads for miles around; other tire dumps resembling unappetizing bowls full of black licorice Cheerios; and arson suspects and their nasty attitudes. Wherever tires are dumped, they can be ignited—and yes, there are dumps next to SEPTA’s Railroad Division. Tire dumps can be seen by any RRD passenger entering or leaving the city. One such is located near North Broad station, in a vacant lot. Others exist along branches such as Chestnut Hill East. Some of these may be intentional dump sites, as was the operation along I–95. Others are obviously ersatz in nature—those in wooded areas, for example, created by careless car owners, or by April 1996

teenagers with nothing better to do but strip cars or just throw old tires in the woods. Philadelphia once had many factories alongside its railroads. Rubber was one of those industries, although hardly the only one or the most important. The Rubber Corp. of America is located next to North Broad station, in the Wright Building (originally a banknote company). This company manufactured belts, hoses, gaskets, and other rubber products, until the early 1980s at the latest. According to a DVARP member, this building is filled with tires or other scrap rubber. There have been numerous industrial fires along SEPTA RRD lines over the years, mostly along the Ninth Street Branch or the Northeast Corridor. One involving rubber occurred almost 20 years ago, in a building on the northwest corner of Broad and Lehigh housing Tire Kingdom, a discount tire chain. Operations were shut down north of Wayne Junction for a day or more, and Amtrak service was also affected. The building was destroyed; the surviving brick walls below street level still bear clear evidence of a blazing hot fire. So many other industrial fires have occurred alongside Philadelphia railroads that it is difficult to recount just one of them. But one of the worst occurred January 1, 1963 in the Fretz Building, which fronted on 11th and Susquehanna streets next to the Reading’s Ninth Street Branch. At the height of the 12alarm fire, the building collapsed, burying all five tracks, melting catenary, and destroying DI (Diamond) Tower, which controlled an interlocking (removed in 1992). For a few days, trains terminated at Wayne Junction or North Broad, while a shuttle service using RDCs and locomotive-hauled trains, along with the Reading–Pottsville trains, were run via the City Branch, under Pennsylvania Avenue, and across the Schuylkill on the Columbia Bridge. Shuttles went to Wayne Junction using the route used by B&O passenger trains until 1958. This was a long, time-consuming (and now unavailable) routing, at a time of early darkness and extreme cold. It was but a prelude to a PTC strike days later which overwhelmed the Reading with passengers and further problems. In past years, a considerable amount of transfer business was done at Logan station when the Reading line was blocked by fire, as passengers took the Broad Street Subway. Since 1992, the Fern Rock Transportation Center has efficiently taken over these duties page 5

from Logan, which was quickly abandoned and will be removed in an upcoming RailWorks®-type project between Wayne Junction and Glenside. One of the most recent industrial fires put the new Fern Rock to the test, when the Stanley Blacker complex along Allegheny Avenue burned in 1994. Tires possess obvious combustion hazards— not all of them intentional. Steel-belted tire scraps, or tires that have had their belts exposed through normal or abnormal wear, are susceptible to spontaneous combustion, because the oxidization of iron (rusting) generates heat. In addition to fire hazards, tires also pose health risks, as the water that collects inside them is an ideal breeding medium for disease-carrying mosquitoes. Rodents find such spaces inviting as well. What can you do about it? Write your City Council member and State Representative. Write or phone the Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections, directing your letter to L&I director Robert Barnett, especially with tips regarding persons involved. And don’t forget to tell DVARP about the existence of tire dumps abutting passenger rail lines.

Quotable: The bottom line From time to time, an insight appears to remind us of the bottom line. The following is excerpted from the United States Congress—Office of Technology Assessment report on Automatic Train Control. "People use a mass transit system to get from a point of origin to a point of destination, and they want to do it quickly, reliably, comfortably, and economically. The train is nothing more than a people box. The system designer’s job is to create a system which will enable that people box to traverse the transit corridor rapidly and reliably, day after day after day. The passenger doesn’t care—(and generally) has no interest in knowing—whether the train is controlled by a master centralized computer, or localized control—whether it is powered by AC or DC motors or by little squirrels running around in cages—whether it operates on standard gauge rails or extra wide rails—whether those rails are supported on timber cross ties or concrete cross ties. The passenger does care about being able to board his train every day at a preestablished time, riding in a clean and comfortable environment, arriving at his destination without being ruffled either physically or emotionally, completing the trip as quickly as is reasonably possible, and accomplishing it all at a fare which he considers to be reasonable. —Robert Johnston: former General Manager of PATCO.

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In the aftermath….. by Bill Ritzler I occasionally meet my wife at her aunt’s home in the Northwood section of Philadelphia, not far from Frankford High School, after DVARP’s monthly meeting of the Board of Directors. We agreed to this arrangement on March 16th. My fate that afternoon was thus sealed. My normal route would be to walk to the 15th street station of the Market-Frankford Subway Elevated (MFSE), ride eastbound to MargaretOrthodox, and walk six blocks northwest. During the reconstruction , the SEPTA has offered an alternate express shuttle bus service between downtown and Bridge-Pratt, the MFSE terminal, and a local shuttle bus between either Spring Garden or Huntingdon and Bridge-Pratt. My experiences with the local shuttle were extremely negative (see previous DVRP). I have usually opted to take the express bus, and while the conditions of the equipment were less than optimal, the ride has usually been swift and service frequent. Enter the I-95 Tire Fire… 4:07 PM: Bob Machler and I leave for Suburban station. My intent is to use the R7 to Bridesburg and catch a Route 73 or “EL” shuttle to BridgePratt. 4:15 PM: Bob and I arrive at Suburban Station. 4:16 PM: Bob proceeds down to the platform while I struggle in vain to get a ticket machine to accept my dollar bills. I refuse to pay the penalty fare. 4:17 PM: The R7 leaves without me. I decide to head for the express “EL” shuttle. 4:28 PM: After being stopped by three groups of people asking directions, I finally arrive at the 11th St. bus shelter on Market St. 4:30 PM: The express “EL” shuttle arrives. The articulated bus is warm, displays marker-pen graffitti, and has a faint odor of fumes, as described by Bill Mulloy earlier in the year. 4:40 PM: The bus enters I-95 from Race Street. 4:43 PM: Dead Stop. We have just passed the Girard Avenue exit and are caught in the traffic congestion. 4:53 PM: The bus exits I-95 at Westmoreland and follows the detour along Delaware Ave. 4:58 PM: The bus re-enters I-95 at Castor Avenue. 5:10 PM: The bus arrives at Bridge-Pratt. I get off, and proceed toward a Route 24 bus on Pratt Street. Before boarding the bus, I inquire about the departure time of the bus. The driver, with a friendly demeanor, responds “in a minute or so”. 5:15 PM: The bus departs. 5:18 PM: The bus arrives at Pratt and Large Streets. As I get off, the driver wishes me well.

The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger

DVARP Replies to PATCO “Budget” On March 2nd, PATCO released information about a proposed program of projects and budget for capital improvements. PATCO is making application to receive both Section 3 and Section 9 funding from FTA. The following information is taken from FTA application documents.—BR ADA Compliance—For engineering and construction alteration to the PATCO system to improve access for disabled riders. The program includes improvements to key and non-key stations, as well as other facilities. The project currently exists and this request for funding is made so that PATCO can continue work. The DRPA has agreed to bring the PATCO system into ADA compliance by July, 1998. Total Cost: $4,375,951.00 Reverse Signaling—for construction of bi-directional 2 track signals from Ferry Ave. to Lindenwold. The project is needed to assure efficient operation of PATCO trains during periods of regular service and under conditions requiring withdrawal of track segments from operation to complete major replacements or maintenance work. The project currently exists and this request for funding is made so that PATCO can continue work. Total Cost: $1,000,000.00 Running Track Crossties Replacement— for systemwide replacement of ties and components. This project is needed to replace existing wooden ties and components, many of which are original to the system and are reaching the end of their life cycle. This is the initial application for funding of this project. Additional funding is expected to be sought in future years. Total Cost: $452,929.00 Transit Car Upgrade and Overhaul—for completion of the upgrade and overhaul program for the original 1968 Budd built PATCO cars. The project is needed to increase vehicle efficiency, safety, and life expectancy. After the three cars covered by this grant request are completed, all 75 of the Budd built cars will have been overhauled. Total Cost: $1,200,000 Track Upgrading—for replacement of curved track, ties and components. Some parts of the track infrastructure covered by this funding request were installed when the Camden Bridge Line was originally completed; other segments were installed in the mid 1960`s when the PATCO line was constructed. Curved track will be replaced between the 9th-10th & Locust and 8th & Market stations on track #2. Track ties and components will be replaced throughout the system. The project currently exists and this request for funding is made so that PATCO can continue work. Total Cost: $400,000.00

Embankment Restoration—for erosion repair and drainage rehabilitation/control along the track ROW. The area bounded by milepost 4.7 in Camden and 11.95 east of Woodcrest station has experienced damage to the integrity of the track, caused by recent storm damage, as well as deterioration due to several factors, including years of overall improper drainage. Engineering design work is in progress and should be completed by April, 1996. Additional funding will be requested in future years. Total Cost: $1,200,000.00 Facilities Support Equipment—for the procurement of (unspecified) equipment which is necessary for the continued maintenance and safety of PATCO facilities and railway equipment. Total Cost: $100,000.00 Engineering for Projects—for the augmentation of engineering design funding for various (unspecified) projects, including fiber optics, electrical cable, and interlocking projects. Total Cost: $281,951.00 All dollar figures shown reflect 80% federal grant / 20% local match.

DVARP’s public statement The Delaware Valley Association of Railroad Passengers has reviewed the capital improvement program mentioned above. Our positions with respect to the various project components are outlined as follows: Reverse Signalling: DVARP does not support this project due to lack of detailed information about the scope and elements included in this project. In the event that PATCO service were to include operation of a second branch, possible service reductions between Woodcrest and Lindenwold and/or the lack of compatibility with a new train control system would reduce the useful life cycle of this project. Crossties replacement: DVARP supports this project as necessary for the continued safe and efficient operation of the PATCO system. Transit Car Upgrade and Overhaul: DVARP supports this project as necessary for the continued safe and efficient operation of the PATCO system. DVARP encourages the DRPA to begin planning for the process of overhaul on the Vickers cars delivered in 1980. Track Upgrading: DVARP supports this project as necessary for the continued safe and efficient operation of the PATCO system. ADA Compliance, Embankment Restoration, Facilities Support Equipment, Engineering for Projects: DVARP does not support these projects due to lack of detailed information about the scope and elements included in this project.

continued on page 8 April 1996

page 7

AC Line Survives: DVARP has ways to improve it Frank Wilson, New Jersey State Transportation Commissioner and Chairman of the NJ Transit Board of Directors, has at least one eye directed towards derailing the Atlantic City Rail Line within the next year. This despite the fact that ridership and revenue have grown by 7.1% and 20.3% respectively in the past year. According to staff, the line has a cost recovery rate of 21.5% which is the lowest in the NJ Transit rail system. DVARP will be investigating how NJ Transit calculates the line’s fully allocated costs—whether system wide central costs, such as telephone customer service, are allocated by passenger trip or by scheduled train. At the March 26 NJ Transit Board of Directors meeting, staff recommended to the Board that service continue for a minimum of one year after next year’s scheduled opening of the new convention center adjoining the Atlantic City Rail Terminal. The Board rejected this recommendation and instead took a harsher course. With a 6-0 vote, the Board permitted service to continue up to one year, and instructed staff to meet with casino operators and Atlantic City officials within the next 90 days to see if they are willing to provide financial support for the line. At the Board meeting in Newark NJ, DVARP President Don Nigro strongly encouraged continued rail service between Atlantic City and Philadelphia. On March 21, 1995, DVARP submitted eight suggestions (see April ‘95 DVRP) to NJ Transit on ways to increase the rate of ridership growth on the line. Nigro expressed gratitude that several of these suggestions have been implemented (see March ‘96 DVRP) and asked that the remaining suggestions be given a thoughtful second review. Board Member John Ekiarus instructed staff to do just that. Separate from the previously submitted suggestions, Nigro requested that the Board instruct NJ Transit staff to determine the optimum propulsion and consist technology for the Atlantic City line given its ridership levels and physical characteristics and to then report the findings to the Board. The equipment now in use is ill-suited for the Atlantic City Rail Line. Presently, the consist is a 400,000 pound, 3,000 horsepower locomotive pulling two coaches—an expensive, wasteful application of locomotive push-pull technology. Such propulsion and consist page 8

technology is much more efficient at a length of five or more coaches. As an alternative to the present equipment, diesel multiple unit (DMU) train sets are more suited to the current and future service patterns of the Atlantic City Rail Line. With DMUs, the use of an underutilized, heavy, fuel-guzzling locomotive is avoided, and the result is a large cost savings in propulsion and track maintenance and fuel consumption.—DN

More Suggestions for the ACRL Improve the travel time by eliminating the extra padding within the schedule. The scheduled time from Philadelphia to Cherry Hill and back should be 20 to 22 minutes respectively, not a varied range from 23 to 30 minutes. Allowing only two minutes padding, the Absecon to Atlantic City scheduled travel time should be ten minutes, not 15 minutes as in present schedules. The Atlantic City Rail Line, a fixed guideway system, should offer a significant time advantage over the #551 Philadelphia-Atlantic City Bus; presently, it does not; Improve reliability by loosening the stringent Delair Bridge navigational opening requirements from the currently, and possibly artificially, high level to that of the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge. Furthermore, general infrastructure improvements on the Delair Bridge and [especially] its embankments should be considered to allow for greater speed and reliability; Open pedestrian and automobile access to the Cherry Hill Station from Route 38. Presently, this site is unquestionably the most pedestrian-unfriendly station in the state. Its auto accessibility also merits substantial improvement; In conjunction with doubling the number of trips continuing to and originating from Philadelphia, cutback the transit redundancies through rationalizing the Philadelphia-Atlantic City bus service; Restructure Ocean City bus service to offer wellcoordinated feeder bus service between Absecon Station and the Ocean City bus terminal via the Garden State Parkway, even if initially only during the summer on the weekends;

PATCO Capital Project Statement continued from page 7 Pursuant to the solicitation by the Delaware River Port Authority for public input on these projects, the Delaware Valley Association of Railroad Passengers formally requests that a public hearing be conducted to address those projects that have been submitted without detailed information.

The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger

Amtrak Trims Corridor Service New Amtrak Northeast schedules taking effect this month include a number of minor service cuts intended to help balance the budget, and other changes to better match service with demand. NortheastDirect Washington-New York service will see the elimination of the 10:00 am northbound weekday departure from 30th Street, the 6:00 pm southbound, and a weekend evening trip. Boston service is being cut by one Saturday round trip. However, the 7:33 am Clocker and its 5:13 return from New York are being extended to/from Washington. This change makes all the Philadelphia-New York commuter service part of the NortheastDirect product line instead of being shared with the Keystone service. Two weekday Metroliner round-trips will be cut, but consists on the remaining trains will increase from six cars to seven. Some trains will be 3-5 minutes slower. On the Keystone/Clocker line, the first eastbound Harrisburg train will sit even longer at 30th Street. Amtrak is going to encourage New York-bound passengers to make an across-the-platform connection to NortheastDirect train 170 for a faster ride. Amtrak promises enough seats for riders boarding at Philadelphia.

New Bosses at Intercity BU Mark Cane is the new CEO of Amtrak’s Intercity Business Unit, responsible for most of Amtrak’s long-distance trains. Cane previously held several vice-president posts with Burlington Northern. The business unit is one of three set up when Amtrak president Tom Downs restructured the company. Following the devolution of more responsibilities from Washington to local managers, Amtrak has launched another new marketing tack, with emphasis on local advertising for specific routes and services. In a Wisconsin ProRail meeting, John Chatas, Marketing Manager for the Intercity Business Unit announced that Amtrak would soon offer duty-free shopping on trains crossing the USA-Canada border. The International will be the first train to get the service.

Amtrak Notes •Keystone Service manager Steve Alleman is stressing increased communication with his customers. A weekly newsletter is now published, and a semiofficial schedule and travel guide has been placed

April 1996

online at http://www.microserve.net/~amtrakpa/ You can direct your comments and suggestions to Alleman at 717-232-3329 •Amtrak offers a new Explore America fare with even more flexibility than the All Aboard America plan. The spring fares of $158 for one region, $198 for two regions and $278 for the entire Amtrak system enable a passenger to travel for up to 30 days with unlimited stopovers. Summer fares are $50 higher for travel after June 16, 1996. All travel must be booked by May 15, 1996. •Ride NortheastDirect or the Keystone Corridor in April or May, and Amtrak will send you two free movie passes. Details are found on the mail-in coupon required for the deal. You can get the coupon at any Amtrak station in the area.

Amtrak Fares Boosted Again If you haven’t ridden Amtrak since early February, you may be in for a surprise the next time out. Corridor fares are substantially higher, and it is now more difficult to change or cancel reservations on long-distance trains. Obviously, if it is to survive, Amtrak needs to increase its revenue yield. But at the same time, there is a danger that the carrier will attempt to reduce its costs by reducing service, and then use higher fares to reduce demand to match its now lower capacity. The end result can be a rail service that runs too infrequently to be useful, and is in any event unaffordable. On the Northeast Corridor, peak charges have been reimposed on Fridays and Sundays after 11:00 am for trips south of Philadelphia. Previously these were only imposed if you went north. One way fares to Washington from Philadelphia are now $33 off-peak and $39 peak, up from $28 good on all days. A trip to New York now costs $36 off-peak and $45 peak each way. [Note: The SEPTA-NJ Transit combination still costs $24 round trip.] For those booking longer trips, it will now cost $20 to change or cancel reservations, once tickets have been purchased. Originally, Amtrak had planned to make these tickets nonrefundable, thereby imitating airline policy, but it later changed its mind and will now simply hold back $20. How will these changes affect your plans to travel on Amtrak? What position should DVARP take? If you travel regularly, or occasionally, on Amtrak, please complete the questionnaire and return it to DVARP, P.O. Box 7505, Philadelphia, PA 19101. Thank you.—JAD

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DVARP Details Transit-Friendly Meeting Scholars, planners, and activists met last month at the University of Pennsylvania to discuss ‘Transit-Friendly’ development. The Penn chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers, led by Glenn Standifer, organized the meeting with help from DVARP’s Bill Mulloy. The meeting featured a video on how transit fits into attractive city and suburban development. Matt Mitchell was a last minute substitute for Don Nigro as DVARP’s speaker at the meeting. Mitchell said that transit planners and suburban residents had many shared goals, but the benefits of transit-friendly development need to be expressed in way suburban residents will react positively to.

DVARP Speaks at State Hearings The week of March 26 was a little busier than most for DVARP President Don Nigro. After speaking at the NJ Transit Board of Directors meeting on Tuesday, he offered input at a meeting of the Transportation Committee of the Southern New Jersey Development Council on Wednesday. On Thursday, Nigro testified before the Pennsylvania State Transportation Commission in support of additional funds for SEPTA and the need and ways to improve travel time, passenger comfort. ridership and operational efficiencies on the Railroad Division. Friday, he had a meeting at SEPTA headquarters. On Saturday, Nigro spoke on behalf of DVARP at the NARP Region III meeting held in Scranton. At the meeting, Richard J. Peltz, PennDOT Deputy Secretary for Local & Area

Transportation, was the guest speaker and publicly congratulated Nigro for the valuable testimony he presented to the Pennsylvania State Transportation Commission on Thursday. Finally, on Sunday, Nigro manned a table for five hours at an area railroadiana show in an effort to gain a few additional memberships for DVARP as well as support for several of the organization’s causes.

Trolley Coalition to Discuss New PCC At its meeting next month, the Philadelphia Trolley Coalition will hear a presentation on a plan to build low-cost PCC-type streetcars at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. PTC’s March newsletter has more information about this proposal; the meeting will be Sat., May 4, 2:00 in the PCC trolley at the Transit Museum, basement level, 1234 Market St.

“Philadelphia Rails” at Atwater Kent Philadelphia’s own historical museum has a special exhibition, opening April 13, on trains and trolleys in Philadelphia from 1830 to the present. The Atwater Kent Museum is at 7th and Market Sts., and is open from 10:00 to 5:00 every day but Tuesday and Wednesday. A plethora of special events are being held in conjunction with the exhibition. Illustrated lectures each month at the Balch Institute are held at the same time as DVARP’s general meetings, but cover interesting topics like Broad St. Station and “My Life on the Reading.” A special excursion trip will be made on April 13: contact the museum at 9223031 for information and reservations. Tickets for the trip are $25.00. Also contact the museum for information on the Saturday children’s program: “Paint Me a Train.”

DVARP Phone & Voice-mail Directory

DVARP main number (voice mail line).....215-673-6445 Bill Mulloy, Transit Committee.................215-673-6445 John Hay, Commuter Rail Comm................215-673-6445 Matthew Mitchell, Newsletter Editor ........215-885-7448 John Dawson, Amtrak Committee...............215-673-6445 Sharon Shneyer, External Affairs .............215-386-2644 Robert H. Machler, Vice President ............215-673-6445 Bill Ritzler, South Jersey Committee .......609-869-0020 Jason DeCesare...........................................215-673-6445 Don Nigro, President..................................609-869-0020

Amtrak Notes •The Cape Codder will return this year, but not directly from Philadelphia or New York. The train will instead originate in Boston, with connections made at Providence. Service to Hyannis is offered on Friday, returning Sunday. Reservations required. •Seasonal service to Saratoga will also be offered this summer, supplementing the Adirondack. Northbound trips from New York will run Friday and Saturday, with return trips Saturday and Sunday •The Coast Starlight is back on a seven day per week schedule.

Computer e-mail (internet) ................... [email protected] World-Wide Web .... http://libertynet.org/~dvarp/dvarp.html page 10

The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger

Amtrak Travel Survey Please complete the form and mail to DVARP, PO Box 7505, Philadelphia, PA 19101 1. How many times have you ridden Amtrak during the past 12 months? To what cities? 2. Will the higher fares now in place along the Northeast Corridor, affect your willingness to use Amtrak for a) travel to New York? Yes ___, No ___; b) travel to Washington? Yes ___, No ___; If yes, how will it affect your choice of mode? 3. Have you booked reservations during the past 12 months for travel on long-distance trains? [Do not count travel on the Northeast (Boston-Richmond), Keystone, or Empire Corridors.] Yes ___, No ___. 4. Does the imposition of a $20 penalty for changes or cancellations affect your willingness to make future reservations on long-distance trains? Yes ___, No ___; If yes, explain.

Dates of Interest DVARP Transit Committee: Wed., Apr. 10, 5:30 to 6:30 at 30th Street Station, south concourse exit opposite Post Office. Call Bill Mulloy, 215-673-6445, message box 1, for more information. IEEE Vehicular Technology Society: Wed., Apr. 10. 7:00 at Lebow Engineering Center, Drexel University, 31st and Market Sts. Guest: Michael McNamara—"Automatic Train Control Signalling on the MarketFrankford Line." Phone Mike McNamara at 215-568-6210 for more information. TransAction ‘96 (New Jersey State Transportation Conference): Wed. and Thurs., April 10 and 11 at Trump Plaza, Atlantic City. For registration or more information, call 908-903-1122. New Amtrak, SEPTA and NJT rail schedules in effect April 14. SEPTA Citizen Advisory Committee: Tue., Apr. 16, 5:15 at SEPTA Board Room, Mezzanine level, 1234 Market St., Philadelphia SEPTA On Site (Suburban Transit): Wed., Apr. 17, 7:30 to 9:30 am at 69th St. Terminal and Norristown Transportation Center. NJ-ARP: Wed., Apr. 17, 6:30 pm in Red Bank. Phone Jim Ciacciarelli, 908-727-3173 for more information. DVARP South Jersey Committee: Time and date to be announced Please phone 609-869-0020 or 215-6736445 for schedule. DVARP Commuter Rail Committee: Thurs. Apr. 18, 5:30 at Food Court, Liberty Place, 17th and Market Sts. DVARP Amtrak Committee: Sat., Apr 20, 12:00, Food Court, Liberty Place, 17th and Market Sts.. DVARP General Meeting: Sat., Apr 20, 1:00 to 4:00 at TUCC, 1616 Walnut St., Philadelphia. SEPTA Operating Budget Hearings: Mon. April 22 through Fri., April 26. See page 3 for details. Pennsylvania primary election day is April 23. Please be sure to vote. SEPTA Board Meeting: Thurs., Apr. 25, 3:00, at mezzanine level, 1234 Market St., Philadelphia Deadline for May newsletter material: Wed., May 1, to Matthew Mitchell or in DVARP mailbox. SEPTA Service Reduction and West Philadelphia Bus Route Reorganization Hearings: Wed., May 1, 6:30 at Ben Franklin High School, Broad and Green Sts.; Thurs., May 2, 1:00 at Doubletree Hotel, Roosevelt Blvd. and Grant Ave. and 6:30 at Christian Stronghold Baptist Church, 4655 Lancaster Ave; Fri., May 3, 10:00 at 1234 Market St. Delmarva Rail Passenger Association: Thurs., May 2, 7:00 pm at Legislative Hall, Dover. Phone Ken Berg, 410-648-5961, for information. Philadelphia Trolley Coalition: Sat., May 4, 2:00 at SEPTA Transit Museum, 1234 Market St., Philadelphia. DVARP Transit Committee: Wed., May 8, 5:30 to 6:30 at 30th St. Stn., south concourse opposite Post Office. IEEE Vehicular Technology Society: Wed., May 8. 7:00 at Lebow Engineering Center, Drexel University, 31st and Market Sts. "Satellite Communications on Amtrak." DVARP Commuter Rail Committee: Thurs. May 16, 5:30 at Food Court, Liberty Place, 17th and Market Sts. DVARP General Meeting: Sat., May 18, 1:00 to 4:00 at TUCC, 1616 Walnut St., Philadelphia. Listings based on information provided to DVARP. Contact sponsor to confirm time & place. Call 215-673-6445, message box 3, to add your event to this calendar.

April 1996

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