Commuters face crowded, full trains after structural problem

PHILADELPHIA – The transit agency serving the city and its suburbs is warning regional rail commuters to expect crowded trains or even full trains that pass them by on Tuesday with a third of its regional rail cars sidelined by a structural problem.

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority is bolstering bus and trolley service and urging people to think about other options, especially getting to subway lines if they are close to the city, on Tuesday, the first business day since the problem was discovered Friday night.

SEPTA took all 120 Silverliner V cars out of service Friday after finding a fractured beam on one car and fatigue cracks on almost all other cars.

Trains will run on a Saturday schedule until further notice with additional rush-hour service, said Ron Hopkins, SEPTA’s assistant general manager for operations. But with 13,000 fewer seats, service on lines will be reduced by 30 per cent to 50 per cent, he said.

“Not everybody is going to see anywhere close to their regular levels of frequency,” Hopkins said, calling the situation “unprecedented” in his 26 years with the agency.

Regional rail usually transports about 65,000 riders each way per day. With the reduction in seats, the trains will probably be able to carry only 35,000 to 40,000 people, Hopkins said.

SEPTA said commuters will still have plenty of options, and officials are expanding bus and city and suburban trolley service and keeping city subway lines at peak service levels. It’s trying to increase parking options along those routes by arranging for free parking at two large lots in South Philadelphia and waiving some parking fees. It also is working with city, county, school and other entities to try to arrange for more parking along other transit routes.

SEPTA is encouraging people to get on earlier trains or take trains after rush hour. It will be working to supplement bus routes, and Amtrak is helping increase capacity on its Keystone line to Harrisburg, Hopkins said.

It hopes to be able to return Silverliner V cars through the summer and is trying to lease equipment from New Jersey Transit or Amtrak and add bus options.

Officials have said that service related to the Democratic National Convention at the end of the month is expected to involve the Market-Frankford and Broad Street lines more than regional rail lines.

Only five of the 120 cars were found to be without problems, and while it’s possible that parts of others can be used to return cars to service, more extensive tests are needed to determine whether that can be done, Hopkins said.

SEPTA is consulting with engineers to determine whether the Silverliner V beam cracks can be welded or whether all beams will have to be replaced. Although the Silverliner V cars have had other problems since their implantation from 2010 to 2013, those problems were addressed and reliability of the cars has been good, Hopkins said.