SEPTA Planning For Future Service Enhancements, Features
By Steve Tawa
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - SEPTA held an open house Wednesday, seeking public input on its new capital budget. The transit agency is telling riders that it has plans to take them from point 'A' to point 'B' more efficiently - and in style - in the coming years.
SEPTA'S vehicle acquisition priorities begin with replacing older locomotives, eight of which are well over 25 years old. Assistant General Manager of Operations Ron Hopkins says they'll go on the longer lines -- like Paoli-Thorndale, Lansdale-Doyestown, West Trenton and Trenton lines:
"We're looking at the delivery of these vehicles toward the end of 2016 or 2017. The cost factor for 13 locomotives is $140-million."
Hopkins says they'll be followed by multi-level coach cars on the Regional Rail Lines:
"So we gain almost a 50-percent increase in capacity per car that we would bring into town. We're doing this because over the last 15-years, our ridership has grown 50-percent."
SEPTA hasn't made a final decision, but it may be looking to add between 36 and 48 bi-level coach cars.
"We're doing some simulations, looking at our schedules, to see what is the best number," Hopkins says.
SEPTA also wants to replace more than 30-year old trolleys with trolleys with modern features, including an articulated, 'rail-like' design to increase capacity.
To avoid 'pass ups' when crowded buses don't stop, SEPTA is finalizing plans to buy more 60-foot articulated buses.
SEPTA's Director of Capital Budget and Grant Development, Catherine Popp-McDonough, told observers at the open house they could follow any of the projects underway or soon to be underway, including station improvements.
"It's an interactive website attached to the septa.org website," she explained.
You just click on a program, which will include the scope of the work.
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