textfiles/magazines/DELAWARERAIL/dvrp9301.txt

The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger

 

Electronic Edition

 

January, 1993        Vol. XI, No. 1

 

Published by the Delaware Valley Association of Railroad Passengers

in the interest of continued, improved, and expanded

rail service for the present and potential railroad and rail transit

passengers of southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and nearby

areas.

 

For more information about DVARP and good rail service, please

contact us: P.O. Box 7505, Philadelphia, PA  19101   215-222-3373

 

The Electronic Edition is posted as a service to rail advocates.

Look for it on the TRANSIT and RAILROAD newsgroups.

If you do not receive either of those, e-mail the address below for

a direct delivery.

 

Send your comments, news and suggestions to Matthew Mitchell at:

<iekp898@tjuvm.tju.edu>  or call 215-222-3373, message box 3.

 

Readers are encouraged to join DVARP, or to send a contribution to

help us continue to bring it to you.  Regular membership rate is $15.00:

students and senior citizens can join for $7.50

 

President: Chuck Bode        for other officers and committee chairs, see page

 11

 

---Looking Back, Looking Forward

This month, DVARP takes a cue from Janus, whose two

faces allowed him to look both forwards and back.  Several important

anniversaries coincide this month:  the takeover by SEPTA of our regional

commuter rail service, the SEPTA management crisis of 1988, the 30th Street

fire, and the anniversary of The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger.  This

month's newsletter looks back at a number of events which shaped the train

service we have today.

 

Inside The Delaware Valley Rail PassengerI

1        DVARP members celebrate trolley centennial

2        SEPTA Regional Rail: Progress in 10 years?

5        On the Railroad Lines:  Winter storms pelt the area, disrupt service

6        Undercofler to quit Board amid patronage row.

7        Hot tips for cold weather commuting

8        Riders comment on SEPTA city, suburban transit service

9        Cross County Metro:  How to create a $100 million rail line.

11        Amtrak News:  On board X2000,

             30th St. progress a year after the fire.

12        South Jersey Update:  PATCO Capital Budget and possible extension,

             legislative money grab

14        Membership Matters:  Earn a special gift,  NARP Region III

15        Up and Down the Corridor, DVARP Directory, Dates of Interest

 

Opinions expressed in The

Delaware Valley Rail Passenger are not necessarily those of DVARP or its

members.  We welcome your comments: call 215-222-3373

 

 

---Trolley Celebration in Philadelphia        by Joel Spivak

On Tuesday, December 15, a crowd

gathered at the corner of 3rd and Bainbridge to unveil a marker

commemorating 100 years since the first electric streetcar ran in

Philadelphia.  The first electric trolley ran on the Catherine and

Bainbridge Streets Railway, which ran from Schuylkill Ave. to Front St. and

is now succeeded of SEPTA's route 63 bus.

Guest speakers addressed the

crowd prior to the unveiling.  They included Happy Fernandez, who chairs

the Transportation Committee of City Council; Chris Zearfoss, Assistant

Deputy Mayor for Transportation Policy; Randal Baron of the Philadelphia

Historical Commission, and John Haigis of the Fairmount Park Council for

Historic Sites. Following the unveiling, the audience boarded a

trolley-style bus provided by Mark Sanders of the Philadelphia Street

Railway Historical Society, for a trip over the original route.  Joel

Spivak narrated the tour, which featured a visit to the original car barn

and power house at 801 Schuylkill Ave., courtesy of Marshal Ledger of the

Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

The day's activities continued with a

ride on the Penn's Landing Trolley, operated by the Buckingham Valley

Trolley Association.  The ex-Philadelphia and West Chester car operated

over Delaware Avenue.

Elsewhere in Philadelphia, SEPTA held a cake-cutting

ceremony at Chestnut Hill, terminus of the Chestnut Hill Trolley, SEPTA's

only remaining all-surface streetcar operation.  SEPTA also dedicated a new

historical exhibit in the SEPTA Library to the memory of Terence Cassidy,

former librarian. A mayoral proclamation paid tribute to the anniversary

and called attention to the Queen Village Neighbors Association

celebration.  As a finale, the Crown Lights on the PECO Building announced

"100 Years of Electric Traction in Phila."

 

 

---SEPTA Railroad Turns Ten by John Pawson

The new year brings two

anniversaries of note for us, and they make us doubly mindful of where we

have been and where we should be going. One for DVARP itself to celebrate

is the tenth anniversary of its publication. In 1983, the Delaware Valley

Rail Passenger represented a return to the original DVARP concept that it

should specialize in supporting the passengers interest within the

Philadelphia 'commutershed.' SEPTA stewardship of our long-lived

southeastern PA commuter railroad network is now ten years old.  We can't

quite say "historic", for a region's mythology tends to envelop its

earliest known figures and events. The Founding Fathers and the early

federal period have eclipsed the era of railroad creation and expansion,

and for that matter, Victorianism in general.  Recently, the commuter lines

have begun to reach 150 years of operation, but we've seen no celebrations,

old steam engines, or the like.

-Commuting Before SEPTA

The railroads here

quickly merged into two systems: the Pennsylvania and the Reading. This

state brought a measure of competition that long outlasted competition in

the urban-transit market. The "trolley trust" was created in 1895; but as

its profitability declined, city politics was able to gain more and more

power over that monopoly. Managements of the PRR and Reading, however,

were aware that poor service or a strike could divert close-in passengers

from one company to the other; so there was much incentive to respond to

the customers' needs. During the first half of this century, the gradual

perfection and growing subsidies of automobiles, motor trucks and paved

roads generated a new form of competition for the railroad companies. With

this form of transportation, all persons and companies so equipped could

carry themselves or their goods without dealing with the railroad

companies. For much of their traffic, the railroads thus were rendered

institutionally obsolescent. Eventually, they came to under-stand that if

they were to salvage the core of appropriate freight traffic they would

have to stop cross-subsidizing commuter trains. Center-city businesspeople

understood that the automobilized city could not afford to build or to

maintain sufficient highway and downtown parking space to permit all

commuters, be they transit or railroad, to take to the highways. As a

result, the city government set up a subsidy program for the commuter rail

services and later expanded it to include matched capital grants as well.

Naturally, with the money came a measure of political control. Meanwhile,

the city government was attempting to take over the city transit company.

In this hostile environment, a biannual drama, the mayor's fashioning of a

transit workers' wage rise along with a transit rider's fare hike, failed

to take place. A 19-day city transit strike ensued, and the resulting

fire-storm of public opinion brought calls for creation of a region-wide

transit authority in conjunction with the four suburban counties. Thus in

1964, SEPTA was established to become the operator of all of the region's

major passenger transportation systems. The new organization immediately

took over the joint city-suburban program to subsidize the commuter rail

services. It also absorbed the city transit company four years later and

the leading suburban transit company two years after that. For reasons not

entirely clear but evidently related to the bankruptcies of the two

railroad companies in 1970-1, their takeover was delayed. The matter was

not resolved until federal legislation separated first the intercity and

then the regional passenger services from the freight railroads in the

1970s and early 1980s.

-1964-82: Control But Not Ownership

If someone ever

writes an objective SEPTA Regional Rail Division history, this period may

well be characterized as one of marking time while the fixed plant

deteriorated, service and ridership was lost, and a number of projects,

large and small were being pursued. Admittedly, ownership of the plant by

the Pennsy and Reading, later succeeded by Conrail, made improvement

difficult. Fortunately, the rolling stock, being mobile, was another

matter. By the end of the period, SEPTA was well on the way toward

operating only post-1955, air-conditioned cars. Given the 40-50 year life

of railcars, this means that RRD is essentially free of need for extensive

new car purchase through the turn of the century, assuming adequate

mainten-ance and overhauls. On its own, the city of Philadelphia pursued

two huge projects costing a total of over $400,000,000: the Center City

Commuter Connection and the Airport Rail Line. Generally, these were given

top funding priority. Still city-owned, the projects respectively replaced

two downtown stub-end terminals with a through underground rail line, and

connected that downtown trackage with Philadelphia International Airport as

the region's 13th SEPTA-run commuter rail line. A key SEPTA project put in

motion was the replacement of the temperamental Reading-side electric power

conversion equipment which during 1979 had shut down most service on those

lines for three weeks unexpectedly. What has been characterized as SEPTA's

worst railroad mistake was the 1981-3 elimination of all diesel-powered

service which had run to Pottsville, Allentown, Newtown, and Newark, New

Jersey. Over 150 route miles, much of it through high-growth territory, was

lost to service; and the rolling stock was scattered. Also lost were the

outlying electrified services from Elwyn to West Chester; Marcus Hook to

Wilmington and Newark, Delaware; and Cynwyd to Ivy Ridge. The Ivy Ridge

terminus had represented a new construction project, located beyond a

congested area to permit building a sizable park-and-ride facility. A

similar extension of the period from Hatboro to Warminster is still very

much in service. All of these service cuts responded to rapid Conrail wage

hikes with little passenger-service productivity gains to offset, done in

an inflationary recession era. In 1981-2, SEPTA also raised fares sharply

and reduced much service on lines still in operation.

-1982-3: A Tumultuous Transition

Specified by federal legislation as the time for conveyance of

property and employment from Conrail to SEPTA, the end of 1982 saw Conrail

acting to divest itself of remaining passenger operations. SEPTA asserted

its intention to cut the number of employees, reduce wage rates, and

greatly alter work rules, with city transit contracts as a model.

Ultimately, over half of the Conrail employees never or only shortly were

employed by SEPTA. The loss of their competence is still felt at RRD. Many

empty staff and line positions were filled by SEPTA transit workers or new

hires. A sparse but gradually fleshed-out service began in 1983. In March,

labor negotiations failed; and what was then known as the "Regional High

Speed Lines" (an allusion to SEPTA's rapid transit lines) were idled for

108 days by strike. Three years were required to build ridership to a

stable level; but that level was about 25% below the average patronage

during the 1970s. Even the opening of the center city tunnel and the

airport line failed to boost the traffic significantly. Despite the loss in

ridership, recently released census figures show that the major RRD market,

suburbanites who work in Philadelphia, is little changed in size since

1970. Indeed, many are coming from well beyond the present contracted

limits of the RRD system. The commuter trains' market share obviously has

fallen, precipitated by the shocks of

-1981-3. SEPTA Runs a Railroad

With much of the fixed plant in its hands for a decade, SEPTA made numerous

bread-and-butter improvements.  The general condition is much better than

it has been for a generation. Rails and bridges, perhaps the most basic

items, represent SEPTA's best, if least glamorous, successes. By the end of

1993, over half of the 200-odd track miles both owned and now run by RRD

will have been replaced by welded rail Amtrak and Conrail trackage over

which SEPTA operates have kept pace. Because commuter services at SEPTA's

levels wear out rails but slowly, most (but not all) of the remaining track

will be serviceable for many decades to come if it is well maintained.

Also by the end of 1993, all RRD

which were listed as "critical" on RRD's 1986 bridge list will have been

replaced or rehabilitated. Many of the bridges then rated "poor" also will

so have been treated. The most notable future bridge project should be the

rehabilitation of the R6 Schuylkill River viaduct at Manayunk. Other

infrastructure types lag behind, presumably because work can more safely

and readily be deferred on them. These elements which will need a lot of

attention include block signals, interlockings (including the track

switches), stations, parking, overhead contact wire, and outlying

electrical equipment.

-Looking Forward

Other less obvious, but economically important and possibly

controversial capital improvements need serious consideration:

1. Raise track speeds to counter the effects of superhighway improvements

of recent decades which have left RRD less competitive than it once was.

2. Reduce operating costs in many areas. In some cases,

complexity needs to be added (e.g.: to improve the slow and circuitous

train access to Frazer yard and shop) while in other cases, the K.I.S.S.

(keep it simple, stupid!) principle needs to be implemented (such as at

Chestnut Hill West, to replace a fully staffed signal tower with some less

costly and simpler self-actuating track switches).

3. Provide a modern but cost-effective RRD control center.

4. Effect track connections at

Manayunk and elsewhere to make service faster and more flexible.

5. Reduce costs and lessen conflicts between SEPTA and Amtrak trains by

separating traffic flows in North & West Philadelphia and at Trenton.

6. As expedient, increase overhead clearances on major lines to accommodate the

 efficient and attractive full-size bilevel commuter car early in the next

 century.

7. Rectify mistakes and suboptimal designs of the center city tunnel and

the current Main Line project in North Philadelphia.

8. Provide for cost-effective operation of non-electrified trains to Center

 City.

9.  Support early extension and resumption of service to promising

areas. Aside from infrastructure, there are other legitimate concerns that

are soft in nature, may be controversial, and are less likely to build a

political constituency for themselves: a. Total revision of RRD fare policy

is overdue. b. The expected second decimation of Reading-side ridership by

this year's service shutdown will test the survival of that half of the

system; a satisfactory alternative to the subway detour and  post-shutdown

service revisions are essential c. The "Regional High Speed Line" concepts

which were used to organize the service when the center city tunnel came

into use are ripe for reevaluation and change. d. SEPTA must seriously

negotiate with Delaware, NJ Transit, and non-SEPTA counties in Pennsylvania

for improved, restored, and new train services. e. Peak-period schedules

must be rewritten for faster and more reliable service. f. SEPTA's

corporate structure needs reorg-anization, and the Regional Rail system

must become more businesslike and responsive in serving its passengers. g.

Personnel changes may be in order. What should be done at RRD will absorb

much of our energies in 1993. Two things are most obvious: SEPTA must work

to improve its services and its employees' competence and capabilities; and

the chain of megaprojects must yield to a larger number of smaller and

more productive capital projects.

 

 

---On the Railroad LinesI

 

--R1:  ServiceJGapsJClosed

Extra reverse-peak train stops at Melrose Park were added last month.

Selected R5 trains will make

the stops, closing the gap of almost 2 hours reported here last month.

Melrose passengers got more good news when their walkways on the bridge

over Cheltenham Ave. were reopened recently. Meanwhile, SEPTA finally

issued a combined timetable for the local stations, using a PC and copy

machine.

-Jenkintown Station Tested: The quality of workmanship in the new

sheds at Jenkintown was proven in last month's deluge of wind and rain.

Work continues on the outbound side, including new sidewalks.

--R2:   Wilmington Ridership Slip

SEPTA statistics indicate falling ridership on

the Wilmington Line, despite the reopening of Claymont station.  The end of

construction on I-95 is cited as a cause.  Rail won't compete at present

speeds.

--R5: SEPTAJAdmitsJMistake:J RestoresJCutJTrain

A new Paoli-Parkesburg

timetable was issued December 13, restoring an early-evening express train

which had been combined with a local earlier in the year.  AGM for Revenue

Development John McGee publically acknowleged that the service cut had led

to excessive crowding on the train, and a resultant loss of ridership.

-Storm Brings Line to a Halt The wind and rain storm of December 10-11

caused the total shutdown of morning Paoli Line service when a tree fell

across the tracks in Villanova.  Power was shut off in the affected area,

and Amtrak moved its trains through on one track under diesel power. The

situation was made more difficult for the passengers when the parallel

Route 100 service was also curtailed.  Faced with a thousands of passengers

seeking alternate transportation, SEPTA declined to send shuttle buses as

it often does on other lines. Could they have bused all the R5 passengers?

Probably.  But the cost would have been too much, not in terms of dollars,

but the disruption of Suburban Transit services.  To carry the thousands of

peak-hour R5 riders, SEPTA would have had to take some 50 or more buses out

of regular service  That's a tough call that we won't second-guess here.

--R6:  DVARP Launches Operation Conshohocken

In the aftermath of RailWorks(R),

DVARP is testing whether an intensive marketing effort can get passengers

back onto the trains. A special mailing with train schedules and other

promotional material is being sent by DVARP to all the residents of

Conshohocken.

--R8:   SEPTAJSeeksJNewtownJBids

Late in December, SEPTA held a

pre-bid conference for parties who may be interested in operating a Fox

Chase-Newtown shuttle service. The added sweeteners at this go-around are

two-fold. First, the operator would get a stipend from SEPTA annually to be

equivalent to the losses that SEPTA now incurs in operating a Fox

Chase-Newtown substitute bus service. Second, SEPTA would agree to pass

through the Federal Transit Adiminstration "fixed guideway" formula

subsidies which begin about two years after a rail or trackless trolley

line starts operations. Expected annual amount-is some $800,000. In

addition, the operator might be awarded a matchable $1.2 million grant that

Bucks County has designated for the line's capital needs.

--MFSE:  West End Settling?

Engineers evaluating the Market St. El have found some

problems caused by settling ground near 63rd St.  The El is next on SEPTA's

list of major infrastructure repair projects, and the structural evaluation

will determine how much work is necessary.

-"Report Card" results With the

survey (page 8) taken in July, El riders continued to bemoan the lack of

air conditioning on their trains.  34th Street riders want both A and B

trains to stop there, citing their numbers.

--STD:   ShelterJIssueJResolved

Upper Darby Township officials have approved a new shelter for the homeless

to be located near 63rd and Market.  Church and social service goups had

been providing services to the homeless at 69th Street Terminal causing

alcoholics and mentally ill people to loiter there.

-Report Card:  Thumbs Up for Rail People

Media-Sharon Hill trolley operators received numerous

commendations in the "Rider Report Card" survey last summer.  Their

everyday courtesy doesn't take much work, but makes their job easier.

 

--SEPTA $$ Woes Continue

Financial reports released at last month's SEPTA

Board meeting show ridership and revenue continue to sag.  Though the

budget presumed a ridership loss, the actual numbers are worse, probably

because of management's assumption that RailWorks refugees would be back on

the trains by now, and under-estimation of the ridership effect of CTD

service cuts. Right now, the Authority is $4 million in the hole, with the

losses mounting.  Additional administrative and supply cuts have been

indentified-MDM

 

--SEPTA Board Focus: 'Pinstripe Patronage'

Last month, the SEPTA Board spent hours in executive session wrangling

over "bond running."

 The job of providing accounting services for SEPTA bonds is a lucrative

one, and several investment bankers have been vying to get the contract.

With those dollars at stake, the firms make campaign contrib-utions to gain

favor with politicians, and the "godfathers" of Board members will insist

that their supporters get on the gravy train. The deal worked out by the

politicians fell apart at the last minute, and spectators at the Board

meeting were treated to a rare public debate among the members.  Several

Board members we contacted expressed frustration with the emphasis on

dishing out white-collar pork.  As long as the Board pays more attention to

patronage than to transportation issues, SEPTA management, unaccountable to

the public, will continue to make policy decisions instead of the

Board.-MDM

 

--Undercofler to Quit Board

Though it was not linked to the "bond

running" controversy, SEPTA Board Chair-man J. Clayton Undercofler has

announced his intention to resign both the Chairman-ship and his Board

seat.  The Chester County Republican was appointed in the aftermath of the

Gould/Stead affair, and was widely credited with smoothing the waters and

fostering an era of cooperation between city and suburban interests,

culminating in the passage of state legislation setting up dedicated

funding for SEPTA's capital needs. While there is no obvious candidate to

succeed Undercofler, the representatives of the four suburban counties

still control the Board, despite the recently-added members.  A new Chair

is likely to come from their ranks. -MDM

 

--More City Transit Cuts

In a briefing of Citizen Advisory Committee, SEPTA management told of plans

for still cuts in bus and trolley service levels on CTD routes.  Cuts in

previous years have left inadequate service on many routes.  Buses are

often dangerously overcrowded, and pass up passengers frequently, a prime

source of anger in the CTD ridership. The mid-winter general schedule

change has been postponed until March as staff fine-tunes the schedules as

best as they can.  The delay also allows time for route consolidation

tariffs to be approved and new schedules made out.

 

News compiled by Matthew Mitchell and correspondents:

Tom Borawski, Howard Bender, Margaret Deck, John Pawson

 

--Serenity at Fern Rock

If you are looking for a solitary respite

during our weekday traffic peaks, go to Fern Rock Transportation Center.

All Regional Rail trains are scheduled to stop there (it's corporate level

policy, we hear).  In the three months since the construction shutdown was

replaced by normal service, the tumultuous crowds have been reduced to a

trickle. This writer surveyed the station on a typical mid-December

afternoon peak, the 16th.  Among the 17 outbound peak-period trains seen, a

total of 55 passengers entrained and 13 detrained.  No one appeared to

transfer from one commuter train to another.  A few came from or headed to

the Nedro Av. entrance and parking lot. Thus we can credit about 50 persons

transferring from subway to railroad during the entire peak period.

Another, brighter fact is that there were not standees aboard the trains

that day. One train which had been overcrowded, the now-combined West

Trenton express-local for those quitting at 5 pm, consists of six cars. A

mong the ten reverse-commuter trains, 88 passengers detrained and two

boarded. In the reverse commuter service, the station thus is a significant

factor.  However, for the conventional peak direction, only 3.2 persons

boarded the average outbound train. This number represents only about one

percent of the loading of an average commuter train.  It begs the question:

does it make sense to stop each and every peak commuter train at Fern Rock

now, thus adding about two minutes each day to the average commute to and

from work? Another question is relevant in view of some staffers' desire to

build dozens of $10 million "transportation centers" elsewhere: can

construction of any of these costly-to-build, costly-to-maintain objects be

justified if the best-case prototype, Fern Rock, is so embarrassingly

ill-patronized by the peak-direction passengers?-JRP

 

--Wintertime Commuter Advice by Matthew Mitchell

Each year, we can count on at least one or two

winter storms disrupting the transportation systems of the Delaware Valley.

  While train service is the most reliable mode of travel when the weather

is bad, smart riders should make special plans when storms are in the

forecast. Railroaders fear sleet storms and boilerplate ice much more than

they fear even a foot of snow.  When it snows, the trains usually get

through all right.  While those who drive have to leave early, rail

passengers are often better off not altering their plans.  In fact,

Chicago's Metra commuter rail system tells its riders not to leave work

early, for those "snowbirds" make things worse by crowding the system

before the normal rush hour.

The most important part of preparing for

winter commuting is knowing your travel alternatives.  Most commuter rail

lines have parallel bus or trolley service nearby.  If you ride SEPTA, look

at the station page of your schedule to find those alternate routes.  For

South Jersey alternatives, call NJ Transit. Pick up a current schedule for

your alternate route now.  If you haven't used it lately, it would be a

good idea to try it out on a good day, so you will be familiar with the

fares and landmarks along the way.  If you wait until the storm hits,

you'll have a hard time getting information. If you use a TrailPass, you

can relax; you're ready. Otherwise, get tokens or exact change for the

fare, and tape them to the schedule; then keep the schedule and coins in

your briefcase or purse.  It's also a good idea to have enough change for a

couple of phone calls stored in a secure place, too.  Remember that calls

from Philadelphia to the suburbs are usually more than 25c. When the storm

hits, be sure to have hat and gloves in case you have a long wait for the

train.  On the way home from Center City, pick a train that originates in

Center City, since trains coming from other points are more likely to be

delayed.  But don't wait around home or office; go right to the station.  A

late train may get you to your destination early.

 

 

--Transit Riders Give SEPTA a "ReportJCard" by Matthew Mitchell

SEPTA released the results of its annual "Rider Report Card" last month.

While Railroad Division results were not yet available, DVARP has received

and studied the thick stack of books covering the transit divisions.

Several months ago, overall grades for the various divisions were released.

 The transit operations were all in the C to C+ range, up slightly over

last year's marks.  However, the full report shows some problems with the

computer-scanned results. One problem is that most SEPTA passengers use

more than one route, and their comments cover the whole trip.  Other coding

errors came up:  the majority of route 3 bus comments were actually from R3

rail riders.  Also, it must be remembered that survey respondents are a

self-selected group, more likely to respond if they have strong positive or

negative feelings.  The survey grades shouldn't be used as a measure  of

success; ridership is still the best yardstick. But the written comments

reproduced verbatim in the report books are a gold mine of information on

what makes riders satisfied or dissatisfied.  The most frequent complaints

relate to service cuts made over the past several years: overcrowded

vehicles and 'pass-ups.'  With more cuts on the horizon, this is likely to

drive some of these customers off the system.

-Riders Resentful

RailWorks had a significant effect on Broad St. riders, as strongly-worded

comments attest.  While they complained about crowding, they praised the

extra attention paid to their line while rail commuters were forced onto

it.  The complaints often took on a bitter tone, with many people making

racial allegations about SEPTA management.  No doubt these comments were

fueled by the equally-spiteful leaflets passed out by TWU 234 members

during contract negotiations and ratification. Meanwhile, other riders were

resentful of the behavior of their fellow passengers.  They conclude that

rules enforcement is non-existent.  Smoking and eating on vehicles (by

employees too) were a common complaint, but the harshest criticism was of

mothers with children taking up seats and carriages blocking aisles while

fare-paying passengers have to stand. SEPTA took heat for urine and trash

in stations and the concourse.  While some of the worst problems people

complained about are in areas SEPTA doesn't control, many of them are.

Passengers are frustrated over the lack of action.

-Courtesy Counts

Bus and trolley operators were subjects of both compliments & complaints.

Some passengers reported what happens when they try to act courteously to

an operator.  The individuals who responded in kind were praised while the

others were panned.

 Far too many riders complained of sexual harassment or "pick-up" attempts.

 Suprisingly, both men and women operators were to blame. Both surface

operators and subway cashiers were targets of criticism for not answering

rider questions.  A lot of them responded very rudely when asked a

question: no way to encourage people to try out the system or a new route.

Is this an attitude problem, or do the customer-contact people not have the

information? Unfortunately, it takes only a few bad attitudes to outweigh

the best efforts of the rest of the work force.  All the training in the

world is unlikely to reach the worst actors; rider complaints about them

are going to have to be taken seriously, and the ones who refuse to change

taken off the line.

-Don't Sell the Passengers Short

Survey respondents

repeated DVARP's observations that early running ocurrs much more often

than SEPTA realizes.  The detail with which they described incidents like

this makes it quite clear that passengers understand the workings of the

system very well, better than SEPTA or DVARP ever expected. That means that

it is important for SEPTA to give the passengers the facts.  They

understand SEPTA's financial pressures, but believe SEPTA's hiding the

truth is considered a greater sin than the ensuing service cuts.-MDM

 

 

--P&W--Cross-County Metro:  What's the Connection? by John Pawson

What is now

SEPTA's Cross-County Metro proposal originally (circa 1980) was just a

modest electric commuter rail concept to link Frazer, King of Prussia, and

intermediate points with Trenton and New York City. In those days, Conrail

moved about a dozen freight trains in each direction daily over its fully

signalled and electrified double track rail line which links Morrisville

and Frazer, familiarly known as the "Trenton Cutoff." Twenty-four trains

being well below the economic capacity of a double track railroad, the

commuter trains would have run as an low-cost by-product of the freight

line, tapping its excess capacity. Providing railcars, stations, and

parking would have comprised most of the start-up costs.

As SEPTA developed

the idea, half-hourly peak service in both directions would have been

provided, along with service every two hours or so at other times in order

to coexist with the freight trains. With about 14 projected stations, the

"Circumferential Rail Line" would have taken passengers from Frazer to

Trenton in about 70 minutes, en route at the latter point to New York.

Then as now, the Norristown High Speed Line (route 100) operated at right

angles to the Trenton Cutoff.  Route 100's ridership had fallen from an

earlier figure of about 11000 per weekday by about half.  In large numbers,

the commuters left for other transportation, leaving the reverse commuters

to Radnor, Villanova, etc., who have become 60% of the peak ridership. The

cost recovery declined to a level below that of the Regional Rail system.

Old cars and a deteriorated plant needed replacement. A large but

relatively low-key replacement program has brought or is bringing new rail

railcars, signals, and bridges. Last month, the Board approved a $5.7

million general construction contract. About seven years ago, there must

have been some questioning of the scale of the P&W reconstruction effort.

We understand that one SEPTA executive lamented that "I'm spending $130

million, and its unjustifiable!" At this point lies the 'connection'

between the P&W and the Conrail Morrisville-Frazer line. SEPTA staff

decided to justify the P&W expenditure on the basis that it would provide a

prototype for something much bigger. So like magic, the circumferential

rail line vanished; and in its place appeared the Cross County Metro rapid

transit line.

A few pesky dilemmas have resulted, among them: 1. Rapid

transit trains, unlike commuter rail, cannot safely share tracks at the

same time with fast freight trains.  Answer: just provide separate tracks.

2. Is the Conrail right of way not wide enough for both Conrail and for two

SEPTA rapid transit tracks?  Then just widen the roadbed; all that takes is

money, bulldozers, energy, and more made-in-Pennsylvania bridges. 3. Would

car-owning adults in the suburbs who don't ride the P&W now flock to the

CCM in the tens of thousands, unlike to rapid transit lines?  No problem,

just hope for a permanent energy crunch; for then they'll have to ride

whatever SEPTA offers. 4. Do many wish to travel to the New York area? Just

let them transfer at the end of the line. Anyway, they should be happy to

work and in this region; no need to travel to another. 5. Will people have

problems walking from the CCM "transportation centers" to offices away over

yonder? Add scads of feeders-are-bleeders 200-series bus routes.

What CCM

would give us is a high-capacity, essentially nowhere-to-nowhere rapid

transit line that breaks all the rules of transportation planning. Once

built, it would cost a bundle to maintain the elaborate infrastructure and

to operate with the planned 10-minute frequency the small railcars with

their low ratio of passengers to crew. Not to worry, for the line isn't

expected to open until the next century, when by the industry's current

vagabond habits, the present principals will be working elsewhere, avoiding

the problems. Some at SEPTA justify a change to the rapid transit mode by

saying for the first time SEPTA will be able to tap into "new start"

federal funds. One even gets the impression that spending hundreds of

millions of federal taxpayers' dollars is a worthy goal in itself!  The

federal new rail start category, whether by design or happenstance,

apparently only applies to rapid transit construction. Most, if not all,

recently opened commuter rail and true light rail transit 'new starts' have

been funded without federal money. The message: if you want federal

megabucks, go heavy rail.

Unfortunately, SEPTA's prestidigitation had its

effect on Conrail's planning for the Morrisville Line. Lacking prospects

for future commuter trains, Conrail determined that the second track of

that line, along with electrification and conventional signals, and excess

plant. Not long after the SEPTA decision was announced, the wires came

down. Later most signals and second track were removed. What remains is

improved; for instance, the eastern half of the line is now protected by

cab signals. Today, the line is well maintained; and most of it permits

freight trains to run at a steady 50 mph speed. However, the cycle is back

where it was circa 1980. Again the Cutoff is underutilized; only a handful

of trains operate during daylight hours. Diesel-powered commuter trains,

such as extensions of New Jersey Transit's Newark-Trenton Diesel Expresses,

could fill up that empty track space. As New York MTA pays NJT to extend

several diesel trains from Suffern to Port Jervis, New York, so SEPTA could

engage NJT to extend some diesel trains through Morrisville and King of

Prussia to Frazer. We could have this service next year, instead of next

century.

 

--PATCO Offers Capital Budget In little-publicized hearings last

month, The Delaware River Port Authority considered a capital budget for

its PATCO rail line. A sketchy description of the budget proposal was

published in area newspapers.  A total of $11 million is to be spent,

mostly on maintenance projects.  It speaks of "upgrading of PATCO subway

stations" but doesn't describe what work will be done.  At the suburban

stations, platforms are to be rehabilitated, and parking expanded. Reverse

signalling is to be installed at the outer end of the line.  The other

major improvement proposed is installation of fiber-optic cable for

improved communica-tions throughout the system.-MDM

 

--NJ Government to Raid Transportation Fund? Governor Florio and legislative

leaders are looking to use transportation trust fund money to close gaps in

the general state budget.  A gas tax increase of 4.5c would be necessary to

restore the transportation funds.  Gas tax revenues are not

constitutionally earmarked for transportation in New Jersey.

 

--New Fareboxes More Than Technology

SEPTA has concluded its test of new fareboxes.  While

passengers are likely to see only the end result, our own observations give

us little hope that the devices will be worth their cost. The first

significant change with the new fareboxes is a slide-through reader for

passes, as found on subway turnstiles.  The reader detects outdated passes

and passes which have been handed back from one passenger to another.  It

only works when the operator insists that passengers use it instead of

simply flashing the pass to the operator. Next is an automatic transfer

dispenser which prints a properly timed and labeled ticket at the touch of

a button.  This gives SEPTA the potential for going to a "proof of payment"

collection and enforcement system.  While it should be a labor-saving

device, some operators were seen issuing old-fashioned transfers instead of

using the machine. Like the ones they are to replace, the new  fareboxes

can collect data on rider numbers  and payment methods, but this is

dependent on the operator registering each passenger.  Compliance was so

bad in the past that SEPTA actually disabled all the electronic features of

the fareboxes.  Without an improvement in this aspect, the new fareboxes

will instantly becoime white elephants. Are the devices user-friendly?

Somewhat.  A large digital display is necessary so passengers know how much

they have paid.  The transfers are easy to read and understand and could

potentially be good for zone fares too, reducing the need for exact change.

 Pass users should have at least two readers, one on each side of the

entryway.  The jury is still out.-MDM

 

--30th St. Shops to Open

A year after a fire filled the station with smoke,

delaying renovation work, Amtrak is opening the South Arcade of 30th St.

Station.  This section of the station will be filled with shops, mostly

specialty food vendors hoping to attract commuters on their way home. A

critical mass of shops is necessary for the project to thrive.  Because the

station is not close to the major Center City office buildings, fewer

customers will be stopping by on their lunch hour than do the the Reading

Terminal Market. New rest rooms will also be available in the South Arcade.

-Suburban Concourse, Roads Still a Mess

While the main passenger service

areas of 30th Street blend the best of old and new, little progress has

been made on the upper level of the station since the fire.  None of the

escalators have worked for years, whole sections are barricaded off, and

smoke is still visible throughout the concourse.  The escalators

 to the SEPTA RRD platforms have been out of service for years, and there

is no evidence Amtrak is making any effort to fix them. Even though SEPTA

is only a tenant at the station, Amtrak ought to be making more progress

for the SEPTA commuters.  Effective partnership between Amtrak and commuter

rail services across the nation is in the financial interest of both, but

neither most Amtrak nor most commuter customer service personnel can

provide information about the other service, and through ticketing is only

a dream.  Then again, through tickets aren't much help to people who can't

wrestle their bags up the stairs to their commuter train. Another Amtrak

passenger disincentive is the dangerous auto traffic flows around the

station.  Drivers routinely take wrong-way shortcuts on the

carefully-planned driveway system, putting the lives of pedestrians at

risk.  Taxi drivers put up barriers to block access to the passenger

pick-up area, while Amtrak Police watch and ignore and passengers must

carry their baggage further.  Amtrak must stop throwing up its hands at the

situation, and take control now, before someone is killed.-MDM

 

-On Board X-2000

In between test runs, Amtrak has exhibited its X-2000 test

train to employees, press, and public.  Here's a look inside what may be

the future of US intercity rail travel. The X-2000 has a low-slung, but

businesslike look, which recalls design elements of past trains but is

distinct from its Euorpean and Japanese competitors.  The stainless steel

construction is similar to that of Amfleet coaches while the angular lines

resembe Canada's LRC equipment.  The ends are also simple in design, like

recent British trains. On the inside, the train is quite luxurious.

Seating is in the 2+1 arrangement, since the Swedish X2000s are all First

Class (equivalent to Club or Custom Service on Amtrak.)  The reclining

mechanism is found at the base of the seat.  When operated, the seat base

slides forward while the back reclines, an improvement on present Amtrak

seating.  Wood veneer is used for tables; don't count on seeing it in the

production run. The train is equipped with all the latest electronics:

automatic signs and announce-ments, three-channel audio at every seat, and

fault diagnosis systems.  But the most significant technology in the trains

is the active tilting system, designed to reduce the centrifugal force felt

be passengers when the train rounds a curve.  Amtrak hopes that tilting

trains can allow speed restrictions to be eased on the Boston-New York

corridor. While the X-2000 is in test service, Amtrak will try out some new

passenger service ideas.  Facing pairs of seats will replace the usual

front-to-back seating in some cars, with a table between seats.  This

arrangement is common in Europe, and eliminates the need to turn seats

around or turn the entire train. Amtrak will also try a cart (or trolley)

based snack and beverage service, using airline-style equipment.  This

service is also popular in Europe.  While most of the seating is in open

coaches, some of the compartment seating has been left in.  Amtrak hopes

that the compatments will make the train more attractive for business

travel. If you want to ride the X2000, it will go into revenue service

early this year.  The Arrow computerized reservations system will note the

scheduled Metroliner trips the new train will be used on.  Standard

Metroliner fares apply.-MDM

 

--Ocean City Threatened

New Jersey Transit is conducting negotiations for the

sale or lease of the Ocean City line right-of-way.  The municipality of

Ocean City seeks to acquire the property so that it may widen the adjacent

road and/or create a bicycle trail. Regardless of any reverter clauses that

may be put in an agreement, NJ Transit should not transfer the use of the

property.  Once a road is widened or a bicycle trail is built over the

existing right-of-way, the political will would never be strong enough to

revert the property back to NJ Transit for rail public transportation use.

Some have argued that the residents of Ocean City do not desire rail

passenger service and that NJ Transit should abide by these wishes.  What

should be remembered, however, is that NJT is a statewide authority which

should be concerned with meeting the needs of the whole state.  The voters

of New Jersey let their opinion be known on preservation and acquisition of

railroad right-of-ways for future needs.  In a 1989 statewide referendum,

New Jersey voters approved the spending of $25 million to acquire unused

railroad right-of-ways so that these strategic properties would remain

physically and politically accessible for future rail service.  The sale or

lease of the Ocean City right-of-way would go directly against the

electorate's wishes. Ocean City and its distant approaching highways need

relief from the summer weekend traffic crush.  NJ Transit should be

planning service and positioning itself to meet these present and future

needs.  The sale or lease of the right-of-way, regardless of any reverter

clauses, would work decisively against this. -DN

 

--Forced Privatization Dies in Trenton

A bill mandating that NJ Transit turn

over a singificant portion of its services to the private sector failed to

make it out of committee.

 

--NJT Gets Bucks Yard OK- Strings Attached

Legislators from Trenton cut a deal to permit New Jersey Transit to build

its much wanted $37 million car service and storage yard in Morrisville,

PA. The proviso, which the NJT Board approved, is that NJT will never serve

any out-of-state train station located within ten miles of Trenton. That

city's mayor was quoted as saying that keeping the yard in the city would

not provide as much benefit as originally believed. NJT said that

immediately it would resume engineering work and negotiate to buy the

30-acre site from Conrail. The property is south of the Bridge Street-US 1

interchange at the northeast corner of Morrisville Yard. Naturally,

speculation is rife. One hypothesis links a plan to build a parking garage

and later a convention and civic center at Trenton station. The prospective

garage owners are viewed as protecting their parking monopoly by forcing

Bucks Countians to continue using the Trenton station. Another belief is

that New Jersey officials fear that commuters and their taxes may move

across the river where living costs are cheaper. The restriction was

specifically aimed at preventing others from building a passenger station

near the NJT yard location. Along the Morrisville Line, the ten-mile limit

covers sites like Oxford Valley Mall, the crossing of SEPTA R3 line at

Woodbourne station, and possibly the railroad's crossing of Route 413,

which connects Langhorne and Newtown. Points west would be fair game for

the trains. It's a highly unusual restriction. Someday, someone with an

interest in overturning it may find a legal way to do so. In the meantime,

it tends to discourage any merger of NJT's New York-Trenton service with

SEPTA's Trenton-Philadelphia R7 service. Presumably, NJT could not carry

within its state any passengers boarding or detraining at Levittown or

Bristol stations, which are located within the ten-mile limit. However, the

restriction would not cover passengers at Croydon and stations closer to

Philadelphia. It all shows how public transport passengers have become

pawns in New Jersey's game of politics!-JRP

 

Planners Mull South Jersey Rail Expansion       by Donald Nigro

The Burlington-Gloucester Corridor Assessment

Study commissioned by NJ Transit reportedly is nearing completion.  DVARP

has a strong interest in its subject matter and final results.  Although

the following should not be construed as DVARP positions because important

parameters remain unquantified, here are several thoughts on the matter: *A

"modified PATCO" expansion for Gloucester County using ground level tracks

and overhead power lines is very desirable.  This service would feed

directly into the existing PATCO system providing a one-seat-ride into

Center City Philadelphia. *Service for this line should extend at least as

far as densely populated downtown Glassboro rather than a park-and-ride

station north of the city.  This

 would accommodate reverse and transit-dependent commuters and permit a

significant percentage of Glassboro residents to avoid using their

automobiles for any portion of their daily commutes.  Just as Haddonfield,

with its ideally located PATCO station, has become a community center for

South Jersey, so could Glassboro if service for the corridor would extend

to its downtown. *Although exceeding the scope of the study, in addition to

the above, peak-hour commuter trains on a route from Millville to Vineland,

Glassboro, Camden (PATCO interchange), Burlington, Bordentown, Trenton,

Newark, to Hoboken or New York should be considered. *Currently, during the

morning rush hour, three minute headways on the Benjamin Franklin Bridge

towards Philadelphia are common.  If a Gloucester County extension to PATCO

were added, the frequency of the Lindenwold Line would have to be reduced.

Several measures would need to be taken on the Lindenwold Line to

compensate: a. Express trains would need to be eliminated to maintain

service frequency. b. The maximum operating speed of the trains and

right-of-way would need to be upped from 65 to 75 MPH to compensate for the

loss of express trains.  The increased speed will involve greater

maintenance expense, but it is a price necessary to pay to prevent

passengers from migrating to their cars.  This should be done even if it

means higher PATCO fares. c. Train consists will need to be increased from

six to eight cars.  At some stations, eight car trains will result in

operators being unable to see all of the car doors.  This problem will need

to be addressed. d. For better ease of operation, the tunnel west of 16th

St. should be extended from its present 6 car lengths to 8.  (Although

funds are currently unavailable, DVARP thinks it should be extended to 30th

Street Station with a stop somewhere around 20th and Market Streets.)

*Although a "modified PATCO" expansion for Burlington Co. (Mt. Holly) is

attractive, diesel commuter rail service to Suburban Station would cost

significantly less.  In conjunction with rail service from Mt. Holly,

connecting express bus service could be offered at Pennsauken for Camden,

possibly even going to the Aquarium on the weekends. Plans for a "modified

PATCO" expansion for both Gloucester & Burlington Cos. should be avoided.

The Ben Franklin Bridge does not have the capacity to accommodate trains

from three branches.  With its proximity to the Delair Bridge, the Mount

Holly route is the practical one to utilize commuter rail service. *The

exclusion of the commuter rail mode from the present studies is a serious

flaw.  The imminent extension of Lindenwold-Atlantic City commuter rail

service to Philadelphia will have major impact on southern New Jersey and

on travel to and from Philadelphia if properly planned.  Moreover, the

existence of one South Jersey commuter rail line operating from downtown

Philadelphia will make the addition of branches economically attractive.

Other metropolitan areas have determined this mode to be most suitable for

large-mileage additions to their public transport networks.  In all

corridors, the commuter rail mode should be considered along with standard

or modified rapid-transit, light rail transit, and bus-on-busway. *In

implementing Clean Air Act mandates, any provincial attitudes which resist

the effective expansion of service within South Jersey must not prevail.

DVARP will be a strong advocate, eager to directly or indirectly assist

anyone in the useful expansion of service within South Jersey and to act as

a positive force to counterbalance those who would resist efforts that

would significantly benefit our environment, highways and economy.

 

--Membership Renewal Our new membership year began on the first, so take a

minute to check your membership status.  The label on your newsletter lists

a year.  If it says 1993, thank you: we have received and processed your

renewal. If it says 1992, please renew now!  Choose a category from the

list below and mail a check to DVARP.  To help us proces your renewal

faster, please write your member number on your check.  Also be sure to

check the address on the label and inform us of any changes. DVARP

Membership categories Regular - $15.00 Family  (one mailing, two votes) -

$20.00+ Supporting - $25.00 Sustaining - $50.00 Patron - $75.00 Benefactor

- $100.00 +family membership also available in higher categories Special

rate available for persons who are students, retired, or unemployed:  $7.50

 

-Membership Premium! For the first time ever, and in celebration of the

victories won in our 20th year, DVARP is offering an special gift to

members who join or renew at the supporting ($25.00) level or higher: a

copy of "Car-Free in Philadelphia."  Act quickly, this offer expires

January 31. If you already have renewed for 1993, you can still get a copy

of the book.  Select one of the qualifying membership categories, then send

us a check for the dollar difference.

 

--NARP Region III Meeting The National Association of Railroad Passengers

(NARP) Region III Annual Meeting will be held Saturday, March 27 in

Pittsburgh.  Keystone Association of Railroad Passengers (KARP) will host

the meeting; representatives from DVARP, New Jersey ARP, and Delaware Rail

Passenger Association are expected to participate.  Region III covers New

Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. Keynote speakers at the meeting will

include Rocco Piano, Director of Pittsburgh's light rail system.  A guest

speaker from Conrail is expected.  The meeting will also feature a

roundtable discussion on trans-portation issues moderated by Joseph Grata

of the former Pittsburgh Press.  The day will conclude with a tour of the

PAT light rail system, including the shops. The meeting place is the Grand

Concourse Restaurant at Station Square. (the former P & LE station)

Station Square is located on the South bank of the Mon River, with a PAT

rail stop a block away.  The historic site offers a grand view of

Pittsburgh's Golden Triangle.  Luncheon at the Grand Concourse is included

in the registration fee, as well as an all-day pass for PAT bus and rail

service. To register for the meeting, send a check for $25.00 (payable to

Robert P. Abraham) to KARP, P.O. Box 126, Pitcairn, PA  15140-0126.

Registration deadline is March 9.  The official hotel for the meeting is

the Sheraton Station Square: for reservations call 1-800-255-7488 and

mention the NARP meeting for a special rate.

 

--Dates of Interest

-IEEE Vehicular Technology Society:  Wed., Jan 13, 7:00 pm

at 216 Moore School, Univ. of Penn. 33rd & Walnut Sts., Philadelphia.

Topic: "Allied Jct./Secaucus Transfer"

-SEPTA on Site (RRD):  Thursday

mornings: 7:30 to 9:00 am, at Suburban Station or Market East Station.

-DVARP General Meeting:  Sat., Jan. 16, 1:00 to 4:00 pm at Temple Univ.

Center City, 1616 Walnut St., Phila.

-SEPTA Citizen Advisory Committee:

Tuesday, Jan. 19, 5:45 pm at SEPTA Board Room, 714 Market St., Phila.

-SEPTA on Site (STD): Wed., Jan. 20, 7:30 to 9:30 am at 69th St. &

Norristown.

-SEPTA Board Meeting:  Fri., Jan. 22, 3:00, SEPTA Board Room,

714 Market St., Third Floor, Philadelphia.

-DVARP Transit Committee: Fri.,

Jan. 29, 5:00 at Jefferson Alumni Hall, 1020 Locust St., Philadelphia.

-Delmarva Rail Passenger Association: Thurs., Feb. 4.  call for location

Doug Andrews, 302-995-6419.

-DVARP Commuter Rail Committee: Sat., Feb. 13,

12:00 at Chestnut Gourmet, 1614 Chestnut St.,

-Philadelphia. Center for Greater Philadelphia:

Region at the Crossroads Forum:  "Where do we go from

here?"  Tues., Feb. 16, 8:00 at IBM Commerce Square, 2005 Market St., room

203.  Call 215-898-8713 to register.

-DVARP General Meeting:  Sat., Feb. 20,

1:00 to 4:00 pm at Temple Univ. Center City, 1616 Walnut St., Phila.

-NARP Region III Meeting:  Sat., Mar 27 at Station Square, Pittsburgh.

 Listings based on information provided to DVARP.  Contact

sponsor to confirm time & place.

 

 

--Up and Down the Corridor

-New Trains for New York

The TA held a public exhibition of

its two "new technology trains" last month.  The R-110 prototypes, one each

from Kawasaki and Bombardier will be placed in revenue service, and the TA

will actively seek out comments from both rider groups & everyday

customers. The trains include low-maintenance AC motors and the usual

high-tech passenger amenities like automatic destination announcements,

but the more important features are under the hood.  Batteries will be used

both for emergency power and to allow regenerative braking.  Door upgrades

are also important in the Big Apple. The exhibition was more than a chance

to get rider reaction.  The TA made its customers partners in the upgrading

of the system and gave them reason to be optimistic about the future.

SEPTA should do the same.

-Storm Swamps Hoboken, PATH

The big rainstorm

before Christmas caused tidal surges which innundated the river-side

station at Hoboken.  The water in the station reached three feet deep! One

of PATH's tunnels was flooded, and closed for several days; NJ Transit used

buses to get its Hoboken passengers into New York. Meanwhile, a new budget

from the Port Authority promises no PATH fare increase until at least 1995.

 

Upcoming DVARP Meetings:

Saturday, January 16, 1:00 to 4:00        Temple Univ. Center City, 1616 Walnut

please see message board in lobby for room assignment food, drinks, smoking

prohibited in meeting room

Saturday, February 20, 1:00 to 4:00        Temple University Center City

Saturday, March 20, 1:00 to 4:00

 

 

Agenda for the January meeting: 1:00 Call to order, introductions, agenda,

minutes 1:15 Issues requiring immediate action: RailWorks NARP Region III

Meeting SEPTA budget gap SEPTA Headquarters

 

2:15 Other business: SEPTA Operating Budget Atlantic City opening SEPTA

trolley service South Jersey rail extensions Membership building

administrative issues 3:30  Committee Reports

 

--Committee Meetings: Transit Committee:  Fri., Jan. 29, 5:15 pm at Jefferson

Alumni Hall, 1020 Locust St. Topic:  Alternatives to the Cross-County Metro

-Commuter Rail Committee:  Sat., Feb. 6, 12:00 to 2:00 at Chestnut Gourmet,

1612 Chestnut St. Topics:  North Suburbs to North Jersey commuter service,

Newtown, RRD Fare Policies