textfiles/magazines/DELAWARERAIL/dvrp9503.txt

The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger



March 1995



Vol. XIII, No. 3



ISSN 1073-6859



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



contents: page 2





Schedule change alert:  All Amtrak and area commuter rail schedules 

change April 2.  SEPTA Suburban Transit schedules change April 2.



New Bills in Congress Threaten Amtrak 



Fox a Co-Sponsor of One		by John A. Dawson



At least three bills recently introduced in the House of 

Representatives, and now wending their way through the committee system, 

would pose trouble for Amtrak if enacted into law.  They are designed to 

deny funding or otherwise make it easier to shut down parts or all of 

the system.



Taking them in numerical order, the first, H.R. 259, has been sponsored 

by Joel Hefley (R-CO) and seeks to eliminate all Federal funding for 

Amtrak over a five-year period.  Mr. Hefley argues that there is no 

reason to support Amtrak, as people no longer want to ride trains.  This 

belies the experience of would-be passengers who have been unable to buy 

space on sold out 



trains.  The problem is less one of too few riders than of too few 

trains.  In effect, this bill abolishes all intercity rail service.  It 

has twelve cosponsors; none from this area.



Currently, labor protection rules provide one of the major impediments 

to route abandonments.  H.R. 832 would limit severance benefits to six 

months and allow Amtrak to reassign employees to other parts of the 

system.  These provisions are not entirely unreasonable, but would do 

nothing to reduce AmtrakÕs costs.  Their sole purpose is to make it 

easier to eliminate routes.  The bill is sponsored by Joe Barton (R-TX) 

and has 16 cosponsors; none from this area.



The last, H.R. 841, establishes a route closure commission, whose job 

will be to rank AmtrakÕs routes on the basis of long-term economic loss 

and identify those which are candidates for closure or realignment.  The 

package would then be presented to the full House for an up or down 

vote.  Members would not be allowed to select which routes they wanted 

to eliminate and which they wanted to keep.  



continued on page 8







NJT Considers Halting Atlantic City Train



The Board of New Jersey Transit was told at its meeting last month that 

commuter rail service to Atlantic City may have to be eliminated as a 

result of AmtrakÕs intention to shut down intercity service on the 

Atlantic City line.  If NJT has to bear all the cost of maintaining and 

dispatching the rail line reopened just six years ago instead of sharing 

the cost with Amtrak, it may not be feasible to continue service.



DVARPÕs South Jersey Committee is investigating the situation will chart 

a course for keeping the trains running and not wasting the publicÕs 

investment.  Hopes focus on AmtrakÕs Richmond-Atlantic City service, the 

most successful of the Amtrak trains.







Inside: States Making Deals to Save Their Trains

see page 3







From the Editor's Seat:

Settle the Contract



By the time you get this in the mail, either there will have been a 

contract settlement between the Transportation Workers Union and SEPTA, 

or there will be a City Transit Division strike.  If it comes to a 

strike, it will be largely because of the intransigence of TWU.  Union 

leadership knows that its product is priced more than the market is 

willing to bear.  ThereÕs no better proof than the agreement TWU made 

with SEPTA in order to capture the Philly Flash contract.  That 

contract, with a long-dormant SEPTA subsidiary,  offered reduced wages 

and less restrictive work rules than TWUÕs City Transit contract.  With 

the lower total cost of labor, SEPTA won the contract, and TWU won more 

jobs for its members.



Despite this acknowledgment of market realities, TWU is demanding big 

increases in wages and rejecting work rule changes out of hand.  SEPTAÕs 

line employees work hard, but so do most of the people who ride SEPTA.  

And many of those riders would be happy to be making as much as the 

people who operate and maintain SEPTA vehicles.  Maybe sensing the 

weakness of their economic case, TWU leadership went nuclear; 

distributing an ugly flyer making personal attacks on SEPTAÕs 

negotiating team.  That kind of behavior cost TWU my respect.  Other 

SEPTA unions have had plenty of disagreements with management too, but 

do not resort to such tactics.



These parties are capable of making a deal that benefits both sides.  

ThereÕs the Phlash contract, and the deal two contracts ago which 

reformed the attendance provisions, giving employees more flexibility in 

getting days off in exchange for incentives yielding more reliable 

attendance.  If TWU yields on work rules, SEPTA can raise wages and 

preserve union jobs.--MDM



From the EditorÕs Seat:

No More ÔNo-BidÕ



IÕd really like to think that when the SEPTA Board meets in executive 

session prior to its public meetings, it is hashing out important 

transportation issues like adapting the SEPTA system to meet the travel 

demand created by King of Prussia and other Ôedge citiesÕ or how to best 

serve the needs of disabled persons.  But IÕve read and listened to the 

words of too many Board members and politicians to hold that rosy view.  

All too often, the main interest elected officials, and by extension 

their representatives on the Board have, is in making sure that their 

friends are at the head of the line when SEPTA spends our money.



An inordinate number of the controversies we find out about have to do 

with the awarding of contracts.  The Market-Frankford car order (subject 

of a blitz of legislators adamant on delivering the $300 million deal to 

a multinational company headquartered in Pittsburgh) was just the 

biggest.  



Smaller pies attract almost as much interest from the pork barrelers.  

Take the complicated arrangement for Òbond-runningÓ Éplease!  Days, if 

not weeks, of backroom brokering resulted in a deal dividing this white-

collar patronage among firms backed by all the various political 

factions.



If the new leadership in Harrisburg is really as concerned about saving 

taxpayers money as it says it is, then it ought to pass a law banning 

no-bid contracts.



continued on page 6







Inside The Delaware Valley Rail PassengerÉ



1-3	House working on anti-Amtrak bills; States, Clinton Administration 

work to keep trains.

4	On the Railroad Lines:  Houstoun, Wooten join Ridge admin.; 

Overbrook Shop opens

5	Transit News Update:  CTD snow plan; El service guaranteed.

5-6	South Jersey News: DVARP committee gets passengers working for 

Gloucester Co. rail.

7	Direct rail service will improve MoorestownÕs quality of life.

9	Fox explains his support for H.R. 841.; Special Feature: History 

of the Clockers

10-11  Up and Down the Corridor, Dates of Interest, DVARP Directory, 

Membership Renewal 



DVARP President: Donald Nigro

Newsletter Editor: Matthew D. Mitchell

for other officers and committee chairs, see page 11	



entire contents copyright © 1995 DVARP, except photos © 1995 credited 

photographers



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







Clinton Budget Keeps Amtrak Funding



Here is a summary of the Clinton AdministrationÕs proposed fiscal 1996 

budget for Amtrak: (amounts in millions).  



Operating subsidy	$   300 

Systemwide capital improvements	$   230 

Northeast Corridor upgrading	$   235 

Restructuring costs	$   100 

Penn Station, New York	$     50 

Mandatory payments (taxes)	$   120 

Total	$1,035



Clinton and Transportation Secretary Frederico Pena propose to 

incorporate the Amtrak funds into a ÒUnified Transportation 

Infrastructure Investment ProgramÓ which will also include the following 

rail programs: (dollar amounts in millions).  



Railroad safety	$      51

(enforcement of Federal regulations--paid for by user fees) 

Next Generation High-Speed Rail	$      68 

(research and development--no maglev prototypes or funds for specific 

corridors) 

Railroad research and development	$      48

Airport and transit system construction	$1,143

(combined for the first time) 

Transit operating assistance	$   500

(reduced from $710 in FY 95)



Information on subsidies for other modes was not available at press 

time.  







States Making Deals to Prevent Amtrak Cuts



AmtrakÕs announcement of dramatic service cuts is having what was 

apparently the desired effect: to shake down the states for new funding.  

A number of states have reached agreement with the nationÕs passenger 

railroad to retain services scheduled to be eliminated next month.  

Pennsylvania and New Jersey have not yet reached deals.  



The loudest outrage over the service cuts came from Wisconsin, where the 

Milwaukee-Chicago Hiawatha Service was to be eliminated.  Four of the 

seven daily round-trips will be kept, and fares will increase 

substantially.  The results may look like those of the Keystone service 

after Amtrak cut service and SEPTA started serving Parkesburg with much 

cheaper fares.  Anticipating just such an occurrence, Wisconsin is 

seeking alternative operators (most notably Metra) to replace Amtrak if 

Amtrak can not run a cost-effective service.



Several statesÕ objections to the service cuts revolved around the 

accounting procedures Amtrak used to allocate its costs among various 

services.  Governor Tommy Thompson of Wisconsin (a former member of 

AmtrakÕs Board) reportedly won a concession from Amtrak President Downs 

that AmtrakÕs figures were in error.  Sources say New JerseyÕs 

negotiations with Amtrak also center on the Atlantic City lineÕs cost 

figures.  External consultants developed the controversial accounting, 

which Amtrak has not released to the public.



California has paid $846,000 to keep the Capitols running until Sept. 

30.  State officials there are especially mad because their state spent 

millions of dollars San Jose-Sacramento corridor into operation.  A deal 

in Missouri to retain Kansas City-St. Louis service is imminent.  

Alabama is ready to pay more to keep the Gulf Breeze, but AmtrakÕs 

demand for more money for existing service is putting the trainÕs 

extension to New Orleans into jeopardy.



Vermont will put up $580,000 for continued operation of its portion of 

the Montrealer.  The state will watch performance of the train closely, 

and has demanded that Amtrak turn any surplus resulting after the 

increased fares and subsidy back to the state.  With the service 

targeted to Vermont residents, the train will run by day rather than 

overnight.  A VIA Rail Canada spokesman said his company has no plans to 

support continuation of the train to Montreal.  However, Government 

officials in Canada are considering it.



DVARP has asked Governor Ridge and PennDOT to move forward with 

restructuring the Keystone Corridor, so better service can be provided 

at less cost, as outlined in DVARPÕs Harrisburg report.  The letter and 

the report are both available online from DVARP (see Feb. DVRP), or by 

sending a SASE (for the letter) or $2.00 (for the report) to DVARP.--MDM







On the Railroad LinesÉ



ÔWill CallÕ Will Save Time



SEPTA has followed the lead of other commuter railroads and set up a 

special drop-box and express pick-up window to speed up monthly pass 

orders and make more efficient use of both your time and their clerkÕs 

time.  The box is located on the ticket office side wall, to the right 

of the Amtrak windows.  Pick up an envelope, fill out your name, zone 

and check, or credit card info.  Drop it off by 9:30 am, and your pass 

will be ready for pick-up between 3:30 and 6:30.



U. City Deadline Missed



Opening of the University City/Civic Center RRD station continues to be 

delayed.  Sources say that an elevator required for wheelchair access is 

holding back the opening.  When the initial January opening date passed, 

SEPTA officials hoped that the station would be ready for the annual 

surge of ridership for the Philadelphia Flower Show.  



R5



Doylestown Trains Back



With the first phase of the track replacement project done, SEPTA issued 

a revised midday Lansdale-Doylestown schedule last month.  The bus 

shuttle operation from Gwynedd Valley to Doylestown is no longer 

necessary, but the temporary cutback in service between Gwynedd Valley 

and Lansdale continues.



R7



An inbound Trenton train struck a trespasser at Morrisville Feb. 22.



CTD 



City, SEPTA Develop Snow Plan



Responding to a DVARP suggestion, SEPTAÕs City Transit Division has 

worked with the Managing DirectorÕs office of the City of Philadelphia 

to make sure transit really does come first when snow or ice strikes.  A 

city-wide network of key routes has been established; City road-clearing 

efforts will focus on those streets, so buses and trolleys can get 

through.  The object is to keep transit service running on those routes 

with maximum reliability, while still putting safety first.



The plan has three levels:  level one does not affect service, but 

serves as a warning to all involved that bad weather is coming.  At 

level two, route detours may go into effect; and buses will stay on 

major arterials rather than local streets.  Level three is for severe 

storms.  In a level three snow emergency, SEPTA will concentrate service 

on the subway-elevated and subway-surface lines, trackless trolleys 29, 

59, 66, 75, and 79, and on bus routes 6, 14, 15, 17, 20, 21, 33, 47, 52, 

56, 59, 60, C, and R.  Experience tells us that the rail routes are best 

by far when the weather is very bad.



In a level three storm, the following bus routes are likely to not run 

at all: 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 19, 25, 35, 39, 40, 43, 48, 53, 57, 61, 73, 

76, 84, 88, 89, 90, G, and X.  Service on the remaining routes will be 

sporadic, but SEPTA will try to keep them running.  Announcements of 

snow plans will be made through radio stations and other news media; 

they will be in effect for specific periods beginning at 6:00 am, 10:00 

am, 6:30 pm, and 10:00 pm.  This way, riders will know in advance 

whether their route is on diversion.



In recommending the fixed snow plans, DVARPÕs Transit Committee cited 

Maryland MTAÕs successful ÒSnow MotionÓ program.  Each MTA schedule 

lists the changes which take effect if ÒSnow Motion BlueÓ or ÒSnow 

Motion RedÓ is declared.  While those details are not yet in the 

schedules, Philadelphia did do Baltimore one better by coordinating its 

snow-removal plans with transit plans.  The City is getting serious 

about its snow emergency plan.  Parked cars which are not moved from 

designated streets will be towed so City trucks can plow from curb to 

curb.



Though City Transit was the focus of last monthÕs announcement, SEPTA 

reiterated its winter weather procedures for its other divisions.  On 

Suburban Transit, service priorities will be the Norristown and Media-

Sharon Hill light rail lines and the 104 bus.  SEPTAÕs Regional Rail 

storm plan has to be coordinated with Amtrak (Amtrak has an excellent 

record for keeping its trains running), so a fixed plan could not be 

issued.  SEPTA did say that on its own lines, the railroad trunk from 

Center City to Lansdale (R5) would be the highest priority.  Taken in 

conjunction with the R2 Wilmington, R5 Paoli, and R7 Trenton services 

using Amtrak rails, they form a reasonable skeleton network crews can 

try to keep open.--MDM





CTD



Service Guarantee on Market-Frankford



SEPTA has extended its Òon-time or freeÓ promise to weekday service on 

the Market-Frankford Subway-Elevated.  If your train is delayed 15 

minutes or more by a cause that was SEPTAÕs fault, you can get either a 

free token or a voucher good for a discount off your next SEPTA pass.  

Broad Street has been covered since 1992.



If you ride the subway or el, be sure to pick up a couple of the 

postage-paid cards from a SEPTA sales office or Center City train 

station.  Get a current schedule, too, so youÕll know how long your 

train is expected to take.  Then if you get delayed, fill in the date 

and time on the card, along with your name and address, and drop it in 

the mail.



El Station Work Scheduled



SEPTA has announced the schedule for completing station renovations.  

Stop off at Girard or Margaret-Orthodox to get a preview of what your 

station will look like when the work is done.  Each of the projects is 

expected to take about two years.  York-Dauphin, Somerset, and Tioga 

will be worked on this year and in 1996; Allegheny (K&A) and Erie-

Torresdale, 1996-97; and Berks, Huntingdon, and Church will be rebuilt 

in 1997-99.



The design process is underway for Frankford Transportation Center; 

DVARP will be taking part in the public meetings where SEPTA will unveil 

its proposals and listen to comments from riders and neighbors.  Three 

years of construction is expected to be complete in 2001.





STD



Interstate Service Here



As mentioned here last month, SEPTA and DelDOTÕs privatized Route 202 

West Chester-Wilmington bus service is underway.  Chester County has 

contributed a free park-and-ride lot at the Government Services Center 

near U.S. 202 and Westtown Road: the bus starts there.  Service runs 

every half-hour during the morning and evening rush, with an extra trip 

at mid-day.  Now you relax, catch up on your reading, or get a head 

start on work instead of fighting traffic and sun-glare on highway 202.  

Schedules for the 202 bus include a feature liked by DART riders: 

letters marking key points on the route map and linking them to time 

columns on the schedule.





STD



New schedules went into effect on the Norristown High-Speed Line 

February 6.  Two-car express trains are now operating in the peak hours, 

along with a pair of reverse-peak non-stop ÔlimitedÕ trips which make 

the 69th Street-Radnor trip in only 15 minutes.



Committee Campaigns for Direct South Jersey Trains



Public officials in South Jersey have questioned the need for the 

proposed Burlington/Gloucester corridors to have a one-seat ride into 

Philadelphia.  In Gloucester County, the Freeholder Board voted to 

support light rail prior to the public release of the 

Burlington/Gloucester Corridor Assessment in May, 1993.  More recently, 

Freeholder Francis McDevitt commented that the choice of any technology 

other than light rail may decrease the possibility of rail transit ever 

being built.  With this in mind, the DVARP South Jersey Committee 

initiated a leafleting effort in support of a one-seat ride from 

Gloucester county to Philadelphia.  



Members of the South Jersey Committee, along with other interested 

individuals, went to Ferry Ave. PATCO station January 26.  Approximately 

700 flyers were distributed.  It is interesting to note that many people 

driving to the station identified themselves as residents of Cumberland 

and Salem counties. Each county is now served by two Philadelphia-

oriented NJ Transit bus routes, yet they drive to a train station 

instead.



The South Jersey Committee also made contact with a resident of 

Woodbury, author of an editorial which supported the one-seat ride 

concept.  She agreed to distribute the flyers on the various NJ Transit 

bus routes traveling through Woodbury.  This effort resulted in flyer 

requests from the Woodbury Merchants Association, the Woodbury Old City 

Restoration Committee, and various church groups.  All organizations 

were given flyers to distribute.



As of March 1, approximately 850 flyers were in circulation.  The 

Gloucester County Planning Board reports that 122 postcards have been 

received from people reading the flyer.  The officials there have been 

surprised by the number of responses.  A companion effort is occurring 

at the PATCO Woodcrest station March 2.--BR, DN





SJTA Plans Roads, Airports Only



The South Jersey Transportation Authority recently presented plans for 

expansion of the facilities it operates to the Gloucester County Board 

of Freeholders.  The capacity of Atlantic City International Airport 

will be increased.  The Atlantic City Expressway through the back bay 

area west of Atlantic City will be expanded one additional lane in each 

direction.  This at the same time Amtrak is eliminating service on the 

Atlantic City Rail Line.



The Atlantic City International Airport improvements include the 

following: terminal expansion, longer runways, taxiway expansion, 

relocation of Tilton Rd., road sign improvements, parking improvements, 

and construction of a dedicated access road from the Atlantic City 

Expressway.  Total cost of the three phases of the project is estimated 

at $154.5 million.  Demand is projected to increase from 902,600 

passengers in 1992 to 2.6 million in the year 2013.  



SJTA wants to convince a major airline to locate a hub operation at 

Atlantic City Airport.  The hope is to change the airport, now primarily 

used as a destination, to one at which many passengers would originate 

travel to other areas of the country.  SJTA officials cited potential 

future overload in both Philadelphia and Newark airports in their 

presentation.  They claimed that 21% of Philadelphia International 

Airport passengers from the Delaware Valley reside in South Jersey. When 

asked by Freeholder Salvatore if they expected people from areas 

adjacent to Philadelphia to drive to A.C., they replied that the service 

area covered all of South Jersey, including Burlington and upper Ocean 

counties.



A new terminal site on the opposite side of the airport, with a 

connecting station to the Atlantic City rail line was evaluated.  

Wetland mitigation efforts would have been too costly; therefore the 

existing terminal site was retained.  If a terminal is ever built on the 

auxiliary development area, a rail station may be built.  SJTA does not 

own, operate, or fund any aspect of any rail transportation.



The DVARP South Jersey Committee is opposed to this project.  We believe 

that the money could be better spent providing rail access to 

PhiladelphiaÕs airport via 30th St. Station or, even better, improving 

and marketing the existing Amtrak/NJ Transit service.  We find the 

projected airport passenger increase to be questionable.  Wake up folks; 

there are better ways to spend $154.5 million!--BR







Woodbury Station Preserved



The City of Woodbury will purchase the old PRSL Woodbury rail station 

[on the Glassboro line], now owned by Conrail, for $150,000.  The 

station will be leased by the Woodbury Old City Restoration Committee 

for $1 a year.  WORC hopes to obtain a $60,000 grant from New Jersey 

Historic Trust Fund to renovate the station.  Plans for the station 

include conversion to a community center.





News compiled by Matthew Mitchell and correspondents: John Hay, Don 

Nigro, Bill Ritzler, Sharon Shneyer.

Additional news from BITNET, USENET, Mobilizing the Region, Philadelphia 

Inquirer.



Your news tips are always welcome!

Phone 215-222-3373, message box 3

or mail them to dvarp@libertynet.org



The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger is a member of RailWire and Railnews 

Online







Editorial

continued from page 2



There arenÕt any good reasons left not to switch the gravy train into a 

siding forever.  ItÕs impossible to create an objective standard to 

measure bids with?  What standards are the Board using to evaluate 

proposals today?  Ending the no-bid system will prevent minority 

contractors from getting their fair share?  Getting rid of the 

subjective element in awarding these contracts makes discriminating 

against qualified minorities harder.



And if politicians donÕt know what to do with their time once thereÕs no 

more patronage to fight over, they could start by riding the system for 

a day and finding our what the riders they are supposed to serve think.-

-MDM





Ride in Luxury



The American Association of Private Railroad Car Owners has a new 

directory of cars available for charter trips: call 202-547-5696.  

AAPRCOÕs annual convention will be Labor Day weekend in Nelson, BC.







Moorestown NIMBYs Could Derail Train 



by Donald Nigro



The following is an expanded version of an op-ed piece published in the 

Burlington County Times.



Many opinions have been expressed regarding the routing of potential 

passenger rail service for Burlington County.  Some have offered highly 

focused insight; others divert attention from an effective and fundable 

solution.  Regardless of the personal preferences, the available data 

indicates that the existing railroad right-of-way from Mount Holly 

through Mount Laurel, Moorestown, Maple Shade and Pennsauken is the 

quickest, most effective and direct, and by far the least expensive of 

all of the available routing options.  The other alternatives are 

slower, circuitous and, most critically, far less efficient, with poor 

ridership/expense ratios.



All alignments under consideration would have a station in Mount Laurel 

near Routes 295/38.  The real debate is which route should be used.  

Moorestown officials, in response to the emotional NIMBY (Not In My Back 

Yard) attitudes of some who live along the right-of-way, at one time or 

another have argued for all the options but the one that would make the 

most sense.  Earlier this year, Moorestown Mayor Walter Maahs even 

forwarded the idea to create a bus line that would offer feeder service 

to existing stations.  That bus exists already, and isnÕt attractive 

enough.



Now, Moorestown officials are advocating the use of the median of Route 

295 to a link with the existing Lindenwold Line.  This routing from 

Mount Laurel is four miles longer and would require greater travel time, 

even compared to a direct train with 40 mph. speed restrictions in 

Moorestown and slower speeds along Third Street.  Furthermore, because 

of the travel time similarity with driving to the existing Woodcrest 

Station, the Route 295 alignment would draw far fewer commuters than the 

considered existing right-of-way which would offer service to or near 

many densely populated communities.



For funding from the state and, more importantly, the Federal Transit 

Administration, a proposed project must compete with many other 

projects.  The poor performance of a 295 option would significantly 

decrease the chances of the project being awarded the necessary funds 

for construction (as many taxpayers would probably agree it should).  

With clean air, automobile congestion mitigation, and economic 

development as incentives, it is difficult to justify spending for a 

project that would draw many thousands of fewer daily riders and cost 

more than a rejected alternative.



The railroad opponents along the existing (and active) railroad right-

of-way in Moorestown have tried to make grade crossings the defining and 

sole issue in the debate about the best route.  NIMBYs cite the dozen 

grade crossings on the four mile right-of-way in Moorestown.  Ignoring 

all other facts, they claim that this is the reason why passenger rail 

service should not return to Moorestown.



The fact of matter is that grade crossings are the norm and not the 

exception with passenger rail service.  They are present on virtually 

all passenger rail lines.  In fact, the 16 miles between Bay Head and 

Long Branch of NJ TransitÕs North Jersey Coast Line has 62 of them.  14 

are in a 1.5 mile section between Asbury Park and Allenhurst.  With 

modern protection devices, safety is ensured.  The unsafe alternative is 

relying on roads instead of rails.



The railroad opponents also cite the traffic delays that would be caused 

by crossing gates.  Unlike the freight trains that go through 

Moorestown, passenger rail vehicles would close the crossing gates for 

only about 30 seconds (the length of most traffic lights).  Depending on 

the rail vehicle technology chosen, as few as three trains (one every 20 

minutes) would travel each direction during the peak hour and as few as 

one train per hour would travel each direction during the off-peak 

hours.



NIMBYs have also claimed that passenger rail service would degrade the 

townÕs character.  This could not be further from the truth.  In its 

September 1993 issue, Philadelphia magazine rated  the Delaware ValleyÕs 

most desirable communities in which to live.  Passenger rail service is 

present in six of the seven communities that Moorestown did not outrank.  

It thrives in such exclusive communities as Bryn Mawr, Jenkintown, 

Princeton and Swarthmore.



Service for Moorestown and Burlington County would not be something new 

but something old, yet improved.  Dozens of passenger trains used to 

come through Moorestown from as far away as Pemberton and Toms River.  

The town grew around the rail line and prospered because of it.  Riders 

on the steam engine-pulled trains were taken into Camden.  To get to 

Philadelphia, they were required to take the Bridge Line, predecessor to 

PATCO.  



With expansion of highways, train ridership declined, and service 

eventually failed in 1969 because it did not offer a one-seat ride to 

the city.  In the near future, travelers could have both a one-seat ride 

to Philadelphia and effective intra-county travel on a clean, electric  

rail vehicle.



Effective passenger rail service adds value to the properties in the 

corridor.  Such service has been shown to increase values on an average 

of 6.4% according to a 1991 study conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank 

of Philadelphia.  A 10% increase is shown for the Lindenwold Line.  In 

anticipation of passenger rail service for Gloucester County, numerous 

properties are now indicating an increase of 10% in value in Woodbury.  

Gloucester County is moving ahead with their intended use of an existing 

right-of-way--a right-of-way not unlike the one in Burlington County.



Burlington County should not languish or else it may miss the train and 

its destination of varied and enormous opportunities.







Amtrak Bills in House

continued from page 1



This Commission is patterned after the one established earlier for 

closing surplus military bases.  The concept is based on the assumption 

that AmtrakÕs network contains numerous inefficient routes that are 

there as a result of political pull and if pruned away would leave a 

healthy core that could be operated within available resources.  



This may have been true in the 1970s, but such routes (remember the  

Potomac Special and the Hilltopper?) have already been pruned.  What is 

proposed here is more akin to amputation.  Especially scary is some of 

the language contained in the bill, such as: ÒThe system which remains 

after closure and realignment of routes shall not be required to be a 

national, interconnected system.Ó  It also postulates that, ÒFederal 

operating subsidies shall be assumed to decline over the 5-year period 

beginning on the date of enactment É possibly to the point of zero 

Federal operating subsidy.Ó  The bill has been sponsored by Frank Wolf 

(R-VA) and has five cosponsors, including Jon Fox (R-PA) who represents 

the 13th District in Montgomery County.



Enactment of these bills would greatly complicate the job of preserving 

a viable network.  We could end easily up with no system at all, or at 

best with the Northeast Corridor, supplemented by a handful of corridors 

elsewhere.  As a tradeoff for states assuming greater responsibility for 

corridor service, we should insist that the Federal government retain 

responsibility for operating a sound connected national system.



Amtrak does have supporters in Congress, including most of the 

Representatives and Senators from our area; but Congress is now in a 

feeding frenzy with powerful forces seeking to reduce Federal 

discretionary spending.  We need to make sure our elected officials 

understand that Amtrak is an essential part of our national 

transportation system and must be preserved.



Fox Explains Support for H.R. 841



Representative Jon Fox (R-Montgomery Co) co-sponsored the house bill 

which would set up a Federal commission to determine which Amtrak routes 

should be eliminated.  In response to a DVARP telephone call asking why 

he is supporting the bill, Fox replied: 



ÒIÕm a very much pro-rail congressman who uses the rails every week to 

get to and from work.  IÕm on 841 so that we can make sure Amtrak is 

saved and I will do anything and everything to make sure we maintain our 

subsidies as well.  And from my point of view if we have enough public 

input about the importance of keeping the rails and expanding the rails,  

then any kind of commission that is established to study the rails will 

not decrease our subsidies nor decrease the number of lines.  I got on 

the bill to save Amtrak and thatÕs what IÕll do unless you feel there is 

a problem with the bill that I need to know about.Ó







Be Heard!



Richard Donnelly, VP of Marketing  for AmtrakÕs new Northeast Business 

Unit, wants to hear from his customers.  You can phone his office at 

215-349-1602.









History of the Clockers	by Charles Anderson

special to The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger



The term ÒclockerÓ is an old one and is derived from the competitive 

traditions established by the Pennsylvania and Reading railroads.  They 

competed quite vigorously for passenger traffic in two ÔcorridorsÕ: 

Philadelphia/Camden to Atlantic City and other south Jersey resorts and 

Philadelphia to New York/Jersey City.



The competition really started in the last quarter of the 19th century, 

during and after the Centennial Exposition held here in 1876. During 

that year both the Pennsy and Reading operated numerous excursions to 

the fairgrounds located in Fairmount Park.  After the centennial there 

were substantial improvements to both track and equipment on both 

railroads: remember the famous Camelback locomotives of the Reading and 

high stepping Atlantics of the Pennsy?  Emphasis was placed on garnering 

vacation traffic to the shore and drawing the businessmen to the New 

York Division.  Both groups of passengers demanded speed and comfort, 

along with cheap fares of course.  The public got it all during those 

years.



The services on both lines thrived well into the 1920s and began their 

slow decline during the depression years.  It was never the same after 

that time.  The PRR and Reading combined their seashore services in 1932 

to form the Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines,  



Though many of the trains were essentially commuter services, they 

generated considerable publicity in the press.  Of course the railroads 

capitalized upon this.  The Reading led in flashy advertisements and 

catchy names.  Perhaps the two which are most firmly in the mind of the 

public are: Boardwalk Flyer and Clocker.  The names the Pennsy coined 

stuck in the mind of the public of the time, but did not become 

legendary: how often did you hear about the Nellie Bly? (the 

PennsylvaniaÕs premier train to the shore)



During the 1920Õs the Reading established its Clocker series trains to 

Jersey City with ferry connections to both upper and lower Manhattan. 

Advertisements of the day heralded ÒTrains To New York--Every Hour On 

The Hour In Two HoursÓ.  One of the premier trains was the Ò7 

OÕClockerÓ: a favorite of businessman who were whisked to their lower 

Manhattan offices, with New York arrival at 9:00 am.  One of the busiest 

stops on the run was Jenkintown.  For those wishing to travel to New 

York from this point the Reading saved additional time compared to the 

twenty-minute trip into the city plus a brisk five-minute walk to the 

PRRÕs Broad Street Station.



Reading New York/Jersey City service dwindled until the last trains, the 

RDC-equipped Wall Street and Crusader, ended in the early 1980s.  

Although the PennsyÕs direct route into the Big Apple fared better, 

traffic was never the same until the introduction of Metroliner service 

in 1968.



After the 1950s, the term ÔClockerÕ became a general term used by the 

public for any commuter train originating in Philly and going to New 

York, whether it be Reading, Pennsy or B&O!  Amtrak picked up on this 

concept during its early days, so that any 600-series train originating 

in Philly and terminating at Penn Station was called ÒClockerÓ.  You can 

attribute passage of the term to Amtrak to Charlie Bertrand, an early 

Amtrak VP--he was the ReadingÕs last President before its conveyance to 

Conrail!



TodayÕs Clockers use anything sitting around Penn Coach Yard.  Some 

riders like to call these trains ÔjunkersÕ since the older Heritage 

equipment is assigned such runs.  Amfleet equipment occasionally finds 

its way into the Clocker trains, and once in a blue moon, a metroliner 

coach slips in.  With Amtrak in its present financial state, previous 

plans may be moot; however, there was a plan to refurbish a number of E-

60 locomotives and Heritage coaches to give the daily commuters (realize 

that these are regular Amtrak patrons paying premium fares) a better 

service.  







Conservatives Air Pro-Rail Program



National Empowerment Television (NET), the cable/satellite network set 

up by Paul Weyrich (see ÒPeople of the Year,Ó January DVRP), has added a 

new program about Amtrak.  America on Track airs Thursdays at 10:00 pm, 

with rebroadcasts Fridays at 3:00 pm and Sundays at 5:00 am and 11:00 

pm.



The first program was introduced by Tom Downs.  Guests were authors 

Steven Goddard (Getting There) and Frank Wilner (The Amtrak Story), and 

Betsy Reveal, AmtrakÕs Chief Financial Officer.







Up and Down the Corridor

News of other Northeastern commuter rail and rail transit services



TA Riders Face Service Cuts



Bus service in all five New York City boroughs will be trimmed under an 

MTA budget-cutting plan.  Some routes will be shortened, others will be 

operated fewer hours per day, and some express routes will be eliminated 

altogether.  On the subways, a few branches will lose night-owl service.  

Dean St.(Franklin Ave. Shuttle, Brooklyn), is to be closed.  With a 

combination of low ridership and a high fare-evasion rate, it is the 

least-productive station on the system.  Mayor Rudolph Guliani made it 

clear that service was to be cut; he does not want to be blamed for a 

fare increase.



Hartford Wants Rail



Business owners in Hartford are so convinced that light rail will 

improve their city, that they will give transit benefits to employees 

and stop subsidizing parking if the Griffin Line is built.



New Haven-Old Saybrook Jeopardized



Shore Line East commuter service in Connecticut is under fire.  Newly 

elected Governor John Rowland(R) wants to zero-out funding for the 

trains and kill the service.  New Haven municipal officials and 

businesses see the trains as a way of solving traffic problems on I-95 

without spending millions and millions of dollars widening the road.



Right of Way Protected



The Freeholders of Union County approved a resolution taking an active 

role in restoring rail freight service to two rail branches which could 

later be part of an expanded light rail system for North Jersey.   The 

tracks were purchased by NJDOT following the 1989 railbanking bond 

issue.  The affirmative action makes it clear to present and future 

residents that the tracks are a transportation facility, and will not be 

converted to other uses or given away to landowners.







Dates of Interest



DVARP Commuter Rail Committee: Wed., Mar. 15, 5:30, location to be 

announced: call John Pawson, 215-659-7736, between 6:00 and 9:00 pm for 

location and other information.  SEPTA RRD riders welcome.



DVARP Amtrak Committee: Thurs., Mar. 16, 5:00 at Food Court in lower 

level of The Gallery: 10th and Market Sts., Philadelphia.  Call John 

Dawson, 215-222-3373, message box 4, for more information.



SEPTA hearing on Route 18 curtailment: Mar. 17, 1:00 at Cedarbrook 

Plaza, Cheltenham Av. and Easton Rd.



DVARP South Jersey Committee:  Sat., Mar. 18, 11:00, at 104 Edison Ave., 

Collingswood NJ.



DVARP General Meeting: Sat., Mar. 18, 1:00 to 4:00 at Temple University 

Center City, 1616 Walnut St.,.



SEPTA Board Meeting:  Thu., Mar. 23, 3:00 pm at SEPTA Board Room, 714 

Market St.



NJ Transit Board Meeting, Tues., Mar. 28, 10:00 am, NJT Headquarters, 

Newark. 



Deadline for April newsletter material:  Tues., Mar. 28, to Matthew 

Mitchell or in DVARP mailbox.



Amtrak schedules change and service cuts take effect April 2.



SEPTA and NJ Transit commuter rail schedules change April 2.



SEPTA suburban transit schedules change April 2.



TransAction Conference:  Tues.-Thurs. April 4-6, Trump Plaza, Atlantic 

City.  For more information, call 908-903-1122.



Delmarva Rail Passenger Association: Thu., Apr. 6.  Call Ken Berg, 410-

648-5961, for more information.



DVARP Transit Committee: Wed., Apr. 12, 5:30 to 6:30 at 30th Street 

Station, south concourse exit opposite Post Office.  Call Bill Mulloy, 

215-222-3373, message box 1, for more information.



IEEE Vehicular Technology Society: Wed. March 8, 6:30 pm at Lebow 

Engineering Center, Drexel University, 31st & Market Sts.  Guest: Joseph 

Noffsinger, Conrail.  Topic: Positive Train Separation.



DVARP Commuter Rail Committee: Wed., Apr. 12, 5:30, location to be 

announced: call John Pawson, 215-659-7736, between 6:00 and 9:00 pm for 

location and other information.  SEPTA RRD riders welcome.



DVARP South Jersey Committee:  Sat., Apr. 15, 11:00, at 104 Edison Ave., 

Collingswood NJ.



DVARP General Meeting: Sat., April. 15, 1:00 to 4:00 at Temple 

University Center City, 1616 Walnut St.



NJ-ARP Meeting: Wed., April 19, 6:30 pm at Towne House Restaurant, 

Rahway.  For more information, call James Ciacciarelli, 908-727-3173.



Philadelphia Trolley Coalition: Meeting to be announced.  Call Chuck 

Bode, 215-222-3955 for information.



Listings based on information provided to DVARP.  Contact sponsor to 

confirm time & place.



Call 215-222-3373, message box 3, to add your event to this calendar.







DVARP Membership Coupon



Yes, I want to support improved passenger train service in our region!  



Here are my DVARP membership dues for 1995!	3/95



Name		



Address	



City, State, Zip	



Please choose a membership category below, enclose check and mail to:



DVARP, PO Box 7505, Philadelphia, PA 19101



(  ) Regular: $16.00 	(  ) Family:  $20.00	(  ) Supporting: $25.00



(  ) Sustaining: $50.00	(  ) Patron: $75.00	(  ) Benefactor: $100.00



(  ) under 21 or over 65: $7.50	







South Jersey Notes



*Three bills of note in the New Jersey Assembly:  A1275 mandates that 

NJT start an off-peak bike-on-rail, and that new trains have space for 

storage of bikes.  A1617 guarantees state funding of the ÒCircle of 

MobilityÓ rail projects even if the Federal government fails to 

contribute.  A2457 would set up roadside safety enforcement checks for 

trucks and buses, helping to reduce the indirect subsidy those modes 

receive by not having to meet as stringent safety requirements as 

passenger and freight trains.



*The Turnpike Authority approved a 6.7 mile superhighway from a 

connection with the Turnpike  at Monroe to US 1 in Plainsboro--to be NJ 

Route 92  Opponents of the plan called it a Òprivate drivewayÓ for 

Princeton Forrestal business park, and a giveaway of tax dollars to the 

park, because tolls will nowhere near pay for construction.







Amtrak Notes



*Metroliner fares increased Mar. 1 on those routes which had not already 

been increased this year.



*New menus can be found on Metroliner cafe cars.  



*Amtrak is offering special fares March 6-16 for fans attending the Big 

East basketball tournament.



*The first bodyshells for AmtrakÕs Viewliner sleepers and dining cars 

were completed in December by Morrison-Knudsen.  They have been shipped 

to Hornell, NY for final assembly.





Like, Intermodal, Man



San Diego CountyÕs ÒCoasterÓ commuter train service to Oceanside went 

into service late last month.  Coaster riders may bring surfboards 

(under six feet long) on board the train.







Supporting Transit is Good Business



When Washington MetroÕs Green Line opened a year ago, the owners of 

MarylandÕs Prince GeorgeÕs Plaza shopping mall found Metro riders 

parking in their lot rather than paying to park in the WMATA garage.  

But rather than kicking the rail passengers out, P.G. Plaza saw an 

opportunity.  They now offer commuters a free monthly parking pass in 

exchange for $75.00 in receipts from mall stores.  Most merchants love 

to have these customers who come to their place of business every day.







Next month in the DVRP

Special Issue:  The Future of the Northeast Corridor





NEW  Phone & Voice-mail Directory



 DVARP main number (voice mail line)	 215-222-3373

1 Bill Mulloy, Transit Committee	 215-222-3373

2 John Pawson, Commuter RR Comm.	 215-659-7736

	(6 to 9 pm please)

3 Matthew Mitchell, Newsletter Editor 	 215-885-7448

4 John Dawson, Amtrak Committee	 215-222-3373

5 Sharon Shneyer, External Affairs	 215-386-2644

6 Robert H. Machler, Vice President	 215-222-3373

7 Bill Ritzler, South Jersey Committee	 609-869-0020

9 Don Nigro, President	 609-869-0020



 Betsey Clark, Volunteer Coordinator	215-222-3373

 Dan Radack, Bicycle Coordinator	215-232-6303

Computer e-mail (internet)	dvarp@libertynet.org

World-Wide Web	http://libertynet.org/~dvarp/dvarp.html