textfiles/magazines/DELAWARERAIL/dvrp9505.txt

The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger



May 1995 

Vol. XIII, No. 5 

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: New NJ Transit train schedules in effect May 15

Some Amtrak schedules change (service cuts) June 11







Inside The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger...



Special edition with this issue: The Future of Amtrak



1	SEPTA budgets continue to hold the line on service and fares but

delay expansion again



3	On the Railroad Lines:  Meadowbrook Station burns down; SEPTA

ridership, on-time reports;  DVARP takes sharper pencil to Newtown

proposals to save them from naysayers.



4	Transit News Update:  Center City trolley loop opens; CTD schedule

change to bring summer streetcars on Girard Ave.;  New bus service

between Jenkintown and the Northeast.



6	South Jersey News: DVARP participates in TransAction Conference



7	Amtrak opens WWW site, DVARP puts NJ Transit train schedules on line



7-8 Dates of Interest, DVARP Directory



8	One DVARP Board seat vacant: nominations now being accepted for June

election



DVARP President: Donald Nigro Newsletter Editor: Matthew D. Mitchell

for other officers and committee chairs, see page 7



entire contents copyright (C) 1995 DVARP



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







No Surprises in SEPTA Budgets	by Matthew Mitchell



Proposed capital and operating budgets for SEPTA's fiscal year 1996

were released to DVARP and the public early this month, and hearings

on them are being held as this newsletter goes to press.  The budgets

continue previously-stated policies of maintaining existing service in

the face of anticipated cuts in Federal support for transit.  While

there is little bad news in the budget, there was little good news

either.



At press time, DVARP committees were evaluating sections of the budget

and preparing a statement to be approved by the DVARP Board at the May

meeting.  The statement will then be delivered at public hearings May

22 through 24.  This hearing testimony is one of DVARP's most

important and least-noticed functions.  These public hearings do not

attract the audience or the media attention of fare increase hearings,

even though the projects and initiatives being considered have a much

larger effect on our region.



Rail Expansion Delayed Again



The Capital Program is especially newsworthy, as it discloses SEPTA's

priorities for future projects.  New this year in the budget document

is a "commitment schedule" which actually attaches dates to specific

projects.  In it, we find out that all railroad service expansions,

including Newtown and the 'Cross County Metro,' have been pushed off

to the year 2002 at the earliest.  Projects to be carried out in the

intervening time are mostly for transit facilities and rolling stock.



The only commuter rail projects which will be carried out in the

coming year will be structural work from Suburban Station to 30th

Street, and the expansion of parking facilities at a handful of

stations expected to have increased patronage during the I-95

reconstruction.  These projects are all modest in scope except the $14

million one at Cornwells Heights.



Market St. El to be Reconstructed



The biggest of the projects is purchase of new buses: 1240 of them for

a total of $371 million.  Second is a new project: reconstruction of

the Market Street El, estimated at least $230 million.  The cursory

project description SEPTA released implies a 'replace-in-kind' project

much like the current Frankford El reconstruction.



Funding for the renovation of City Hall station ($25 million) and

Frankford Terminal ($80 million) is programmed for next year.  The

multi-billion dollar Northeast subway extension is not included in the

FY 1996-2007 program period.  The commitment schedule places

restoration of light rail infrastructure for North Philadelphia route

15, 23, 56 in the period 1996-2001.



DVARP Statements Available On-Line



Complete text of both DVARP statements will be made available on the

internet, at DVARP's 'home page' (http://libertynet.org/

~dvarp/dvarp.html).  As usual, you will also be able to obtain copies

of the statements by sending your name, address, and $1.00 printing

and postage cost to DVARP.







From the Editor's Seat: Don't Miss The Opportunity Again



At least one good thing can result from the transit strike: that is,

if we let it.  A lot of city residents had no transportation

alternative but SEPTA's commuter rail lines, so they flooded the RRD

with ridership.  SEPTA management and railroad employees did a good

job coping with the crowds, and other than the lines at Center City

stations, the railroad made a good impression.



We need to turn that temporary gain into a permanent one.  For years,

self-serving politicians and union leaders have been beating up on the

railroad, saying it only benefits undeserving suburbanites, even though

half of the lines run exclusively or predominantly within city limits.

 To these people, riding a commuter train is an act of treason.  Is it

any wonder that those lines in the city are the weakest in ridership,

and always the ones threatened with shutdown in a financial crisis?



Compare this to the positive, pro-active  steps taken by City

government in the 60's.  "Operation Fox Chase" brought fast electrified

train service to Northeast neighborhoods.  "Operation Chestnut Hill"

gave new trains and more frequent service to more neighborhoods.  The

commuter rail system was treated as the primary means of

transportation, not a burden.



SEPTA has made several 'positive moves to stress how the railroad

benefits City residents, and to promote ridership on reverse-commute

trips.  City government in general, and the Mayor's Office for

Transportation in particular, should reinforce this effort.--MDM







Quotable:



A railroad is a capital-eating machine.  Amtrak's capital depreciation

stands at two billion dollars since the start of 1971.... In the last 20

years of its operation, Amtrak has received a total of $2 billion from

the Federal government.  France and Germany have each spent $90

billion on rail in the last year alone.



Amtrak's needs today are, in order, capital, capital and capital. We

don't have enough money to replace our own fleet as it wears out, and

certainly have no money to expand anything.  Our improvement projects

depend 100% on the goodwill of participating states: the federal

government has contributed nothing to us.



Ladies and gentlemen, no railroad in history has ever made back its

total capital costs and operating expenses.  Some railroads today make

back their operating expenses only.  But no railroad today, and no

railroad in history, has ever made back its capital and operating

expenses.  Amtrak is required by law to do that task in five years.



Amtrak was chartered by Congress as a profit-making corporation. Today

we're 200 million dollars in the red.  Amtrak's authorization to exist

expired last October.  Right now we are not authorized to exist, under

Federal law.  If we fail to make up our deficits, our assets will be

seized by our creditors, as they have every right to do under the law.

 We will not be bailed out.  Either Amtrak makes money or we will not

exist in the next year.



--Tom Downs, Amtrak President, at Amtrak Public Forum, Sacramento







On the Railroad Lines...





Report Proves Trains are Good Neighbors



Did you see the Inquirer story of Sunday April 30: "Railroads bring

the value home"?  It told how commuter rail service not only improves

the quality of life in our area, but also improves property values by

an average of $6,000.  That figure came from a study by Federal

Reserve Bank of Philadelphia economist Richard Voith (who is now on

the SEPTA Board).  These facts make great talking points for w hen

NIMBYs lash out against your trains.  Want a copy of that article,

which appeared in the Fed's Business Review, plus a copy of the

Inquirer story?  Just send us your name, address, and $1.50 for

postage and copying.





The Better to See You With



SEPTA is fitting its Silverliners with 'ditch lights.'  These are

additional headlights, usually mounted low on the nose.  Shining at a

slight angle left and right of the tracks (they're aimed at the

ditch), the lights make trains more visible as they approach grade

crossings.



Many other railroads are using ditch lights now too.  Conrail's flash

alternately when the engineer whistles for a crossing.





R1--U. City Details



Last month's ASCE tour of the new University City commuter rail

station yielded a few more facts about the project.  The project took

16 years from conception to opening.  Initially, the station was to be

built in conjunction with the Center City tunnel, but there was an

eight-year slippage between final design and the start of

construction.  Construction was delayed due to discovery of a high

water table at the site not far from the Schuylkill.  Removal of

contaminated soil and the stormy winter of '94 also caused delays.





R3--One Station Burns...



A fire of suspicious origin claimed another SEPTA station April 18:

the Meadowbrook station in Abington.  Trains were delayed all day;

four were annulled.  The station contained a Post Office branch.

SEPTA has not yet announced any rebuilding plans.



...Another Restored



A big celebration was held in Lansdowne as the picturesque station

there was rededicated, more than four years after it was struck by

fire.  Credit neighbors in the Delaware County borough for their

tenacity in demanding that SEPTA rebuild it.





SEPTA Ridership Stats



Six-month data (July to December)



	ridership (000s)	change



Surface (bus)	53,321	+0.9% 

Subway-Elevated	27,129	+1.9% 

Light Rail	4,714	-1.9% 

City Trans. total	85,164	+1.1%



Red Arrow	6,149	-1.0% 

Frontier	1,022	-1.8% 

Suburban Total	7,171	-1.1%



RRD Total	11,097	+16.4%



SEPTA Total	103,432	+2.5%





RRD Weekday Ridership by Line: December 94 vs. December 93



R1 Airport	2,617	+19.2% 

R2 Wilmington	6,878	+11.7% 

R3 Elwyn	7,713	-6.7% 

R5 Paoli	19,541	-3.3% 

R6 Cynwyd	248	-2.5%

R7 Trenton	8,473	+9.1% 

R8 C.H. West	4,968	-14.9% 

PRR total	50,438



R2 Warminster	6,416	+15.7% 

R3 West Trenton	7,498	+11.5% 

R5 Doylestown	10,762	+11.8% 

R6 Norristown	4,656	+8.7% 

R7 C.H. East	4,388	-1.3% 

R8 Fox Chase	3,922	+17.4%



RDG total	37,642	 

RRD total	88,079	+4.4%





SEPTA Regional Rail Division On-time Performance



                                   March   April



At Suburban Station                90.3%   91.6% 

At Final Destination               88.8%   87.4% 

Peak                               86.4%   82.5% 

Off Peak                           89.3%   89.6% 

Trains Canceled                     0.1%    0.3% 

Trains over 15 minutes late         1.8%    1.7%



Individual Lines 

R1 Airport                         97.1%   95.1% 

R2 Wilmington/Warminster           92.7%   92.0% 

R3 West Trenton/Elwyn              83.2%   78.4% 

R5 Doylestown Parkesburg           87.1%   86.5% 

R6 Cynwyd/Norristown               89.6%   91.2% 

R7 Trenton/Chestnut Hill East      85.6%   82.8% 

R8 Chestnut Hill West/Fox Chase    87.5%   86.8% 

courtesy SEPTA, Libertynet







Newtown Efforts Continue



DVARP President Donald Nigro and Commuter Rail Committee Chairman John

Pawson continue to refine various proposals for restoring commuter

rail service to Newtown, and submit them to planning staff at SEPTA.

The thrust of DVARP's efforts is to reduce the projected cost of the

project to the point where SEPTA agrees that restoring the trains is a

good investment.



What that likely means is some compromises in the scope of service.

No reverse-commute, and only limited off-peak service would be

provided at first.  The reverse-commute issue has a big impact on

signaling costs, and a peak-oriented service would carry more

passengers per train.  As ridership grows, service can be added, in

the same manner as most other commuter service restorations in the

U.S.  Some proposed stations would be eliminated, both to cut capital

costs, and to speed up the trains.



The full text of the proposal is available from DVARP, both online at

(http://libertynet. org/~dvarp/docs/newtown) and in printed form.

(please send your name, address, and $2.00 to cover copying and

postage)



Latest Newtown News



SEPTA is analyzing DVARP's 'optimized variation' of the Dual Powered

Alternative.  Good preliminary news:  while DVARP had estimated that

the optimization would cut operating expenses in half, SEPTA has found

that the optimization would cut operating expenses by two- thirds.

Furthermore, the required net annual subsidy (including the impact on

the R2 and R3 lines) is $388,940: not much more than what the current

Newtown shuttle bus requires ($300,000).  However, the optimized plan

does not give significant reverse peak service, therefore, the Newtown

shuttle bus could not be eliminated completely.  It could be scaled

back to a $40,000/year Newtown to Bethayres run.  Two reverse peak bus

round trips would complement restored Newtown rail service in a

cost-effective manner.



In recent weeks, the Newtown Greenway Coalition has repeatedly and

publicly stated that is does not oppose restoration of rail service

between Newtown and Fox Chase.  In addition, the governing body of

Bryn Athyn has explicitly stated that they along with their

constituents are not opposed to the restoration of Newtown service

provided that the line is not electrified.--DN







The Hidden Subsidies: More Automobile Pork



The Federal Government is spending $170 million for R and D of

so-called "intelligent" transportation systems.  General Motors, and

big engineering companies like Bechtel and Parsons Brinkerhoff will be

the beneficiaries of this boondoggle.  The goal is to design

"separated lanes" on which computer-controlled vehicles can travel at

120 mph.  Maybe DVARP should try to get some of this money--we know of

a real intelligent transportation system that does all that right now...

it's called a train.--MDM



"The Hidden Subsidies" is an occasional series dedicated to shedding

light on imbalances in our present transportation policy.



Did You Notice?



DVARP's Matthew Mitchell was quoted extensively in a story in the

May/June issue of Amtrak's on-board magazine, Express.  Mitchell,

veteran of a year's commuting from Philadelphia to Washington on

Amtrak, gave tips for working on the train.





LRD--Summer Trolley Service on 15



Summer construction work near 49th St. will cause replacement of Route

10 streetcars with diesel buses.  The trolleys will be shifted to

Route 15 for the season, giving Girard Avenue riders the speed and

comfort of rail service.



*Shuttle buses will replace the Route 13 Yeadon-Darby extension during

summer track reconstruction work.



*Trolley Fare reports that the Federal ADA law is the reason SEPTA had

to stop running two-car trains on the Subway-Surface Lines.  The

letter of the law states that all trains of more than one car must

include one wheelchair-accessible vehicle.



51 Service is "Welcome"



The Center City trolley loop begins weekend service this month.

Officially designated Route 51, the trolley is called the "Welcome

Line" as both an invitation to visitors and a reference to

Philadelphia's history.  William Penn's ship was called the "Welcome."

 A 50 cent fare is being charged for single trips on the line.  Like the

Route 76, transfers and SEPTA passes are accepted too.  The service

will run Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm this month, and go to

a seven-days-a-week schedule next month.



SEPTA's durable PCC streetcars will provide most service for the line;

the antique Peter Witt car will also be in operation.



LRD boss Kim Scott Heinle was quoted in newspaper interviews as seeing

the Bainbridge St. to Noble St. loop as only part of the ultimate

line.  The present loop is short, and gives direct service to few

visitor attractions.  Extensions to the South Street entertainment

area and the Zoo are widely talked about, while another intriguing

idea is for tie-ins to Philadelphia's Afro-American history on a North

Philadelphia trolley route segment.



CTD Subway-El--Subway Plan Moving Forward



The Philadelphia City Planning Commission's report on a possible rapid

transit extension for Northeast Philadelphia is in the final draft

stage.  Project Manager A ndrew Lenton responded at length to comments

from DVARP and from community organizations.  DVARP's main concern was

that insistence on an expensive subway or elevated extension would

jeopardize the entire project.  Without endorsing any alternative,

DVARP suggested a commuter rail extension which could begin service

much sooner and at less cost than a rapid transit extension. (See

June, Sept., Dec. 1994 DVRP)



Roosevelt Boulevard emerged as the preferred routing, and subway

alignment preferred over elevated.  There was strong support in Olney

and the Lower Northeast for a connection to the Broad Street Subway

which would serve their neighborhoods.  A member of the project

advisory committee raised the idea of extending the Frankford El to

Harbison Ave., where passengers could transfer to the new line.  That

plan emerged as one of the three given highest priority.



If and when the report is accepted by the Commission, the next stage

is a complete alternatives analysis/major investment study, mandated

by law.  It is at this stage that Lenton says commuter rail and other

alternatives, including a combined highway/transit project put forth

by Philadelphia Streets Commissioner Lawrence Moy will get full

consideration.--MDM



CTD Bus--New Cross-County Service



The long-awaited "X-Plus" bus route may go into service next month,

pending approval of the SEPTA Board.  Residents and elected officials

from Northeast Philadelphia and the Jenkintown area have long been

agitating for an extension of the limited-service Route X, which

presently operates from Chestnut Hill to Glenside and Jenkintown.  The

expanded route will travel on Township Line Rd. and Cottman Ave. into

Northeast Philadelphia.



Promoters of the new service say senior citizens and other riders in

both Montgomery County and Philadelphia will make good use of the bus

for medical appointments (Medical College Hospital is along the route)

and shopping (Glenside is the resale shop capital of the Delaware

Valley).  If the service expansion is approved, the line will become

Route 77, and start up June 18 or 19.



Schedule Change Highlights



Summer schedules go into effect on SEPTA's City Transit Division June

18.  Visit Market East or Suburban Station, or one of SEPTA's sales or

customer service offices to pick up new schedules, or phone

215-580-7777.  Here are some of the more important changes:



*Rerouting of the 18 bus in Wadsworth and Wyndmoor is pending Board

approval (DVARP asked that the rerouting be postponed until a plan for

better integration of bus and train services could be worked out)



*Extension of Route X from Jenkintown to Northeast Philadelphia and

renumbering to 77, pending Board approval. (see above)



*Evening Route 25 trips will serve Spring Garden El station.



*Minor service increases for Route 47/47M, 57; minor cuts on 16, 31.

New spur route for 32.



Bus Prices Increase



NJ Transit has purchased 171 city transit buses from Nova Bus

(formerly TMC, once GM's bus division).  Nova's $254,000 per bus was

the only bid received.  Bus prices have increased by almost fifty

percent since 1990, mostly because of Federal mandates on emissions

and equipment for the disabled.  Voice- and visual stop announcement

systems are now required equipment, as are wheelchair lifts.  SEPTA is

budgeting $300,000 per bus for its future purchases.



Credits



News compiled by Matthew Mitchell and correspondents: Howard Bender,

John Dawson, Bob Machler, Bill Mulloy, Don Nigro, Bill Ritzler



Additional news from USENET, Mobilizing the Region, Philadelphia Daily

News, Philadelphia Inquirer, Trolley Fare.



Special thanks to J. Thomas Collins, John McGee, and Alan Wickersham

of SEPTA, Silas Warner, and the NJ Transit Planning Dept.



Your news tips are always welcome!



Phone 215-222-3373, message box 3 or mail them to DVARP







TransAction `95



TransAction, billed as "New Jersey's Premier Transportation

Conference", convened  in Atlantic City on April 5th and 6th.  The

conference provides those who have an interest in New Jersey

transportation issues with the opportunity to find out about the most

recent events, technology, and legislation affecting the industry.



Most interesting to this author was  a "Specialized Session"

presentation conducted by Conrail.  William Rich presented the Conrail

perspective about joint operation of freight and passenger service on

trackage that Conrail owns.  The Conrail view is as follows:



1) Conrail believes that commuter rail service is necessary.



2) Conrail wishes to be a good corporate citizen.



3) Conrail has a policy team for passenger rail with sub-teams for

specific issues.  These teams report directly to the President of

Conrail.



4) Conrail does not want to make or lose money due to the operation of

passenger rail on trackage it owns.



5) Conrail is constantly assessing the category of its track,

including primary lines, secondary, running track, etc.



Rich stated that there were four issues to be resolved between Conrail

and any potential operator before rail passenger service can begin:



1) Compensation.  A trackage rights agreement, with appropriate

compensation [money] provisions, must be secured.



2) Operations. Conrail must determine the impact to Conrail customers,

scheduling, and capacity.  Some intercity line-haul operations are

near capacity with existing physical plant.  Access to customers via

rail sidings at customer preferred schedules should not be disrupted.

Commuter trains stop frequently while freight does not, generating the

potential for delays.



3) Safety and Engineering.  Mixing freight and passenger service

increases the complexity of dispatching.  Crash barriers should be

placed between parallel passenger and freight tracks.  Issues of

signal system compatibility must be addressed.



4) Liability.  Liability should be the responsibility of the passenger

operator regardless of the amount or party at fault.  The potential

for a multi-million dollar settlement exists wherever passenger

services may operate.  The Massachusetts legislature has approved

liability protection for the MBTA Worcester extension.  Conrail is

seeking nationwide legislation on this issue.--WR





NJT Ridership (courtesy NJT Planning Department)



Rail lines continued to lead NJ Transit's ridership growth.  Overall,

it was up 5.0 percent in the first half of fiscal 1995.  This exceeds

the growth in employment in New Jersey, New York, and Philadelphia, so

the gain is even more impressive.



The Atlantic City Line recorded a 9.1 percent increase, best on the

system.  It will probably grow even more this year with the expansion

of service to Philadelphia.  Commuter ridership on the A.C. line

increased 11.2 percent.  Northeast Corridor Line ridership growth has

strengthened to 4.2%.  Off-peak ridership grew even more: 8.8%.



PATCO reported a 0.6 percent ridership gain over FY 1994.



On the bus side, NJT ridership is up by 3.8 percent.  The usual

breakdown of North and South Jersey data was unavailable at press

time.



In New York, TA ridership was up 3.6 percent.  All the increase came

on the subways; bus ridership was down slightly.  Long Island Rail

Road ridership was up 2.0 percent, Metro-North up 4.8 percent.  PATH

gained 4.6 percent





NJ-ARP supports Modified PATCO



At its March meeting, the New Jersey Association of Railroad

Passengers endorsed 'Modified PATCO' as its preferred mode for

Gloucester County--the same decision DVARP made.  No preference was

yet expressed for Burlington County, where DVARP is seeking either

commuter rail or modified PATCO options which would offer a one-seat

ride to Philadelphia.  DVARP appreciates support from all interested

parties as we lead the fight to effectively expand passenger rail

service in South Jersey.





New Amtrak Ticket Machines



Amtrak is working on a new kind of ticket machine for passengers

boarding at unstaffed stations like many on the Harrisburg Line.  The

machine will hav e a two-way video system so people can see a ticket

agent from a nearby station and get help if necessary.  Passengers

paying by credit card will get their tickets from the machine.

Passengers paying by cash or check will get a boarding pass and then

pay the conductor.  With this system, those who pay on board will be

able to use more of Amtrak's special fares.



Amtrak Goes Online



The information revolution continues to pick up speed; and the

national passenger railroads of the U.S.A. and Canada have joined it.

Amtrak and VIA Rail Canada each opened world-wide-web information

pages on the internet last month.



While both railroads are to be commended for their new marketing

initiatives, there are obvious flaws in execution.  The VIA page still

contains numerous mistakes; while the Amtrak page is missing the

schedule and fare information most needed by passengers.  Volunteer

efforts, like DVARP's project that placed complete Amtrak schedules

online, are being continued until the administrators of the official

sites get their acts together.



Where to Surf



All of these pages are just one click away when you log on to DVARP's

home page:



DVARP home page: http://libertynet.org/~dvarp/dvarp.html Amtrak

Schedules:  http://libertynet.org/~dvarp/Amtrak/ Amtrak's Online

'Station':  http://www.amtrak.com/ VIA schedules:

http://www.mcs.net/Canpass/canpass.html VIA Online information:

http://www.viarail.ca





NJT Now Online, Too



Meanwhile, DVARP has added complete NJ Transit train schedules to the

Libertynet site.  Volunteer Bob Scheurle typed in the data for us.

The URL for direct access to NJT information, including fares and a

list of stations and lines, is:



http://libertynet.org/~dvarp/NJT/readme.html



As more and more of this information comes online, let DVARP be your

guide.







Soldiers of Steel Celebrated



In honor of the fiftieth anniversary of the end of World War II, the

National Railroad Heritage Preservation Symposium will look at the

crucial contributions the railroads made to victory.  The four-day

course will be held June 15 through 18 at Penn State-Altoona.



The non-credit program includes tours of museums and Conrail

locomotive and car shops, presentations from military and rail

historians, and social events.  The tuition of $350 includes lodging

and meals.



This Symposium would make a great mini-vacation.  For information and

registration (the deadline is June 9), phone Penn State Altoona's

Continuing Education Office at 814-949-5048.





Tour Overbrook



A special inspection trip of the new SEPTA Overbrook Shop will be held

by the Philadelphia Railway M.U. Car Club June 6.  Non-members are

welcome to join the tour, but advance reservations are a must.  The

$20.00 cost of the trip includes a buffet dinner at the shop.  Phone

Linda Brink at 607-324-4570 for reservations: the deadline is June 2.





Vacancy on DVARP Board



Nominations are now being accepted to fill a vacant seat on the

nine-member DVARP Board of Directors.  The remaining Directors will

hold the election at the June DVARP meeting, and the elected candidate

will take office immediately, serving for the rest of the year.  The

seat became vacant on the resignation from the Board of former DVARP

President Chuck Bode.



Any DVARP member in good standing may nominate him or herself; there

are no geographic restrictions or districts in Board representation.

Nominations will close at the start of business of the June meeting,

to be held June 18 in Center City Philadelphia.  Candidates will have

an opportunity to make a brief statement before the election is held.

Nominations will be accepted in person at the meeting, or in writing,

either to the DVARP mailbox or to President Donald Nigro.  Nominees

are responsible for ensuring their nomination is received before the

deadline.





Up and Down the Corridor News of other Northeastern commuter rail and

rail transit services



Compromise on Metro Platforms



The dispute between Washington Metro and Federal bureaucrats is over.

WMATA had been ordered to tear out all its unique granite platform

edges and replace them with standardized edges with bumps to warn

blind passengers.  Metro officials and representatives of the blind

objected, saying the existing edge provided better warning (its very

smooth edge contrasts with bumpy tiled platforms) and would be

prohibitively expensive to replace.  In the compromise, grooves will

be milled into the existing edges to give them a distinct texture.



DVARP 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



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



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







Dates of Interest



Delmarva Rail Passenger Association: Thu., June 1.  Call Ken Berg,

410-648-5961, for more information.



Deadline for June newsletter material:  Fri., June 2, to Matthew

Mitchell or in DVARP mailbox.



Philadelphia Railway M.U. Car Club Tour of SEPTA Overbrook Shop:

Tues., June 6.  Train leaves Suburban Station Track 0 at 5:45 pm.

Fare $20.00 includes buffet dinner.  Reservations required.  Phone

Linda Brink, 607-324-4570 for reservations: deadline June 2.



Amtrak service cuts take effect June 11.



DVARP Transit Committee: Wed., June 14, 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.



DVARP Commuter Rail Committee: Wed., June 14, 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.



NJ-ARP Meeting: Wed., June 14, 6:30 pm at Chatfield's, Gladstone, NJ.

Phone 908-727-3173 for info.



National Railroad Heritage Preservation Symposium--"Extraordinary

Efforts: The Role of the Railroad in World War II":  Thurs.-Sun., June

15-18, at Penn State Altoona Campus, Altoona PA.  Tuition $350

includes room and meals.  For further information and registration,

phone 814-949-5048.



DVARP South Jersey Committee:  Sat., June 17, 11:00, at 104 Edison

Ave., Collingswood NJ.



DVARP Amtrak Committee:  Sat., June 17, 12:00, at Suburban Station

west end concourse, near SEPTA Passenger Service office.  Please call

John Dawson, 215-222-3373, message box 3 to confirm place.



DVARP General Meeting: Sat., June 17, 1:00 to 4:00 at Temple

University Center City, 1616 Walnut St., Philadelphia.



New SEPTA City Transit schedules go into effect June 18.



SEPTA On Site (Suburban Transit): Wed., June 21, 7:30 to 9:30 am and

3:30 to 5:30 pm at 69th St. Terminal, and 7:30 to 9:30 am at

Norristown Transportation Center.



SEPTA Board Meeting: Thurs., June 22, 3:00 at SEPTA Board Room, 714

Market St., Philadelphia.



Philadelphia Trolley Coalition: Sat., June 3, 12:30 at Italian Oven

Restaurant, 7700 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia.  Call Joel Spivak,

215-755-7717, for information.



NJ-ARP Meeting: Wed., July 12, 6:30 pm at Pufferbelly Restaurant,

Lindenwold.  Phone James Ciacciarelli, 908-727-3173 for more

information.



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

University Center City, 1616 Walnut St., Philadelphia.



Rail to the Fair Train to Delaware State Fair (Philadelphia, Claymont,

Wilmington, Newark, Dover to Harrington (Fairgrounds) and Seaford DE):

Sat., July 22.  Phone Delaware Transit Corp., 1-800-652-5600 or

302-577-2025 for schedule and reservations.



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.





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