From: dboone@iastate.edu (David L Boone)
Subject: DVARP Newsletter for 11/92 (long)
Organization: Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 16:48:20 GMT

As requested, I'm forwarding this to rec.railroad from the TRANSIT mail
list.  (I hope not too many of us do the same thing.  :)

************************ Forwarded text follows *************************

From:  Matthew Mitchell

1972 - 1992   DVARP Twentieth Anniversary
1892 - 1992   Philadelphia Electric Streetcar Centennial
The
Delaware Valley
     Rail Passenger

Electronic Edition

November 4, 1992
Vol. X, No. 11

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.

(C) 1992 DVARP

For more information about DVARP and good rail service, please contact us:
P.O. Box 7505,
Philadelphia, PA  19101
215-222-3373

Please consider helping DVARP continue to publish this newsletter and do other
important jobs on behalf of commuter rail and rail transit passengers... join
us!  Introductory membership is only $10.00 for all of 1993.  Mail your check
to the above address and mention what service you receive the newsletter over.
Thank you.

President: Chuck Bode     for other officers and committee chairs, see page 14

The electronic edition of this newsletter is posted by Matthew Mitchell
BITNET:  iekp898@tjuvm
internet:  iekp898@tjuvm.tju.edu
your comments and suggestions are welcome by email, postal mail to above
address, or by voice messaging:  phone 215-222-3373, message box 3.

electronic edition note:  I am having trouble getting my mail through to
rec.railroad on usenet.  I would like for a reader who has access to
retransmit this newsletter to them.

**Schedule Change Alert
Amtrak and NJ Transit rail schedules changed last month, as did SEPTA Suburban
Transit schedules on all Frontier and some Red Arrow Lines.  A new R5 weekend
timetable was issued October 18.  The next expected general change of SEPTA
commuter rail timetables will be December 6.

**Inside The Delaware Valley Rail PassengerI
2     SEPTA -DVRPC study predicts transit demand
3     Clean air law mandates auto trip reduction.
4     On the Railroad Lines:  Jenkintown riders:  seven schedules or one?
     R3 construction plans, Weekend connection problems in Trenton.
6     Overbrook shop and U. City station construction  to begin.
8     Transit News:  Bus route changes, New trolley manager
10     News from Jersey:  new coalition, Woodbourne megastation?
11     Special Feature:  Amtrak tips for Thanksgiving travel
13     Freight rail service in the news
14     DVARP volunteers have a Super Sunday
15     Up and Down the Corridor:  Commuter survey results in New York.

**Election T92
As the Bush administration is swept out of office by a resounding margin and
voters express a demand for change, what will this mean for mass transit and
its advocates, besides an end to annual attempts to kill Amtrak?  Good nows
for transit in general, but a loss of Delaware Valley influence on transit
policy-making.
Bill Clinton has promoted transportation spending as a means to jump-start the
economy.  While Democratic bills protecting the environment and helping the
economy by supporting transit will pass promptly come January, don't expect
immediate miracles, as the first Clinton budget will not go into effect until
September 1993.  Due to existing budget restrictions, additional transit
spending this fiscal year is unlikely, but a new administration can speed up
the flow of money which has already been committed.  Some of the
ideologically-driven policies of the Bush administration are likely to end.
For instance, there will be less drive for mandatory privatization of transit
operations.  But SEPTA had had one of its own in Washington, former Board
Member Brian Clymer was Bush's appointee to head the Federal Transit
Administration.
Several ardent transit supporters-Republican and Democrat- had given up their
seats in Congress before the election.  Bill Gray (D-Philadelphia) resigned
last year and has been replaced by Lucien Blackwell.  Through his chairmanship
of the House Budget Committee, Gray delivered lots of dollars for SEPTA
projects in North Philadelphia.  Lawrence Coughlin (R-Mont. Co.) was far more
supportive of transit than his Republican colleagues.  He will be replaced by
MontCo Commissioner Jon Fox (R).  Peter Kostmayer (D-Bucks) was upset by James
Greenwood, so the party balance of the congressional delegation is unchanged.
In North Jersey, power-broker Robert Roe (D) resigned his seat.
As influential congressmen are replaced by freshman representatives, the
projects they delivered from the pork-barrel are likely to go to other
districts.  The good news for Pennsylvania and New Jersey is that last year's
Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act will not be hamstrung in
reducing pro-highway bias in transportation programs.  Formula grants to
transit agencies and for "flexible projects" (given out by population) are
likely to be fully funded.
In Pennsylvania, SEPTA passengers got good news in the form of David Barol's
win in the 153rd House District (Abington).  Barol (D) is a transit consultant
with a regional, pro-SEPTA platform.  He defeated Martin Laub, who had led
Abington Township's opposition to Fox Chase-Newtown train service. -MDM

**RailWorks(R) Relief, but Rocky Reopening
Service on the six commuter rail lines closed for the rebuilding of the Ninth
Street Branch trunk line through North Philadelphia is back to normal after an
opening week marked by major delays.  Most of those delays were caused by
system components which weren't part of RailWorks(R), but most passengers were
not aware of that fact.  16th Street Junction did fail one afternoon, though.
Ridership has remained pretty close to the initial figures reported here last
month.  Almost 40 percent of the riders who left the system in April did not
return in October.  SEPTA officials are embarrassed and perplexed, even though
the net ridership loss was right on the mark projected by DVARP.

**SEPTA Looks at Long-Range Needs
A new study conducted by SEPTA and the Delaware Valley Regional Planning
Commission has projected demand for transit service in the year 2010.  The
study was unveiled last month at a meeting of the SEPTA Citizen Advisory
Committee.  Richard Bickel, SEPTA's Director of Long-Range Planning, explained
the methodology and the results.
Census data and DVRPC projections were used to determine the distribution of
population and employment in the five SEPTA counties; that data was turned
into an index measuring potential transit demand and plotted on a map.  The
areas of good demand coincide most strikingly with the passenger rail services
existing in the region 30 years ago, good evidence that transit leads, not
lags, economic development.
The only exception to that finding was the central section of SEPTA's proposed
"Cross-County Metro," paralleling Route 202.  This area of business growth
will certainly generate much traffic in the 21st century, but that demand is
tilted towards the destination side, and comprises little trip origination.
The SEPTA-DVRPC study combines origin and destination, and may overstate
potential ridership of the Cross-County service as it is currently envisioned
by SEPTA.
Bickel stressed that although potential transit and rail corridors were drawn
on the product map, this is a study, not a plan.  In taking the results to
planning officials in the counties and townships, he stresses the need for
focused development rather than sprawl.

**Will Employer Mandates Save Mass Transit?
New Federal environmental regulations mandate reductions in single-occupant
car travel in eight metropolitan areas including the fourteen-county, four-
state Philadelphia, Trenton, Wilmington area.  Firms which employ 100 workers
or more will be obliged to reduce the number of cars used by those employees
25 percent by 1997.  Will this law push enough people onto our region's buses
and trains to reverse the long decline in service and ridership?  Not
necessarily.
Informational meetings and public hearings on the measure are being held this
month.  One of their goals is to resolve the question of whether the goal of
25 percent increase in average vehicle occupancy (AVO) should be measured
region-wide or on a zoned county-by-county basis.  The region-wide approach
would give the areas of highest current transit use, like Center City
Philadelphia, credit for their accomplishments to date; while a zoned approach
makes clear that there is room for improvement everywhere.  DVARP has endorsed
the zoned goals for two reasons.  First, the problems of traffic congestion
and air pollution are worst in areas like Center City; and second, the high
level of transit service already in place to those areas and meager service to
sprawling suburban development makes the chance of success greater with the
zoned approach.
The new law leaves it up to states to enforce the new standard; the states in
turn have delegated responsibility for creating vehicle use reduction plans to
employers.  Each employer counts the number of persons who start work during
the weekday peak hours and divides that figure by the number of cars they used
to come to work.  That ratio is the average vehicle occupancy.  In Center City
Philadelphia, AVO is currently about 2.8; in the suburbs, only 1.2.
Employers can mix or match several strategies to reduce the number of vehicles
used.  The most effective ones are promoting mass transit use or reducing the
number of people who must travel during peak hours (through use of flexible
work hours or telecommuting).  Car- or van-pool matching is also effective,
but the car or van used does count against the vehicle total.  Southern
California is already using employer trip reduction as a tool to reduce
pollution, giving Delaware Valley businesses a model to look at and see what
strategies have been most cost-effective.  Unfortunately, the failures of the
trip-reduction approach are also evident in California, where many people went
back to their cars after trying transit or other modes, and some employers put
more effort into bending the rules than complying with them.
Is is fair to ask employers to solve the problems caused by the private car?
Maybe so.  Employer decisions to subsidize single-occupant car travel by
providing free parking are a primary cause of the problem.  So are employer
decisions to locate in areas poorly-served by mass transit and to design
buildings and sites for access by car and not transit.
Will the new regulations be a "magic bullet" for mass transit operators who
have lost ridership?  Not if transit management sits on its hands and expects
all the lost customers to reappear by magic.  Management must be aggressive in
adapting their service to the new and different kind of demand, marketing
their service as the employers' best response to the new mandates, and most
importantly providing the kind of service quality which is necessary to
attract customers who are used to the convenience and comfort of the private
car.

**On the Railroad LinesI
Make it a NightI With Lower SEPTA Fares
Acting on a suggestion by Bill Polk of the Citizen Advisory Committee, SEPTA
has brought back the $1.00 Wednesday night rail fare for the Christmas
shopping season.  The fare is good on inbound trains after 5 pm and outbound
trips after 9, beginning November 11.  Other fare deals for the holidays are
possible, too.

**R1
DVARP Timetables a Hit
Almost four thousand copies of DVARP's Combined Timetable for R1 R2 R3 and R5
train service have been distributed to grateful commuters. Separate editions
were printed for weekday and weekend service; they can be slipped one inside
the other and stapled together, so you need only one schedule instead of
seven.  If you didn't get your copy, send DVARP a stamped self-addressed
envelope for one.
Many have asked, but we have no idea why SEPTA failed to publish the Combined
Timetable once RailWorks(R) was over.  Three theories have been suggested.
The most obvious is cost, but it wouldn't make economic sense to force
thousands of train users to take seven schedules instead of one, and the
inconvenience of not being able to find the next train to Center City must
cost SEPTA some revenue.
Some have speculated that since RailWorks(R) began, SEPTA management has
sought to "transitize" R1 passengers, training them to just go to the station
and catch the next train instead of catching a specific train.  While
unlikely, this scenario is an awful omen for management's attitude towards the
railroad's passengers.   Perhaps management delayed production of the
timetable in the chaos caused by the eleventh-hour reprieve for weekend train
service; but we have now gone over a month since the schedules were issued,
and no changes have been made.
While DVARP is glad to help the passengers, we don't want to have to do
SEPTA's job.  DVARP would welcome donations to help pay the cost of printing
the timetables, which exceeded $300.  Distribution help from the Jenkintown
Station Improvement Committee and the station agents is also acknowledged.
Two Bridge Projects
SEPTA is widening the Old York Road bridge, to allow four lanes of traffic
under it.  Disruptions to rail service will be limited to five weekends later
this winter and spring.  Meanwhile, the pedestrian walkways over Cheltenham
Ave. at Melrose Park are being replaced.
Schedule Errors
DVARP has discovered some more minor errors in timetables:  the Center City
map in the SEPTA R1 timetable still shows Route 76 on Chestnut St.; it has
been moved to Market St.  The DVARP Combined Timetable left out a weekend late
night inbound R5 train.
news from the ex-Reading trunk to Glenside will now appear monthly in this
space

**R3
SEPTA Plans Media-Lenni Work
A pre-bid meeting was held last month at SEPTA headquarters to brief potential
contractors on the scope of work SEPTA wants done on the R3 line.  The project
will extend as far as Lenni station; SEPTA has previously said it plans to
restore service as far as Wawa.  Wawa is the point where the Octoraro line
branches off from the West Chester line; the Chester Creek line branches off
near Lenni.  Rail will be replaced the length of the line, and a second track
is to be installed between Media and Elwyn.  Signals from 30th Street to
Secane have previously been replaced; this project will continue the job to
Lenni.  The Moylan parking lot expansion previously described in these pages
is part of the project; additional parking lot work will be done at Media and
Elwyn.-MDM
Work Update: Bridge and Station Out, Some Single-Tracking
Yeadon Station will be closed for two weekends to allow replacement of the
Church Lane bridge.  Use Route 108 buses as an alternative.  Train service to
other stations will be unaffected.  Expect minor mid-day delays between
Jenkintown and West Trenton as SEPTA crews clear brush.
Express Service Cuts Leave Passengers Irate
West Trenton passengers are fuming over the elimination of their late-peak
express train.  Passengers who were used to a convenient 8:40 arrival at
Suburban Station now must choose to either leave home almost 20 minutes
earlier or take a train arriving at 8:52 and risk getting to work late.

**R5
Doylestown Mid-day Shuttle
Buses will operate in place of R5 trains from Lansdale to Doylestown until
Dec. 4, while crews repair tracks.  The outage is occurring weekdays from 9 am
to 4 pm, so rush-hour service is unaffected.  The buses are slower; southbound
passengers should check posted flyers and arrive at their station 15 minutes
earlier than usual.  Northbound arrivals may be up to 15 minutes late.
Accident Seriously Injures Engineer
On Friday, October 30th, train 9533 collided with a dump truck at Main and
Church Streets near Ambler.  According to newspaper reports the engineer was
seriously injured and was flown to Hahnemann  University Hospital while the
driver of the truck was not injured.
Church St. is one of only two public grade crossings without warning lights on
the SEPTA system, but the street dead-ends approximately 100 feet from the
crossing and the only "resident" on the street is the Ambler Wastewater
Treatment facility. Therefore, the crossing was treated like about a dozen
private crossings, which have no lights.  The cause of the accident is still
under investigation.  Visibility at the crossing is good; there are no hedges
or buildings to obscure the view of the tracks.  It can be inferred from the
condition of the train that the engineer is lucky to be alive.  The engineer's
compartment was ripped open.  The debris littering the side of the track
included the right corner of the train, the cab signal box and other controls
as well as the air horn valve and trap door.
It's been a very difficult year for the Regional Rail Division.  Having this
engineer home with his family on the 26th of November will give us all
something to be thankful for.  --Tom Borawski
Toxic Legacy Derails Station Plan
Lansdale Borough will not take over and renovate their station, because they
could become liable for existing toxic waste contamination on the site.

**R7
Weekend Trenton Connections in the Air
New schedules on the NJ Transit Northeast Corridor Line have added almost 15
minutes of padding time to southbound weekend trips, thereby breaking the
connection at Trenton with SEPTA R7 trains.  Northbound connections to Newark
and New York are not affected, though.
SEPTA's weekend timetable wasn't proofread; it shows impossible connections
like the NJT train arriving at 12:03 and the SEPTA train leaving at 11:58.
NJT timetables drop the SEPTA connection altogether.   A notice in the NJ
Transit timetable attributes the delays to Amtrak work on the Portal
drawbridge, about halfway between Newark and New York.  Since this
construction is to take place only on selected weekends, many trains will in
fact make the old connections.  Our advice: hope for the best, but allow an
extra hour in case the connection is missed.

**News compiled by Matthew Mitchell, Tom Borawski, John Pawson

**RailWorks(R) Casualties
Small businesses which serve rail commuters were hurt when RailWorks(R)
service disruptions caused a substantial loss in rail ridership.  Though SEPTA
agreed to concessions like rent reductions and giveaway offers, it wasn't
enough to avoid layoffs and even the closing of two newsstands at Suburban
Station.  There is good news though; the coffee shop at Glenside station has
reopened.

**Overbrook Shop to Go Forward
At its October meeting, the SEPTA Board approved construction contracts for
the Overbrook Rail Maintenance Facility.  The new shop is to be built on part
of the former PRR freight yards on the Paoli-Harrisburg line at 58th St. in
Philadelphia.  DVARP has been harshly critical of the project, saying that any
additional car shops are unnecessary at a time when SEPTA is cutting service,
not increasing it.
SEPTA already has a major Silverliner car shop at Paoli and a new shop at
Frazer for the push-pull equipment, and additional facilities at Powelton
Yard.  On the Reading side, SEPTA has a new shop at Roberts Yard for routine
maintenance and minor repairs and a heavy repair facility at Wayne Junction.
Major overhauls and accident repairs are done by outside contractors.
The $30 million project is being touted for its make-work benefits, but will
it become an albatross in the operating budget or will SEPTA become more
efficient?  SEPTA's plans for the future of the Paoli shop will answer that
question.  There are hints that the toxic chemical-contaminated Paoli facility
will be closed for cleanup and redevelopment, but SEPTA's plans have never
been spelled out.

**University City station also gets go-ahead
The City of Philadelphia is now accepting bids for construction of the RRD
station at the Civic Center.  Shoehorned into a cramped site, the station is
expected to cost $8 million.  No opening date has been projected.

**Information Wanted
If you or someone you know drives to Center City regularly, the DVARP Commuter
Rail Committee would like to know how long it takes, so it can make
comparisons with rail travel times.  Please ask your colleagues at the office
how long their trips take, then send us a note or call DVARP Voice Mail: 215-
222-3373, message box 2.

**SEPTA Ridership Update
Ridership continues to slip on all SEPTA's commuter rail lines.  The following
figures are from SEPTA Revenue & Passenger Analysis: (courtesy of John McGee)

**     Weekday Ridership
RRD LINE     Aug. '91     Aug. '92     DIFF. %
-------------------------------------------
R1 AIRPORT     2,061     2,061     P9.6%
R2 WARMINSTER     5,132     2,777     P45.9%#
R2 WILMINGTON     6,821     6,098     P10.6%
R3 W. TRENTON     6,760     3,795     P43.9%#
R3 MEDIA-ELWY     7,798     7,604     P2.5%
R5 DOYLESTOWN     9,944     6,275     P36.9%#
R5 PAOLI     19,240     19,257     +0.1%
R6 NORRISTOWN     3,589     0     -100%#
R6 IVY RIDGE     408     364     -10.8%
R7 TRENTON     8,121     8,411     +3.6%
R8 FOX CHASE     4,097     0     -100%#
R7/R8 CH. HILL     8,054     7,451     -7.5%
     #INDICATES RAILWORKS IMPACTED LINE

**     Weekend ridership
RRD LINE     Aug. '91     Aug. '92     DIFF %.
----------------------------------------
R1 AIRPORT     1,465     1,373     -6.3%
R2 WARMINSTER     903     361     -60.1%#
R2 WILMINGTON     1,256     1,026     -18.3%
R3 W. TRENTON     1,141     403     -64.7%#
R3 MEDIA-ELWY     1,271     858     -32.5%
R5 DOYLESTOWN     2,513     1,082     -56.9%#
R5 PAOLI     3,581     3,475     -3.0%
R6 NORRISTOWN     715     0     P100%#
R6 IVY RIDGE     0     0     0
R7 TRENTON     3,862     3,980     +3.1%
R8 FOX CHASE     492     0     P100%#
R7/R8 CH. HILL     2,256     1,542     -31.6%

**New SEPTA Office Building Preposterous?
News reports that SEPTA management is considering having a new office building
constructed for them at the same time as they are slashing service leaves
passengers wondering what management's priorities are.  However, the concept
of an office move shouldn't be dismissed out of hand.  The downtown office
space market is very, very slack at the moment, and SEPTA could lock in a very
competitive lease rate.  There are other advantages; offices now in three
different buildings can be consolidated to improve communications and save
money.  What DVARP worries about is the management corollary of the aphorism
"Nature abhors a vacuum."  If the move increases office space available to
SEPTA, will SEPTA find unnecessary administrators to fill it?

**"Aerotrain" Proposal Not Funded
The Montgomery County proposal for a high-tech monorail linking Norristown and
King of Prussia failed to make the final cut in competition for a Federal
demonstration grant.

**SEPTA, MontCo Team Up on New Maps
Three colorful maps are being distributed to Montgomery County residents as
part of a cooperative project between SEPTA and the County Planning
Commission.  The maps show SEPTA routes and major destination points on one
side, while the other side gives simple instructions on how to use SEPTA
buses. Note that the map shows Route 203, which actually has been abandoned.
Rail information is minimal, though the lines are included on the maps.
Separate editions will be published for North Penn, Norristown, and eastern
MontCo areas and are being distributed in local newspapers.  With the theme of
"Catch the Convenience and Enjoy the Ride," the maps highlight SEPTA's
marketable attributes.

**SEPTA on Site:  Take Advantage of it!
Management personnel from SEPTA's Railroad and Suburban divisions are
regularly available to listen to your comments and complaints, in the program
called SEPTA-on-Site.  Check the calendar on the inside back page of this
newsletter for dates and places.
To get action on your comments, it's important for you to have full details on
any incident.  To make this easier, DVARP can send you special forms with
spaces to record all the necessary information.  For a set of personalized
forms and instructions, just send us a stamped, self-addressed envelope.

**Transit News Update
BSS
Exit Only on Broad St.
Budget cuts have led to further service restrictions on the subway.  Three
platforms have been made "exit-only" during night and Sunday hours.  After
8:30 pm and all day Sunday, passengers will be unable to enter the subway at
Fairmount (north or south) or Logan (northbound).  Logan will remain open for
southbound passengers.
New Schedules
Meanwhile, timetables for the revised Broad St. service have finally been
issued.  Rush hour service is consisting of one train each of Fern Rock-
Pattison local, Fern Rock-Walnut express and Olney-8th St. express, all at 7.5
minute intervals.  With the end of RailWorks(R)-induced overcrowding, the
frequency of delays between Olney and Fern Rock has been greatly reduced.
Service reliability is good enough that timed transfers between most local and
express trains are possible at Erie and Girard.  Also note that the new Broad-
Ridge express trains from Olney also stop at North Philadelphia.

**MFSE
El Team to Tackle "New Frankford" Segment
The next piece of work facing Frankford El Reconstruction Project crews is the
replacement of the el deck from Church St. to Dyre St.  The section around
Margaret-Orthodox station is of single-column construction, and poses a big
challenge to construction workers.  Temporary supports will be used to hold up
the deck as it is replaced segment by segment.  Service shutdowns will
continue at night and on weekends, as announced on station signs.-MDM

**STD
Suburban Management Solves Some Problems
Budget cuts this summer caused a customer service gap on SEPTA's suburban
lines,  (see September DVRP) but much of it has now been closed through more
effective management.  The biggest problem with closing the Customer Service
Office was that senior citizens were unable to obtain transit  ID cards
without traveling downtown.  Now applications for the cards are being accepted
at the Sales Office from 10 am to 2 pm.  Timetable racks were enlarged to
prevent supplies from running out.  Meanwhile, there have been routine signage
improvements at the Terminal.
As always, STD management is listening to passenger comments and suggestions
at SEPTA-on-Site, which is held on the third Wednesday of each month, mornings
at 69th Street and Norristown.  See our Dates of Interest section each month
for details.
Direct 69th St. to Airport Service Coming!
Five years after the idea was suggested by DVARP, SEPTA is combining the Route
108 and Route U buses into a through Route 108 from 69th Street to the Airport
via Southwest Philadelphia.  While the convenience of direct service will
attract new riders to the route, the move will save money in several ways.
The slight overlap of service will be eliminated as will be Route U's
administrative overhead, while labor costs will be slightly less when STD
operators take over.  This transfer of service from the City Division to
Suburban meant objection to the plan by TWU local 234, which represents the
CTD employees.  That objection has finally been overcome.

**Look for New Fareboxes
SEPTA has been testing new fareboxes from two different manufacturers.  They
include pass readers such as are now found on the subway turnstiles, and
transfer printers, as well as increased data-recording capabilities.  If you
ride one of these routes, please let us know what you like and don't like
about them.  SEPTA can't be user-friendly if the users don't speak up!

**Heinle to Take Trolley Post
Fulfilling a promise made to the SEPTA Board, General Manager Lou Gambaccini
established the new operating position of "Chief Officer-Light Rail" and
appointed Kim Scott Heinle to it.  Heinle has filled troubleshooter roles for
SEPTA throughout the Gambaccini administration.  While he had been in charge
of Operations Safety and Training, he had also coordinated the task force
working for a more "user-friendly" SEPTA.  Every bit of Heinle's good
reputation outside SEPTA is necessary in assuming this role, as the history of
SEPTA trolley service is littered with broken promises.
Responding to the problems and to the pressure from community groups and the
City, the SEPTA Board has meanwhile established a Light Rail Committee,
chaired by Rep. Gordon Linton.  Linton of course represents the affected
community.  The new Board committee should be a watchdog, checking
management's intent to eliminate the remaining surface streetcar routes.

**SEPTA Seeks to Cut 53 Back

**ublic hearing notices were published for a SEPTA proposal to terminate Route
53 at Broad Street instead of the Luzerne Depot trolley loop.  Such a move
could be an obstacle to future restoration rail of service on the line.
Streetcar advocates should make their views known at the public hearing or by
mailing written comments to the Hearing Examiner c/o Board Secretary, 714
Market St., Philadelphia, 19102.

**SEPTA Moves Ahead With Bus Route Restructuring
Another package of bus route changes has been announced by SEPTA.  The wide-
reaching proposal affects thousands of riders who live in North and South
Philadelphia, Kensington, and Olney.  SEPTA's primary objective is to reduce
costs by eliminating duplicative service and combining inefficient routes.
Three hearings on the proposals will be held next month.
At the heart of the proposal is the elimination of Route 50, which had been a
streetcar route until SEPTA replaced the trolleys with buses.  Route 50
service in South Philadelphia will be replaced by Route 47 service which has
been relocated from 9th St. to 7th St.  The latter move, which gets the buses
out of the traffic-clogged Italian Market has been long-desired by SEPTA, but
has faced stiff local opposition.
Route 57 service on Jefferson and Master Sts. is to be dropped.  This is the
only east-west route in North Philadelphia which does not make Broad St.
Subway connections.  New service on Delaware Ave. from Spring Garden to Penn's
Landing is to be provided by revised Route 5.
Three route segments in Kensington are to be combined into a revised Route 89,
while Route 50 in Olney will be replaced by rerouted 57 service.  The whole
package is indeed complicated; DVARP's Transit Committee will attempt to make
sense of it and present comments at the public hearings.

**
**arkside route revision hearings bring opposition
SEPTA's plan to replace Route 85 with an extension of Route 40 ran into an
unexpected snag when Wynnefield residents took opposition to having the buses
on their streets.  The SEPTA plan would save about a half-million dollars a
year, and potentially boost ridership by increasing both direct and connecting
service to University City.  Councilman Michael Nutter (D-7), quite active of
late on SEPTA issues and learning quickly, has taken responsibility for
finding a compromise between SEPTA and his constituents.

**Transit Notes:  Revised schedules (look for * on cover) were issued for the
following routes:  12, 15, 22, 26, 27, 29, 47.

**Fumo in PATCO Flap
State funding for PATCO service was held up for a time last month by State
Sen. Vince Fumo (D-Philadelphia).  Fumo objected on the grounds that the cash-
starved City has not received any rental payments from PATCO under the lease
transferring the City-owned Locust St. subway to the bi-state agency.  Fumo
has taken aim at the Port Authority in the past, mainly to get an increased
share of patronage in its port and bridge activities.  While there was never a
serious threat to shut down service, Fumo still feels that subsidies to New
Jersey riders are too high.

**NJ Transit Forms Coalition
Following the model started in Philadelphia and taken nationwide, NJ Transit
has established a Statewide Transit Coalition, to promote mass transit and
lobby for increased funding for it.  To join the coalition, write to the South
Jersey Transit Advisory Committee, One Penn Plaza East, Newark, NJ  07105-
2246.

**Coalition Proposes "Hub Station" at Woodbourne
A group including area businesses and a railroad consultant and prospective
operator (Newtown Short Line Corp.) has publicized its plan for a superstation
and commercial development in Bucks County, where highways I-95 and US 1
intersect with the R3 West Trenton Line and the Conrail Morrisville Line
(Trenton Cut-off).  Plans for new passenger service over the Morrisville Line
are driving the proposal: NJ Transit is considering extending its New York-
Trenton service into Bucks Co., while SEPTA's proposed "Cross-County Metro"
would also use the tracks.
The new station is intended to be a park-and-ride hub for Lower Bucks, which
has an increasing number of commuters bound for Mercer Co. in New Jersey,
especially the Princeton area.  The promoters say that the new hub would ease
traffic and air pollution and spur economic development.  The price tag: $100
million, but the transportation element of the project is only a fraction of
the total.

**Fort Washington: Lights! Gutters! Acquisitions!
Fort Washington Station is receiving some long needed maintenance, including
new gutters and new lights. A new parking lot is being acquired for the
station which appears to be the nearby car dealership.  Now all we need is
passengers to fill the lot. Perhaps SEPTA can take a page from the real estate
industry's book and use low-power FM for train schedule info.

**Oops Department: Cross-County Service?
Did anyone else notice the new platform signs at Market East for the R5
"Lansdown/Doylestown" line?   <the R5 actually goes to Lans_dale_; Lansdowne
is an R3 Media stop.

**Beat the Thanksgiving Amtrak Rush!
The Thanksgiving holiday brings Amtrak its heaviest passenger loads each year.
Amtrak has had years of experience to hone its plan for special holiday
service, while savvy travelers have learned how to get where they're going
with the least hassle.  For those of you who haven't learned from experience,
DVARP offers some tips.
 Travel before the biggest crowds do:  Wednesday morning, Thursday morning,
and Saturday instead of Wednesday afternoon and Sunday.  If you need extra
incentive, Amtrak offers special lower fares for off-peak travel.  A special
Thanksgiving timetable with full details about schedules and fares will be
published, and should be available about 10 days before the holiday.  You can
also call 1-800-USA-RAIL.
 Most unreserved trains will be standing-room only.  To avoid the scramble for
available seats, especially if you are travelling in a party of 2 or more, use
the reserved-seat services on Metroliner trains or in Club Class.  The chance
to relax may be worth the extra cost.  On unreserved trains, board at the very
front to maximize your chances of getting a seat.  Also look for trains which
originate at your departure station.
 Amtrak will operate dozens of extra trains running in advance of normal
schedules.  Be aware that some of them, especially between New York and
Philadelphia, will operate with commuter-type equipment.  That means tighter
seating, no caf: car, and no rest rooms on some trains.  However, seats are
more plentiful.  Amtrak usually announces the fact that commuter equipment is
being used when the train is announced.  If in doubt, ask at the train
information desk.
 Purchase your train tickets in advance.  Travel agents issue all Amtrak
tickets, reserved or unreserved, and will get you the lowest fares, all at no
extra cost.
 Allow about 15 minutes extra travel time between Philadelphia and New York or
Washington.  Some minor delays are also likely; your best strategy is to get
to the station and catch the next train.
 Expect extra crowds in the stations and on the trains.  Use the rest room and
get your snacks in the station.

**AmNotes:  More "Smoke-Free" Trains
Amtrak has expanded its smoking restrictions effective with the October
schedule change.  Smoking is now completely prohibited on all trains with
running times under 2 1/2 hours.  In our area, this includes the New York-
Philadelphia Clocker trains, Amtrak local trains from Philadelphia to
Harrisburg, and New York-Albany service.
Trains which run with three cars or less are already smoke-free.  The new
timetables now show a no-smoking symbol for all trains which do not carry a
car for smoking.  Amtrak continues to experiment with different lounge-car
smoking restrictions on long-distance trains.
The X-2000 tilting trainset from Sweden is now in regular service on selected
Metroliner runs.  Amtrak is testing the technology for possible use when the
New Haven-Boston electrification is completed.
Amtrak monthly tickets are now good for unlimited use; the 46 trip punch card
has been eliminated.  A new refund policy on monthly tickets has also been
instituted.  See Amtrak ticket agents for details

**Congress: an Incremental Boost for High-Speed Rail
Congress has approved $30 million of seed money for high-speed demonstration
projects in key short-distance corridors.  Rather than purchase expensive new
technology such as TGV or mag-lev, existing lines will be upgraded for higher
speeds.  Four of the five corridors have been announced: they are Chicago to
Detroit, Milwaukee, and St. Louis; and Miami to Tampa via Orlando.

**Railreading
Car-Free in Philadelphia has just been published.  The book takes a cue from
the long-successful Car-Free in Boston, and provides instructions for reaching
hundreds of destinations by public transit.  The basic premise is that in both
cities, public transit is so comprehensive that city residents can sell their
car and live more economically by relying on transit.  $6.95 from Camino
Books.  Full review next month.
Two recent magazine articles are of local interest.  Passenger Train Journal
for September includes "Marketing Amtrak" an interview with a leading travel
agent who shares tips for planning your train trips.  Railfan and Railroad for
October has a feature telling the history of the New Hope and Ivyland RR, the
tourist and industrial line in Bucks County.

**Energy Bill Increases Transit Benefits

**resident Bush signed legislation which whittles down the imbalance in
Federal tax subsidies for private cars and mass transit.  Among other
provisions, the bill increases the tax-free limit on employer-provided transit
passes to $60 per month from the previous $21 limit.  Now, only the part of
the transit benefit over $60 per month is taxable; whereas previously if the
benefit exceeded $21, all of it was taxable.  The new law is a breakthrough,
as the tax subsidy of employer-provided parking has been capped for the first
time.  Parking benefits with market value over $155 are taxable on that part
over $155.-CB

**Rail Freight in the News
Freight railroads make an important contribution to the economic
competitiveness of our region.  The service has been in the news lately: what
are the issues?  The rail freight industry has changed dramatically in the
last 25 years, as small and large railroads merged to form megacarriers like
Conrail, increasing automation and elimination of age-old work practices have
greatly reduced the number of rail employees, and railroads promote
"intermodal" shipping with trucks and ships.
Change in our area has come as the result of Canadian Pacific's expansion into
the US with the purchase of the Delaware and Hudson lines.  To maintain some
competition when Conrail was created from formerly competing railroads, the
Federal government granted D&H trackage rights over Conrail.  CP has inherited
those rights and now seeks to use Philadelphia's port as a new gateway to the
north and west.  Conrail wants those rights ended now that the D&H is in the
hands of big and strong CP.  Conrail controls a crucial access point to the
port, and is charging CP dearly to use it.  CP's response has been to ask
Pennsylvania to sponsor a new route to the independent Philadelphia Belt Line
tracks on Delaware Ave. in the name of competition and increased shipping
activity.  Meanwhile, businesses along the waterfront are concerned about the
effect of restored train service on Delaware Ave.
A compromise is likely, and restaurant and bar developers will be told that
the port is for shipping first.  A broad package could satisfy both sides, if
funding for modernization of other Conrail lines is found.   That work would
raise bridges and lower tracks to make it possible for Conrail to run "double-
stack" trains through Pennsylvania.  The very-efficient trains carry ocean-
going containers stacked on special flatcars.  They have been at the heart of
the intermodal revolution in rail freight.

**Truckers Seek Easing of Safety Rule
The Federal Highway Administration is proposing a rule change which would
increase the amount of hours truck drivers can spend behind the wheel by
almost 50 percent.  Presently, drivers are limited to 70 hours of duty in an
eight-day period.  The mandated rest periods and limits on in-service hours
prevent accidents by reducing driver fatigue (the primary cause of over 40
percent of truck crashes), but trucking companies want to gut the rule to
increase their profits.  Like many other truck safety regulations (especially
speed limits) violations are frequent.
A survey by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety uncovered the shocking
fact that 19 percent of long-haul truckers admitted falling asleep at the
wheel, even with the present limits.  Even the Teamsters union is opposing the
change.  To find out more, call Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways
(CRASH) at 1-800-CRASH12.

**Newsletter Mailing Update
In the second month of our permit mailing, Post Office service seems to have
improved.  If you received your newsletter after October 15, please save your
mailing label and contact us.  We expect that this newsletter will be
delivered to the Post Office on Friday, November 6.  Thank you for bearing
with us during the transition.

**Up and Down the Corridor
News of other Northeastern commuter rail and rail transit services

**More North Jersey Light Rail?
NJ-ARP and local officials in North Jersey are leading a movement for
additional light rail service in the area surrounding Newark.  A route
connecting the Newark City Subway to Newark Airport and Elizabeth is already
on the drawing board; the new coalition wants a northern extension to
Paterson, and additional branches to the Meadowlands and Montclair.  Many of
these branches would follow the successful formula of using existing rail
lines.

**"Fare Deal" Part I Announced in New York
The MTA is reforming the transit fare structure in New York, with the goal of
promoting intermodal trips and increasing automation.  Step 1 of the process
is underway, with fare cuts on bus lines in eastern Queens and far south
Brooklyn which act as feeders to the subway.  Since there is no transfer
available between the two modes (except a few specific routes), these
passengers had to pay two separate fares.  In Staten Island, all transfers
between rail and bus are now free.  New York will implement equivalents of our
TransPass and TrailPass once new collection equipment is installed in subway
stations.

**Metro-North Surprisingly Good, LIRR Unsurprisingly Bad
A NY State Assemblyman who had hoped to score campaign points at the expense
of Metro-North found that 64 percent of riders in a survey he conducted rated
the commuter line "pretty good" and 31 percent more rated it "excellent."
Fast service and a seats-for-all policy have a lot to do with the commuters'
satisfaction.
However, on the Long Island, passengers had little good to say.  In awarding
the railroad a C grade in the latest official survey, commuters complained
about poor on-time performance and overcrowded trains.

**DVARP Phone and Voice-mail Directory
DVARP voice-mail lets you direct a comment or question to a specific officer
or committee chair using your touch-tone phone.  If you call from a rotary-
dial phone, just stay on the line, and messages will be directed to the main
message box.
-  DVARP main number (voice mail line)      215-222-3373
1  Chuck Bode, President      215-222-3373
5  Tom Borawski, Vice-Pres.-Transportation      215-552-8873
6  Robert H. Machler, Vice Pres.-Administration      215-222-3373
5  Sharon Shneyer, Vice Pres.-Public Relations      215-386-2644
6  Mark Sanders, Treasurer      215-782-8826
4  Betsey Clark, Volunteer Coordinator      215-222-3373
2 John Pawson, Commuter RR Comm.      215-659-7736 (6 to 9 pm please)
3  Matthew Mitchell, Transit Committee      215-885-7448
7  Don Nigro, South Jersey Coordinator      609-869-9048
8  Bob Bodan, Octoraro Task Force      215-222-3373

**Dates of Interest
SEPTA Public Hearing on Route 105 Revision: cancelled.
DVARP Commuter Rail Committee: Sat., Nov. 14, 12:00 at Chestnut Gourmet, 1614
Chestnut St., Philadelphia.
Greater Valley Forge TMA Special Presentation: "The Cross County Metro:
Linking the Region for the 21st Century."  Tue., Nov 17, 8:00 am at Upper
Merion Municipal Building, 175 West Valley Forge Rd., King of Prussia.
Speaker: Kyra McGrath.
SEPTA Citizen Advisory Committee:  Tuesdays, Nov. 17 and Dec. 15, 5:45 pm at
SEPTA Board Room, 714 Market St., Philadelphia.
SEPTA on Site (Suburb. Tran.): Wed., Nov. 18, 7:30 to 9:30 am at 69th St. &
Norristown.
IEEE Vehicular Technology Society:  Wed., Nov. 18, 7:00 pm at 216 Moore
School, Univ. of Penn. 33rd & Walnut Sts., Philadelphia.  Topic: "Jericho Park
Solid State Frequency Converter."  info: 569-1795
SEPTA on Site (RRD):  Thursday mornings: 7:30 to 9:00 am, at Subn. Stn. on
Nov. 12, 26; at Market East on Nov. 19,  Dec. 3.
SEPTA Board Meeting:  Thu., Nov. 19, 3:00, 714 Market St., Third Floor,
Philadelphia.
note change from usual date!
Delaware Valley Citizens Coalition for Transportation (DELTRAN) General
Meeting.  Sat., Nov. 21, 12:00 to 1:00, location Center City TBA, call Harry
Hyde at 525-1129
DVARP General Meeting:  Sat., Nov. 21, 1:00 to 4:00 at Temple Univ. Center
City, 1616 Walnut St., Philadelphia.
SEPTA Public Hearings on Bus Route Reorganization (Routes 5, 47, 50, 57, 73,
89, P):
1) Wed., Dec. 2, 6:30 at YMCA Columbia North, 1400 North Broad, Philadelphia.
2) Thurs., Dec. 2, 6:00 at Days Inn, 4200 Roosevelt Blvd., Philadelphia.
3) Fri., Dec. 4, 10:00 at SEPTA Board Room, 714 Market St.
SEPTA Public Hearing on Route 53 Cut:  Thu., Dec. 3, 10:00 at Prince's Banquet
Hall, 1412 Hunting Park Av., Philadelphia.
Delmarva Rail Passenger Association: Dinner meeting Thurs., Dec. 3, 6:00 at
Yankee Restaurant, Glasgow, DE.  reservations $10.00: call Doug Andrews, 302-
995-6419.  Guest speakers TBA.
DVARP Transit Committee:  Fri., Dec. 4, 5:00 pm to 6:15 pm at Jefferson Alumni
Hall, 1020 Locust St., first floor commons, Philadelphia.
DVARP Commuter Rail Committee: Sat., Dec. 12, 12:00 at Chestnut Gourmet, 1614
Chestnut St., Philadelphia.
DVARP General Meeting:  Sat., Dec. 19, 1:00 to 4:00 pm at 12 South Ave.,
Jenkintown.
Listings based on information provided to DVARP.  Contact sponsor to confirm
time & place.

**Opinions expressed in The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger are not necessarily
those of DVARP or its members.  We welcome your comments.

************************* End of forwarded text *************************
-- 
David L. Boone
Engineer, Iowa State University Computation Center
Internet: dboone@iastate.edu    Bitnet:  gn.dlb@isumvs
Voice:    (515) 294-1977        US mail: 74 Durham Hall, Ames, IA 50011
Newsgroups: rec.railroad