Repaired SEPTA rail cars pulled over new defect

PHILADELPHIA (AP/WTXF) - SEPTA has pulled 14 of its 18 newly repaired rail cars from service after discovering a new problem.

FOX 29's Bob Kelly reports that'll mean fewer rail cars on all lines, so be prepared for full trains and possible delays.

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority began returning some of more than 100 sidelined rail cars to service this month after making fixes to the suspension system.

But SEPTA officials said Monday that inspectors over the weekend found a design problem that resulted in occasional contact between old and new components.

Eighteen cars that had either been returned to service or were ready for service have now been sidelined again.

SEPTA say a design change is being made and those cars will be available later this week.

Despite the setback, the agency says it can get all cars in working order by mid-November as planned.

They were all pulled from use in July. SEPTA says ridership on regional rail has grown by 50 percent since 2000 but this summer's problems have left 10 to 20 percent of riders finding new ways to get around.