SEPTA Regional Rail express service resumes Monday, trolley tunnel reopens
SEPTA Regional Rail express service resumes Monday
Express trains on SEPTA's Regional Rail line were back on track Monday after a federal review of the transit authority's Silverliner IV fleet forced inspections that limited service.
PHILADELPHIA - Express trains on SEPTA's regional rail line were back to near full strength on Monday after a federal review of the transit authority's Silverliner IV fleet forced repairs that limited service and frustrated riders for the last several months.
What we know:
SEPTA on Monday announced that all Regional Rail Lines have returned to regularly scheduled service, including morning express trains.
The transit authority said train car availability is expected to improve, leading to fewer cancellations and unexpected delays.
SEPTA says 180 of the 220 Silverliner IV trains are back on track, with more being placed back into circulation every day.
Riders are now being told to refer to their normally scheduled train times.
The backstory:
The months-long disruption to SEPTA's Regional Rail line was caused by a federally-mandated inspection of its Silverliner IV fleet first issued in October.
The emergency order by the Federal Railroad Administration was in response to at least five fires that broke out on the Regional Rail line trains.
SEPTA completed the 14-point safety inspection ahead of time, but needed additional time to install high heat detectors and thermal protection circuits.
The inspection caused train cars to be taken out of service, which forced delays and cancellations on SEPTA's heavily trafficked regional rail line.
To ease the service disruptions, SEPTA leased 10 train cars from the Maryland Area Regional Commuter Rail, funded in part by $220M in state allocated money.
What's next:
SEPTA says service is expected to improve from here, meaning limited service disruptions for riders who have been left frustrated over the last several months.
"By adding these express trains back on our busiest lines and to and from some of our busiest locations, we're gonna be able to clear out those large crowds much more efficiently," SEPTA Media Relations Director Andrew Busch said.