Quote:
Originally Posted by PhilliesPhan
To address your points:
#'s 1 and 2.) SEPTA does indeed face a crew shortage, which it is currently trying to rectify. Once appropriate staffing levels are achieved, however, it should look to negotiate with the BLEW regarding the automation of certain trainsets. The only way that RER-style service will be achieved is through automating a small portion of the fleet.
#3.) My reasoning behind the Cynwyd Line is due to the fact that it has the most components of a rapid transit line compared to any of the other Regional Rail lines. The Cynwyd Line terminates at Platform 7 in Suburban, has only five stations (three of which have high-level platforms), it is no longer speed-restricted since SEPTA decommissioned the bridge over the main line, it serves a relatively population and job-dense area, and it stops near major arterial roads. Bala Station could be the focal point of the project, as it passes under City Avenue. Not only are St. Joe's and a number of office buildings a short walk away, but a number of bus lines traverse it. Passengers on the 1, 44, 52 (extended from 54th-City to Bala), and 65 could transfer seamlessly to the new Cynwyd rapid transit service for a fast connection to Center City.
One thing I forgot to mention in my previous post is fare integration. The Cynwyd Line would have the same fare as any transit route under my plan. Fare integration, along with the accessibility and efficiency of boarding that high-level platforms bring (it would be easier to build them at Bala and Cynwyd than to retrofit a longer line), are two other reasons that I'd prefer to start with the Cynwyd Line.
#3a.) After evaluating the success of a line that isn't through-routed via the Commuter Tunnel, the first pair of lines I'd recommend would be the Fox Chase and Chestnut Hill West (R8 pair). Like the Cynwyd Line, both are short lines that terminate within the city or just outside of it. Unlike the Cynwyd Line, however, it would run through the Tunnel and test the capacity of SEPTA's Main Line. Additionally, it would test the strength of SEPTA/Amtrak communication with more trains running over NORTH PHILADELPHIA interlocking. The next recommendation would test the strength of running RER-style service north of NEWTOWN interlocking.
#3b.) The next pair would be the R5 pair: the Paoli/Thorndale and Lansdale/Doylestown. Since this pair has multiple destinations, I'd recommend running Thorndale*-Doylestown, Malvern-Link Belt, and Bryn Mawr**-Lansdale routes. After preliminary testing is completed, this would be the line to really get ridership going.
*I believe that the Paoli/Thorndale Line should be extended to Parkesburg via Coatesville. There's also the question of a new line heading from Lansdale to at least Shelly or Quakerstown.
**With the potential for a new interlocking at Villanova, that station may take the place of Bryn Mawr
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1.) I'm not sure I understand "automating of trainsets." Meaning driverless vehicles? If so, driverless regional rail trainsets are likely 10+ years away....and that's generous. Self contained driver less routes is one thing (Something like the Girard Ave trolley), but it's a different ball game when operating on Amtrak's NEC territory.
3.) Good points here. High level platforms, length of route, logistics in Suburban are key factors to the operational efficiencies required in a high frequency environment. I'd hope that the full roll out of the Septa key will simply ticket sales and enable swifter changes to fare rules as necessary. Though, the little I've read up on the Septa Key, I feel as though it is already an outdated technology/process.
3a.) Even if Amtrak/Septa become best buds, I highly doubt Amtrak will allow Septa many more Chestnut Hill West trains over North Philadelphia interlocking It creates too much of a bottleneck risk for Amtrak.
Septa has a similar interlocking just below on the Reading main for the Norristown line. They benefit from being the dispatching railroad and full of $5-10 fares, not $100+ fares. I also once heard that Septa pads the schedule by something like 10 minutes around Allegheny so the trains don't miss their window to merge onto the Reading main.
We've discussed the operational needs of implementing such a service, but the more important piece is passengers and subsequently $$$.
1.)Current ridership must be evaluated to determine the impact and benefit of providing more frequent service
2.)They'll need to study the potential of gaining additional passengers due to more frequent and reliable service
We only know the current ridership aspect of 1 and don't know 2.
2017 stats
Cynwyd
13 out of 13 Avg. weekday ridership
9th in operating ratio
Fox Chase
11th in Avg. weekday ridership
6th in operating ratio
Chestnut Hill West
10th in Avg. weekday ridership
11th in operating ratio
So while these lines offer some operational upsides, they are all at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to current ridership. And with more trains over the NEC on Cywyd/CHW, I'd suspect that the cost will go up with fees to Amtrak. Even if these lines saw a 20% increase in weekday ridership, they'd still be about 50-75% less than the daily ridership of the most traveled lines. Out of the 3, I'd say Fox Chase would be the best candidate.