Philadelphia Transportation Thread - Page 68

Busy Bee · #**1341** Posted **Dec 12, 2018, 9:05 PM**

My main beef is that American cab ends are so miserably designed - no effort is made to improve their styling because I assume they want the flexibility in the consist so that cabs are the same whether in the middle of the train or being used as the cab at the ends. Still though, in North America at least GOTransit and Metrolink in LA have made at least an effort to make them more stylish. Nowhere close to how good rolling stock looks oversees though.

Also of interest is whether or not American agencies will continue to spec stainless steel carbodies post-FRA rolling stock waiver/reg reform. The new reg's may allow painted aluminum in lieu of the heavier and more expensive to procure and more expensive energy costs of stainless steel. I for one would love to see less stainless steel in this country. I know a lot of people like it, and in situations where vandalism is a real concern like subway rolling stock it makes sense, but there's just no comparison to seeing the rainbow of paint schemes you witness oversees and experiencing the banal sterile carbodies here, and when paired with lame styling is even more uninspiring.

Philly-Drew · #**1342** Posted **Dec 15, 2018, 11:01 PM**

Some pretty interesting ideas for Chestnut Street traffic. As it stands now, traveling down Chestnut street by vehicle is excruciatingly painful.

http://www.philly.com/real-estate/in...-20181213.html

mcgrath618 · #**1343** Posted **Jan 18, 2019, 8:34 PM**

http://septa.org/rebuilding/pdf/2018...ect-update.pdf
Wawa is well on its way to service starting late next year/early 2021.

Allegedly the WCRR has offered to serve everything from Wawa-West Chester until SEPTA can get their act together.

Jonboy1983 · #**1344** Posted **Jan 19, 2019, 1:11 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

http://septa.org/rebuilding/pdf/2018...ect-update.pdf
Wawa is well on its way to service starting late next year/early 2021.

Allegedly the WCRR has offered to serve everything from Wawa-West Chester until SEPTA can get their act together.

Where is the proposed Wawa stop supposed to be, right at the US 1 overpass? I understand the bridge replacement is part of the project.

mcgrath618 · #**1345** Posted **Jan 22, 2019, 7:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonboy1983

Where is the proposed Wawa stop supposed to be, right at the US 1 overpass? I understand the bridge replacement is part of the project.

The Wawa station is going to occupy a small sliver of the bridge. They're not putting up wire very much farther than Wawa.

On a different note, I saw a post on Reddit today regarding the Homeless in Suburban Station. At the risk of starting a discussion that can involve politics, what can be done about the increasing homeless population down there?

EastSideHBG · #**1346** Posted **Jan 26, 2019, 4:13 PM**

King of Prussia rail project reaches two milestones
https://www.dailylocal.com/news/loca...ac7ee67da.html

mcgrath618 · #**1347** Posted **Jan 27, 2019, 8:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by EastSideHBG

King of Prussia rail project reaches two milestones
https://www.dailylocal.com/news/loca...ac7ee67da.html

Great news! I'm going to use that so much.

EastSideHBG · #**1348** Posted **Jan 28, 2019, 7:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

Great news! I'm going to use that so much.

Some more info:

https://www.bizjournals.com/philadel...igh-speed.html

Capsule F · #**1349** Posted **Jan 31, 2019, 4:48 PM**

Does anyone have any idea where I can view schematics for subway stations without the feds flagging me haha?

I want to do a project on creative reuse of currently unused stations. Thanks

Skintreesnail · #**1350** Posted **Jan 31, 2019, 5:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Capsule F

Does anyone have any idea where I can view schematics for subway stations without the feds flagging me haha?

I want to do a project on creative reuse of currently unused stations. Thanks

This site has some track maps and other old plan images for MFL, PATCO and BSL:

https://www.nycsubway.org/wiki/SEPTA...kford_Elevated

And this has some, mostly trolley-related:
http://www.phillytrolley.org/payenterC.html

mcgrath618 · #**1351** Posted **Feb 1, 2019, 6:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Capsule F

Does anyone have any idea where I can view schematics for subway stations without the feds flagging me haha?

I want to do a project on creative reuse of currently unused stations. Thanks

I'll even give you the quick shortlist of stations currently not used:
Spring Garden (Broad-Ridge Spur)
Franklin Square (PATCO)
10th and Arch (Never built CC loop)

jtown,man · #**1352** Posted **Feb 2, 2019, 12:37 AM**

I think I might have posted this already but SEPTA reminds me of septic tank. Maybe a name change?

mcgrath618 · #**1353** Posted **Feb 2, 2019, 6:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtown,man

I think I might have posted this already but SEPTA reminds me of septic tank. Maybe a name change?

PTA would be cool.

Busy Bee · #**1354** Posted **Feb 2, 2019, 6:47 PM**

Just throwing this out there, but how about Philadelphia Transportation Co.?

Seriously though, I think Septa is a pretty cool sounding name as far as American transit systems go, and hands off the shield - it's badass and classic. Like I've mentioned before though, having a top-notch system identity with smart stylish branding and a unified simple systemwide aesthetic seems to be a real challenge for Septa. They should hire a talented industrial/graphic designer to help them with this. I think when the time comes to replace the Kawasaki cars with more modern tram stock, this may be a component.

Skintreesnail · #**1355** Posted **Feb 4, 2019, 8:40 PM**

so, SEPTA threw a few potential plans out there for the BSL extension to the navy yard. It's going to be at the lowest $896m for extending the line a mile, I'm guessing for option yellow. It sounds like the cost is partially due to the use of a TBM. Why do they need to use one here, where there is very little density? I would think that cut and cover would be a lot cheaper.

http://www.philly.com/transportation...-20190201.html

Busy Bee · #**1356** Posted **Feb 4, 2019, 9:31 PM**

^Thought the same. Who knows though, I've read that the most expensive aspect of boring is constructing the station box, not the actual boring itself. So if the station is essentially constructed in the same manner from the top down in TBM as in cut and cover, perhaps a tunnel is in fact less costly.

Any real experts here?

Capsule F · #**1357** Posted **Feb 4, 2019, 9:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

I'll even give you the quick shortlist of stations currently not used:
Spring Garden (Broad-Ridge Spur)
Franklin Square (PATCO)
10th and Arch (Never built CC loop)

Correct, I pass Spring Garden every day on the broad-ridge spur. Would like to know the type of space and utility connections the station has.

mcgrath618 · #**1358** Posted **Feb 5, 2019, 5:39 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Capsule F

Correct, I pass Spring Garden every day on the broad-ridge spur. Would like to know the type of space and utility connections the station has.

IIRC, the Spring Garden station was closed in the nineties due to crime. The station was two side platforms with your standard concourse above. There are still a few entrances on Ridge but they are plated up with galvanized metal. The only access is by walking the line from Fairmount.

skyscraper · #**1359** Posted **Feb 5, 2019, 12:29 PM**

part of the problem is that each tbm is custom built, which is massively expensive. for such a short tunnel extension, it doesn't seem worth it. cut and cover should be the way to go for this.
now if they were going to do a roosevelt boulevard line, that might be a different story.

Skintreesnail · #**1360** Posted **Feb 5, 2019, 3:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by skyscraper

part of the problem is that each tbm is custom built, which is massively expensive. for such a short tunnel extension, it doesn't seem worth it. cut and cover should be the way to go for this.
now if they were going to do a roosevelt boulevard line, that might be a different story.

investing in a TBM would make sense I guess if they had solid expansion plans, like the blvd subway or patco extension, but they don't as far as I'm aware. It feels more like they're trying to undermine the idea of the extension by putting such a high price tag on it. I'd be interested if anyone has insight into the different methods of tunnel construction, but from what I've read cut and cover is significantly less. Even if the majority of the cost is station-related, they only have one station planned. It just seems strange to me.