SEPTA rail service improvements (Philadelphia, Reading: credit card, mall, bus)

[waltlantz]

Much has been said (or not) about SEPTA getting some stimulus dollars although I think most is going to the bus service, what do you all think could best help the rail lines (Regional, Subway, trolley, etc?)

[lvkewlkid]

reinstate the 23 trolley, maybe add more trolleys or more service to Regional Rail

[pman]

the 23 is a terribly slow route. it would do nothing to improve transit in philly.

[Tone509]

1. Replace the Broad Street subway trains. They've been around "forever".

2. Fast-track the replacement date of the Regional Rail trains. Add more cars/frequency as I hear they're getting more crowded. And extend their hours to 2 or 3am on Friday and Saturday nights to draw in suburbanites who want to party.

The light rail trolleys aren't getting any younger either but they seem to be holding up okay IMO, the occasional graffiti/scratchiti notwithstanding.

[lvkewlkid]

I agree with Tone 509, there needs to be more rail frequency

I also think that the BSL stations need to be cleaned up or even modernized

Make sure there are token machines in each station

[Deep77]

Token machines that take debit and credit cards. Cleaner subway stations.

[waltlantz]

I know some people werent happy with rail frequency during the Phillies Parade Fiasco.

Some one said it couldn't be helped cause the trains normally run at capacity, is that true?

[clmichael]

Septa needs to improve better service on the Regional Rail Lines. Once an hour is not cutting it. Mass transportations systems in much bigger cities and smaller cities are way better than Philadelphia. It needs to improve if Philadelphia is to grow.

[niceguy19125]

The largest impact on the city/region would be utilization of the largely unused rail track that runs parallel to I-76 from Center City out to King of Prussia. As in the Septa R4 Regional Rail line. How this has yet to become a transit corridor, outside of two overwhelmed bus routes (#124 and #125), defies all logic.

[Tone509]

Originally Posted by niceguy19125

The largest impact on the city/region would be utilization of the largely unused rail track that runs parallel to I-76 from Center City out to King of Prussia. As in the Septa R4 Regional Rail line. How this has yet to become a transit corridor, outside of two overwhelmed bus routes (#124 and #125), defies all logic.

I think this may have been part of the long-proposed Schuykill Valley Metro that was supposed to run through KOP and out to Reading. I suppose the powers that be are waiting for full approval and funding of the whole line before that would be used.

And as someone who has taken both those bus routes from Center City to the KOP Mall complex - and sometimes a bit beyond - I agree that it's a pain.