Eagles Parade/SEPTA/more SEPTA (Philadelphia, Washington: 2014, buy, maintenance)

[FamousBlueRaincoat]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Nope, the BSL is not making some normal stops.

For some of us septa actually works quite well on most days.

Obviously you are blaming the city and its workers and its inhabitants for whatever butthurt feelings you now have about it and them.

I know that the BSL is not making normal stops - what I said (or meant) is that it probably could [handle it].

Regional Rail is bad news - I'll stick to that until my dying day, unless they've made some vast improvements to it since I've stopped taking it (and I don't think they have). I don't know if you've had to rely on it on a daily basis any time in recent history. I'm far from the only one who has a big problem with it. Not only is it bad, but its policies and fares defy logic.

You should read some of the complaints on septa facebook and twitter about it - especially the ones where SEPTA gets mass trolled by its customers. A big one was back when the conductors let all those people out on the tracks near 30th Street shutting down the system.

Now I take the bus - which works quite fine. Besides the fact that Philadelphia too big of a city to basically have a bus network - but nothing much to do about that these days, that was a decision made long ago.

I'm not really sure what you mean by the last one.

[rowhomecity]

Originally Posted by FamousBlueRaincoat

I know that the BSL is not making normal stops - what I said (or meant) is that it probably could [handle it].

Regional Rail is bad news - I'll stick to that until my dying day, unless they've made some vast improvements to it since I've stopped taking it (and I don't think they have). I don't know if you've had to rely on it on a daily basis any time in recent history. I'm far from the only one who has a big problem with it. Not only is it bad, but its policies and fares defy logic.

You should read some of the complaints on septa facebook and twitter about it - especially the ones where SEPTA gets mass trolled by its customers. A big one was back when the conductors let all those people out on the tracks near 30th Street shutting down the system.

Now I take the bus - which works quite fine. Besides the fact that Philadelphia too big of a city to basically have a bus network - but nothing much to do about that these days, that was a decision made long ago.

I'm not really sure what you mean by the last one.

SEPTA is like the old horse. She keeps on trucking, she keeps on going, and she wants to do so much. But only can go so far. Because of SEPTA's size. (For example SEPTA commuter rail is the 3rd largest and most expansive network in the nation), and its age (being a legacy system our ability to invest in new capital projects is quite limited), I think we are doing quite well.

I have needed Regional Rail for commuting purposes, and I agree it is not fail proof.

2 HUGE improvements to increase reliability.

1)New Electric Locomotives. They will be faster. Allow for increased capacity and improved reliability!

https://philly.curbed.com/2017/12/15...-trains-launch

2) Double Decker Cars.

PlanPhilly | SEPTA to pick Massachusetts-based company to build bilevel railcars over Hyundai Rotem in South Philly


If you want a real woozy of a system right now, check out Washington Metro.

Within One Week. They have cars derail and a separate day on the same line catch fire.

My point is. Transit isnt perfect. And slowly but surely SEPTA is trying to get things right.

I think one thing they did FAIL at though is the new SEPTA Key. Awful Design and the company they contracted should be SUED.

[FamousBlueRaincoat]

Originally Posted by rowhomecity

I think one thing they did FAIL at though is the new SEPTA Key. Awful Design and the company they contracted should be SUED.

My wife has one and she dislikes it (her quote: "Why was this so much better 10 years ago...in Minneapolis?"). I still get the old magnet cards through my employer....because apparently SEPTA doesn't know how to make the keycard work with the employer benefits? Or so I heard.

I think their whole strategy for implementing the key card on regional rail is flawed - although I'm not entirely sure what a better way of implementing it would be. Tapping out of a train (which is likely already crowded and late) seems like a big burden to put on customers.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by FamousBlueRaincoat

I know that the BSL is not making normal stops - what I said (or meant) is that it probably could [handle it].

Regional Rail is bad news - I'll stick to that until my dying day, unless they've made some vast improvements to it since I've stopped taking it (and I don't think they have). I don't know if you've had to rely on it on a daily basis any time in recent history. I'm far from the only one who has a big problem with it. Not only is it bad, but its policies and fares defy logic.

You should read some of the complaints on septa facebook and twitter about it - especially the ones where SEPTA gets mass trolled by its customers. A big one was back when the conductors let all those people out on the tracks near 30th Street shutting down the system.

Now I take the bus - which works quite fine. Besides the fact that Philadelphia too big of a city to basically have a bus network - but nothing much to do about that these days, that was a decision made long ago.

I will yield to your more expansive experience with regional rail since I only ride it very rarely. I don't need it for anything 99.99% of the time. The majority of my septa, and pre-septa, experience is with everything else: bsl, mfl, trolleys, nhsl and, occasionally, buses. And of the latter I only use 3 suburban routes. I never use them in the city. What I do use works.

I'm sure you know many of the bus routes were surface trolleys at one time.

Lack of funding is still an enormous headache.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by rowhomecity

Its just the point. Its one day. lol. If it was for a week. OK I get it. Its a pain. But one day is not going to kill ANYONE. And the complaints are a waste of time. That is all.

I get it. People have to work. I am fortunate I will not be working that day, but so will over 2 million people who will be attending and celebrating.

I think people complain too much in 2018, over things that are just not that big of a deal. Life throws much bigger blows than having a slight subway problem one day in February due to a parade. And thats my point.

I get it, its a pain. But in the scheme of life. Not really.

Try being 74 years old, trying to get to a part-time job(she recently retired from her full-time job) in Secane with no train service there tomorrow. That's what my sister will have to deal with. Neither one of us drives anymore. And she's not going to trust some uber person. The 107 bus doesn't put her close enough to where she needs to be.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by FamousBlueRaincoat

My wife has one and she dislikes it (her quote: "Why was this so much better 10 years ago...in Minneapolis?"). I still get the old magnet cards through my employer....because apparently SEPTA doesn't know how to make the keycard work with the employer benefits? Or so I heard.

I think their whole strategy for implementing the key card on regional rail is flawed - although I'm not entirely sure what a better way of implementing it would be. Tapping out of a train (which is likely already crowded and late) seems like a big burden to put on customers.

Septa hasn't said anything, right, about phasing out transpasses...just tokens.

Seniors really dodged a bullet with Septa key since the only thing we have to do now is get a new card when our current one expires.

The MTA in NY is supposed to start retiring the Metro card system probably next year.

[Sammy215267]

SEPTA actually just received their first new SIEMENS ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE late last month ahead of schedule it's been out testing recently. Would love for it to go on a run ASAP. I Will say this i wish they had the Multi-Level trains already. And i wish they was running more trains. Apart of me feels like SEPTA is protective themselves because they know half of their employees are gonna call out so they didn't want to make a schedule with all these trains and no manpower.

The trolleys and subways are gonna be crazy i know it. The Phillies '08 everything that pulled to the platform. Yikes.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by Sammy215267

SEPTA actually just received their first new SIEMENS ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE late last month ahead of schedule it's been out testing recently. Would love for it to go on a run ASAP. I Will say this i wish they had the Multi-Level trains already. And i wish they was running more trains. Apart of me feels like SEPTA is protective themselves because they know half of their employees are gonna call out so they didn't want to make a schedule with all these trains and no manpower.

The trolleys and subways are gonna be crazy i know it. The Phillies '08 everything that pulled to the platform. Yikes.

What's missing in this conversation is money to get more rolling stock. Money, that is not going to magically materialize. Considering that they have never had adequate funding, they do a pretty good job safely moving thousands of riders everyday.
Bashing septa when none of you actually have managed anything like it. Sigh... If you think you can do better and help out apply for a job with septa which none of you are going to do.

The regional rails are the weakest link and I do get why people are pissed about it. But here's a contrasting experience: I took a BSL train that was scheduled to arrive at 5:25 am at Spring Garden station. I can count on one hand the times it was late in 15 years. And when it was late it was no more than 5 minutes.

[2e1m5a]

I took the bus and subway from Germantown today for the parade and was pretty impressed with how smooth it was all things considered (and free!).

[FamousBlueRaincoat]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Money, that is not going to magically materialize. Considering that they have never had adequate funding, they do a pretty good job safely moving thousands of riders everyday.
Bashing septa when none of you actually have managed anything like it. Sigh... If you think you can do better and help out apply for a job with septa which none of you are going to do.

The regional rails are the weakest link and I do get why people are pissed about it. But here's a contrasting experience: I took a BSL train that was scheduled to arrive at 5:25 am at Spring Garden station. I can count on one hand the times it was late in 15 years. And when it was late it was no more than 5 minutes.

Yeah sure it's a money problem - but that doesn't change the situation. Back when I used to take the regional rail, I used to have to plan to get downtown one full hour before I started work. Everyone has different kinds of jobs, and I have one where if you're even a minute late you face disciplinary action (this isn't all that uncommon for people being paid an hourly wage).

So anyway, you plan to get downtown one hour ahead of time. Trains are cancelled with no notice, and often they just say they are late and they're not cancelled until you've already been waiting some time. That train is cancelled, and the next one doesn't come for half an hour later. And then that one is extremely late because there are two train loads of people in it. And here you are - having planned to get to work one hour ahead of time because you know you have to, and you're still rushing against the clock!

For someone facing that situation multiple times per year - you're not just thinking to yourself "oh boy, too bad there's not more money!" or "oh man, I would really do things differently if I ran the circus".

You just want to get to work on time and you try to find a way to do that. That's just an extreme example too - not the every single day day 10+ minute late, constant wait times with no explanation, and unprofessional behavior that just kind of wear away at you.

I find the bus and subway much more reliable.

Originally Posted by 2e1m5a

I took the bus and subway from Germantown today for the parade and was pretty impressed with how smooth it was all things considered (and free!).

I took the 23 in and all the way back home. I was really glad they cut the 23 back at Noble Street to completely avoid downtown traffic backups. I made it home only 20 minutes later than I usually do on the combo BSL and 23. Even though I had to hike all the way up to Noble and bus it the whole way. Very pleased.