Eagles Parade/SEPTA/more SEPTA (Doylestown, Ambler: live in, store, safety)

[nimshady123]

My parents live in Ambler and have this question that I have been unable to answer. For the parade it says that Ambler is open. It says the first train leaves at 5:29 and the last one leaves at 8:37. Yet it also says only 1 train will leave from Ambler. Is there a place where an actual schedule is?

Sidenote: It also says that the capacity is at 930 people but i am sure that there are more people that take that train during a regular weekday.

[1ondoner]

The whole of Philly is going for the parade. It's going to be a zoo in Center city on Thursday.

It's like nobody expects the Eagles to win the Super Bowl in another 100 yrs.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by nimshady123

My parents live in Ambler and have this question that I have been unable to answer. For the parade it says that Ambler is open. It says the first train leaves at 5:29 and the last one leaves at 8:37. Yet it also says only 1 train will leave from Ambler. Is there a place where an actual schedule is?

Sidenote: It also says that the capacity is at 930 people but i am sure that there are more people that take that train during a regular weekday.

septa.org. They should have particulars on this site. I didn't see the press conference today about the parade so I don't know what the septa general manager had to say.


Regional rail transit was messy wrt getting to the parade for the Phillies in 2008 so hopefully it will be better this time.

[nimshady123]

Originally Posted by kyb01

septa.org. They should have particulars on this site. I didn't see the press conference today about the parade so I don't know what the septa general manager had to say.


Regional rail transit was messy wrt getting to the parade for the Phillies in 2008 so hopefully it will be better this time.

So I called SEPTA and they said there is only 1 train that is guarenteed to stop at Ambler. This is out of 4 trains TOTAL going to the city from Doylestown. During that time on a regular weekday there are 12 trains coming down that line. How is SEPTA getting away with only 4. Its disgraceful

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by nimshady123

So I called SEPTA and they said there is only 1 train that is guarenteed to stop at Ambler. This is out of 4 trains TOTAL going to the city from Doylestown. During that time on a regular weekday there are 12 trains coming down that line. How is SEPTA getting away with only 4. Its disgraceful

Probably because of limited rolling stock that they need to shift on Thursday to lines that are more heavily used like Media/Elwyn or Paoli/Thorndale. Chances are the number of trains on those lines will be longer than usual.

[FamousBlueRaincoat]

Originally Posted by nimshady123

So I called SEPTA and they said there is only 1 train that is guarenteed to stop at Ambler. This is out of 4 trains TOTAL going to the city from Doylestown. During that time on a regular weekday there are 12 trains coming down that line. How is SEPTA getting away with only 4. Its disgraceful

It's the same basic theory they used when the pope visited: cut service to dissuade people from using it and hope for the best. Turn your back on the public at the get go so you don't have to strand them later.

It really demonstrates how poor of system it is. It has a hard enough time handling a normal rushhour of people, special events bring it to its knees (snow days, flower shows). Something the size of this, it's just impossible.

Unfortunately this is on a weekday, and theoretically there are people who can't just blow off work because some millionaires won a ballgame.

I think that the BSL and MFL could probably make normal stops though - or at least the 8th and Market could run. But oh well. I'm hoping not too have too many of these SEPTA meltdowns left. It's been like a multiple time per-year thing having to deal with SEPTA being broken.

[FamousBlueRaincoat]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Probably because of limited rolling stock that they need to shift on Thursday to lines that are more heavily used like Media/Elwyn or Paoli/Thorndale. Chances are the number of trains on those lines will be longer than usual.

Fewer trains on every line - hopefully they're longer. SEPTA | Regional Rail

[1ondoner]

It's probably for safety reasons. Even if the train makes a stop, there is no guarantee you will get space.
It could fill up at Doylestown. It's going to be a nightmare getting in and out of the city on Thursday.

I know a couple of people who plan on spending Wednesday night in the city because they don't think it will be possible to get into the city on Thursday.

Originally Posted by nimshady123

So I called SEPTA and they said there is only 1 train that is guarenteed to stop at Ambler. This is out of 4 trains TOTAL going to the city from Doylestown. During that time on a regular weekday there are 12 trains coming down that line. How is SEPTA getting away with only 4. Its disgraceful

[Calico696]

I was planning on taking the Trenton Line in from the Cornwells Heights station. It also says one train. WTH? How are people supposed to get into the City. You would think they would be encouraging mass transit and adding more trains.

[BPP1999]

Originally Posted by FamousBlueRaincoat

It's the same basic theory they used when the pope visited: cut service to dissuade people from using it and hope for the best. Turn your back on the public at the get go so you don't have to strand them later.

It really demonstrates how poor of system it is. It has a hard enough time handling a normal rushhour of people, special events bring it to its knees (snow days, flower shows). Something the size of this, it's just impossible.

Unfortunately this is on a weekday, and theoretically there are people who can't just blow off work because some millionaires won a ballgame.

I think that the BSL and MFL could probably make normal stops though - or at least the 8th and Market could run. But oh well. I'm hoping not too have too many of these SEPTA meltdowns left. It's been like a multiple time per-year thing having to deal with SEPTA being broken.

Some valid points but you can't expect any transit agency to carry 5, 10, or 20 times as many people as a normal day. It's not feasible. Is SEPTA supposed to store 500 train cars in a yard somewhere to use for parades and papal visits? This has little to do with it being a poor system; it has everything to do with the words you mentioned "it's just impossible."