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Old 06-09-2009, 05:48 PM
 
Location: NJ
983 posts, read 2,764,134 times
Reputation: 1902

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In comparing different potential PA areas to relocate to, I wonder about the SEPTA regional rail lines....are some lines better than others? Do some lines have more problems/breakdowns than others? Do some run more efficiently and on time than others? Are some notoriously slow or fast? Are they all about the same - good/bad?

We are relocating from NJ and the fantastic, efficient PATCO line and we know SEPTA's lines tend to have more problems so we are bracing ourselves for the worst.

If you ride any of the "R" trains and have comments about the line you ride - let me know which line you ride - from which stop to which stop and what your experience is generally like (good or bad). This might help us in our decision making. We have found several areas we really like a lot and they are spread all over the place, so any info/advice you can offer might help to tip the scales in favor of one area over another.

Here are the areas we've narrowed our choice down to:

Media
West Chester
Ambler
Fort Washington
Jenkintown
Yardley
Wynnewood

If you have any specific comments re: public transportation between these areas and Center City - the good, the bad and the ugly, please feel free to chime in.

Also, if you have general comments about these areas that you wish to share, I welcome those too! We have no kids, so no info/advice on schools is needed.

Thanks for your help!
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Old 06-09-2009, 08:10 PM
 
Location: Mount Airy, Philadelphia
149 posts, read 443,742 times
Reputation: 131
I ride the R7 from Mt. Airy Station to Market East (and back) every day and have experienced very few problems. 2 or 3 times this winter it showed up at the Mt. Airy station with 2 instead of 3 cars making the trip in quite crowded and very uncomfortable. And once in the last year my train heading home was 12 minutes late. It does seem that the R5 is often late leaving Market East.

Other than my 2 stated issues, I have no other complaints and find riding the train to and from work a pleasurable experience. My trip is quite short and would suspect the longer the ride the more chance for issues/lateness, etc.
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Old 06-09-2009, 08:23 PM
 
Location: Hagerstown MD
225 posts, read 1,072,618 times
Reputation: 189
I have ridden the R lines a few times but not half as much as many others I am sure. I usually take the R2 and then connect with either the R5 or the R3, depending on where I need to get to. I have also taken the R2 straight into Philly. In short I have found the trains to be on time, the conductors courteous and helpful (for the most part) and the ride pleasant. My only two complaints are that there does not seem to be a shorter connect time (as in arriving at one station and then having to wait almost an hour for your next connecting train) and that if you rely on the SEPTA transit they take you out of your way to get you to someplace not that far (but too far to walk). For example: let's say you leave from Warminster. You want to get to Chalfont or maybe even Doylestown which by car is not too much of a drive. But by train you take the R2 from Warminster to Glenside and then wait for the R5 to take you to Doylestown or Chalfont. The whole trip takes anywhere from 60-90 minutes between commuting and waiting.

My big distaste is for the SEPTA bus system here outside of Philadelphia. What a joke. Totally unreliable. Try the bus a few times and you will scream to be on the train. The buses are constatly late or sometimes even worse, early. Some stops have the shelters while many others do not. But it is the lateness that I really despise.

That's my take on it but I am sure others can give you a better review and maybe even some funny stories.
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Old 06-09-2009, 10:42 PM
 
1,623 posts, read 6,506,505 times
Reputation: 457
Parking at the R3 stations can be a pain in some towns and Fall is leaf season so trains start slipping and it can slow things down. Seems every winter there is a day or two of problems due to weather either making the tracks slippery or the power lines being knocked down. But overall it is a very reliable and efficient means of transportation.
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Old 06-09-2009, 10:55 PM
 
316 posts, read 1,011,191 times
Reputation: 136
Well I love taking Regional Rail. Its too expensive, like all of Septa, but its a great way to get in and out of the city. No traffic and usually close to on time and definitely beats driving.

But here's the thing. I love Regional Rail and don't encounter many problems because I leave out of Jenkintown train station. Unlike most other stations outside of Philly, you have access to 3 lines instead of just 1, or 4 if you want to be technical. You can catch the R1, R2, R3, & R5. My favorites to take are the R3 (the best) or R2. Why? R3 has the fewest stops to and from the city. Its the fastest.

I live closer to 2 other stations, but purposely drive an additional 5 minutes to get to Jenkintown to make sure I have more options in terms of trains. If you only have one option, you should still take RR. Problems aren't often, and its still worth taking it. Its so much more pleasant to be reading or taking a quick nap on the train than dealing with bumper to bumper traffic or the aggressive driving that is sure to greet you on the commute.

This isn't to say everything is absolutely fabulous on the train. Its too expensive, you can certainly encounter the oh so lovely attitude of the Septa workers. You can get the wrong train directions from them. In the summer, you are certain to encounter a day or two where certain cars don't have air conditioning, there could be switching problems on certain days, but these problems are certainly not common. But I've had mostly positive experiences on Regional Rail. I have much more colorful stories from my bus travels and very few on Regional Rail.
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Old 06-10-2009, 06:51 AM
 
Location: Sanford, FL
596 posts, read 1,700,404 times
Reputation: 296
I'd recommend the towns served by the R5. Sure the R3 has fewer stops, but the off peak frequency of every hour is kind of a pain. The R5 is half hourly during off peak hours.

Either Jenkintown or Wynnewood would be great places to live. A slight edge to Wynnewood because of its proximity to Center City Philadelphia as well as nearby conveniences.
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Old 06-10-2009, 07:31 AM
 
1,983 posts, read 7,496,273 times
Reputation: 418
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sassygirl18 View Post
In comparing different potential PA areas to relocate to, I wonder about the SEPTA regional rail lines....are some lines better than others? Do some lines have more problems/breakdowns than others? Do some run more efficiently and on time than others? Are some notoriously slow or fast? Are they all about the same - good/bad?

We are relocating from NJ and the fantastic, efficient PATCO line and we know SEPTA's lines tend to have more problems so we are bracing ourselves for the worst.

If you ride any of the "R" trains and have comments about the line you ride - let me know which line you ride - from which stop to which stop and what your experience is generally like (good or bad). This might help us in our decision making. We have found several areas we really like a lot and they are spread all over the place, so any info/advice you can offer might help to tip the scales in favor of one area over another.

Here are the areas we've narrowed our choice down to:

Media
West Chester
Ambler
Fort Washington
Jenkintown
Yardley
Wynnewood

If you have any specific comments re: public transportation between these areas and Center City - the good, the bad and the ugly, please feel free to chime in.

Also, if you have general comments about these areas that you wish to share, I welcome those too! We have no kids, so no info/advice on schools is needed.

Thanks for your help!
Septa has major problems, people at work complain about it all the time. If you are going to be a slave to septa you might reconsider your move to PA.
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Old 06-10-2009, 08:32 AM
 
Location: Montco PA
2,214 posts, read 5,064,932 times
Reputation: 1855
Quote:
Originally Posted by MoorestownResident View Post
Septa has major problems, people at work complain about it all the time. If you are going to be a slave to septa you might reconsider your move to PA.
Really trying to keep her from moving to PA, aren't ya? Afraid that your home state will lose another of its faithful?

I rode the R trains (R6 from Conshohocken, R2 and R5 from Glenside, R2 from Warminster) and had few problems. Trains were occasionally late, usually in the evening as opposed to the morning. Remember that SEPTA shares certain routes with Amtrak (the R5, for example). I wouldn't hardly base your decision on moving to PA on SEPTA.

That being said, Schelpta does has its share of problems, including the fact that the prices can be high.

The R5 is considered one of the better lines. Interestingly enough, supposedly, the R6 was considered one of the worst, but as I said, I had few problems.

People complain about SEPTA because, well, that's what they do. You can't live in or near Philadelphia without complaining about SEPTA. But if you buy a home near a regional rail line, and use the line to get to work, you won't have too many problems.
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Old 06-10-2009, 09:00 AM
 
1,983 posts, read 7,496,273 times
Reputation: 418
Just giving her the feedback from my PA co-workers. She already indicated that CH was too expensive so she is considering PA. She's just like lots of other NJ folk looking for more reasonable taxes.
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Old 06-10-2009, 10:35 AM
 
Location: Philly
10,220 posts, read 16,734,236 times
Reputation: 2971
People complain about everything. On the whole, the regionals aren't bad (certainly better than MOST of the service in jersey..as nice as PATCO is, it's one line).
The R5 Malvern Line is four tracks and better maintained than the northern side. The four tracks allows for real expresses. there's a train in the morning that makes the run from Paoli to 30th in 30 min. Midday frequencies are 30 min as well as saturday frequencies. the only problems I've had have been related to Amtrak's power outages (which are infrequent and supposedly will be fixed soon when they replace a converter). It's much better since they rehabbed it. It's the best line that's served by a single route. That said, the northern suburbs are served by several, as already mentioned. Jenkintown in particularly, but Glenside gets almost as many trains. The R3 runs less often, has no late night service, but is still a decent train for getting to/from work. I've had the most problems on the R6 which can get washedout during major storms (not every year but when it happens service can be out for two days). still, overall, not a bad route. the only one that sucks is the R6 cynwyd which has limited runs. maybe the R2 Wilmington which runs through the congested area where the Amtrak trains, R1 airport, and R2 all converge.
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