Email from SEPTA........

[metsfan]

So i emailed a message about re-activating the full R8 line to newtown.

 

This is the reply i received.

 

"Dear Mr. Hoffman,

 

Thank you for contacting us. Operating service to Newtown would require a

substantial financial investment. Major infrastructural work including

electrification of the line would be required as we do not operate diesel

trains. We are unaware of any plans to do this, however; we will forward

your comments to Management in our Long Range Service Planning Department

for review.

 

 

Sincerely,

 

Barry Berky

SEPTA Customer Service"

 

This tells me that they can't afford it yet, but want to do it.

[MattTrain]

Oh cool, you can talk to transit customer service and they'll give you answers. Cool. :cool: although some financial investments will be required for some rail service extensions.

[metsfan]

Oh cool, you can talk to transit customer service and they'll give you answers. Cool. :cool: although some financial investments will be required for some rail service extensions.

 

Well, they don't realize that i know all about the line its history its condition etc, that's why they say it would be expensive. I know it would be expensive, probably like 40 million or so to get it to an operational state not including station structures.

 

Would include a rebuild of the trackbed, ties, tracks, signals, safety devices, crossing gates, removal of paved over sections. Then on top of that, the local municipalities will probably partner in the cost of the stations and parking areas. Then you need fencing and other ROW security stuff, and there is a bridge that crosses the neshaminy creek, that may or may not need to be rebuilt, it might be totally fine and ready to go. I think they'd rebuild just the topmost part of it since it's wooden, the rest is concrete and wood beams too large to worry bout. Then after all that, you'd need to electrify it as well.

 

My idea would be to re-activate it in stages. First, the basic get the tracks down and the fences in place, a basic "ready to run" state. Then put down crossing signals, so people get used to the idea that there will be trains here soon... Then you put the catenary towers in, but not the lines themselves. Then put in the parking lots for the stations, and prep the station building/shelter area. Then, put in the substations and catenary line & open it to service while the station buildings (if one is to be put in) are being built. Tada!

 

The sweet part is that you can wait as long as you want or as little as you want between stages depending on funding availability.

 

- Andy

[MattTrain]

Well, they don't realize that i know all about the line its history its condition etc, that's why they say it would be expensive. I know it would be expensive, probably like 40 million or so to get it to an operational state not including station structures.

 

Would include a rebuild of the trackbed, ties, tracks, signals, safety devices, crossing gates, removal of paved over sections. Then on top of that, the local municipalities will probably partner in the cost of the stations and parking areas. Then you need fencing and other ROW security stuff, and there is a bridge that crosses the neshaminy creek, that may or may not need to be rebuilt, it might be totally fine and ready to go. I think they'd rebuild just the topmost part of it since it's wooden, the rest is concrete and wood beams too large to worry bout. Then after all that, you'd need to electrify it as well.

 

My idea would be to re-activate it in stages. First, the basic get the tracks down and the fences in place, a basic "ready to run" state. Then put down crossing signals, so people get used to the idea that there will be trains here soon... Then you put the catenary towers in, but not the lines themselves. Then put in the parking lots for the stations, and prep the station building/shelter area. Then, put in the substations and catenary line & open it to service while the station buildings (if one is to be put in) are being built. Tada!

 

The sweet part is that you can wait as long as you want or as little as you want between stages depending on funding availability.

 

- Andy

 

I'm more concerned with the funding of this project. I like to see their railroads in place and the crossing gates are placed for safety reasons. Parking lots for stations would be great because people can park and ride the trains. I'll tell you the truth, I'm just looking at how the SEPTA operates, they have nice railroad cars. I went to Pennsylvania before, but never thought about the rail lines, just the venues such the museum with the Liberty Bell.

 

It's cool looking at the different colors of the rail cars that SEPTA has to offer. Cool variety. SEPTA can be really reliable if all these changes were in place.

[metsfan]

Some of (SEPTA)'s lines run on freight owned trackage and are maintained by the freight company via 3rd party contractor, or by the freight company itself. The R7 line is the only one i know that is not on freight lines because that tuns on a section of the NEC. The one thing i'm really concerned about is just how much the line has deteriorated since it was de-activated. Getting the line up to standards to run passengers on will take a lot of time, money, and work, and likely political and community involvement. Part of the line runs past a quaker high school right on the edge of the grounds, and a station there would have to be rebuilt, as would a siding to allow the train to chill out while people got on/off and other trains can pass by going the other direction as well.

 

Tomorrow i will attempt to go there and do some photography of the sites where you can still see the line, including other parts closer into town. I will post them in another photo/video specific thread.

 

- Andy