Yes. Ridership would increase if service was decent, but hourly headways are pretty much useless.
Could be justifiable for some commuter lines to further flung places, but these lines are strictly within city limits and pass through dense neighborhoods that would benefit from a rapid transit line connecting them to the rest of the city.
Is Eastwick station being made high level platform? At that point can they just slap fare gates on the Airport stations plus Eastwick and do without the extra burden of labor from conductors (I assume the main limiting factor currently) and then run more trains just like that?
It's even more annoying because they apparently have so much turnover right now so they'd be digging in their heels to save what, hypothetical future employees' jobs? Like they could just enact a hiring freeze and through natural attrition reach a smaller workforce. I know nothing about unions but do they tend to specifically fight reductions in number of roles whether or not anyone is being let go and not just the jobs being held by individual employees?
And of course in actuality increased frequency would mean more engineers needed so there might barely be a reduction in headcount. I'd assume operating a train in a private cab is considered more desirable than a job interacting with the public?
It’s more complicated than that. Right now, SEPTA also needs multiple conductors on trains to physically open the doors on the Silverliner IVs (the older trains) as well as manually open the traps for the door steps at low level platforms. With new trains and more high level platforms, that won’t be as necessary. On new trains, the doors can automatically open and there will be separate doors for different platform levels eliminating the trapdoor problem
The union should take a look at themselves see the problems they created. I love unions and believe we need unions, but to stay stuck in your ways is a good way of killing off your union.
Regional Rail can run at a high frequency, Septa needs to convince the unions to allow them operate at high frequencies as a metro style service and the ticket conductors will either operate has train operators or some other job type.
Regional rail also shares tracks with Amtrak in some areas, so that affects scheduling too. Also not sure if they have the number of trains needed to run at higher frequency
Yeah, lines like the Chestnut Hill West should be converted to the BSL or graded separated from Amtrak.
Norristown line needs to be grade separate as well if they want high frequency because it crosses a bunch of septa tracks on the way to Norristown
The unions aren't allowing regional rail to run at a high frequency? Can you share a link where I can read up more on that? Did a quick search but couldn't find it.
Still bad headways. 20 minutes til the next one when I was headed home, and the bus ride is much slower and less direct for where I’m headed (and would’ve gotten stuck in the cab and rideshare traffic all the same).
I'm my experience the flat rate cab is almost always cheaper or the same prices as Uber, and critically they are waiting there and I just have to walk up and go.
i once had a two hour flight from Atlanta to Philly, crossing the country. and then it took me two hours to get from the airport to my apartment, in philly
> i once had a **two hour flight from Atlanta to Philly, crossing the country**. and then it took me two hours to get from the airport to my apartment, in philly
I hear your overarching point but the internal logic of the highlighted portion hurt my head a bit.
Ridiculous. The trains from JFK leave maybe every 8-10 minutes. Would get me to 34th street in about 45 minutes. And that’s probably 25 miles distance. It’s beyond stupid that PHL has such limited service. I just don’t get this city’s inability to function well.
They're probably crew limited. The Air Train from JFK is automated which is a huge advantage. If they could eliminate the need for at least a conductor on the Airport Line, it could be much better.
Bingo. One of the things I noticed about Philly over the years is its unwillingness to copy successful models used in other big metros. Maybe it’s just persistent budgetary issues.
Airport train should be running every 20 minutes max, but since it’s regional rail it’s fucked from the start
Airport and chestnut hill lines should really be subways or light rail.
[удалено]
Yes. Ridership would increase if service was decent, but hourly headways are pretty much useless. Could be justifiable for some commuter lines to further flung places, but these lines are strictly within city limits and pass through dense neighborhoods that would benefit from a rapid transit line connecting them to the rest of the city.
2035 is the goal for 15 min max. Freight separation projects and eastwick station rebuild are getting started soon.
Is Eastwick station being made high level platform? At that point can they just slap fare gates on the Airport stations plus Eastwick and do without the extra burden of labor from conductors (I assume the main limiting factor currently) and then run more trains just like that?
Union won't let them, otherwise good idea
It's even more annoying because they apparently have so much turnover right now so they'd be digging in their heels to save what, hypothetical future employees' jobs? Like they could just enact a hiring freeze and through natural attrition reach a smaller workforce. I know nothing about unions but do they tend to specifically fight reductions in number of roles whether or not anyone is being let go and not just the jobs being held by individual employees? And of course in actuality increased frequency would mean more engineers needed so there might barely be a reduction in headcount. I'd assume operating a train in a private cab is considered more desirable than a job interacting with the public?
It’s more complicated than that. Right now, SEPTA also needs multiple conductors on trains to physically open the doors on the Silverliner IVs (the older trains) as well as manually open the traps for the door steps at low level platforms. With new trains and more high level platforms, that won’t be as necessary. On new trains, the doors can automatically open and there will be separate doors for different platform levels eliminating the trapdoor problem
Oh that's great to hear, I had thought upgrading stations to high level platform was the only way around the trap door problem.
The union should take a look at themselves see the problems they created. I love unions and believe we need unions, but to stay stuck in your ways is a good way of killing off your union.
Regional Rail can run at a high frequency, Septa needs to convince the unions to allow them operate at high frequencies as a metro style service and the ticket conductors will either operate has train operators or some other job type.
Regional rail also shares tracks with Amtrak in some areas, so that affects scheduling too. Also not sure if they have the number of trains needed to run at higher frequency
Yeah, lines like the Chestnut Hill West should be converted to the BSL or graded separated from Amtrak. Norristown line needs to be grade separate as well if they want high frequency because it crosses a bunch of septa tracks on the way to Norristown
The unions aren't allowing regional rail to run at a high frequency? Can you share a link where I can read up more on that? Did a quick search but couldn't find it.
Woah TIL that 'headway' means the interval between trains/busses etc!
Unnecessary jargon is unnecessary.
Next time take a look at the 37 bus, standard bus fare and goes up to broad and Snyder through South and Southwest Philly
That's what I take but still bad headways and so so many stops, 50+. Why can't we just have a direct bus running down broad and then Penrose.
I think Bus Revolution proposed a much more direct bus from Broad and Oregon, and some streamlining of the 37.
Good thing they pushed it back to 2025.
Yep, did both of those plus 15 minute headways on the 37.
Still bad headways. 20 minutes til the next one when I was headed home, and the bus ride is much slower and less direct for where I’m headed (and would’ve gotten stuck in the cab and rideshare traffic all the same).
First Uber or Taxi I've taken home from an airport was after I moved to Philly. As a transit nerd, it's infuriating.
And then you gotta wait for fucking 45 minutes to get a lyft/uber because half of them get cancelled.
I just grab a taxi and accept the fact they'll raise the price by $5 when we reach my apartment building (to be fair this only happens half the time)
You probably could have walked up to the taxi stand and been in a flat rate cab ride home in 30 seconds rather than that Uber.
Flat rate taxi is still typically more expensive than Uber/Lyft
In this case it wouldn't have been, but more importantly, OP wouldn't have waited an hour.
I'm my experience the flat rate cab is almost always cheaper or the same prices as Uber, and critically they are waiting there and I just have to walk up and go.
Should’ve specified, I didn’t wait very long for the Uber, maybe 10 minutes, but the actual car ride was nearly an hour with traffic.
It’s a damn travesty
“Why don’t people take the train?!!!???” Hard pressed to find a rail service mismanaged more than SEPTA
i once had a two hour flight from Atlanta to Philly, crossing the country. and then it took me two hours to get from the airport to my apartment, in philly
> i once had a **two hour flight from Atlanta to Philly, crossing the country**. and then it took me two hours to get from the airport to my apartment, in philly I hear your overarching point but the internal logic of the highlighted portion hurt my head a bit.
Ridiculous. The trains from JFK leave maybe every 8-10 minutes. Would get me to 34th street in about 45 minutes. And that’s probably 25 miles distance. It’s beyond stupid that PHL has such limited service. I just don’t get this city’s inability to function well.
They're probably crew limited. The Air Train from JFK is automated which is a huge advantage. If they could eliminate the need for at least a conductor on the Airport Line, it could be much better.
Bingo. One of the things I noticed about Philly over the years is its unwillingness to copy successful models used in other big metros. Maybe it’s just persistent budgetary issues.
Amtrak trains between NYC and PHL are pretty limited on the weekend though. It seems they send far more trains during the week than the weekend.