Passenger Trains > SEPTA Braces for Snow

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 29 - SEPTA is prepared for the
ominous forecast of snow and ice with salt,
plows, extra staffing, and extended hours for its
Travel Information Center (215) 580-7800. With the
exception of Paratransit Customized Community
Transportation, SEPTA will attempt to offer all
regular service. In addition, all trackless trolley
routes (29, 59, 66, and 79) will convert to bus service by 11
p.m. Friday evening (Dec. 29).

SEPTA is handling the prediction as if it were January
in Juneau. The Authority has 3,000 tons of
salt ready, along with several snowplows, front-end
loaders and salt spreaders. Crews are on alert
to spread de-icer on switches and power lines and to
clear snow from station entrances, platforms
and bus loops. Even before snowfall begins, SEPTA will
preemptively salt parking lots. And the
Authority is also calling in all available workers to
fight the storm.

What to expect from each transit mode:

Paratransit Customized Community Transportation (CCT)
- due to safety concerns, only medical
and dialysis trips will be provided on Saturday, Dec.
30, Sunday, Dec. 31, and Monday, Jan. 1. All
other rides have been cancelled.

City and Suburban Transit Bus and Trolley Routes

SEPTA will attempt to operate all bus routes. A number
of routes, however, may be detoured.
SEPTA will attempt to maintain service without detours
on its most heavily used bus routes. These
generally operate on streets with a high priority for
snow removal by Philadelphia and surrounding
communities. Riders of Bus route 35 should be aware
that this route is often first to cease service
because of the steep hills in Roxborough.

Broad Street and Market-Frankford Lines

The Broad Street and Market-Frankford subway-elevated
lines are ``best bets'' for riders during
severe winter storms. Crews are assigned to keep
station entrances, platforms and sidewalks clean
of ice and snow. Special trains may run all night long
on the Market-Frankford Line to keep tracks
clear of ice and snow.

Regional Rail

Several cars will be stored overnight in tunnels and
maintenance car houses. Nonetheless, once
outside, frozen switches and ice on overhead wires or
electrical poles on top of cars can delay or
shut down service. On the Amtrak-owned rights-of-way
(mainly the tracks used by SEPTA trains
headed west from Center City), SEPTA works with Amtrak
to resolve problems. On SEPTA-owned tracks (primarily
to the north), SEPTA does everything possible to keep
the corridor open, including running trains all night
and having diesel-powered vehicles available.

Updates - for the latest in service information:

SEPTA Travel Information Center - call 215-580-7800
during extended hours. On Saturday and
Sunday, agents will be available from 7 a.m. until 8
p.m. On Monday, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Riders
also may continue to receive weather-related
information through the STAR pre-recorded
information system.

The Web - visit www.SEPTA.org

Broadcast news - SEPTA will provide frequent updates
to all radio and television stations, as well as
channel 64, the City of Philadelphia local access
television channel.

Safety first

Riders should expect delays and plan accordingly. They
also should use caution when boarding or
departing all vehicles.

SEPTA to the festivities!

SEPTA will be the safest, fastest and warmest way to
reach the Eagles game, as well to the New
Year's events.
New Year's Eve - all SEPTA routes will operate on a
regular Sunday schedule with extra service
added to most regional rail routes and the Broad
Street and Market-Frankford Lines for riders
traveling to and from special events scheduled in
Center City.

New Year's Day - SEPTA routes will also operate on a
Sunday schedule with improved service on
the Broad Street and Market-Frankford Lines throughout
the day for riders traveling to the
Mummers Parade.

Eagles Game - The Broad Street Line will operate five
Sports Express trains to the game on
Sunday, Dec. 31. For the 4 p.m. game, trains depart
Fern Rock Transportation Center at 2:30 p.m.,
2:40 p.m., 2:50 p.m., 3:00 p.m. and 3:10 p.m. The
Sports Express trains stop only at the Olney
Transportation Center and the Erie, Girard, Race-Vine,
City Hall and Walnut-Locust Stations en
route to Pattison Station and Veterans Stadium. The
express trip from City Hall Station to Pattison
Station takes only eight minutes. It is a 27-minute
ride from Fern Rock. Local Broad Street Line
trains will also be in service about every 12 minutes.
Local trains take about 11 minutes to travel to
Pattison Station from City Hall Station. After the
game fans will find northbound trains standing by to
provide express and local service back to Fern Rock.

SOURCE: SEPTA


=====
*************************************************
Stan'S Railpix;-A-Rail-Photo-Gallery !!
http://www.trainweb.com/railpix
*************************************************