SEPTA Regional Rail riders face delays, cancellations due to emergency order
SEPTA must inspect 225 aging Silverliner IV cars that date back to the 1970s.
Regional Rail riders across the Philadelphia region were dealing with delays as SEPTA performs emergency inspections on its railcars.
As of 6:45 p.m. on the Tuesday evening commute, nine Regional Rail trips were canceled due to trains being taken out of service, SEPTA spokesperson Andrew Busch said.
During the Tuesday morning commute, 12 Regional Rail trains were canceled, Busch said.
A total of 55 trips were canceled on Monday, he said.
Last week, the National Transportation Safety Board, which investigates issues, ordered SEPTA to inspect 225 aging Silverliner IV Regional Rail cars after they were involved in five train fires this year. The most recent occurred at Gravers Station on the Chestnut Hill East line on Sept. 25, with all passengers evacuated and no injuries reported.
The Federal Railroad Administration, which has oversight of SEPTA, issued an emergency order Monday for the agency to take immediate action, including ordering the removal of each of the 50-year-old cars from service to complete a comprehensive investigation.
“The pattern of failures persuades [the Federal Railroad Administration] that reliance alone upon the prior assurances and cooperation of SEPTA is not possible, nor in the interest of public safety,” the emergency order stated.
On Monday, SEPTA warned riders all Regional Rail trains were operating with shortages of at least two or more cars, leading to delays, overcrowding, and cancellations. On Monday, the Cynwyd Line was suspended, but was back up and running Tuesday.
The strongest impact is being felt at stations closer to the city, where some lines are coming in full and unable to pick up more riders. That included the Jenkintown-Wyncote Station Tuesday morning.
“When we get to the inner ring stations, the trains get crowded, and sometimes we’re not able to take other people on,” Busch said.
SEPTA riders should expect shorter trains that have limited capacity for the next few weeks, Busch said. The full inspection of the fleet needs to be done within 30 days.
“We’re going to keep adjusting to this every day,” Busch said.
The 225 Silverliner IV cars, which date back to the mid-1970s, are among the oldest in the country still in service. Due to funding issues, the agency has been forced to continue operating the aging vehicles, which account for two-thirds of the Regional Rail fleet, “long beyond their recommended useful life.”
It’s the latest headache for SEPTA, which is operating on temporary funds from PennDot’s Public Transportation Trust Fund after lawmakers failed to agree on a plan to provide long-term funding.
Regional Rail riders are encouraged to check SEPTA’s app and website for updates on delays or cancellations.