SEPTA nears full service on Market-Frankford Line, suspends extra busing

SEPTA says it is running close to full service on the Market-Frankford Line and has stopped operating shuttle buses that had been boosting capacity amid a car shortage.

Due to an equipment shortage spurred by cracks detected in some cars, intervals between trains during peak hours have been longer than usual and the transit agency had been running buses to supplement trains on the subway line.

For commutes this week, SEPTA said, riders can expect Market-Frankford trains to five-to-six minutes apart. The supplemental busing has been suspended.

The agency has 21 six-car trains in service on the line, down from the usual 24, but says it is still able to operate on a near-normal schedule with that capacity. Trains during peak periods are typically about four minute apart.

The extra busing was first suspended amid Thursday's snow and Friday's cold; SEPTA said trains operated on a regular schedule those days.

The Market-Frankford problems were detected earlier this month, when SEPTA found cracks in vent boxes on 60 cars. In two cases, the cracks extended into a load-bearing part called the body bolster.

All of those cars were pulled for service for repairs.

The agency has 218 Market-Frankford Line cars; it needs 144 for peak service on the El. Crews are working to speed up repairs on other cars out for normal maintenance to increase capacity.