PHILADELPHIA — The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority will purchase 130 new light rail vehicles from Alstom under its Trolley Modernization program under a contract approved Thursday by SEPTA’s board.
The $714.2 million contract also includes an option for an additional 30 of the low-floor, ADA-compliant vehicles, intended to replace the entire current SEPTA trolley fleet. The first of the cars are scheduled to be delivered in 2027, with the order completed by the end of 2030.
“SEPTA is committed to ensuring our trolleys meet the needs of all riders – people with disabilities, seniors, families with small children, new users, and anyone who needs a little more help to get where they are going,” SEPTA General Manager and CEO Leslie S. Richards said in a press release. “SEPTA is still seeking over $800 million in competitive grants, and state and local funding, to make all the improvements necessary for seamless boarding. We are doing everything we can to move this project forward, but we need to secure new options for funding to leverage the once-in-a-generation infusion of federal dollars.”
SEPTA’s eight trolley lines cover 68 miles. They currently operate with Kawasaki-built cars dating to the 1980s.
SEPTA is rebuilding the previously rebuilt PCC-2 cars. They date to 1947-1948 so are 75+ years old. So far four are done (one guy is doing most of the work). Whether there will be enough to restart Route 15 trolley service before the new cars arrive is an interesting question.
Route 23 has been divided as a bus line at Market Street and will not revert to trolleys.
Just a follow up Regarding PCC cars that are still in operation, In Boston the Ashmont-Mattapan line still uses their small fleet of PCCs and just repaired and upgraded them for several more years of faithful and dependable service and the residents who use that line fought against the plan to replace the PCCs with either modern cars or convert to buses. The folks in Boston and in Philadelphia know a good when they see and use it and those old PCC cars are from an era when things were built to last and made strong and durable. Just like San Francisco’s cable cars and the streetcars that run in New Orleans on the St Charles Avenue line which by the way are approaching 100 years of service.
Joseph C. Markfelder
Just following up on what James Sanchez said: if one rides by SEPTA’s Woodland Shop, you can see some of the old PCC cars that are already finished. SEPTA never abandoned the PCC’s, they just needed updating.
The old PCC cars were great and pleasing to look at but like anything else, their time has come and gone and new equipment is now necessary to improve upon and expand current service and lines and possibly new lines as well. A ilight rail line or streetcar line if managed properly and run the right way can handle and move more people than any bus could. Also streetcars or LRVs have a better longevity record and last far more years than any bus does and a streetcar can carry more passengers. You need 3 to 3 buses just to handle all the passengers that one streetcar/LRV can handle per trip. Perhaps Philadelphia can follow the lead of San Francisco and either create or convert one of its lines to a historic line running vintage strretcars and PCC cars which would be a boon for business and tourism as well. It is encouraging that Philadelphia didn” totally abandon its streetcars and rip up the tracks and pull down the overhead wires as so many cities in the United States did or as in New York City did because a certain mayor had a dislike for streetcars and we all know about National City Lines and how the tire and rubber industry and bus companies put plenty of pressure on cities to get rid of their strretcars due to some slick and shady salemanship to push their agenda of the population being transported by buses and cars only
kudos to the cities that held onto their streetcar lines and the same goes for many European cities whose citizens travel by streetcar and have expanded their networks
Joseph C. Markfelder
Ugly!
I can already hear all the railfans going “EwW nEw TrAiN cArS!” from a 4250 mile radius.
Great news, route 15 is also getting 18 refurbished PCC cars. The cars are being rebuilt at the Woodland shops. Hopefully part or all of route 23 can be reopened. There are long rang plans to extend route 15 to the 69th Street terminal and route 36 Eastwick to the Airport.
It is about time for the new trolleys. The old ones are showing their age and the new ones will provide better access to handicapped riders. I hope if these new trolleys provide better service and increase ridership SEPTA may consider reinstating other surface lines like the route 15. Most passengers would prefer a trolley to a bus if it is easy to use and can maintain its schedule.