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                   The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger

                           Electronic Edition

                             October  1993

                            Vol. XI, No. 10



Published by the Delaware Valley Association of Railroad Passengers in the

interest of continued, improved, and expanded rail service for the present

and potential railroad and rail transit passengers of southeastern

Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and nearby areas.



For more information about DVARP and good rail service, please contact us:

P.O. Box 7505,

Philadelphia, PA  19101

215-222-3373



The Electronic Edition is posted as a service to the net community by DVARP.

Your comments are welcome; send them to the address below.  We hope you'll

consider joining DVARP by filling out the coupon below.

For on-line reading convenience, major articles are prefaced by **;

other articles are prefaced by *.



**DVARP Membership Coupon

Yes, I want to support improved passenger train service in our region!

     Here are my DVARP membership dues for 1993!

Name

Address

City, State, Zip

Please choose a membership category below, enclose check and mail to:

     DVARP, PO Box 7505, Philadelphia, PA 19101

(  ) Regular: $15.00      (  ) Family:  $20.00     (  ) Supporting: $25.00

(  ) Sustaining: $50.00   (  ) Patron: $75.00   (  ) Benefactor: $100.00

New members joining DVARP between October 1 and December 31 will be

enrolled for 1994 at no extra cost.



Inside The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger...

1     Hellertown, Stony Creek branch added to Newtown line privatization

proposal.

2     From the Editor's Seat: SEPTA and Politics

3     On the Railroad Lines:  Gremlins in SEPTA schedules, Storms batter

system,     Surfacing project disrupts Reading trunk, Paoli trains much

slower.

5     SEPTA leverages big media attention on "Try Transit Day."

6     SEPTA ridership and financial data: end of the decline?

8     Computerized inventory of rail lines, possible trails in

Pennsylvania.

9-10     Bob Clearfield on slow Airport service, John Hay rides the last

RailWorks(R) diesel.

11     South Jersey Update:  Transit not an issue in governor's race.

12     Crossing safety: a Conrail engineer's frightening point of view.

13     47 die in Amtrak derailment: must common sense also be a casualty?

14     DVARP offers great volunteer opportunities, Dates of Interest

15     Up and Down the Corridor, DVARP Directory.

DVARP President: Chuck Bode          Newsletter Editor: Matthew Mitchell

for other officers and committee chairs, see page 15     Production

Manager: Tom Borawski

entire contents copyright (C) 1993  DVARP, except photos (C) 1993 credited

photographers

Opinions expressed in The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger are not

necessarily

those of DVARP or its members.  We welcome your comments: call 215-222-3373





**Schedule Change Alert:  New timetables for Amtrak and many commuter lines

will take effect when daylight time ends on Sunday, October 31.

Numerous minor schedule revisions are in effect on SEPTA Regional Rail

lines: see page 3





**Hellertown, Stony Creek Added to Newtown Privatization Plan     by

Matthew Mitchell

The SEPTA Board gave SEPTA management permission to proceed in negotiations

with Rodney Fisk's Newtown Interurban Coalition for private operation of

passenger rail service on lines to Newtown and Quakertown.  At the Board

meeting last month, it was revealed that Fisk has reconfigured his plan,

withdrawing from Center City and extending his proposed service to

Hellertown and Norristown.



*Gambaccini, Houstoun Pessimistic on Deal's Financing

But there is a good chance that this proposal may never become reality.

SEPTA GM Lou Gambaccini and Treasurer Feather Houstoun both expressed

doubts to the Board over Fisk's ability to run the trains on a break-even

basis.  SEPTA's chief objective in arranging the deal is to insulate itself

from any financial risk in the transaction.

To finance the cost of trains and track repairs, Fisk is counting on a

pass-through of added subsidies SEPTA would receive from the Federal

Transit Agency.  Because the money is allotted on a per route-mile basis,

Fisk's operation must cover more than just Fox Chase to Newtown in order to

leverage sufficient money.  Newtown Interurban Coalition will issue 30

million dollars worth of 'tax-exempt certificates of participation' to

finance capital costs.  The bonds would be guaranteed by Bucks County, and

paid back out of dedicated state grants.  The amount of the payments would

be pegged to the incremental Federal subsidy, now estimated at $300

thousand per year.  If the financing scheme and Fisk's operating plan can

get put together, service on the new lines could start as soon as next

fall.

Center City Cut Out

Fisk's original plan for Newtown service was to reach Center City via the

Conrail trackage which was used this summer for RailWorks detour trains.

That plan has been dropped for reasons which have not been disclosed.

However, Conrail has been cool to Fisk's proposed ventures in the past and

is known not to care for passenger trains interfering with its freight

operations.  Most of the substitute trackage, including all of the Stony

Creek Branch, is owned by SEPTA, even though its use is freight-only.

The extension of Fisk's originally-proposed Quakertown to Hellertown

service adds nine miles to the route and brings it into Northampton County.

Neither the county nor LANTA has not been reported as a participant in the

project.  Hellertown is about two miles south of Bethlehem, and may become

a park-and-ride site.  Pre-SEPTA trains covered the 29 miles from

Hellertown to Lansdale in about 55 minutes, making intermediate stops at

Centre Valley, Quakertown, Perkasie, Sellersville, Telford, Souderton, and

Hatfield.  With reconstruction of  highway 309 upcoming, the railroad can

provide vital relief.

The 10-mile Stony Creek branch has not seen regular passenger service in

over 50 years, but several large companies are now located along the line

and may generate ridership, both direct riders from Lansdale and north and

reverse commuters changing trains at Norristown.

Fisk originally proposed to use his railcars for weekend excursions from

Philadelphia to the outlets in Reading.  The fate of that service in the

new plan is not known.

MontCo Opposition

Despite the benefits which Montgomery County residents would gain from the

expanded train service, County representatives Stewart Cades and Floriana

Bloss voted against  the negotiating go-ahead.  Board members Earl Baker

and David Woods also voted no.  It is widely speculated that MontCo's

opposition is to protect wealthy landowners along the Newtown right-of-way

from any possible inconvenience caused by trains in their backyards again.

In Board debate, Cades found his arguments quickly shot down.  When he

tried to couch his opposition in environmental terms, Karen Martynick of

Chester County replied: "There is no greater conservation measure any of us

can do than to vote for increased mass transit."  Shortly after Cades

expressed the County's opposition, Hatfield Borough Manager Mark Kurflin

spoke in favor of the service. Andrew Warren pointedly asked Kurflin where

his Borough is: Montgomery County.

Cades is also concerned about the new service attracting riders who now use

SEPTA's R2 and R3 lines, but that in fact may bring some benefits to

Montgomery County in the form of fewer people driving to MontCo stations:

adding to traffic and taking up limited parking capacity.

Board Demands Conditions

The vote to authorize negotiations came after Houstoun spelled out certain

conditions NIC must satisfy before a contract is finalized.  While making

sure SEPTA will not incur any added costs is the foremost concern, the new

venture must also obtain insurance indemnifying SEPTA from any claims

resulting from the new service, show proof of any necessary trackage rights

over other railroads  and secure approval by the Federal Railroad

Administration.  Should negotiations be successful and Fisk's financial

plan be approved, the Board will take a final vote on awarding the

contract.





**From the Editor's Seat:  Politics and SEPTA

At the pressure-packed SEPTA Board meeting where awarding of a contract for

badly-needed new cars for the Market-Frankford El was delayed yet again,

attendees were treated to a 'revival meeting' conducted by Rep. Anthony

Williams. (D-Phila.)  Williams packed the audience with his supporters and

delivered an impassioned oration invoking that crowd as the reason new cars

were needed right away.  "Amen!"

But there was one little thing which went wrong-Williams voted against

awarding the contract!  After the meeting, Williams was buttonholed by

fellow Board member Andy Warren, Chairman (R) of the Bucks County

Commissioners.  Listening to Warren's words, one can see veins rising on

his neck.

With embarrassments like the El car procurement and the fight over

lucrative bond counsel fees fresh in our memory, you might think that the

farther we keep politicians away from SEPTA the better.  Well, like most

conventional wisdom, that idea's only half right.  The Board seems to swing

from excesses of interference with SEPTA's everyday operation to a complete

'hands off' attitude which lets management ignore the needs and concerns of

the riding public.

The SEPTA Board should do two things: 1) set policy for management to

implement, and 2) monitor the performance of management to ensure the

public interest is served.

And the politicians who control SEPTA through the Board and through the

power of the purse also have a twofold role: 1) to communicate the needs

and wishes of their constituents through the Board, and 2) to support

public transit both with dollars and with responsible decisions made at

their level of government.

Andy Warren makes a good model for both the Board and the politicians.  On

the Board, Warren isn't afraid to criticize management or strike back at

SEPTA's critics.  He refuses to accept hypocrisy lying down.

Back home in Bucks County, Warren demonstrated his commitment to improving

transit from the beginning, when sickened by the Gould-Stead affair, he

appointed himself to the Board to straighten it out.  Since then he has

been a vocal advocate for restoring long-suspended rail service, and has

his county back the 211 bus with cash.

His door was open to DVARP; as a result he gained an ally in his fight for

restoration of Newtown train service instead of making an enemy, and we

paid attention to his concerns as much as he did to ours.  If every

politician could take public suggestions and ideas as constructively as

Warren does, we citizens all would be a lot better off.



*SEPTA Uses New Slogan:  "Better Than Driving"

We're getting there! -MDM





**On the Railroad Lines...



*Schedule Snafu

The September timetable change may have set a record for most typographical

errors and after-publication changes.  Flyers notifying passengers of the

errors papered stations.  Passengers should check those signs carefully and

mark changes on their timetables.  Many of those changes are also listed

below, denoted by a @ symbol.

Incorrect zones were listed for some stations, while other stations were

completely left off.  Downtown terminal points of a few trains were changed

as well.



*Weekend Stops Restored

According to a flyer handed out last month, SEPTA intended to abandon

weekend service at at least 5 lightly-used stations.  However, to do so

would have violated the law.  They are being retained as flag stops, a

reasonable compromise which will keep the trains available to local

residents while speeding service for everyone else.



*Ticket Machines Back?

SEPTA crews have been spotted resupplying and testing the ticket vending

machines which have been out of service nearly two years.  Once all the

machines are ready, they will be switched back on at the same time.



*Storm Belts Wires

 A strong storm on the 27th brought reports of tornados in Delaware County

and the north suburbs.  It  knocked out service on the Reading commuter

rail trunk, the R3 Elwyn, and the Media-Sharon Hill trolleys.



*R1: Surfacing Project

SEPTA crews adding ballast and levelling the tracks between Fern Rock and

Glenside have caused a two-hour gap in service to Melrose Park and Elkins

Park and a reduction in evening train frequency at Jenkintown and Glenside.

R1 trains are turning back at Roberts Yard after 9:30 to avoid congesting

the single track in service.

DVARP's request for SEPTA to have R3 and R5 trains protect the Melrose Park

and Elkins Park stops was turned down.  All riders to Fern Rock and points

north should expect minor delays; the service disruption is slated to end

in late November.

@Jenkintown riders are enjoying an added morning express train, leaving at

8:05 and arriving Market East at 8:26.



*R2 Evening Shuttle Train

The surfacing project mentioned above has caused an awkward and slow

shuttle-train operation for some night-time Warminster riders.  With two

single-track segments and a transfer, the situation is a nightmare for

planners and passengers alike.

Riders on the 9:38 from Warminster must wait over 30 minutes for the

connecting R3 train to Center City; those leaving Suburban Station at 10:19

wait 16 minutes.



*R3 Construction Update

Trains will run on the Elwyn line on Thanksgiving weekend, November 25-28.

The big reconstruction project will be temporarily suspended for the

holiday.  SEPTA was criticized last year for a catenary project which

closed the line down on Black Friday.  SEPTA also delayed this year's work

to avoid interference with the Labor Day holiday.

Bus Stop Moved

@The 30th Street Station shuttle bus stop has been moved closer to the

station.  Catch the bus on the 30th Street side of the station, under the

commuter train tracks at the door below stairway B.

Early-Peak Train Cut

The replacement of the former 3:37 and  4:05 pm departures from Suburban

Station with a 3:55 train has inconvenienced passengers who end work at

4:00.  We had incorrectly reported that peak-hour R3 service was unchanged

last month.

@Elwyn express #7365 now serves Market East, departing there at 5:15 pm.

Minor delays were reported on the West Trenton line during the evening rush

of September 13 and 15.  The former was reported to be due to downed wires;

the latter due to Conrail problems.



*R5 Track Shift-Slower Trains

As SEPTA proceeds with construction of the new Overbrook Shop, tracks

between Zoo and Overbrook have been reconfigured.  R5 trains no longer use

the flyover near 52nd St. they run on track 2 which had been used only by

Amtrak trains.

Almost all outbound trains on the Paoli line are four minutes slower

between 30th St. and Paoli; this may be linked to the track shift and shop

construction.

Downingtown Service Added

Off-peak and evening service to Downingtown which was slashed last fall has

been restored in the September timetable.  Other changes besides the

outbound slowdown, were minimal.

@Bryn Mawr local #7001 was incorrectly listed in the timetable: it does not

stop at Temple or Market East

@Doylestown express #6595 now stops at Jenkintown at 8:05 am.

"Electrical problems" caused the annulment of several Paoli line trains the

afternoon of September 14.

Let's Do Doylestown!

SEPTA and the Bucks Co. Tourist Commission have teamed up to offer a

"Destination Doylestown" train ticket/museum pass combination to vistors.

While other commuter lines frequently offer such packages, this is a first

for SEPTA.



*R6 Cynwyd Line Bridge Worry

As R5 trains have been relocated to a ground-level track (see above), R6

trains are now the only ones using the flyover and switch known as

'Valley.'  The limited use of the structure will tempt Amtrak to defer

maintenance on it, which could imperil the future of Cynwyd service.

Conshohocken One:  Can SEPTA raise the sign at Conshohocken Station so it

is visible from the highway as one exits I-76 or I-476?  At present the

sign is below eye level.

Conshohocken Two:  A new office tower will be built in Conshohocken and

will house the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).  Commuter

rail was a key requirement for ASTM in choosing a site, the Philadelphia

Business Journal reports.

@Weekend trains will stop at Shawmont, which is not shown on the timetable.

Dangerous holes in the concrete platform at Allegheny Station have been

repaired.

Conrail asks for Stony Creek Extension

The Inquirer reports that Conrail asked for an extension of the deadline

for installation of crossing gates on the Stony Creek line to December

31st. The one accident which has occurred thus far was at a crossing with

working warning lights (but no gate) at Hancock Street in Lansdale.



*R7 Parking Upgrade

SEPTA has closed the outbound parking lot at Cornwells Heights for repaving

and remarking, but capacity is being maintained because the temporary SEPTA

lot used for RailWorks is still open.

NYC Ticket Machine?  Not Yet

The NJ Transit ticket vending machine selling Northeast Corridor tickets to

R7 riders at 30th Street Station has been in place for two months, but

still says that the convenience it adds is "coming soon."

@R7 weekend stops at Fishers and Wissinoming have been retained.



*R8 North Philly Connection?

Passengers are complaining about SEPTA's decision to have about half its

peak hour Chestnut Hill West trains skip North Philadelphia station.  New

York-bound commuters save a lot of time by transferring at North

Philadelphia instead of 30th Street.

Restoring the stops on a discharge-only basis would meet the passengers'

needs while still allowing SEPTA to move its trains right onto the Corridor

and avoid Amtrak-caused delays.

A shutdown of the Chestnut Hill West line due to a fire in the vicinity of

Queen Lane was reported on September 10th. The effects of the fire were

felt on the line for the remainder of the evening.

The Fox Chase line was down the morning of Sept. 12th due to a accident at

Newtown Ave., reported to be a pedestrian being hit. No shuttle buses were

provided, passengers were told to use the Route 24 bus.

@Weekend trains will stop at Westmoreland and North Philadelphia, contrary

to printed timetable information.



*Accident Clarification

SEPTA reports its Systems Safety Department has not completed its

investigation of an incident on the Paoli line (see August DVRP) which

killed an engineer.  Spokesman Richard DiLullo added that nothing in the

investigation so far indicates that a passing Amtrak train forced the SEPTA

doors open.



*RailWorks P.R. vs. SEPTA P.R.

The Railworks public relations contract totals $3.3 million over three

years-mostly paid for by the Federal capital grants. SEPTA's own Public

Relations Department budget is only $0.209 million for this year and is

funded by SEPTA's Operating Budget.



*100 New Schedule Delayed

New Norristown High-Speed Line schedules continue to be on hold pending

completion of N5 car testing.



*Suburban Notes: New schedules will take effect October 31 on many SEPTA

suburban bus and trolley routes.

SEPTA has added a new information kiosk at Montgomery Mall in

Montgomeryville, which is served by the 94 and 96 bus routes.



*CTD NY Senator Raises Stakes

Philadelphia Business Journal reports that New York State Senator John R.

Kuhl Jr. warned western Pennsylvania legislators that he had sponsored a

bill that would exclude all Pennsylvania businesses from New York State

contracts "if SEPTA doesn't give ABB the [Market-Frankford] contract."



*13th Street: Warning Continues

DVARP's Transit Committee continues to recommend that Market-Frankford and

Subway-Surface passengers keep away from the eastbound (to Frankford) side

of 13th Street Station at all times.  The encampment of homeless people in

the concourse outside the station has grown, and is a health and safety

risk to both passengers and SEPTA employees.



*211 Trouble Continues

Reliability problems on the 211 bus from Warminster to Ivyland have gotten

worse, despite complaints by DVARP and individual riders.  Trips have often

been missed and one driver has been observed sleeping in his bus.



*CTD SEPTA Moves on 'Transit First'

The long-awaited 'transit-first' demonstration on Route 48 is finally

underway, with added bus frequency and other improvements.

SEPTA Route 22 will no longer run as an express during off-peak hours,

adding to travel time on the Olney-Willow Grove-Warminster route.



*City Transit Notes:  Revised timetables are in effect on routes L and 61.

Make sure your schedule is marked with a *.



*Trolley Vandalism Threat

The PCC cars stored at Midvale have been vandalized and ought to be moved

to a more secure location before more costly damage is done.



**SEPTA, KYW Lead Try Transit Day

For the first time in years, (see June 92 DVRP) SEPTA took part in the

nationwide Try Transit Day promotion.  The participation of the region's

biggest transit operator made the day into a major event, leveraging

support and publicity worth thousands of dollars if SEPTA had to pay for it

itself.

KYW radio was the hero of the day, devoting countless minutes of coverage

to transit topics and taking the bold step of suspending its usual traffic

reports in favor of "transit reports."  The all-news radio station (which

gets a huge audience of auto drivers) also prepared a week-long series of

Regional Affairs Council reports highlighting the problems our

overdependence on cars causes and showing how some companies are solving

them by finding alternative ways to get people to the workplace.

SEPTA offered discount fares, $1.00 on the transit divisions and $2.00 on

the RRD.  For the convenience of people trying the system for the first

time, and to avoid antagonizing them, the normal penalty on fares paid on

the train was waived.

PATCO (as usual) did SEPTA one better; all rides were free!  NJ Transit

offered $1.00 rides between Lindenwold and Philadelphia.

SEPTA reported mixed results, citing a 10,000 passenger (2%) increase

overall, but not the swarm of new riders which other cities have seen on

"Try Transit Day." An increase of 4.6 percent was reported for the RRD,

where SEPTA has lost the most to the private auto.  PATCO parking lots were

close to capacity.  All three systems observed that mid-day ridership

increased more than at rush hour: car commuters' habits are quite firmly

entrenched.

As for the long-term results, readers may recall DVARP's "Operation

Conshohocken" promotion.  We never reported on the results because it would

cost as much to determine the effectiveness of the program as the program

cost itself.

Riders got a good impression of the transit systems, thanks to a day of

reliable service.  SEPTA claimed a morning RRD on-time performance of 98.8

percent.  KYW's "transit reports" were-well boring. Listeners were treated

to the sounds of a snafu-free transit day.

Permanent Gain in Visibility

While the transit-only report idea had to yield to a head-on collision

snarling the Ben Franklin Bridge, KYW's bold step raised consciousness

right there at the station.  KYW is has now permanently converted its

traffic center to a "traffic and transit center" so listeners will

routinely hear the words, "SEPTA, PATCO, and New Jersey Transit are running

on or close to schedule."  Knowing that the majority of Center City

commuters arrive by rail, DVARP had sought for years to have transit get

equal time.

Try Transit Day was a success because SEPTA leveraged the support of

outsiders like KYW.  Signs are that that strategy is gaining support among

SEPTA managers.  This trend has to continue, not only in marketing the

service, but in every other aspect of SEPTA's function.  Radio and TV

exposure is good, but the real persuasive force which must be unleashed to

get more people onto SEPTA is made up of advocates like DVARP and the

riders who can tell their neighbors and co-workers that they should be

riding too.  But to get those people to do SEPTA's work, they must see

their stake in SEPTA and see consistent improvement in the quality of

service.-MDM, TB



*News compiled by Matthew Mitchell and correspondents: Chuck Bode, Tom

Borawski, Doug Bowen, Bob Clearfield, Lucia Esther, John Hay, Bob Machler,

Don Nigro,  John Pawson,Steve Spitzmiller.

Special thanks to Tom Collins, Rich DiLullo, John McGee,and Harry Garforth

of SEPTA

Additional news from BITNET, KYW,  Newark Star-Ledger, New York Times,

Philadelphia Business Journal,  Philadelphia Inquirer, USENET.



**SEPTA Ridership Report

In its final Revenue and Passenger Analysis for the fiscal year, SEPTA

reported a stemming of its ridership losses.  Annualized CTD ridership was

virtually level over the course of the year but down 1.2% over fiscal 1992.

Suburban Transit ridership actually was up for the year, by 1.0%.

SEPTA's fare revenue totals on all divisions were influenced by passengers'

shift from passes to single-trip tokens and tickets.  On the transit

divisions, this has the effect of lowering the average fare and total

revenue, while on the railroad, it increases fare revenue.



SEPTA Ridership     FY 93     FY 92     change

Subway-Elevated     53.8M     54.7M     -1.7%

Surface (Bus)     120.4M     122.2M     -1.5%

Light Rail     3.6M     3.2M     +14.0%

City Transit Total     177.8M     180.1M     -1.2%

Red Arrow     13.0M     12.9M     +0.5%

Frontier     2.2M     2.1M     +3.8%

Suburban Transit Total     15.2M     15.1M     +1.0%

Regional Rail Total     19.2M     21.1M     -9.2%

GRAND TOTAL     212.2M     216.3M     -1.9%



On the commuter rail lines, the RailWorks(R) megaproject caused an overall

ridership loss of 9.2% and sharper declines on the affected lines, but the

bad trend did flatten out late in the year.

RRD Ridership     FY 93     FY 92     change

R1 Airport     636,892     691,945     -8.0%

R2 Wilmington     1,714,150     1,867,868     -8.2%

R3 Elwyn     2,125,859     2,224,652     -4.4%

R5 Paoli     5,532,916     5,761,236     -4.0%

R6 Cynwyd     76,611     105,029     -27.1%

R7 Trenton     2,581,813     2,541,876     +1.6%

R8 Chestnut Hill     1,580,570     1,282,075     +23.3%

PRR-Side Total     14,248,811     14,474,681     -1.6%

R2 Warminster     1,033,846     1,283,008     -19.4%

R3 West Trenton     1,358,472     1,730,656     -21.5%

R5 Doylestown     2,211,791     2,620,635     -15.6%

R6 Norristown     427,407     774,798     -44.8%

R7 Chestnut Hill     602,621     1,081,829     -44.3%

R8 Fox Chase     442,155     835,123     -47.1%

Reading-Side Total     6,076,292     8,326,049     -27.0%

RRD TOTAL     20,325,103     22,800,650     -10.9%



Next to its nearby peers, SEPTA does not look good.  Only Maryland MTA

(Baltimore city and suburban transit) showed worse ridership performance in

the last two years.  NJ Transit and Metro-North were the best performers,

gaining 1.5% this year.

SEPTA's projections for 1994 cite the crucial need to win back passengers

from other modes of travel.  Economic conditions are not favorable for job

growth in central Philadelphia, so the market will not expand.



**SEPTA Financial Report:

Federal Subsidies Increase

According to official financial reports released at the SEPTA Board

meeting, the multi-million dollar revenue loss caused by RailWorks is being

made up with increased Federal operating subsidies allocated to the

Railroad Division.  As seen in the graph, the 1993 grants are more than

double previous years' levels.  That strong support will have to continue

in the coming years.

The financial tables below cover the first 11 months of the fiscal year and

are the latest available.  SEPTA is not releasing full-year data until it

is complete and verified.

-----Total all divisions: Amounts in thousands-----

Operating Revenues            FY '92         FY '93

  Full Fares                 227,391        219,892

  School Fares                12,955         13,169

  Senior Citizen              53,523         52,736

  Interest Income              3,235          3,367

  Other Income                 6,043          5,987

  TOTAL REVENUE              303,147        295,151

Operating Expenses            FY '92         FY '93

  Labor/Fringe Costs         397,021        395,339

  Material/Services           92,058         90,441

  Injuries/Damages            46,109         36,916

  Propulsion Power            25,704         23,396

  Fixed Rent                  10,602         10,502

  Fuel                         8,908          8,788

  Depreciation                 4,155          3,925

  TOTAL EXPENSES             584,557        569,307

DEFICIT BEFORE SUBSIDIES     281,410        274,156

Operating Subsidies           FY '92         FY '93

  Federal**                   24,711         39,253

  State                      154,303        150,708

  Local                       51,435         51,037

  Asset Maintenance           38,213         26,391

  Other                          249            206

  TOTAL SUBSIDIES            268,911        267,595

DEFICIT AFTER SUBSIDIES       12,499*         6,561

*FY '92 figures do not show the effect of a

$7.8 million June '92 state subsidy payment

** Increase amounts to +58.8%



*Consent Controversy

The intercounty dispute over the Newtown line spilled over into procedural

matters, as Board members questioned the Board's use of a 'consent

calendar' parliamentary technique which lumps an entire meeting's agenda

items into a single vote after contentious issues are worked out away from

the public spotlight.

SEPTA General Counsel James Kilcur was asked to rule on the propriety of

votes to vote on specific agenda items separately.  [If that last sentence

confused you, you weren't alone!]  No clear resolution of that question was

to be had.

While separate, on-the-record votes on routine contracts and change orders

can be tedious for the Board and for members of the public, the consent

calendar alternative does not appear to be an improvement and ought to be

discarded.-MDM



**Rails to Trails Inventory Nears Completion

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Affairs (DER) and its

consultant, Wilbur Smith Associates, held seven public meetings across the

state last month, to present their work to date on inventorying the state's

active and abandoned rail lines.  The September 20 meeting in Philadelphia

lasted five hours, in which the formal public presentation was given three

times to accommodate people's differing schedules-a thoughtful idea.  About

ten persons attended each presentation, mostly representing bicyclists but

including at least two planners and four DVARP members.

The inventory is required by recent legislation, which as usual did not

provide funding to cover the cost.  DER and the Bureau of Parks worked to

put together a coalition of interests and agencies to share the cost and

presumably share the results.  That coalition included DER, PennDOT, the US

Environmental Protection Agency, Industrial Heritage Project, Pa.

Department of Community Affairs, and the National Park Service.  The

project showed foresight by including active rail lines too.  If any of

them are abandoned, adding them to the list of trail candidates will be

simple.

The data was assembled with a computerized geographic information system

(GIS) which includes both tables of data and computer-generated maps.  The

GIS allows information to be kept current more quickly and cheaply than in

a paper map-based system.  More significantly, many types of analysis can

be performed with the GIS.  The data can be cross-referenced to census data

or transferred to other computer systems for other uses.  This is where the

project becomes interesting to passenger train advocates.  The consultant

demonstrated how one could select a rail line and in only seconds determine

the population living within five miles of the line.  DVARP volunteers have

had to spend hours on that task in the past.

The consultants are expected to spend another two months refining the data

before turning it and the computer system over to the Bureau of Parks.  The

consultants used a multitude of maps and documents as sources, but still

admit to a few gaps in the data.  At the meetings, people with detailed

knowledge of specific areas identified other corrections.  The Bureau is

committed to update the abandoned segment list from ICC records, and census

data can be easily updated.  An agency and funding still need to be found

to keep the other info up to date.  Despite these minor faults, the system

is a major accomplishment in railroad information.  George Burns of the

Bureau of Parks, and Don Matzzie, William Metzger, and Naveen Lamba of

Wilbur Smith Associates deserve credit for a job well-done.

The Bureau of Parks offered to make printed information available to groups

working on specific projects, and to make the entire database available to

agencies and groups with the necessary resources (a large-capacity PC and

the commercial software).  This inventory will be useful to trail projects,

rail projects, and many other projects that use geographic data in the

planning process.-CB



**Revival for CAC

The Citizen Advisory Committee, official ombudsmen for SEPTA passengers,

spoke at its meeting last month of plans to increase its activity in 1993-

94.  Though CAC is established by the state law which created SEPTA and has

the responsibility to report to the General Manager on budgets, fares and

service, it had been disappointingly silent in recent years.

Pat O'Brien has been elected to chair the Committee, which is made up of

riders from all five SEPTA counties.  The entire executive and subcommittee

structure of the CAC is being revised, as will be its by-laws.

At last month's meeting, the Committee reiterated its stand that

accomodating homeless people in subway entrances and concourses is not

acceptable; providing a safe, non-threatening environment for the general

public must take priority.  The statement added that transit facilities are

not the proper place for people to live.  The statement is to be

communicated to the Rendell Admnnistration and to City Council.

Most CAC members are appointed by the elected leaders of their home

counties, five are appointed by the General Manager.  Vacancies on the

Committee ocurr often; DVARP will report on them here next month and tell

you how to apply for a CAC seat.



*Coming next month:

Complete Trolleyfest Coverage

in The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger



**Airport - Express(?)   by Bob Clearfield

When I needed to fly to Atlanta a couple of weeks ago, it seemed like the

perfect opportunity to ride SEPTA to the airport.  Just think, a two seat

trip to Atlanta.  It had possibilities!

I was expecting a high speed ride from Elkins Park to Terminal B, but the

schedule brought me back to earth.  Driving to the airport takes between 35

and 40 minutes.  SEPTA can get me there in only 50 minutes.  What the heck!

Support public transit!  I took the train anyway.

The trip into center city was uneventful, and I had a birds-eye-view as I

stood behind the cab looking through the front windows.  All of the new

trackwork, bridges and catenary suggested to me that this train should be

able to operate at speeds greater than 45 mph.  Unfortunately, 45 was the

highest speed we saw, except for the short run from 60th Street to 90th

Street where we reached the enviable speed of 60 mph!  When we reached the

airport approach bridge, we slowed to a crawl once again.  Finally, we

reached Terminal B, on time!

The next day, I flew back to Philly International and headed back home the

same way I came.  This train was much more crowded, since the conductor

elected to close off the lead car.  I guess there were too many stations

between the airport and 30th Street for one conductor to handle.  NOT!

Some people might say I'm making my point the hard way.  Maybe, but let's

look at the facts.  The airport run from 30th Street is virtually a

dedicated right of way just for airport trains.  The line is less than 10

years old.  The equipment can run much faster than 45 mph.  Except for

reducing trainset requirements, (or on-time statistics) what is the purpose

of maintaining such a slow schedule?



*Dancing in the Station

The Philadelphia Dance Alliance, a coalition of perfoming groups, put on

its second free festival of dance in SEPTA stations last week.  The slogan

"Watch Out!" reflected the Alliance's effort to suprise people by bringing

its art to unexpected places.

While most commuters continued passively to work, a few of them found

themselves unwitting participants in the performances, making their peers

see the artistic potential of their everyday movements.

The festival is a savvy marketing tool; rail commuters are used to coming

to Center City and may be convinced to stay in town to attend arts

performances.  The Pennsylvania Ballet has been especially active in

targetting rail passengers, building an entire performance program on a

train theme earlier this year.-MDM



**On the Last Detour Train     by John Hay

It's 4:45 p.m. I leave the office-destination Amtrak Station 30th St.-to

board the final run of the last remaining RailWorks diesel train (R3 West

Trenton) on Friday, September 3, 1993. Rush, rush, rush. Pant, pant, pant.

Why am I running? Well, I did one day happen to see the train leaving about

15 minutes early, while standing on the upper level. But even my fast pace

could be futile-if SEPTA decides to forget about the last run, as they did

with the R5 diesel two weeks ago (and as they once did with Reading,

Bethlehem, Newtown, West Chester, Ivy Ridge, and those numbers like 6, 47,

50, 53 and 60).

I enter the heavenly portals of 30th, and look around Stairway 10 for signs

of life (I know better than to look at Amtrak's Solari board). Seeing none,

I head upstairs to the info desk. A SEPTA station employee is talking to a

customer. Suddenly, the former produces the cardboard sign "R3 Diesel Train

to West Trenton" and gives it to the "customer." The treasure hunt has

begun!

I wait by Stairway 10, joined by the R3 regulars and irregulars. At 5:10

the rope gate parts, and the customers converge on the stairway with  an

insanely pleasant stroll down to their train on track 9. It's the usual

consist-NJ Transit U34CH 4158, still in silver and disco stripes, plus four

of our Bombardier push-pull coaches. I catch up with Mr. Sign-Off and

congratulate him, and he wastes no time getting the signatures of the

conductor and the head end on the inside of the sign.

On the platform, I say to the conductor, "Last run, huh?" He replies, "Yep.

We won't see any more diesels here in the city, unless they reopen the line

to Newtown." (Even if they do, I'm sure it will just run to Fox Chase, not

downtown.) He continues, "These (diesels) will go back to NJ Transit after

today." I add: "Maybe they'll head for the scrapyard instead. They're

getting rid of them." "I can see why, too," he says. So can I. The one they

painted blue gave out, and they all smoke it up like Alcos. No wonder we

got them for a buck a day!

At 5:20, we're on the move. I chat with the sign purloiner as we creep

through the Penn Coach Yard. Much to see on the train, so I proceed to walk

the four cars back to the rear. As I pass through, the head count comes to-

get ready... 50. More than the "15 lonely people" Steve Goodman referred to on

that IC streamliner, [ed. note: in the song "City of New Orleans"] but far

short of something like LIRR's diesel expresses. Quite a few customers have

cameras, but where are all the buffs who filled the last runs of RERs,

MP54s, and PCCs in the past?

By the way, there's quite a party going on in the last car, too-NOT! Hey, I

know SEPTA didn't exactly lure crowds onto this and the other train, but

how about a little appreciation for running them at all?  Of course, it is

Labor Day weekend, people are vacationing, and some far wilder parties no

doubt await all of us riders who remain. As for the railfans, perhaps

they've already ridden the train ad nauseam. Besides, this is only a

temporary train, with a definite end planned from the beginning; it's not

the Century or the Crusader.

I take a position in the rear cab, next to a railfan who's going to Fern

Rock just for the ride. He has a camera, and as we pass through Zoo, I

suggest a shot of the soon-to-vanish double-slip switches, which he takes.

We continue winding steadily through Fairmount Park, past Belmont Junction,

past a freight in the siding carrying cars filled with non-hazardous waste,

past two railfans with cameras (the only ones I saw trackside!), over the

Schuylkill bridge, and after CP-Laurel Hill we start the long pull upgrade.

Now we slog under the R6, past Tasty Baking, Budd, and my RailWorks line,

the R8 (R for Rough, 8 for SEPTA behind Amtrak's NEC 8-ball). As we enter

CP-Nice, the train starts snaking through the crossovers. It's up the Blue

Line on this blue day.  Actually, it's more like the Green Line now-pretty

much like an old interurban in the summertime.

The U-boat and Bomb cars go under the Roberts Yard lead, and struggle

upgrade to the 9th St. Branch. Everything looks ready, including the ultra-

modern 20 mph double-slip switches to the Chestnut Hill East line. In the

distance, a test train pulls through CP-Hunt into Roberts. Surprise-no

orders at Wayne! Our top speed has been 30 thus far, and we're doing just

that through Newtown Junction. The conductor has joined us in the cab; I

remark aloud that they're still doing trackwork here, and he says it's

because 18 cars of a CR freight derailed two days ago.

We pull into Fern Rock, and the subway crowd-albeit much smaller than

usual-gets on. I would guess about another 50-60 customers boarded. The

head end gets "two to go," and we're on the move again. We hit 65 passing

Elkins Park, hurtling downgrade into Jenkintown. As I move to the forward

vestibule to debark, neither merrymaking nor cameras are in evidence.

I step off, bid farewell to the conductor, and watch it scoot off to the

right, past old KI Tower, and out of sight. No railfans here-just a father

and son tossing a tennis ball. About five minutes later, I hear the --o-

for Rydal Rd., and that's all. What happened on the rest of the trip I

cannot say, but I rather doubt that a Lowenbrau oompah band boarded at

Bethayres, or that the cars were decorated a la the Christmastime Wall

Street and Crusader.

That's it, then. No Auld Lang Syne, no munchies, no champagne, not even

DVARP bagels. There was water on board-but only in the form of crocodile

tears. It is unfortunate that the diesel trains not only went out with a

whimper, but started out with one. Three simple words SEPTA never said

about these trains were: "Ride these trains!" The diesel trains were more

of a sop than pollution and agoraphobia beaters. (Amtrak was hardly

helpful, either. When was it ever announced on the PA or the Solari board

at 30th?)

SEPTA management may be waxing euphoric about the successes of RailWorks,

but even if all of the lost rail ridership can be recaptured, the diesel

trains will likely be a forgotten, and forgettable, part of the project.  I

only hope that the first train back to Newtown-be it Silverliner, diesel,

hi-rail, or tunnelling mole-gets a more substantial send-off from SEPTA.



*DVARP Members Run for Local Office

At least three DVARP members are running in municipal elections in the

Pennsylvania suburbs next month.  Ann Goren is running for council in

Newtown, Bucks County; one plank of her platform is restoration of good

commuter rail service to Newtown.  Further down that line, Regina Litman of

Huntington Valley is running for Abington Township Council.  Litman hopes

to reverse Montgomery County's opposition to Newtown rail service.

Longtime transit supporter and SEPTA-watcher Al Ackert seeks an at-large

seat on Upper Darby Township Council.  To find out more about these

campaigns, call DVARP.

*Be Sure to Vote-Wherever You Are

While local governments do not have much control over transit service, the

decisions they make on land use planning can have big effects on transit

use and convenience.  Therefore, you should take a few moments to find out

where candidates stand, and make sure you vote November 2!



**Transit Not at Issue in NJ Race

The question of support for NJ Transit is on the back burner in the

governor's race in New Jersey, as Jim Florio and Christine Todd Whitman

spar over taxes.  Doug Bowen of New Jersey ARP informs us that whoever the

winner is, the fate of NJ Transit will be primarily in the hands of the

State Legislature.  Whitman says she would slash state spending, but will

not tell what will be cut.  Support for mass transit has often been a

budget-cutting target.  Meanwhile, Florio has not voiced support for NJT in

his reelection campaign.



*NJT Rep to Speak on Burlington-Gloucester Corridor Assessment

This month's DVARP General Meeting (at the Collingswood Library October 16)

will feature a presentation from New Jersey Transit on its study  of

restoring rail services to Burlington and Gloucester Counties.

DVARP's South Jersey Committee has been in frequent communication with NJT

planning staff, making sure that low-cost rail alternatives are considered

and asking for service over the full Mount Holly line.

See the DVRP stories from June, August, and September for the details.



*Commission to Pick NJ Museum Site

On July 30th, Governor Florio signed into law an act creating a 16 member

panel that will study different aspects in the creation of a state

transportation museum.  A previous commission chose a golf driving range in

Flemington; however, a Phillipsburg rail yard may now be considered.



**Reader's Advisory: The descriptions in the following article are explicit

and may be disturbing to some people, but the message is important.-MDM

Crossing Safety: A View From the Cab

by Denise Goodman, Conrail locomotive engineer

reprinted from On the (Bi)Level by permission of Metra

"I've worked in Conrail locomotives for 14 years and I've been driving them

for six years now, sometimes right through your towns. I'm writing this

because I know lots of you are angry about whistle-blowing and don't

believe we only blow in emergencies. You don't know how many emergencies

there are every day. You don't know how scary it is to be driving a train

and think you're going to hit someone running around the gates. You don't

know what it feels like to see someone lock eyes with you for an instant,

and then die.

I've been involved in six crossing accidents in my career. Four people

aren't alive anymore because of them. The first one happened two weeks

after I started working...the last one happened this past February in

Monroe, Michigan. That one almost killed me.

I knew I was going to hit her when she came up to the crossing and I didn't

see any brake lights. I blew my whistle. I hung on that whistle so long and

so hard my conductor told me later he thought I was going to pull it off

the wall. I was still blowing it after we hit her, after we shoved her a

half mile down the tracks, and the front of her car blew 30 feet in the

air.

She was 31 years old and she was dead. People don't look normal when a

train hits them. It hits so hard that their blood vessels explode and they

just sort of turn to mush. She was wadded up in a ball and there was blood

all over the place. And her four year old baby was hanging out the back

window, screaming. It was 17 below zero.

The baby's leg was broken...and her nose and her pelvis...and she was

hysterical. I knew she was in a lot of pain, but it was so cold, I was

afraid she would die before the ambulance got there. My conductor and I

somehow got her up in the engine and I wrapped her in my coat and I held

her and talked to her and I tried to make it all right. I had that little

girl for 20 minutes, I told her about my own kids and I told her we'd pray

for her mommy. She calmed down a little and I was calm when I had her to

take care of. They say she's going to be OK.

Right after they took her away, a man ran up to help. Then he looked at the

wreck and screamed "Oh my God, that's my car... That's my car!" It turned

out to be that woman's husband.

I know there was nothing I could've done, but you blame yourself anyway. It

tears your heart out, thinking 'what if, what if, what if.' I came home and

looked at my three kids and thought, I don't ever want this to happen to

you. I grabbed them with everything I had. I couldn't sleep. Every time I'd

close my eyes, I'd see the car coming and feel the impact and wake up

screaming. I didn't eat or talk for four days. It tore me up mentally,

physically, emotionally. Some people think we don't care, but they're

wrong. We grieve, we mourn like it was own family. I'll remember that day

the rest of my life.

I went to the counseling Conrail offered me and it helped a lot. I know I

didn't kill this woman. I know it was beyond my control. I still have

nightmares, but they're not so bad now. I'm back on my feet and back on the

job. But it's been a long, hard road.

Folks-we're not blowing our whistles to make you miserable. We're blowing

our whistle cause we're scared to death we're going to hit you and kill

you. Sometimes I yell at you when it's a close call. I say, Oh God, I'm

just so glad you made it. And then I get so mad you weren't more careful.

Don't drive around those gates. Don't walk on the tracks. Don't risk your

life to get someplace a minute earlier. It just isn't worth it."

DVARP thanks Dan Dawdy for relaying this article to us via BITNET.



**Amtrak Operating Funds Saved

The Inquirer reports that an amendment which would have eliminated all of

Amtrak's $331 million Federal operating funding was rejected 337-84 in the

House.  Had the amendment passed, nearly all of Amtrak's service would be

shut down, and commuter rail operators would also face problems.

Of local members, only Robert Walker (R-Lancaster) voted in favor of

defunding Amtrak.  If you have comments for Rep. Walker, phone him at 202-

225-2411 or 717-393-0666 or fax 202-225-2484.



*Welcome Nebraska ARP!

The Nebraska Association of Railroad Passengers has been formed by 40 rail

advocates in the Cornhusker State.  Dan Lutz, a retired college professor

and NARP Region 10 Director is leading the new group.  NeARP will be

working to increase Amtrak service through Nebraska; presently, the only

train there is the California Zephyr, which passes through the state in the

pre-dawn hours.  NeARP can be reached at 3915 Apple St., Lincoln NE  68503.



*Why Not A Pampered Passenger?

The Philadelphia Gateway Parking Garage at 15th & Vine holds a monthly

drawing; the winner receives a free month of parking in "the best spot in

the garage"  decorated with potted palms, red carpet and set off with a

velvet rope and "Pampered Parker" banners.

A "Pampered Passenger" response is in order.  It couldn't take place on

board the train,  but perhaps a special waiting area could be set aside at

the rider's Center City station.  A Pampered El Rider should be added to

the program for Market-Frankford riders as a reward for enduring another

summer in the Sweat Machines.-TB



**Alabama Crash Kills 47

The worst accident in Amtrak's history ended 47 lives in an Alabama bayou.

The death toll of the Sunset Limited's Sept. 22 derailment exceeds the

total number of passengers killed in all Amtrak's previous accidents in 23

years.

It is now nearly certain that the accident was caused when a barge pushed

by a river tug got into the wrong waterway and struck the railroad trestle.

But what happened on board the MV Mauvilla is still unclear.  Fearing

lawsuits, neither tug captain Andrew Stabler nor owner Warrior & Gulf

Navigation Co. has made a public explanation.  Drug and alcohol testing of

the boat crew may be worthless, since nine hours elapsed between the

accident and the tests.

The issue of rail safety got great attention in the media following the

derailment, precisely because fatal train accidents are so rare.  People

accept serious risks they face everyday, most notably riding in a car, but

are very afraid of the least common threats.  And regrettably, news reports

were full of  hysterical reactions which would be funny if not for the

seriousness of the accident.  One TV reporter suggested Amtrak trains

should carry life preservers for all on board!

A more effective way to improve the safety of our nation's transportation

system would be to give Amtrak the money it needs to buy more trains and

get more passengers out of their cars and onto the rails.  Decades of

statistics have proven that private automobiles are ten times more

dangerous than passenger trains or commercial airliners.

Another misunderstanding pertained to reported safety devices on the

bridge.  The system which automatically turns signals red if a bridge

collapses is the ordinary track circuit, in use for a century.  If a rail

is broken, the small electrical current passing through it is cut off, and

'fail-safe' signals turn red.  But the barge collision shifted the track

and didn't break it.  Special hazard detection wires are used in places

where the risks are greater, such as rockslide or avalanche areas, but

there was not supposed to be any boat traffic under this trestle, and the

cost of equipping every one of the nation's thousands and thousands of rail

bridges with collision detectors should be much better spent on more

effective safety measures.-MDM



*Train Show Volunteers Wanted

DVARP is planning to have information tables at several upcoming train

shows, in Abington, Cherry Hill, and other locations, to remind members of

the public who like trains that they can do quite a lot to support

passenger rail service in their community.

If you'd like to spend some time talking with your neighbors at one of

these shows, call DVARP's Volunteer Coordinator: Betsey Clark, at 215-222-

3373, message box 4.



*Volunteer Opportunity:  Bicycle Liason

The needs of rail passengers often coincide with the needs of bicyclists.

Local cyclists have an effective advocate in the Delaware Valley Bicycle

Coalition; we'd like to better coordinate our bike-transit projects with

the Coalition.  If you are a bicyclist who also wants improved rail

transit, why not volunteer to serve as our Bicycling Liason?  Call our

volunteer hotline.



*Volunteer Opportunity: Newsletter Distribution

DVARP is planning a project to seek out new distribution points for this

newsletter in 1994.  Volunteers from all parts of our region are wanted for

the task of identifying possible distribution sites and dropping off

newsletters at them.  This isn't very time-consuming, so if you've been

looking for an easy way to get involved with DVARP, don't wait-call Betsey

Clarke at DVARP Voice-mail, 215-222-3373, message box 4.



*DVARP Tours High-tech Control Center

Almost thirty DVARP members and friends saw Amtrak's Centralized

Electrification and Traffic Control Center (CETC) on a special tour last

month.  After answering questions about the recent renovations to 30th

Street Station, Amtrak guide Tom Kane took the visitors to a conference

room high atop the station.  There, the DVARP people looked though picture

windows into CETC while Kane explained how the computerized dispatching

center worked.

Thanks to Amtrak for giving us this glimpse of its operation, and to Sharon

Shneyer for arranging the tour.



*DVARP Nears Membership Record

DVARP President Chuck Bode informed the General Meeting that DVARP is close

to an all-time record number of dues-paying members.  He asked for a little

extra push to recruit new members and set a record.  Members discussed ways

of carrying out that effort; a new brochure will be prepared for 1994 and

we will be going out to more community events to spread our message.  You

can do your part by telling friends, neighbors, and colleagues at work

about the need for better passenger train service.



**Dates of Interest

SEPTA on Site (RRD):  Thursday mornings: 7:30 to 9:00 am, at Suburban

Station or Market East Station.

New Jersey ARP Annual Meeting:  Sat., Oct. 9, 10:00 at Nassau Inn,

Princeton.  See details above.

Philadelphia Trolley Coalition:  Thu., Oct. 14, 7:00 pm, at Roy Rogers

restaurant, Germantown Ave. below Mermaid Loop.  Call Joel Spivak, 755-7717

for more information.

DVARP South Jersey Committee:  Sat., Oct. 16, 10:30 to 12:00 at 104 Edison

Ave., Collingswood, NJ.

DVARP General Meeting: Sat., Oct. 16, 1:00 to 4:00 at Collingswood Public

Library, 771 Haddon Ave., Collingswood, NJ.  Guest speaker from NJ Transit.

DVARP Transit Committee: Tue., Oct. 19, 5:00 to 5:45 at Market East

Station, Section A waiting area.

SEPTA Citizen Advisory Committee:  Tues., Oct. 19, 5:45 pm at SEPTA Board

Room, 714 Market St.

SEPTA on Site (Suburban Transit): Wed., Oct. 20, 7:30 to 9:30 am and 3:30

to 5:30 pm at 69th St. Terminal, 7:30 to 9:30 am at Norristown

Transportation Center

SEPTA Board Meeting:  Thu., Oct. 28, 3:00 at SEPTA Board Room, 714 Market

St., 3rd Floor, Philadelphia

Deadline for November newsletter material:  Fri. Oct. 29 to Matthew

Mitchell or in DVARP mailbox.

Amtrak and commuter rail schedules change Sun., Oct. 31.

Election Day:  Tue., Nov. 2.  Be sure to vote!

Delmarva Rail Passenger Association: Thu., Nov. 4, 7:00 pm at State Senate

Chambers, Legislative Hall, Dover.  info: Doug Andrews, 302-995-6419.

DVARP Commuter Rail Committee: Sat., Nov. 13, 12:00 at Chestnut Gourmet,

1121 Chestnut St., Phila.

DVARP General Meeting:  Sat., Nov. 20, 12:00 to 3:00 pm at Lansdale Public

Library.

Listings based on information provided to DVARP.  Contact sponsor to

confirm time & place.

Call 215-222-3373, message box 3, to add your event to this calendar.





**Up and Down the Corridor

News of other Northeastern commuter rail and rail transit services

*Arrests Made in Metro-North Robbery

 Five hoodlums boarded a Hudson line train while it was stopped at Glenwood

station in Yonkers the evening of Sept. 16 and robbed a half-dozen

passengers at gunpoint.  Excellent detective work by MTA police led to the

arrest of two suspects.  The police used ticket records to find a passenger

who got off the train at the scene of the crime.  That witness saw the

criminals before they put on their masks, and was able to identify them.



*NJT "Bike Aboard" Expands

NJ Transit has expanded its "Bike Aboard" program to its Main Line/Bergen

County Line trains out of Hoboken.  Cyclists must obtain a free NJT bike

permit.  NJT specifies that riders must carry two elastic bungee cords at

least 24 inches long for the bikes to be strapped down.  Bicycles are

permitted during off-peak and weekend hours only.  The Star Ledger reports

that passes issued for the two lines previously cleared for bikes (North

Jersey Coast and Raritan Valley) total 800.  To obtain a permit or for more

information call 1-800-772-3606.



*"Clean Your Commute Day"

New Jersey will join states from Virginia to Maine participating in a

"Clean Your Commute Day," according to the Inquirer.  The day is sponsored

by the Ozone Transport Commission, a Northeast environmental group.



**DVARP Phone & Voice-mail Directory

  DVARP main number (voice mail line)      215-222-3373

1  Chuck Bode, President      215-222-3373

5 Tom Borawski, VP-Transportation      215-552-4198

6  Robert H. Machler, VP-Administration      215-222-3373

5  Sharon Shneyer, VP-Public Relations      215-386-2644

3  Matthew Mitchell, Newsletter Editor       215-885-7448

4  Betsey Clark, Volunteer Coordinator      215-222-3373

8  Treasurer      215-222-3373

2  John Pawson, Commuter RR Comm.      215-659-7736

     (6 to 9 pm please)

3  Transit Committee      215-222-3373

8  Don Nigro, South Jersey Committee      609-869-0020

Media Hotline (digital beeper)     215-552-4198

Computer e-mail address (internet)     iekp898@tjuvm.tju.edu



**Computer Corner:  Seattle Metro On-line

As more and more people find out its value, they get their employers to

take advantage of the internet. Now the King County Metro of Seattle can be

reached by e-mail: at the address bob.white@metrokc.gov

This could be the beginning of a new era of public participation in

transportation planning.  Computer networking can let transit agencies and

government publicize reports and information with ease, and field direct

responses from citizens.





Upcoming DVARP Meetings:

Saturday, October 16, 1:00 to 4:00     Collingswood Public Library

771 Haddon Ave., Collingswood, NJ

Special presentation by NJ Transit on Burlington-Gloucester Corridor

Assessment

PATCO trains leave 16th & Locust every 11 minutes, including 12:31 pm

From Collingswood Station, walk one block to Haddon Ave., turn left

(towards Camden)

     walk three blocks to library on right.

Saturday, November 20, 12:00 to 3:00     Lansdale Public Library

Saturday, December 18, 1:00 to 4:00     Jenkintown-Wyncote



Agenda for the October meeting:

1:00 Presentation on NJ Transit Burlington-Gloucester Study

2:00 Introductions, agenda, minutes

2:05 Issues requiring immediate action:

Newtown, Bethlehem Line service

2:30 Other issues

     South Jersey Committee:

Burlington-Gloucester Corridor



Commuter Rail Committee:

Airport Line

SEPTA cost reductions

Administration:

1994 dues

1994 meeting sites

General:

DVARP brochure

Outreach and membership building



Committee Meetings:

South Jersey Committee:  Sat., Oct. 16, 11:00 at 104 Edison Ave.,

Collingswood, NJ

Transit Committee:  Tues., Oct. 19, 5:00-5:45 at Market East Station,

section A waiting area

agenda: City and Suburban transit fares and fare collection

Commuter Rail Committee:  Sat., Nov. 13, 12:00 at Chestnut Gourmet, 1121

Chestnut St.



                              *** End ***


