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The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger

November  1994
Vol. XII, No. 11

ISSN 1073-6859

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

NEW E-MAIL ADDRESS
<dvarp@libertynet.org>

The electronic edition is produced as a public service to the network 
community.   It is archived on the CUNYVM Listserver in the RAILNEWS 
directory. An index of back issues is available by sending INDEX RAILNEWS to 
LISTSERV@CUNYVM. Thanks  to Geert K. Marien (GKMQC@CUNYVM) for maintaining 
this archive! If you have comments or questions, contact us, not Geert!
  The DVRP is also archived on these FTP servers
ftp://wuarchive.wustl.edu/graphics/trains/text or graphics/trains/incoming
ftp://hipp.etsu.edu/pub/railroad/dvarp (Thanks to Bob Weir)

Coming soon:  recent issues will be available on WWW
   see home page opening soon--http:///libertynet.org/~dvarp/dvarp.html

Volumes X (1992) and XI (1993) are on floppy disk for $4.00 each from DVARP.

We hope you consider joining DVARP; your financial support makes possible 
this newsletter and our many other activities on behalf of rail and transit
passengers.  Annual dues are $16.00.  see the coupon at ##V.

Contents copyright (C) 1994 DVARP, except photos (C) 1994 credited 
photographers

President and Acting Editor:  Chuck Bode     
Production Manager:  Donald Nigro
Online Liason: Matthew Mitchell
For other DVARP officers and committee chairs, find ##Q

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

     This is a traditional time to change schedules; passengers on all 
railroad and intercity bus routes are urged to check for new schedules 
before traveling.  Amtrak, SEPTA RRD and Frontier issued all new schedules.  
We have seen new schedules for almost all of Victory Division's routes.

contents: 
   use the search function of your word processor to find articles
##A   Short-term Improvements for SEPTA's RRD
##B   Short-Term Improvements:  Is There Room for Discussion?
##C   Miquon Station Parking
##D   Customer Service Volunteer Initiative Begins
##E   Schedule Change Details: SEPTA, Amtrak, NJT, and MARC
##F   Volunteer Cleanups
##G   Governors: Highways First

##I   Internal DVARP News
          Newsletter
          DVARP Mission and Goals
          DVARP Organization and Election
##J   Tidbits:  
##K   DVARP Membership Coupon
##L   DVARP Phone & Voice-mail Directory



##A   Short-term Improvements for SEPTA's RRD

     Professors Vukan Vuchic, PhD, and Shinya Kikuchi, PhD, have teamed 
together, along with six research fellows, to
produce a second report detailing improvements to SEPTA's RRD.  This report 
concentrates on improvements that can be made
with no, or minor, capital funds.  Many recommendations are presented to 
reduce costs, speed service, increase convenience,
and increase ridership and revenue.  The improvements are designed to 
coordinate with the long-term improvements
recommended in the previous report so that no wasted funds or effort result 
from implementing both sets of recommendations.

     The report gets right to the problem on page i:  "...ridership is low 
relative to the excellent coverage the network provides,
and it has a predominately declining trend.  Moreover, financial results 
are unsatisfactory: the Regional Rail Division's
operating ratio is considerably lower than the other SEPTA divisions' 
ratios.  There is a serious danger that the system will
continue along a "spiral" of increasing fares and/or service cuts - 
decreasing ridership - reduced revenues - further fare increases
and/or service cuts."  Chapter one identifies the major deficiencies from 
the passengers' point of view: long headways, high
fares, inadequate information, virtually non-existent marketing, 
inconvenient transfers, unsatisfactory scheduled speeds, and
unsatisfactory interior car cleanliness.

     Chapter Two covers improving the train scheduling.  The routes are 
recommended to continue operating from one side of
the system to the other through the tunnel (that is, separating the routes 
into 13 radial routes is not recommended.)  The
researchers examined four methods of scheduling the trains.  Independent 
schedules, SEPTA's current method, was found to
make transferring among lines difficult.  Separate lines with regular 
interval operation on the 30th Street-Jenkintown section
was found difficult because of the many constraints (single track, Amtrak, 
etc.).  Regular interval operation of the 30th
Street-Jenkintown section with other lines operating as independent feeders 
(i.e. transferring from Fox Chase shuttles at Wayne
Junction, etc.) was found to have more disadvantages than
advantages.

     The fourth method, network-wide timed transfer system,
was found to increase the usefulness of the system.  The idea
is similar to that used at Norristown where all the buses meet
hourly to allow passengers to make every transfer.   Because
there are not enough tracks and platforms for every line, a
pattern of half the lines meeting every other interval was found
most practical.  This maximized the transfer possibilities onto
the lines most likely to be used (Airport and Trenton) and minimized the 
least likely combinations (such as Trenton to West
Trenton).  The end result is that rescheduling trains could reduce the time 
passengers spend waiting for connecting trains by
27%.

     Chapter Two also examined schedules on individual lines, using Elwyn 
as the example.  The then current schedule (work
began in 1993) was found to suffer from irregular headways, excessively 
long headways, increased sensitivity to delays, long
station standing times to board the accumulated passengers because of the 
long headways, and failure to save costs from
short-turn trains by operating them the entire length of the line!  Three 
alternate schedules were studied: all local trains,
skip-stop service, and zonal service.  The recommendation is a six-month 
trial period of local trains every 20 minutes during
the peak travel periods (about three hours in the morning period studied).

     Chapter Three tackles quality of facilities.  SEPTA's portion of 30th 
Street Station is found to have serious problems.  Signs,
on trains and at stations, are also found woefully inadequate.  Five 
recommendations are made:
1. Prohibit food consumption on the trains.
2. Reintroduce, intensify, and make permanent the campaign for car 
cleanliness.
3a. Announce instructions about cleanliness and food prohibition.
3b. Crews collect trash in cars at terminals.
4. Include correction of deficiencies at 30th Street in contract for
completing the renovations.
5. Correct some deficiencies at 30th Street immediately.
The report makes a good point about 30th Street:  "...it is where
the greatest number of new passengers use the Regional Rail
System for the first time.  This is also the location where SEPTA
loses the greatest number of potential passengers by the lack of
user-friendliness...."

     Chapter Four provides 27 recommendations for other aspects of RRD:
1. Reduce the present intra-suburban fares to $1.50 and widely publicize 
it.
2. Use of ticket machines and cancelling machines to reduce need for the 
crews to     collect fares.
3. Introduce $0.40 transfers between RRD and other divisions.
4. Monthly passes for students with reduced fares on RRD.
5. Strong incentives for off-peak group travel on RRD.
6. A serious effort to increase ridership at inner stations including:
     - reduce fares to level of transit fares.
     - increase frequency of service and weekend service (flag stops).
     - provide extensive information about transfer possibilities.
     - promote and market these innovations.
     - try for one year, then close stations still with low ridership.
7. Install stanchions for standing passengers.
8. Expedite construction of Civic Center and Eastwick Stations.
9. Increase efficiency of crew operations:
     - rules that crews must open all doors they can handle.
     - improve training to handle crowds and delays.
     - place designation signs at doors and at head of trains.
     (The report also examines the strange train designations, such as 
calling a                                        train Secane Express when 
it does not
stop to Secane but does go to Elwyn.)
10. Reduce crew size and redeploy crews on more frequent service.
11. Improve conditions for intermodal transfers.
12a. Reduce time through Center City Stations.
12b. Improve control of departures from outer terminals.
13. Reduce cushion times on lines without frequent delays, take cushion 
before      lines converge.
14. Increase ability to handle emergencies and adverse conditions--make 
trains       superior to driving in bad weather.
15. Introduce a telephone number with information on current delays.
16. Clearly designate Market East Station and mark all entrances to it.
17. Implement suggestions from October 1989 User-Friendly Services 
Symposium.
18. Clearly designate paths between RRD/Amtrak/MFSE/Subway Surface at 30th 
St.
19. Correct public timetables to show possible RRD transfers & fares.
20. Develop a convenient slogan for the system.
21a. Provide more (instead of longer) trains for special events.
21b. Develop a simple fare collection method for special events.
22. Make the Wednesday evening fare a "Round trip for one-way fare".
23. Develop a system of complete and correct information about the Airport 
line.
24. Clarify relationship between R1 and R2 and present clear information.
25. Cooperate with City to get more airport employees to use the train.
26. Develop a marketing plan for the Airport line with new ideas.
27. Improve the joint SEPTA-NJT service to New York:
     - name the service.
     - publish a joint schedule.
     - easy purchase of through and round trip tickets.
     - appoint a person to facilitate transfers at Trenton.
     - consider through-routing the trains.
   - increase service frequency to 30 minutes and speed trips by 
servingintermediate stations every 60 minutes on a
skip-stop basis.

     The ball is now in SEPTA's court (or should we say the train is now in 
SEPTA's station?).  How about an improvement
of the month plan?  We look forward to implementation of many improvements 
from this report.  CB


##B   Short-Term Improvements:  Is There Room for Discussion?

     Professors Vuchic and Kikuchi have done a thorough job of searching 
for potential improvements to SEPTA's RRD.  Some
of the improvements should not be improvements, people are already being 
paid to do them--such as putting the correct signs
on the trains.  Others are improvements DVARP has championed for years--
such as through Philadelphia-New York operation
with NJT.  However, there are some proposals that may warrant further 
passenger input before changes are made.

     One example is the provision of stanchions for short distance 
passengers to stand.  This may work well travelling toward
Center City.  Long distance passengers get on first, fill up the seats, and 
then short distance passengers get on and stand.  The
first inefficiency comes at the first Center City station where leaving 
passengers have to squeeze through an aisle full of
standees.  The delays of this method can be easily checked on Route 10.  
Potentially more serious is the ride home.  In Center
City everyone has an equal chance for a seat.  Some seats will be used by 
short distance passengers.  Long distance passengers
who stand, will then get a seat for the remainder of their trip.  Or will 
they?  Maybe they will stand once and decide the hassle
factor is too much.  One claimed advantage of the train is that the time 
can be productively used--but that assumes a seat.

     To clarify the report, we had a discussion about stanchions with 
Professor Vuchic.  Not covered in the report are the trains
now carrying standees, for example during delays or bad weather.  
Stanchions would help those passengers.  The report is not
proposing less capacity thereby causing standees.  The report proposes 
increasing ridership, which could result in standees at
times.  The stanchions would be a contingency plan for those standees.  

     A less clear factor is eating on board.  Today many people are trying 
to squeeze two jobs, a family, and other activities
into the day.  The train takes longer than driving, so cannot be used 
unless somehow the time can be used for "double duty"
in a manner not possible while driving.  For some passengers the train is 
the necessary meal period.  No eating, no using
SEPTA.  Smoking is officially prohibited at subway stations, not that one 
would know through the smoke cloud on the 30th
Street Subway Surface platform.  Is the problem education, litter, or 
incorrigible slobs?  Yes, the trains are often rolling garbage
dumps, but is this the best solution?

     Much effort is devoted to optimize transfers among lines with 
infrequent service.  A major constraint seems to be
Amtrak--cited as a problem by every operator from Washington to Boston.  Is 
there an opportunity for more frequent service
by coordinating all the services from Washington to Boston, such as 
scheduling commuter trains to depart just after Amtrak
trains.  If all the commuter lines ran about every 15 minutes, then 
scheduling transfers goes away as a problem, as does needing
to optimally schedule for some portion of the hour.  While the commuter 
trains in each city would depart at "odd" times,
increased frequency of service might result in overall benefits for 
passengers.

     Another consideration for transfers is eliminating them by pairing the 
lines most likely to transfer.  R6 meets itself, R7
crosses itself--no wonder no one rides through.  Attempting to get the 
straightest route might work--like the R2 and R3 lines. 
Should there be a study to determine if capital funds to change track 
connections would result in long term ridership gains? 
For example, would Amtrak corridor, R8 Chestnut Hill, and R7 Trenton 
passengers all benefit if the trains went south at North
Philadelphia to Market East Station instead of detouring through Zoo 
Junction?  Such a connection could permit the Paoli line,
with many schools, to continue to Trenton--potentially eliminating many 
transfers on weekends.

     Ticket office hours are not addressed in the report.  Even the rare 
functioning ticket machine at outlying stations does not
provide passengers with warmth in winter, a feeling of safety at night, or 
a restroom.  In Center City, the long lines some
evenings and the number of potential passengers after closing ought to 
justify at least a study of extending the hours at 30th
Street Station.

     The report is quite instructive in many areas, presenting analysis so 
the reader can understand how the recommendation was
reached and justified.  Other areas, especially options not recommended, 
are brushed aside.  The report seems to indicate that
much analysis was done to reach the decision, but it is not presented, 
denying a valuable learning opportunity--for example,
the data on feeders to a regular-interval trunk operation and how it was 
determined not to be  a good option.

     As passengers, what recommendations do DVARP members have?  What are 
YOUR thoughts on the recommendations in
the study?  What other low cost improvements could be made?  Send your 
thoughts to the post office box so the Commuter
Rail Committee can use them.  Lets all work to make SEPTA the best system--
it would benefit all of us.  CB

News Reports

##C   Miquon Station Parking
                                                                             
We thank Robert B. Wolf for locating additional parking for Miquon station 
passengers.  He reports that on inquiring
into the shortage of parking, he was advised that the paper mill, which 
operates across from Miquon Station, is happy to have
those using the trains to Philadelphia at Miquon park in their parking lot, 
which has not been overcrowded for some time.

##D   Customer Service Volunteer Initiative Begins
                                                                             
Sixty-five volunteers began evaluating SEPTA November 1.  Marion J. 
Colston, Chief Officer of Quality Assurance
Subway Elevated Division, began the formal process with an October 17 
training program attended by about 45 of the
volunteers.  The volunteers are to consider both the passenger's and 
SEPTA's point of view.  They are requested to report both
the good and the bad as they see it.  The plan is to use the reports to 
improve SEPTA so that it achieves its slogan of better
than driving.  At the meeting SEPTA committed to achieving a 1995 
subway/elevated Rider Report Card grade of B by making
improvements identified by the volunteers.

     Volunteers have four forms to use, two per day.  The forms measure 
accessibility, quality of service, vehicle
equipment, and safety.  The forms cover physical equipment conditions 
(equipment malfunctions), site conditions (cleanliness),
and human performance (were you greeted with a smile, announcement of 
stops).  At the training session, Mr. Gambaccini
extended the program from subway/elevated to the entire system.  After 
trying to use the subway forms on buses, the DVARP
volunteers quickly developed a more suitable form for surface transit 
routes.  We eagerly await word of the improvements to
be made as the reports are submitted.  The program is planned to last one 
year.  Please inform DVARP if you notice any
changes (better or worse) from this program.  CB

##E   Schedule Change Details

     This is a traditional time to change schedules; passengers on all 
railroad and intercity bus routes are urged to check
for new schedules before traveling.  Amtrak, SEPTA RRD and Frontier issued 
all new schedules.  We have seen new schedules
for almost all of Victory Division's routes.

     A quick look through the RRD schedules found the following changes:  
SEPTA's Airport schedule shows the new
University City Station so that a change will not be necessary when the 
station opens (expected "in December").  Times at all
the other stations remain unchanged.  The Elwyn line also shows University 
City station times without any other station times
affected.  However,  40% of the trains no longer stop at Angora and almost 
as many no longer stop at 49th Street.  The
Wilmington schedule shows the University City Station.  No additional time 
appears to have been added for the new stop, but
some trains now operate at slightly different times.

     Warminster trains times appear unchanged, except that service is 
reduced at Wayne Junction, Crestmont and, Fulmor
Stations.  One minute has been added to the running time of trains to West 
Trenton; three minutes was added to one inbound
train.  The Paoli format has been changed to make the type larger.  A few 
trains have minor time changes--sometimes a one
minute speedup--and stops have been slightly rearranged between trains.  
The Doylestown schedule has also been printed with
larger type.  The only train change appears to be elimination of the one 
daily stop at Elkins Park, again without a change in
times at other stops.  The only R change appears to be the first weekday 
inbound train running ten  minutes later.  Shawmont
remains open.  R7 has a few minor time changes (as do some connecting NJT 
trains).  Trains continue to stop at Wissinoming. 
Passengers using R8 have the most changes.  Almost all trains were changed 
by one to ten minutes.  Westmoreland was
abandoned.  Good news is an added early morning train from Fox Chase at 
5:55 arriving in Chestnut Hill at 7:00. This is the
second early morning train added to Chestnut Hill West this year.   

     Bicycle permits appear easier to obtain.  A new note in the RRD 
schedules states that permits "are now available at
all Railroad Station Ticket Offices and 69th Street Terminal.  Bicycles are 
permitted on all Regional Rail Lines, the Broad
Street and Market-Frankford Lines and the Route 100.  Please see agents for 
details."  We believe that  there are still
regulations on the number of bicycles and the hours they may be brought 
aboard are. 

     On Frontier Division several significant service enhancements began.  
Route 93 Sunday service was extended from
Eagleville to Collegeville.  However, passengers are urged to check 
carefully because the column headings in the schedule
seem to be incorrect--the center columns look like Collegeville and the 
other headings look like they should be moved over one
column toward the sides.  The weekday Route 93 schedule now shows 
connecting R6 trains.  Sunday service was also added
for Routes 94 and 96 as far as Lansdale. Many weekday Route 97 trips were 
extended to Plymouth Meeting Mall.  Connecting
trains now show in the Route 130 schedule.  2XX series have minor changes 
to match changed train times.

                                                                             
Suburban schedules now have the new look of other SEPTA transit schedules.  
Route 100 shows the same 20 minute
headway for both Saturday and Sunday (most likely to allow for continuing 
construction).  Route 112 has a zone boundary
change:  from Manoa Rd. to Eagle Rd.  Route 112 also describes a new(?) 
SEPTA policy:  "If you wish to board in an area
not clearly identified as a transit stop, please stand in a position that 
is safe and visible to the bus operator.  Signal the operator
as the vehicle approaches.  He/She will stop at or near the area as 
dictated by safety."  This policy does appear more cost-
effective that attempting to install and maintain a large number of bus 
stop signs along some of the more outer suburban routes. 
Route 114 also had a fare zone adjustment in Crum Lynne-from Ridley Ave. to 
Fairview Rd.  CB

                                                                             
Amtrak has added a new early morning New York to Washington train which 
departs Philadelphia at 7:00am.   North
of New York City, there has been a significant expansion of New England 
Express service.  Reservations are required on all
New England Express trains north of Penn Station even when the trains 
operate unreserved between Washington and New York. 
Florida service was revised and the Capital Limited converted to 
Superliners.

                                                                             
In conjunction with the schedule changes, Amtrak revised fares.  Round trip 
fares were eliminated.  Passengers may
still buy round trip tickets, but the fare in made from two one-way fares.  
Peak periods were changed and now vary by city-pair. 
For example, discount tickets are restricted for travel from Philadelphia 
to New  York on Fridays, but are not restricted from
Philadelphia to Washington.  Where restrictions apply, they are generally 
at holiday periods and Fridays from 1pm to 7pm. 
New fares are expected to be higher for some passengers, but lower for 
others.

                                                                             
MARC has new Camden line express service, NJT increased Raritan Valley 
service and began service to Hackettstown.

                                                                             
The new host for SEPTA and Amtrak schedules on computer is LIBERTYNET.  
Sponsored by the University City
Science Center and Bell Atlantic, LIBERTYNET is an experiment in community 
networking.  It is currently accessible at
Internet address LIBERTYNET.ORG.  Existing links to the schedule 
information on services like PENNINFO are still valid. 
DVARP expects to be joining this project soon.  (Thanks to MM for Corridor 
analysis.)

##F   Volunteer Cleanups

Lansdowne and Carpenter Stations recently benefitted from volunteer help.  
The Mt. Airy Times/Express 
photographed the Carpenter Station effort with DVARP member John Wireman 
heading the lineup.

Member Action Section of Newsletter

##G   Governors: Highways First

Bad news in the October 24 issue of Passenger Transport.  The National 
Governors' Association (NGA) is pushing
the US DOT to finalize the highway system (NHS) before considering a system 
(NTS) that would include public transportation. 
After the election, DVARP members are urged to write the Governors urging 
them to support an expanded role for public
transportation in the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware region.  CB

Views and Opinions Section of Newsletter

This month's views and opinions section is a special insert, pages CRC-1 to 
CRC-4 provided by the Commuter Rail
Committee.

##I   Internal DVARP News Section of Newsletter

Newsletter

     Members may notice changes in our newsletter last month and this 
month.  We are trying to implement several improvements.  First, we are 
trying to clearly indicate the purpose of the articles.  In the past, there 
was often a lack of clarity between what was a review of events/news,
analysis of events/news, and individual member opinions and ideas presented 
for discussion.  This month we have attempted to clearly indicate the type 
of material.

     Second, we are trying to simplify production of the newsletter.  We 
have two goals to reach.  Reducing the volunteer time required to produce 
the newsletter enables those hours to be used more directly for expanding 
and improving the public transportation system.  The other
goal is to reduce the need for advanced skills, so that more members can 
participate, thus reducing the burden on specific members.

     Member suggestions are solicited.  How can we make this newsletter 
more useful and effective?  What can we do to reduce preparation time?  
What is important to YOU in the newsletter?  Is the size, shape, or format 
important?  CB

DVARP Mission and Goals  John Dawson
     An updated DVARP mission and goals  were approved at the October 15 
meeting.
DVARP's mission is to promote public rail transportation in all its forms, 
from local transit to intercity, to ensure that it is adequately funded, to 
see that it is an integral part of our transportation system, to increase 
public acceptance and ridership, and to work to improve its efficiency
and effectiveness.  To accomplish our mission we need to work toward the 
following goals:
1). To increase political support for public transportation.  This means 
communicating with our elected officials at federal, state, county, and 
municipal levels, testifying at public hearings, writing letters to 
newspapers, and generally stimulating public discussion of the issues.

2). To encourage use of public transportation.  This is really a marketing 
function.  We should be trying to increase awareness of transit and to 
encourage its use.  E.g., we can point out that the Route 76 bus connects 
Center City rail stations with the zoo and the art museum, and that
it can be ridden free on weekends with a family rail ticket; or we can 
encourage the National Park Service to include transit information when 
providing directions to its facilities.
3). To act as a consumer advocate.  Our members are certainly familiar with 
the various facets of the rail system, and know what works and what does 
not.  We can work to correct problems and redress grievances.
4). To help formulate long-range plans.  The transportation planning 
process today is much more open to public participation than it has ever 
been before, thanks to ISTEA.  We need DVARP and allied organizations to 
see that rail alternatives receive proper consideration; otherwise we
are likely to get nothing but highways.  we can participate at hearings and 
other public forums, we can write letters to officials and to newspapers, 
and we can promulgate ideas through our newspaper.

DVARP Organization and Election
     The members at the October 15 meeting recommended that DVARP change to 
a Board of Directors organizational format.  They felt this would 
facilitate future growth and increase effectiveness.  Several years of 
continual growth in membership and projects has both placed
increasing burdens on the small number of officers and limited the 
opportunities for additional members to participate.  Boards were felt to 
be a more common and recognized structure among other large community and 
environmental organizations.

     An important benefit of a Board is efficiency at meetings.  As 
meetings become larger, the time required for each member to participate in 
the discussion causes the meetings to become so long that persons are 
unwilling to expend the time.  Focusing discussions by topic at
smaller committees should shorten the meetings and allow more members to 
participate throughout the organization.  A side benefit is that committee 
meetings would not be distracted by discussions from persons not interested 
in the topic, but feeling compelled to offer their comments
at larger, multi-topic meetings.  By attending the committee meetings of 
specific interest, members would not lose time while other topics are 
discusssed.

     The proposed Board would be filled by general membership election.  
Members who would like to be on the Board are encouraged to send their 
name, town/township, county, state, and a brief statement for publication 
on the ballot.  This information must be received before
the December newsletter is prepared for printing.  The target date to begin 
preparation is Thanksgiving.  The next newsletter will contain a ballot 
with which members can vote on changing to a Board or continuing with the 
present officers structure and can vote on the directors to take
office if the structure change is approved.

     The detailed proposal approved at the meeting is:
1) DVARP should replace the existing leadership structure with a nine(9) 
member Board of Directors.  The Board of Directors shall be elected once 
yearly through voting ballots cast by the General Membership.  Each 
Director
shall be elected by obtaining the largest majority of the popular vote from 
the General Membership ballots received.
2) The Board of Directors shall elect the President and Vice President of 
DVARP.  The candidates must be Directors.
3) The following positions shall be appointed by the President of DVARP 
contingent on approval by the Board of Directors.
A) Treasurer
B) Secretary
C) Public Relations Coordinator
D) Volunteer Coordinator
E) Editor
F) All Committee Chairs
4) The Board of Directors shall have exclusive franchise to vote for policy 
and administrative decisions.  All votes will be held at the scheduled 
meeting of the Board of Directors.  The Board of Directors shall meet at 
least
monthly.  Such meetings shall be announced in advance and open to the 
General Membership to attend.
5) Input from the General Membership should occur at the committee level, 
thus shaping policy recommendations from the committee.  Any General Member 
should be allowed to participate at any committee meeting.  Such
meetings shall be scheduled and announced in advance.
6) Input from the General membership at the Board of Directors meeting 
should be limited to a specific time allotment per each issue.

##J   Tidbits:  
Passenger Transport recently reported that 69 percent of SEPTA passengers 
surveyed read while commuting.  SEPTA has quickly developed a deal for 
passengers.  Flyers have appeared offering the Daily News for half-price to 
TrailPass purchasers.  There are no details, members
who buy the Daily News are encouraged to investigate.

SEPTA has also issued the annual slippery rail flyer.  Passengers are 
advised to allow extra time on damp mornings in November.


##K   DVARP Membership Coupon
Yes, I want to support improved passenger train and transit service in our 
region.  Here are my DVARP dues for 1995.
Name

Address

City, State, Zip

Phone (optional) H:        W:

Please choose a membership category below, enclose check, and mail to:
DVARP, Box 7505, Philadelphia, Pa.  19101-7505
[] Supporting $25.00[] Family $20.00[] Regular $15.00 ($16 in 1995)
[] Sustaining $50.00[] Patron $75.00[] Benefactor $100.00
[] Under 21, over 65, student, retired, unemployed $7.50

Members using this coupon to renew, please enter membership number from top 
left of label:

##L  DVARP Phone & Voice-mail Directory
   DVARP main number (voice mail line)   215-222-3373 
9  Chuck Bode, President                 215-222-3373 
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
      <mmitchell@asrr.arsusda.gov>
4  Betsey Clark, Volunteer Coordinator   215-222-3373 
8  Mark Sanders, Treasurer               215-222-3373
2  John Pawson, Commuter RR Comm.        215-659-7736 
       (6 to 9 pm please)
3  Transit Committee                     215-222-3373 
7  Don Nigro, South Jersey Committee     609-869-0020
   Dan Radack, Bicycle Coordinator       215-232-6303

Computer e-mail (internet)   dvarp@libertynet.org