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The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger
  Electronic Edition
February 1994
Vol. XII, No. 2
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    <mmitchell@asrr.arsusda.gov>

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

cuny.edu  (BITNET: listserv@cunyvm) send the message GET DVARP 9201 to
have a newsletter mailed to you (substitute desired year and month for 9201).
and on hipp.etsu.edu (anonymous FTP to directory pub/railroad/dvarp).

or MO to the above address, and specify which disk format you need.

We hope you'll consider supporting our efforts to improve and expand public 
tranasportation by becoming a DVARP member.  Members reveive a printed copy
of this newsletter as well as other benefits.  Membership rates start at $15.00.
Use the coupon below at ##PP.

Schedule change alert:  SEPTA trains will run on a weekday schedule 
Presidents' Day.
New R5 Paoli and SEPTA City Transit  schedules in effect this month.
Time to Renew Your DVARP Membership!  	use the coupon on page 19--##PP

Ice Storms, Cold Batter Transportation Network
  Three ice storms struck the Delaware Valley and most of the mid-Atlantic 
region last month, bringing virtually every mode of transportation to a 
standstill at one time or another.  All in all, and as expected, 
trains fared better than other vehicles in getting through and recovering 
from the storms.  
Train service to and from South Jersey was shut down when the Delair Bridge 
froze.	photo in hard copy edition: Don Nigro
Full story at ##E

Contents:   use ## flags to find an article;
     articles in "On the Railroad Lines" are flagged by route 
     (e.g. ##R1 or ##CTD)
##A  Clinton Threatens Transit Budget Slash 
##B  From the Editor's Seat:  Memo to Mr. Downs
##C  APTA Gets It!
##D  SEPTA Fares: Is No News Good News?
##E  Ice Storms, Cold Batter Transportation Network
##F  On the Railroad Lines...
  RRD Collapses from Power Failure
  Two Apparent Suicides
  R2--LumberWorks II
  R5--Bryn Mawr Tower Burns: to Cause Many Delays
    --SEPTA and North Wales Create Crossing Safety Plan
    --Lansdale: Strictly Coincidental
  R6--County to Study Extension
  R8--New Rails for C.H.W.
  BLE Says 'Let's Go Steady First'
  STD--N-5 Update, Red Arrow notes
  MFSE--Smoking Club Opened?  Burst Pipe shuts El.
  LRD--Eye on the Infrastructure:  Old Track Driving Neighbors Mad
      --Green Line Tunnel Derailment
      --Route 50 Rails Removed:  Contractor Wins PennDOT Award !
##G  Minor SEPTA Route Changes
##H ##MFSE  Will El Operators Say Yo! or G'Day?
##I  Quotable
##J  Rail Keeps LA Moving
##K  A New Kind of Call-a-Ride 
##L  French Ticket Line Solution 
##M  Cross-County Study Agrees With DVARP Projection:
    Expected Ridership Low, Will SEPTA Rethink The Project?
##N  DVRPC Citizens Reject Plan:  Too Highway-Oriented
##O  Do As They Say, Not As They Do! 
##P  Keystone Corridor: It's Intercity As Well As Commuter
##Q  Does SEPTA Still Sell Tickets?
##R  What is "Commuter Rail"?
##S  What is "Regional Rail"?
##T  Day Care at Stations?
##U  RailReading--All About Pantographs
##V ##NJT  NJT Welcomes DVARP Suggestion
##W  NJT Extends to Hackettstown...   But Problems in Pascack 
##X  Use the NJT Ticket Machine 
##NJT  New Jersey News
##Y ##DEL  Small Wonder--Delaware Does it Again! 
##DEL  Diamond State Notes
##Z ##ATK  Seniors Save on Amtrak
##AA ##ATK  Amtrak Notes
##BB  British Privatization Clears Fractious Parliament 
##CC  'Chunnel' Opening Soon!
##DD  Europe Makes New Year's Revolutions
##EE  Computer Corner: Where to Get Your DVRP 
##FF ##ATK  Book Summer Trips Now!
##GG  Too Much of a Good Thing?
##HH  Transit's Own TV Program
##II  Oh, Canada! (Film Show)
##JJ  Renewal Reminder
##KK  Trolley Coalition Meetings
##LL  NARP Regional Meetings 
##MM  Dates of Interest
##NN  Up and Down the Corridor
    --M-I-C-K-E-Y V-R-E? 
    --MARC Upgrade 
    --GM Go-Round in Washington
    --NYCTA Metrocard on Sale 
    --Timetables Reach the Big Apple 
    --More Metro-North 
##OO  DVARP Phone, E-mail, & Voice-mail Directory
##PP  DVARP Membership/Renewal Coupon
##QQ  Upcoming DVARP Meetings:
##RR  Agenda for the February meeting:
##SS  Committee Meetings:

DVARP President: Chuck Bode		Newsletter Editor: Matthew Mitchell
Production Manager: Tom Borawski
for other officers and committee chairs, see page 19 --##OO
entire contents copyright (C) 1994 DVARP, 
except photos (C) 1994 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

##A Clinton Threatens Transit Budget Slash 
  Preliminary versions of the Federal Budget for Fiscal 1995 show a plan by 
the Clinton Administration to eliminate federal operating support of public 
transit systems over the next three years.  Intended as a deficit reduction 
measure to save $800 million, this proposal would have drastic impacts on 
public transportation.
  While transit agencies like SEPTA have reduced their reliance on FTA 
operating subsidies (they make up less than 10% of SEPTA's budget) transit 
passengers face either major cuts in service or a significant fare increase 
if this source of funds dries up.  Smaller transit agencies often count 
more on federal support, so this proposal may hit small city and rural 
systems even worse.
  DVARP members are well aware of the benefits of public transit: more 
personal income available for non-transportation purchases, cleaner air, 
reduced oil imports and a lower trade deficit, reduced health care costs 
because of fewer traffic accidents, less time lost in traffic jams, et 
cetera.  So...  
  All members are urged to write or phone Clinton and their Federal 
legislators immediately, to make sure they understand how these cuts will 
affect the economic well-being of our community.  Address letters to 
Representative _____, House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515; 
Senator _____, US Senate, Washington, DC 20510; President Bill Clinton, 
White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington DC 20500.  See the blue 
pages of your local phone directory for telephone numbers.

##B From the Editor's Seat:
Memo to Mr. Downs
  To overwork the pun: welcome aboard.  I can't help but compare your 
situation to that facing Lou Gambaccini when he took charge of SEPTA.  Like 
SEPTA in 1988, Amtrak today has suffered from insufficient capital 
investment, operating budget problems, uncertainty about funding, and a 
slipping reputation for customer service.
  It's because shoring up Amtrak's government support is so important right 
now that I think it was wise to bring in someone with your kind of 
experience.  And it's because things are not all right with Amtrak's 
operation that I think it was appropriate to bring in someone from outside.  
  Allow me to make some suggestions for building a secure future for 
intercity passenger rail in a country which has ignored rail's benefits for 
so long. 
  First, appoint two vice-presidents (preferably from within) for corridor 
and long-distance operations.  Like a college president, you really are not 
going to be involved in the day-to-day running of the railroad, nor are 
your talents best used there.  These appointments will make someone visibly 
accountable for the quality of Amtrak's main product.  
  Next, go to Congress with a realistic plan for future growth of the system 
and a grass-roots demand for dedicated Federal funding for capital 
investment in intercity rail.  Don't mince words about the billions in 
subsidies your competitors get without even a bat of the eye from Congress.  
Please get advice from Lou Gambaccini, and enlist the thousands of 
volunteers belonging to local ARPs as soldiers in your campaign.
  Amtrak will enter critical negotiations with the freight railroads over 
trackage rights beginning 1996.  Because of mergers and downsizing, most of 
the railroads Amtrak operates over are in a monopoly position.  If they 
don't demand a steep increase in fees, they'll demand millions of dollars 
worth of spending for track upgrades, seeing the deep pockets of Uncle Sam 
behind you.  It may be smart to go in to the negotiations armed with some 
kind of Federal legislation or legal ruling allowing you to use eminent 
domain powers in cases where the railroads won't negotiate a reasonable 
deal.  In turn, Amtrak should be a better landlord for the commuter 
railroads like SEPTA who run on its tracks.
  Amtrak must also do a better job in labor relations.  The present system 
has made many employees disgruntled while inexcusable lapses in passenger 
service go uncorrected.  Treat the people who have to deliver the goods 
every day with respect, and give them the power to improve the quality of 
the jobs they do.  But also demand a higher standard of performance, and 
let it be known that those who aren't willing to meet that standard have no 
future at Amtrak.
  The railroad turned over to you is in remarkable shape despite being 
shortchanged on capital funds almost since day one.  That's testimony to 
the inherent efficiency of the rail mode.  Creative financing in the last 
years of the Claytor era found new ways to get the equipment Amtrak needs 
desperately.  New locomotives have alleviated your power shortage; now 
there's no excuse not to reduce the breakdown rate.  New Superliners are 
arriving now, allowing you to increase capacity on the Western routes which 
have performed so well.  When the Viewliners arrive, the horror stories 
caused by dilapidated equipment on your Eastern trains should end.  And 
your crown jewel, American high-speed trains and the improved Northeast 
Corridor, will be ready before the end of the decade.  That's a bright 
future; now go out and sell that vision to Congress and the people.--MDM

##C  APTA Gets It!
  Rod Dierdon, Chairman of the American Public Transit Association, has 
announced that after victories in securing the passage of the ISTEA 
legislation and building both local and nationwide pro-transit coalitions, 
APTA will undertake a nationwide campaign to increase transit ridership. 
The National Transit Ridership Initiative (NTRI) will be a marketing-led 
movement to position mass transit as the solution to many of our nation's 
problems, including air pollution, economic stagnation, and traffic 
congestion.  Local coalitions and members of the transit supply industry 
will also be enlisted in the campaign.  
  A welcome aspect is that industry members will examine their customer 
service practices and hopefully fix what's driving people off of trains, 
trolleys, and buses and into the private car.  DVARP would welcome the 
opportunity to participate both in the discussion of service quality and in 
the effort to spread good news about transit. 

##D SEPTA Fares: Is No News Good News?
  Talk of a fare increase around 714 Market St. has died down significantly, 
sources say.  Finally cognizant of the fragility of its ridership base, 
SEPTA may try to get through the rest of the fiscal year without increasing 
fares.  Increased support from local, state, and Federal governments may be 
needed, though, to balance SEPTA's current budget.  Signals are confused, 
and a fare increase this spring may not yet be ruled out.  DVARP requests 
for input into the fare adjustment process have gone unanswered to date. 
Meanwhile, SEPTA General Manager Lou Gambaccini issued a Message to Riders 
in December, his first in several years.  Language in it stressing that 
fares had not increased in over three years (which is not exactly true) 
could be read as 'softening the riders up' for a forthcoming fare increase.
  The possible cut in Federal operating funding (see page 1) will not affect 
this year's budget, though.  If an increase is to be postponed until Fiscal 
1995,  hearings on fares would likely be held in conjunction with budget 
hearings usually held in May or June.  As every year, DVARP is gearing up 
for the budget season and ready to scrutinize any proposed increase in 
spending or fares.--MDM

##E  Ice Storm '94		compiled from staff reports
  Rail experts often say ice is worse than snow in disrupting train service.  
Freezing rain slips into switches and freezes them in place.  Ice causes 
tree limbs to fall onto power and signal lines: bringing them down.  Ice on 
roads makes it difficult for repair crews to get to work sites.  Take those 
problems and multiply by three.  That's what East Coast railroads faced 
last month, plus a cold snap not seen here in over a decade.  
  Amtrak's Northeast Corridor trains got to their destinations reliably 
nearly the whole month, with occasional delays.  Diesel locomotives were 
used to get trains around downed power lines.  An air line failure snarled 
the Washington Terminal area, causing several trains to be annulled.
Metroliner Service was suspended during the height of cold-induced electric 
crisis Jan. 19, and Metroliner passengers were asked to take conventional 
trains, to reduce power use in the most critical hours.  Give Amtrak and 
its passengers a medal for citizenship.
  Amtrak had huge problems with its long-distance trains.  The very old 
coaches and sleepers used on many trains literally froze and were unusable.  
Fuel in diesel locomotives turned to jelly and engines quit during the 
freeze.  As a result, most trains were annulled: on a couple nights, only 
the Broadway Limited made it between the East and Chicago.  Snow and ice 
closed some of the freight lines used by Amtrak, causing many delays and 
detours throughout the month.
  SEPTA's performance in the second and third storms was an improvement over 
the first, when railroad service collapsed.  All service was shut down 
Friday evening the 7th; very few trains ran the 8th, and full service 
wasn't restored until the 9th.  SEPTA apparently did not run 'pilot trains' 
during this ice storm, or add extra cars to consists for extra pantographs 
to act as ice-breakers.
  Lack of preparedness was the story in a lot of cases, such as the weak 
reaction to shifts in passenger demand caused by early business closings.  
Several passengers complained of being passed up by overcrowded trains, 
especially at 30th Street.  Other commuter railroads have learned to put 
extra cars onto early-afternoon trains on wintry days.  Metra even goes so 
far as to aim marketing efforts at these 'snow-bird' customers, and get 
them on the trains on nice days too.
  One good RRD move was to arrange for Amtrak trains to pick up Coatesville 
and Parkesburg passengers.  (SEPTA tickets were accepted during the storm)  
This let Amtrak not have to worry about the switches at which SEPTA's 
Parkesburg trains turn.  
  SEPTA's bus service was the target of scores of storm-related complaints.  
Dozens of routes were suspended several days, and many more routes were 
detoured off of the iciest streets.  While cancellations were duly reported 
in KYW transit reports, passengers were not told of the detours. [Don't we 
long for the days when PTC had a fleet of over 100 snow sweepers, plus salt 
and sand cars, all motorized--and the streetcars ran whatever the weather?]
In an interview with the Daily News's Phantom Rider,  CTD Surface Chief 
George T. Hague said he was frustrated by this problem.  Maybe he should 
look in the back of the street supervisors' "T-Cars."  He'll find cardboard 
signs for temporary detours there.  The least he could do would be to make 
the supervisors fill in the signs and put them up at bus stops instead of 
having them gather dust in the cars.
  Another way to inform customers of weather-related detours would be to set 
up a standard package like Maryland MTA's "Snow Motion."  Each MTA route 
has two contingency plans red and blue, described in the schedule.  When a 
storm hits and MTA announces "Snow Motion Red," passengers know just where 
to go to catch their bus, or if their bus is cancelled.  The drawback of 
this approach, though, is that it doesn't adapt to diverse conditions.
The root of the bus problem was roads covered with hard-packed ice, and not 
enough salt or warm temperatures to melt it.  Since "Transit First" is 
supposed to be City of Philadelphia policy, SEPTA and the City ought to get 
together and determine which streets are most important to keep basic 
transit service moving, then concentrate road clearing efforts on those 
core routes.
  SEPTA's subway and elevated lines were reliable workhorses, though one 
night's El service was halted to inspect a possible crack in the elevated 
structure.  The biggest problem for Subway-Surface trolleys was stuck 
automobiles blocking the tracks, though overcrowding ran a close second.
Suburban Transit Division trolleys suffered some storm-related disruptions; 
many bus lines were simply shut down.
  New Jersey Transit faced the same kind of problems with its bus routes.  A 
total shutdown early in the first storm was shortly replaced by highly-
sporadic service.  The Atlantic City Line ran well, except for the time 
when the Delair Bridge got stuck.
  And of course, PATCO just kept on running!  Their work coping with the 
storm was so successful that an Inquirer letter-writer expressed regret 
that she couldn't just once come in to work late and blame PATCO. 
  What is it that makes PATCO the exception to so many stories about poor 
service in trying times?  We don't hear PATCO managers whining and making 
excuses.  Is it attitude?  Can they bottle and sell it to SEPTA?
 
##F On the Railroad Lines...

RRD Collapses from Power Failure
  A problem with power dispatching made a shambles of SEPTA's commuter rail 
lines much of the afternoon and evening Friday, January 28.  Details are 
unconfirmed at press time, but its was reported that the initial failure 
was in Amtrak's switchgear.  Amtrak supplies power to all of SEPTA's ex-PRR 
lines, and to the Center City Tunnel.
  Both Amtrak and SEPTA lost power for several hours, but the problems 
persisted on SEPTA, even after Amtrak was back running.

Two Apparent Suicides
  A 73 year-old Trenton man was killed instantly when he jumped in front of a 
outbound train January 11th at the Yardley Station  The incident delayed 
train service for at least 2 hours.
  The next day, a Villanova University professor was struck and killed by an 
Amtrak Harrisburg Line train.  The man stepped out into the path of the 
oncoming train a few hundred feet west of the Bryn Mawr station.

Moving On Up...
  The platform C escalator at 30th St Station is in service again.

##R2--LumberWorks II
  SEPTA has again taken the easy way out and is shutting down portions of the 
Warminster Line to allow contractors to cut trees and brush growing near 
the right of way.  Trains are being replaced by shuttle buses from Willow 
Grove to Warminster during mid-day hours Monday thru Friday, and Glenside 
to Warminster all day Sunday.
  The work was supposed to start last month, but was postponed because of the 
series of winter storms which battered the area, making the rails the only 
way to travel.  Our best guess is that work will resume this month and 
continue into March.

##R5--Bryn Mawr Tower Burns: to Cause Many Delays
  A fire on January 17 at Bryn Mawr tower caused delays for several weeks on 
the Paoli line. Express trains were hard hit: some running late every day 
because of congestion on the tracks ahead.  
  An interim schedule is being prepared for imminent release, but already 
some scheduled trips have been combined with other trips.  Morning peak 
trains are most affected by the changes; a skip-stop pattern has been 
implemented through the Overbrook-Bryn Mawr area to make the best time 
possible through the area where SEPTA says only two tracks are available.
  The extent of the damage to the tower and its switch and signal is not 
known at this time.  Repairs to the tower may take several months, and 
Amtrak will have to give hasty thought to the future layout of its 
Harrisburg line, and how to dispatch it.

SEPTA and North Wales Create Crossing Safety Plan
  Speaking before North Wales Borough Council, SEPTA Railroad AGM Jim Palmer 
hoped that out of the recent crossing tragedy that killed a North Wales 
child, a model would emerge for crossing safety which could be copied by 
other municipalities.
  An Anti-Trespassing Advisory Board will be created consisting of a school 
principal, a teacher, a member of the PTA, the chief of police, mayor, plus 
the state representative and state senator of the district.  As a start, 
SEPTA will be making several safety videos available to the schools.
  Claims that SEPTA's crossing gates were not working have been refuted.  An 
eyewitness speaking in the Lansdale Reporter's "Sound-Off" column said the 
following:
"They blame SEPTA so much for the two children who were killed in North 
Wales.  But on Dec. 21 I was sitting in the line of traffic on Walnut 
Street, and a little girl ran across the tracks when there was a train 
coming.  The people screamed at her, but she didn't listen and kept on 
going."

Lansdale: Strictly Coincidental
  SEPTA spokesperson Terry Sawshin told the Reporter that there was no 
connection between SEPTA's efforts to transfer $5 million in funds to the 
Lansdale Station revitalization project and the publicity surrounding the 
Julie Barnyock murder. The timing of the grant's transfer was just a 
coincidence.  However caused, the upgrade will be welcomed by both rail 
passengers and the citizens of Lansdale.

evening of Jan. 12th due to "Amtrak power problems."

##R6--County to Study Extension
  Responding to the demise of the Route 422 "Schuylkill Metro," Montgomery 
County is studying reactivation of a portion of the Reading line, 
responding to rapid growth in western MontCo townships.
  The Norristown line faced 30 minute delays on the 12th due to "signal 
problems." The problem was corrected before the morning rush was over.

##R8--New Rails for C.H.W.
  New continuous welded rail (CWR) and Pandrol(TM) plates, clips and spikes 
have been deposited along the tracks between Cresheim crossover north of 
Allen Lane and about 100 feet south of Westmoreland; it has already been 
laid on track 1 between Allen Lane and Pelham crossover. 
  This is an unexpected and welcome surprise as the R8 Chestnut Hill West is, 
by many accounts, the roughest riding line on SEPTA RRD. The rail being 
replaced varies from 130-lb. jointed sections rolled in 1928, 1944, 1946, 
1979, 1989 and 1992 to battered 100-lb. sections dated 1918 to 1925. Most 
of the newer rail is on curves, but the 1992 rail is on the track 1 tangent 
through Queen Lane.  Hopefully, this quite-new rail will be field- or 
plant-welded and reused elsewhere on RRD. CWR installation will fully 
commence later this year. 

BLE Says 'Let's Go Steady First'
  The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers has confirmed reports that the 
possible merger between the national unions representing SEPTA's conductors 
and engineers is off.  In a letter to G. Thomas DuBose, president of the 
United Transportation Union, BLE President Ronald P. McLaughlin said:
  "...the BLE respectfully declines to continue merger talks. However, the 
Advisory Board and General Chairmen's Association have recommended that I 
extend the following invitation to you: The BLE invites the UTU to propose 
cooperative efforts by which our two unions might jointly negotiate during 
the upcoming round of collective bargaining with the carriers--for the 
purpose of benefitting as many locomotive engineers and other operating 
craft employees as possible."

##STD--N-5 Update
  Cinders reports that several cars are being held at Morrison-Knudsen's 
Hornell, NY shop for installation of sanding devices.  
The snow and ice storm of January forced the N5 cars out of service due to 
third rail icing.  Only the two-car ex-CTA trains were able to operate.  
Shoegear on the new trolleys will have to be reexamined.  

Red Arrow Notes

company to provide 14 bus shelters.  

formerly run by Reeder Bus Co.

##MFSE ##LRD--Smoking Club Opened?
  The 30th Street Market-Frankford and Subway-Surface platforms must have 
been declared Philadelphia's newest smoking club.  Annoying levels of smoke 
are now common there, as some passengers totally disregard no-smoking 
rules.  The smoke is sufficiently thick to annoy other passengers, and 
possibly keep them from riding public transit.
  One step SEPTA could take is to replace the no smoking signs.  A between-
tracks location would require vandals to enter the track to destroy the 
signs.  An even easier step is to have the SEPTA police enforce the 
regulations a few times.  DVARP members have reported multiple instances 
where police ignore violators.

Burst Pipe Causes Shutdown
  A water pipe ruptured at 2nd and Callowhill on the evening of the 22nd 
causing service on the Frankford El to be halted for over 2 hours.  
Passengers were evacuated by Philadelphia firefighters and put aboard 
shuttle busses.

##LRD Eye on the Infrastructure:  Old Track Driving Neighbors Mad
  West Philadelphia residents are voicing increasing frustration with SEPTA 
over noise and vibration from subway-surface trolleys.  Heavy streetcars 
running over deteriorated track and substructure are causing the problems, 
despite SEPTA's nearly-continuous efforts to repair tracks (see Jan. DVRP). 
  Upset about the lack of progress in solving these problems, the neighbors 
may seek to block increases in trolley service or the use of larger cars to 
meet ridership demand.  Meanwhile, overcrowding is driving potential SEPTA 
riders away.
As made amply evident by the N-5 Norristown cars, the trend is for new rail 
vehicles to get heavier and heavier.  Amenities like air conditioning have 
become standard, while mandatory safety and wheelchair access features also 
add size and weight.
'Lighter Rail' the Solution? 
  Ideally, SEPTA and the City of Philadelphia will catch up with the deferred 
street and track maintenance soon, but upgrading of other than the worst 
sections of West Philadelphia track is not in SEPTA's immediate capital 
plans.
  Though it may be hard to convince skeptical residents so, new articulated 
(bendable) LRVs would probably cause less noise and vibration than SEPTA's 
present four-axle cars.  With three or even four trucks to spread the 
weight over, the weight carried by each axle would be less, even though the 
overall weight would be greater.
  Maybe a better answer would be to challenge the assumption that new 
streetcars have to be heavier and heavier.  Two manufacturers have 
announced articulated LRVs that use space-age materials and smart design to 
weigh much less than conventional LRVs.  Breda of Italy showed its car at 
the APTA trade show, while a British consortium called "The Tram Group" 
promoted its car at a show in Birmingham, England; and said it would have a 
prototype ready to go in August, according to International Railway 
Journal.  Both builders' cars have the look and feel of other modern LRVs, 
including a low floor for easier passenger access.  
  The Tram Group has one more radical idea:  make its car as much as 50 
percent cheaper than the competition!  Project manager Peter Morris told 
IRJ how:
"...technology transfer of existing or adapted components from the 
automotive, military, and nuclear industries; the use of high-strength 
materials; by avoiding the 'heavy rail' approach; and through low-cost 
tooling requirements for building the vehicles.  ...the driveline, air, and 
vehicle electrical components will be common with those used on lorries 
[trucks] and buses."
  Sounds like a prescription for reviving the U.S. streetcar-building 
industry, and getting the benefits of light rail transit into more 
neighborhoods!--CB, MDM

Green Line Tunnel Derailment
  A Route 36 trolley derailed rounding a curve near 37th and Spruce Jan. 4.  
The accident occurred just before 10 am, causing the tunnel to be taken out 
of service until the late afternoon.  Cinders reports that nine passengers 
were slightly injured.

Route 50 Rails Removed:  Contractor Wins PennDOT Award !
  The contractor that did repaving work on Fifth St. in Philadelphia won a 
PennDOT Excellence in Design/Construction Award--even though the contractor 
did not replace the Route 50 trolley tracks.  The award was in the category 
"Historical, Archaeological, Environmental-Urban" according to Highway 
Builder.  The chances for an historic Independence Mall trolley on this 
street are now a lot worse.

##G Minor SEPTA Route Changes
  DVARP has received details of the minor changes proposed by SEPTA for 
routes 68 and 95.  The endpoint of the 68 will be shifted from Broad St. to 
11th and Oregon, to alleviate neighbors' complaints about idling buses.  
The 95 buses will no longer run via Trinity Lane and Holstein Rd. in Gulph 
Mills, eliminating a hazardous turn and also shortening the route slightly.  
DVARP entered testimony last month supporting these changes, which are now 
running on temporary orders.
  A hearing will be held this month on a proposed Route 129 change, to serve 
the Bristol Commerce Park.

News compiled by Matthew Mitchell and correspondents: Chuck Bode, 
Howard Bender, Tom Borawski,  Betsey Clarke, John Dawson, Aron Eisenpress,
Russ Gould, John Hay, Bob Machler, James Morgan, Don Nigro, John Pawson, 
Arnold Watts.

Additional news from BITNET, International Railway Journal, KYW, Lansdale 
Reporter, New Jersey ARP, Norristown Times-Herald, NRHS Philadelphia 
Chapter NRHS "Cinders," Passenger Transport, Philadelphia Business Journal, 
Philadelphia Inquirer, Railpace, USENET.

The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger is a charter member of the Rail Online 
Newswire.

##H ##MFSE  Will El Operators Say Yo! or G'Day?
  In what may be the best evidence yet of the globalization of the railroad 
industry, ABB Traction Inc. has announced that body shells and trucks for 
the new Market-Frankford cars will be made by ABB's Dandenong subsidiary 
near Melbourne, Australia.  Electrical equipment is to be made in ABB's 
home works in Sweden, while individual parts will come from many different 
subcontractors in the USA and overseas.  Only the final assembly will take 
place at the Elmira, New York location which was nearly ABB's undoing in 
the controversial bid process. Had rival AEG Westinghouse won, the result 
would not likely have been very much different; only final assembly would 
have taken place in Pennsylvania.  
  Does this mean that American industry is unable to compete in today's more 
complex marketplace?  Not really.  In fact, America has its own railway 
success story right here in Pennsylvania.  General Electric's 
Transportation Systems Division, located in Erie, won a contract worth over 
a half-billion dollars to supply 300 new high-tech Dash-9 locomotives to 
U.S. freight-hauler CSX.  
  G.E. expects to win more orders, both from U.S. and foreign railroads, but 
does not have a partnership with the big European consortia, which could 
impede its ability to compete.  The big Euro-groups such as GEC Alstholm 
and ABB include component companies with all types of specialties, 
maximizing their efficiency.  The component factory may be making parts for 
a high-speed train for France one week, and for a subway for Seoul the 
next, because the parent is bidding on contracts all over the world. 
But to get in on worldwide opportunities, American companies will have to 
give up a big chunk of their identity.  The American people and their 
politicians have always been suspicious of anything which would put a 
foreign label on a U.S. company.  
  Ironically, the way for American rail supply businesses to keep jobs in 
America may be for them to accept control, even domination, from Europe. 
The huge differences between U.S. and European railways is both a 
fundamental problem and a fundamental opportunity for American suppliers.  
  The quantities of freight American railroads move, and the distances they 
move it, are virtually unique in the world.  That has made the U.S. system 
a model for certain countries like Australia, which has much U.S.-model 
locomotives and other equipment; and South Africa, whose economic isolation 
may mean pent-up demand for new technology to transport its mineral 
resources.  And as more of the world's railways face increased loads, for 
bulk and especially intermodal freight, American companies will be ready to 
meet the challenge. 
  And there's one more unique opportunity: privatization.  Privately-owned 
American railroads have the know-how necessary to compete with trucks and 
other transportation modes, as well as extensive cost- and revenue 
accounting expertise crucial to railways taking their first independent 
steps in the marketplace.  That has resulted in a niche for the Americans 
as consultants, or even in managing whole railways, such as those in New 
Zealand which are now operated by the Wisconsin Central.  
So don't worry too much if all our passenger rail equipment comes from 
overseas. Things will balance out.--MDM

##I  Quotable
  "Road construction is mainly an exercise in earth moving which requires 
mainly unskilled labour and heavy machines, whilst railway investment will 
include the many highly skilled jobs in the design and building of 
signalling, rolling stock and traction units to accompany any improvement 
in the infrastructure.
  "Roadbuilding transfers jobs from city centre areas to out of town shopping 
and business developments which can only be reached by people who already 
own cars, whereas rail schemes can help maintain and regenerate traditional 
city centers."
  The above two quotes are from a recent issue of the [U.K.] Railway 
Development Society's Railwatch which also compared road widening with rail 
line improvements and found that the project cost per job was about double 
for roads.  No explanation of the cause was offered--might be the need to 
purchase land to widen roads while rail can be improved on the same land.  
Another point to ponder is that there is little export market for unskilled 
earth moving labor, but a worldwide export market for countries with 
factories building trains, signals, and other high-tech products.--CB

##J  Rail Keeps LA Moving	by James S. Morgan
  Until 1946, Los Angeles boasted of an extensive trolley system.  General 
Motors bought up these lines and tore them up to pave the way for the 
freeway system which has suffered extensive damage as a result of the 
earthquake last month.  The question is, should the freeway system be fully 
restored at a cost of billions when currently existing railway systems may 
have survived the quake with much less damage and are currently alleviating 
commuter congestion?  This question may never be posed to the public or the 
relevant authorities because of people's myopia about cars.
  Although trains were temporarily halted to inspect tracks, most southern 
California trackage suffered no significant damage.  A freight derailment 
on Southern Pacific's Coast Line halted Southern Pacific, Amtrak and 
MetroLink until a temporary track was built around the wreck.  Amtrak San 
Diegan service was interrupted but has now resumed.  Other Amtrak 
cancellations and diversions were experienced.  At one point, the Coast 
Starlight terminated at Oakland. 
  LA's new MetroLink commuter rail system was closed the 17th in observance 
of Martin Luther King Day.  MetroLink has been frantically adding trains, 
particularly on the Santa Clarita line, where stations not planned to open 
until 1999 were pressed into service at the northern LA County sites of 
Palmdale, Lancaster, Vincent and Canyon Country.  Ridership on that line 
zoomed from a thousand daily riders to 21,000.  Metrolink has quickly 
acquired coaches from as far away as Toronto.
  "Look at these poor wretches:  They're actually riding a train to get to 
work," was apparently the remark of a TV newscaster which typifies too much 
of media coverage.  While rail watchers in LA attack local radio 
newscasters for focusing on MetroLink grade crossing accidents, they 
criticize MetroLink itself for feeble publicity efforts and lack of 
preparedness (no station has more than three ticket machines, and there 
were initially no alternative ways of selling tickets).  
  No damage to Metro Red or Blue Line subway tunnels was found, nor to the 
Green Line, which is currently under construction.  Metro service on the Red 
Line has been hampered by a problem (antedating the quake) relating to 
rail lubricators, which has caused wheels to wear out 20 times as fast as
anticipated.  In the United States, internet correspondents note, problems 
like this and cost overruns are expected, and the news media raised not a 
protest.  When a similar problem occurred in Stuttgart, Germany, the press 
was instrumental in swiftly remedying the problem, after some shakeups in 
the local transit authority. 
  It is questionable whether the authorities will be called to account as 
long as major media newscasters say that LA commuters must now consider 
alternatives to the automobile never before imagined in total ignorance of 
the previous history of LA transit.  TV coverage of the SP wreck focused on 
the twisted track under the derailed cars, not on the fact that the engines 
and the rest of the train stayed on the track.  American taxpayers may 
spend billions to restore a freeway system which perhaps should never have 
been built to its prequake extent.
  Special thanks to Elson Trinidad of the University of Southern California, 
and all the other California internet correspondents

##K  A New Kind of Call-a-Ride 
  Bus World reports that San Diego CTS is using cellular emergency call boxes 
for passengers to request a bus to pick them up.  Riders in the small town 
of Lake Powan pick up the phone and speak to a Sheriff's dispatcher, who 
then calls the CTS dispatcher, who gets on the bus radio and has the next 
bus get off the freeway and stop in Lake Powan.  CTS saves money, the other 
riders save time, and Lake Powan riders get more trips to choose from.  A 
good deal for everyone! 

##L  French Ticket Line Solution 
  Have you ever had to pay a penalty fare on a SEPTA train because there 
weren't enough ticket agents at the station and 28 people were lined up to 
buy tickets?  If so, you would applaud a policy that the French National 
Railways uses while their new computerized ticketing system faces teething 
problems.  When the machines fail and ticket lines grow long, the agents 
hand out 'emergency access tickets' allowing passengers to bypass the 
ticket office and purchase their tickets on-board without penalty.  A cheap 
and easy answer to a serious customer service problem. 

##M  Cross-County Study Agrees With DVARP Projection:
    Expected Ridership Low, Will SEPTA Rethink The Project?
by Matthew Mitchell
  A preliminary study conducted for SEPTA and three county planning agencies 
predicts that daily ridership on the 'Cross-County Metro' would number no 
more than 4,000 to 5,000 under SEPTA's proposed operating scheme.  DVARP 
criticized that scheme last year in Capital Budget hearings, citing a 
belief that the project failed to meet the needs of any real suburb-to-
suburb travel market. (See Jan. 93 DVRP)  DVARP proposed a three-part 
alternative which would better meet suburban transportation needs while 
costing less than SEPTA's proposal.  
  The heart of the problem is that while the former PRR 'Trenton Cut-Off' 
connects almost a dozen centers of suburban industrial and commercial 
development, including the biggest concentrations of suburban employers, 
the rail right-of-way is too far away to be able to deliver employees 
without the use of shuttle buses.  Nor does the route serve areas where the 
employees live.  
  The result would be that riders would have to drive to a Cross-County Metro 
station, park their cars and wait for a train, ride to their destination, 
then ride a shuttle bus to their workplace.  That kind of trip can't 
compete with the automobile, especially because the commercial centers were 
designed for car access rather than transit.  A substantial change in 
suburban development plans, from green fields further and further isolated 
to focused activity near rail stations, would have to take place if the 
SEPTA plan is ever to be effective.  
  Despite a Federally-earmarked grant of a million dollars for further study 
of the service, the 'Cross-County Metro' as SEPTA conceives of it, is 
probably dead.  But rather than give up on transit in this increasingly 
car-choked corridor, SEPTA planners should take a look at DVARP's 
alternative and see if it would attract more passengers.
  DVARP's three-part plan includes a low-cost extension of existing New 
Jersey Transit diesel train service from Trenton to Downingtown, where 
trains could be serviced at SEPTA's Frazer facility rather than deadheading 
all the way back to the Meadowlands.  These trains would serve the long-
distance commuter market now driving many miles on the Pennsylvania 
Turnpike.
  The second component would include Turnpike express buses from park-and-
ride lots directly to office and industrial parks near Turnpike exits.  
They would serve the same market targeted by SEPTA, with one less transfer, 
and at a more realistic cost.  Finally, DVARP has proposed a Route 100 
(Norristown High-Speed Line) spur delivering reverse-commuters to the King 
of Prussia area, which has the highest concentration of employment in the 
suburbs.  Several key pieces of right-of-way need to be preserved for this 
service, DVARP has identified them to SEPTA and asked that SEPTA act to 
block development plans which would sever the best route.  (see March 93 
DVRP)
  The response to this pessimistic report will make an excellent test of how 
SEPTA manages the planning and development process.  If SEPTA continues to 
push its $100 million, 'one size fits all' Cross-County Metro in upcoming 
budget and planning documents, we can conclude that there is no room for 
reality at 714 Market St.

##N  DVRPC Citizens Reject Plan:  Too Highway-Oriented
  In a bold act of dissent, the Regional Citizens Committee advising the 
Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission voted against endorsing a 
proposed policy for allocating transportation funds to support the Year 
2015 Transportation Plan.  In voting 18-9 to reject the proposal, RCC 
expressed dismay that the plan continued to stress the use of single-
occupant automobiles instead of other transportation modes.  The Committee 
suggested that reducing, not increasing highway capacity for SOVs would be 
better for the citizens of the region.  
  An example of this sentiment was provided by committee member Hollister 
Knowlton, from the Pennsylvania Environmental Council, was concerned that 
State Transportation Secretary Howard Yerusalim and other government and 
planning personnel had the wrong priorities and failed to adequately 
emphasize mass transit.

##O  Do As They Say, Not As They Do! 
  Believe it or not, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has ended its 
participation in the TransitChek program, which encourages employees to 
ride mass transit instead of driving their environmentally-harmful cars.  
Budget cuts caused EPA to stop handing out the $15.00 vouchers. 

##P  Keystone Corridor: It's Intercity As Well As Commuter
by John A. Dawson
  Continued operation of Amtrak service at current levels (8 round trips Mon-
Fri; 6 Sat-Sun) is only assured through the end of this fiscal year 
(6/30/94).  While an extension for another year now appears likely, and it 
is possible to continue to extend State support on a year-to-year basis, 
this strategy does not generate the capital investment needed to maintain 
safe efficient operation of these trains on a long-term basis. We now have 
the opportunity to restructure institutional relationships and service in a 
way that allows the line to reach its full potential, but we must make sure 
that the interests of all riders are protected.
  The line should be maintained intact and not broken into segments. Although 
SEPTA is the dominant carrier on the eastern half of the line, this is not 
true when the line is considered in its entirety from Zoo to Harrisburg 
Terminal.  Amtrak currently operates 53% of the scheduled passenger train-
miles on the line.
  The Philadelphia-Harrisburg 'Keystone Service' exists primarily to carry 
corridor passengers between Philadelphia, Lancaster, and Harrisburg.  To 
the extent that it can improve rail services to commuters from western 
Chester County to Philadelphia, it provides a useful by-product, but this 
should not be considered as the main thrust of the service.  The Keystone 
Service should be operated as a distinct service; not as an extended SEPTA 
R5.
  To attract corridor riders it is necessary to provide amenities comparable 
to those found on the Northeast Corridor.  At a minimum this means coaches 
equipped with lavatories and reclining head-rest seats. Self-propelled 
electric (EMU) equipment should be used in order to restore service to 
Suburban Station (and possibly Market East), reduce operating costs, 
shorten travel times, and maximize air quality benefits.  Whether to use 
new or refurbished rolling stock is a judgment call depending on equipment 
availability and life cycle cost analysis.
  To the maximum extent feasible, tickets should be interchangeable between 
all trains operating on the line.  Keystone schedules should be melded with 
both SEPTA R5 local and Amtrak through service.  (It is assumed that Amtrak 
will continue to run trains on the corridor to Chicago, Pittsburgh, New 
York, and Atlantic City.)  If Keystone tickets are not honored on Amtrak 
trains, passengers traveling on the western half of the line will 
experience a net loss of service.  (With current schedules this translates 
to a reduction from 8 to 5 weekday RTs.)
  The State should assume responsibility for the operation of Keystone trains 
(although it can contract with SEPTA for operation), maintenance of the 
line, and needed capital investment.  Capital is needed to modernize the 
signaling and electric traction systems, to bring the roadbed up to Class 5 
standards, and to improve station facilities. Class 5 track would improve 
riding comfort and allow speeds up to 89 mph.  New stations are needed in 
eastern Lancaster County and in the vicinity of Harrisburg Airport.
  Because of the line's high visibility to government and business decision 
makers, it is important that the line succeeds.  This means that service 
must be reliable and of sufficient quality to build ridership.  A success 
here increases the chances of bringing rail service to other Pennsylvania 
corridors, such as Harrisburg-Allentown-(New York) and Philadelphia-
Scranton.

##Q  Does SEPTA Still Sell Tickets?
  It was a little after 9:00 pm on the Wednesday before Christmas.  As stores 
had just closed, Center City was still full of people.  Shoppers were now 
heading home and some were catching trains.  However, the ticket agents had 
already gone home and it was difficult to find a working ticket machine 
that would accept paper money.  Frustrated patrons were observed trying to 
feed bills into the machines, only to have them rejected.  Those passengers 
were forced to buy tickets on the train, and there they were hit with a $2 
penalty.  This is hardly the way to win friends and build ridership.
  It is extremely important that the bill validators on ticket machines work 
at all times.  Considering the price of rail tickets, vending machines that 
accept only coins are almost worthless.  Until these machines are repaired, 
conductors should only charge a penalty fare when passengers board at 
stations with staffed ticket windows.
  Regional Rail management appears reluctant to address this issue. Perhaps 
the matter will only be rectified when enough irate passengers write to 
newspapers and Louis Gambaccini and complain.--JAD 

[The following pair of stories ran in last month's Electronic Edition, but were
   deleted from the printed DVRP to provide additional space for the letter
   from Howard Yerusalim.  Because there were some minor changes made
   in the meantime to the Regional Rail story, we reprint both here.--Ed.]

##R  What is "Commuter Rail"?
by John Pawson
  An example of the way in which the meaning of words in common use can 
change is the word "commute."  The little-used original meaning is "to 
exchange items of value."  In the mid-nineteenth century, a railroad 
looking for immediate revenue offered unlimited travel in a given area in 
exchange for a yearly advance payment, an arrangement which on the Paoli 
line lasted into the 1950s.
  Today's usage of the verb is "to travel back and forth daily between 
places, as to and from a city."  A "commuter" is one who does this.  
"Commutation" is the act of commuting.  That's as far as the dictionary 
takes us.
  At the heart of the current usage is what the travel industry calls a "one-
day round-trip."  Those who commute over 50 miles each way are called 
"super-commuters."  Some highly-paid entertainers can afford to commute 
across the country and even between continents.  Notice that the usage has 
changed from an exchange to an agreement with a carrier (a "tariff") to a 
way of life.  No longer need it involve a journey to and from a workplace.
  "Intercity rail" seems to have become prominent, if it wasn't actually 
coined, when Amtrak was created 23 years ago.  [ed. note: many European 
railways use the name 'Inter-city' as a brand for their express services]  
It describes a passenger train which runs between stations located in or 
near city centers with few stops in less-developed areas.  At that time, 
the railroad companies which offered commuter service had no incentive to 
protect a largely unwanted 'turf;' they were looking to pass it on to some 
other entity.
  "Commuter rail" was thereby defined legislatively.  Use of multiple-trip 
tickets by the majority of passengers was one test, even though the 
definition had moved beyond the mere tariff to a way of life.  The other 
test was mileage, either travel distance or end-to-end train run; 75 or 100 
miles was defined as the limit.  There is some belief that the former 
number was meant to corral the New York-Philadelphia and Chicago-Milwaukee 
markets for Amtrak, while the latter would exclude Philadelphia-Harrisburg 
as a commuter rail line.
continued on page 13--search for ##R

##S  What is "Regional Rail"?
by Matthew Mitchell
  Knowledgeable observers find significance in SEPTA's choice of the phrase 
"Regional Rail" to brand its suburban trains rather than "Commuter Rail." 
To some, the choice belies ulterior motives.  To detractors, regional rail 
means 'transitization' of commuter rail service, a lowering of standards 
for speed and comfort in an attempt to be all things to all markets.  But 
it could also greatly increase the use of the lines, thereby increasing the 
community's return on its transit assets.
  Regional rail is an operating rationale most often seen in Europe, 
especially Germany.  Several principal cities have both a city subway 
system (referred to as the U-bahn or 'underground railway') and a suburban 
train network (referred to as the S-bahn or 'regional railway').  The 
electrified S-bahn lines provide frequent service to a relatively dense 
network of stations.  Like in post-tunnel Philadelphia, the S-bahn acts as 
its own distributor; there are several downtown stations.  Trains are 
through-routed from one line to another in a fixed pattern designated by a 
number like S7.  (Sound familiar?)  In looking at North American rail 
systems, the one which may come closest to the 'Regional Rail' model is 
actually the Washington Metro, but SEPTA's Railroad Division shares some of 
the characteristics.
  The 'commuter rail' operations of most other North American transit 
properties are not meant to serve as many different travel markets as the 
European 'regional rail' systems; they gear their service towards a single 
market of middle-to-upper class downtown office workers who drive to a 
station and ride an express train downtown.   A significant number offer 
little or no off-peak service, running trains only at times they can be 
filled up.  Better for the balance sheet, but not as good for the 
community.
  But Philadelphia's rail network was designed in and for another era.  The 
SEPTA system has hundreds of stations on a dozen lines, spaced more closely 
than on any other US commuter railroad.  That characteristic, inherited 
from the competing Pennsylvania and Reading systems, is both SEPTA's 
blessing and SEPTA's curse.  While more of our population can access and 
use the railroad, per-line and per-station ridership is diluted.
continued on page 13--search for ##S

##R  What is "Commuter Rail"?
continued from page 12
  Protecting Amtrak's 'turf' is becoming a moot question.  Cost and funding 
pressures now require that company to look towards its more renumerative 
markets.  Another change over the years is that people are commuting 
farther.  'Back-to-back' commuter service is effective:  a train caries 
commuters to one city, then quickly turns and takes others from the same 
home stations to another city in the opposite direction.
  To resort to arbitrary definitions to separate commuter and intercity rail 
services is not useful, if it ever was.  The relative number of stations 
between the city centers probably is the closest one can come to a litmus 
test.  Disputed cases should be resolved on the basis of the economics of 
the carriers and their services and the needs of the market.  Eventually, 
the law will catch up to the economic realities.

##T  Day Care at Stations?
  Many workers have children, or elderly, that need day care, but few 
employers offer at-work day care centers.  For the rest, the need to drive 
to the center often means driving the rest of the way the way to work.  
Passenger Transport reported about a company that is trying to improve the 
situation by locating day care centers at stations.  Drive to the station, 
leave the car and kids, and take the train to work.
  KinderCare at Work opened its first station facility adjacent to Chicago 
METRA's Lombard station.  Washington Metro's Shady Grove station is 
expected to be next followed by locations on Long Island.  Could this be a 
smart use of SEPTA's closed RRD station buildings?  Having businesses in 
the stations provides other benefits.  For example, many frozen passengers 
would have appreciated a warm lobby to use while waiting for late trains 
during the recent bad weather.--CB

##U  RailReading--All About Pantographs
  The December edition of the U.K. magazine Modern Railways includes an 
excellent treatise on the structure and function of pantographs, the 
'elbow' device which picks up current from overhead wires.  Roger Ford's 
article explains the many technical demands which complicate the job of the 
engineers who design pantographs.

##S  What is "Regional Rail"?
continued from page 12
  In planning service through the new Center City tunnel, SEPTA managers who 
themselves had little experience running a commuter railroad relied on a 
plan drawn up by University of Pennsylvania professor Vukan Vuchic, an 
expert in planning of transportation operations.  Vuchic in turn was 
influenced by European (and especially German) practices, and parts of the 
plan he created for SEPTA belie that influence.
  While Vuchic's analysis is not in error, some of the conditions he based 
the plan on have not come to pass.  Pairing of lines was based on 
ridership, to reduce the number of cars required.  But few of our off-peak 
trains run with more than minimum consists, so that pairing factor is moot.  
Slow crew changes and padding of schedules have cut into the promised 
efficiency of through service.  Thru-tunnel ridership has always been quite 
small; the chief advantage of the tunnel has been delivery of passengers 
closer to their final destinations.  Now that the tunnel has been open a 
decade and realities seen, the plan should be revisited.
  The desire to fit in to either the commuter rail or regional rail model 
mustn't be used to justify inefficiencies in the present operation, and 
mustn't be allowed to dictate operating philosophy of any new services.
Will we take advantage of regional rail?
  In all its lines and all its stations, not to mention electrification, 
there is a vast investment in our region's rail network.  There is a good 
case to be made for getting the most return on this investment by operating 
it as 'regional rail,' even though it may not be the most efficient 
strictly in terms of the operating budget.  
  Surface transit routes continue to duplicate railroad service, especially 
in the city, causing both modes to be inefficient.  Transit riders ignore 
their rail alternative, perhaps because they don't see themselves fitting 
into their stereotype of commuter rail passengers.  A marketing campaign 
needs to end this misconception, while routes and schedules need to be 
reconfigured to better coordinate with the Regional Rail lines.
  The regional rail system has been an undervalued asset, especially in the 
City of Philadelphia.  Do we downsize the network to better serve the 
traditional commuter market, or do we revise the transit network to direct 
more passengers to Regional Rail?s

##V ##NJT  NJT Welcomes DVARP Suggestion
  New Jersey Transit's Burlington County Initiative has added River Road, 
Pennsauken as an additional station site for the commuter rail option.  The 
spacious location would give convenient park & ride service to residents of 
Delair, Palmyra, Cinnaminson, Riverton, and Delran.  In addition to 
Burlington County/Philadelphia trains, the site could be served by NJT's 
Atlantic City trains.  Before this site was added to the study, the 
commuter rail option had only three stations, limiting potential ridership.  
  DVARP/NJ-ARP South Jersey Committee member Bill Ritzler developed the idea 
of a fourth station, near the Delair Bridge on track that would be shared 
with Atlantic City trains.  DVARP and NJ-ARP raised the idea with NJT; and 
suggested an additional station site at Westfield Ave., Pennsauken.
DVARP applauds NJT for taking a good idea and making it better.  We thank 
James Schwarzwalder, NJT's area studies manager, for keeping us informed.  
We are told that we can look forward to seeing the latest study results 
this month.--DN

##W  NJT Extends to Hackettstown...
  The Boonton Line is to be extended nine miles from Netcong to Hackettstown 
this fall.  NJ Transit will lease the track from Conrail, then upgrade and 
maintain it.  Only eighty passengers per day will use the two new stations, 
far fewer than would use other rail services proposed by DVARP and NJ-ARP, 
such as Bound Brook-West Trenton.  Maybe those passengers don't have the 
political clout Hackettstown does? 
...But Problems in Pascack 
  NJ-ARP has succeeded in delaying an NJ Transit study of a new Pascack 
Valley Line rail yard in Nanuet, NY, which was proposed by New York 
officials.  Residents of Spring Valley are complaining about noise from the 
yard there, but if the yard there is closed, service is likely to be cut 
back to Nanuet.  
  We note that if NJT were to spend a half-million dollars actually improving 
the line and yard instead of studying it, a lot of the neighbors' 
complaints could be taken care of.  NJ-ARP has a better idea, too: extend 
the Pascack Line to Suffern, and use the Port Jervis Line yard there!s

##X  Use the NJT Ticket Machine 
  As mentioned here last month, passengers can now buy through tickets from 
Philadelphia to New Jersey points and New York from a machine located next 
to the SEPTA machines at 30th St.  The machine accepts both cash and credit 
cards for most tickets.
  There is a drawback that the machine sells tickets to/from Center City 
Philadelphia only.  Passengers who wish to travel from outlying stations 
will have to extend their tickets on-board, trading a slightly higher SEPTA 
fare for avoiding the hassle of buying tickets during the transfer at 
Trenton.
  To use the machine, follow the directions on the video screen.  Push a 
button selecting cash or charge, then enter the number of the destination 
station as shown on the map.  Press the button for the type of ticket you 
want, then make your payment.--MDM

##NJT  New Jersey News

Willingboro.

Conrail for $1 million.  The abandoned track will be replaced by a trail 
for biking, horse riding, and hiking.

local authorities.  Restoring train service to the West Trenton line 
station would be even more historic.

bus service recently, but DVARP's Transit Committee has not had time to 
study the changes.  

...two new shuttle buses from Mount Holly and Medford to the Eastgate 
complex in Mount Laurel; a line between Northeast Philadelphia and Evesham 
via Route 73; a run between Mount Holly and Philadelphia, and one between 
Moorestown and Haddonfield and Camden. An important, long-sought, cross-
county route between Woodbury and the Avondale section in Winslow is also 
in the mix, as are several lines between area malls.  
The Mount Holly-Philadelphia service is a puzzle because NJT already has 
such a route.  The Philadelphia-Evesham service is at least the third try 
at service across the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge corridor--hopefully this time 
will be successful.--CB

##Y ##DEL  Small Wonder--Delaware Does it Again! 
  The Delaware Transportation Authority is close to agreement with SEPTA on a 
contract which will extend selected SEPTA Wilmington trains to Newark, 
Delaware.  The extended service may start in April!  Several intermediate 
stations are proposed, including  Newport, Sandy Brae Industrial Park, and 
Stanton.  Closure of the SEPTA/DTA deal for Wilmington trains (see December 
DVRP) may also unblock negotiations for the jointly-sponsored Route 202 
West Chester-Wilmington bus.
  There is also talk in Delaware of a similar agreement extending Maryland 
MARC trains from Perryville into Delaware, thus 'closing the gap' in 
Northeast Corridor commuter service.  Only the Old Saybrook, CT-Providence, 
RI segment would be without commuter trains, as commuting distances grow 
longer and more states take advantage of their back-to-back commuter 
markets.
  In recognition of his success in expanding rail service in Delaware, 
Delmarva Rail Passenger Association awarded its 'Golden Spike Award' to 
Delaware Railroad Administration chief Tom Hickey.  DRPA also gave credit 
to Delaware legislators Harris B. McDowell, III, and Dave Ennis.--MDM

##DEL  Diamond State Notes
  More good news from a state with an active approach to rail service: the 
state of Delaware has purchased the former B&O Wilmington station.  The 
building is about one block from the Amtrak station and could be see 
service again if downstate passenger trains are restored.  First action was 
to securely close the station to vandals while preliminaries to repairs are 
in process.  Still to be resolved is land under the station which remains 
with CSX.

right of way from Easton, Md. to Clayton, Del.  Plans are to restore rail 
freight service.

have expanded to 7, and service frequency increased.  Route maps were also 
improved.  The service area has expanded to the east.  CDT buses depart 
downtown Dover from 7:00 am to 5:30 pm.  Another 'Attaway' to DelDOT for 
the improvements. --CB

##Z ##ATK  Seniors Save on Amtrak
  Amtrak is offering a 15 percent discount to senior citizens over 65, giving 
more savings off its already-low fares.  The senior tariff is not effective 
on Auto-Train or Metroliner service, and seats at these fares are limited 
on some trains. 

##AA ##ATK  Amtrak Notes
  The first of the Superliner II cars, the Arkansas (wanna guess why that one 
came first?) is in service on the City of New Orleans.  A total of 55 new 
double-deck sleepers are arriving over the next year, and the first of 20 
new diners is expected this month.  They introduce a new paint scheme, too.  
Amtrak has exercised an option in the order for 55 additional cars, mostly 
crew dormitory-high/low-level transition cars.  The Superliner IIs are 
being built in Vermont by Bombardier.

available: barbecued short ribs, chicken Parmesan, and vegetable lasagna.  
Pre-prepared, frozen, then microwaved when served, all three are tasty, but 
not quite filling enough.

capacity and reliability.  A contract was let recently for a new solid-
state frequency converter to be installed at Sunnyside Yard in Queens.

side photo of new motive power:  Sweden's X2000, Germany's ICE, and the 
G.E. Genesis locomotive, made in Pennsylvania.  The calendar is $5.00 per 
copy, $3.00 or less for orders of 5 or more.  To order, send check or M.O. 
to Amtrak Calendar, Box 7717, Itasca IL 60143.

Seattle and Vancouver, BC, and has dedicated $24 million for equipment and 
other needs.  Service between Seattle and Portland will also be expanded, 
to four trains per day starting this fall.

Correction:  The locomotive which struck an illegally-routed oversized 
truck in Florida December was an F40PH, not an AMD-103. 

##BB  British Privatization Clears Fractious Parliament 
  Prime Minister John Major of Great Britain secured approval late last year 
of his Government's plan to privatize British Rail.  The bill was rammed 
through Parliament under special rules cutting off debate despite the need 
to consider hundreds of amendments put forth by the House of Lords.  The 
only significant change accepted by the Government was to permit British 
Rail to bid on service franchises under certain circumstances.
On April 1, private companies are to submit bids for franchises to operate 
the first of some 25 packages of routes, while all the trains are to be 
transferred to three new companies which will lease them to the operators.  
  The Government expects to be able to sell those companies off to the 
private sector.  Meanwhile, responsibility for constructing and maintaining 
the tracks will be transferred to the new "Railtrack" company, which will 
still receive Government investment.
  The prospect, as reported by Modern Railways, is that the franchising will 
be in most cases a monumental failure.  Few serious outside bids are 
shaping up; the Government holds out hope for buyouts by management.  
Virtually no knowledgeable observer inside or outside England predicts that 
a privatized BR will ever be profitable, or serve customers as well as the 
present unified railway.  They express shock that Major would tinker with 
the existing 'sectorized' management structure, which brought 
accountability to management and made BR arguably the best financial 
performer among European railways.  
  In fact, with all the added bureaucratic costs, the Government will spend a 
billion pounds more on the railways next year.  Maybe Major wrote the bill 
as a full employment act for the lawyers, accountants, and bankers who make 
up much of his dwindling base of public support.  Or possibly Major saw 
this as a means of stepping out of Margaret Thatcher's shadow.  More likely 
it is an extension of Tory economic policies to their extreme (absurd?) 
conclusion.  
  Advocates for the passengers are rightfully worried; with the possibility 
of two dozen different operators, through-ticketing and even the 
consolidated national timetable are to go by the wayside.  Fares for most 
trips are expected to go up, and service cuts are likely as a focus on 
bottom-line profits replaces the goal of serving the needs of the 
travelling public.  They foresee a replay of the awful experience of bus 
privatization.  
  Meanwhile, retired railwaymen allege that in privatization, the Government 
will divert their L4 billion pension fund into the general treasury.  Our 
own experience with increasing the number of different agencies responsible 
for delivering any service is that it increases the number of things which 
can go wrong, and promotes finger-pointing instead of solving problems.
--MDM

Modern Railways' coverage of the debate over privatization and analysis of 
its consequences has been exceptionally detailed, yet understandable.  
Persons interested in the issues surrounding government involvement and 
balanced transportation policy will find a wealth of lessons here.

##CC  'Chunnel' Opening Soon!
  The long-awaited rail tunnel between Britain and France is undergoing final 
tests.  The expected start for shuttle service carrying cars across the 
Channel is May; passengers without automobiles are not carried on these 
trains.  'Eurostar' passenger trains between London and Paris and Brussels 
should be rolling this summer, but overnight services though the tunnel 
will not begin until 1995.

##DD  Europe Makes New Year's Revolutions
 While not the shock therapy prescribed by Prime Minister Major, 
reorganization has been prescribed for several other European railways this 
year.  'Commercialization' is a good word to describe the first step 
towards privatization which was taken in several countries.  The East and 
West German railways will be merged into Deutsche Bahn AG (DBAG), which 
will be kept at arm's length from the government, as Amtrak is.  The 
company will be divided into sectors for passenger services, freight, and 
infrastructure.  Netherlands Railways is also being divided and 
commercialized; the process is being repeated in other nations too.--MDM 

##EE  Computer Corner: Where to Get Your DVRP 
  Thanks to a change in mail hosts, DVARP is now able to offer its members e-
mail subscriptions to the Delaware Valley Rail Passenger in addition to the 
regular hard-copy edition.  The e-mail edition bypasses the printer and 
post office, so it reaches readers about 7 to 10 days earlier.  Another new 
improvement for 1994 is a set of searchable article headers, keyed to the 
table of contents.  
  To be added to the on-line subscription list, send an e-mail message to 
<mmitchell@ asrr.arsusda.gov> with your name, member number, and e-mail 
address. As always, the DVARP newsletter is available by several internet 
methods as well as on selected bulletin board systems.  Here's a summary: 

GET DVARP 9401 RAILNEWS (Substitute the desired year and month for 9401, or 
send the message INDEX RAILNEWS for the complete file list) The list server 
will automatically send you the file by e-mail. 

  DVARP thanks archivists Geert K. Marien, Robert Wier, Rick DeMattia, and 
Harry Sutton for making our newsletter available to the net community. 

##FF ##ATK  Book Summer Trips Now!
  Even though new Superliners are entering Amtrak service every week, long-
distance passengers are advised to make reservations as early as possible, 
to assure best choice of dates at the lowest fares.  Some Amtrak fares are 
'capacity-controlled, like airline fares, meaning only a limited number of 
seats are available at the lowest fare.
  If you want to take a rail vacation trip, but don't have a lot of time, 
consider Amtrak's Air-Rail Plan.  This zoned fare offers three stopovers on 
the rail portion of the trip, so it's also advantageous if you want to put 
several different destinations on your itinerary.  Fares are often lower 
than corresponding air-only fares, and there are fewer restrictions; so 
smart travelers are getting the best of both with Air-Rail.MDM

##GG  Too Much of a Good Thing?
  Most passengers have suffered from late and/or infrequent service.  If only 
it was better.  Is 5 minutes really acceptable as an on-time standard?
Docklands Light Railway in London attempted to do much better.  They hired 
a consultant to run a two minute headway with 97 percent success.  On time 
meant within 10 seconds!  Certainly an admirable idea.  Cost?  That is not 
clear.
  Results?  Work is continuing to meet the target.  The previously opened 
part of the line seems to be somewhat improved.  However, a new route was 
supposed to go into service back in October 1992, but has been pused back 
to this spring.  Seems trains are running, but the line will not open for 
passengers until the on-time goal is achieved for 30 days during testing.  
  Lets think now, we delay everybody at least 18 months so that nobody will 
be more than 10 seconds late.  Wonder what happens when passengers finally 
get on--will the doors close before everybody gets on or off so the 
consultant gets paid for being on time to the second?s--CB

##HH  Transit's Own TV Program
  "The New Electric Railway Journal," produced by the magazine of the same 
name, is now on the air.  The monthly news and interview program is being 
broadcast over National Empowerment Television, the cable network just 
launched by NERJ parent Free Congress Foundation.  Though few local cable 
systems carry NET at this time, viewers with a satellite dish can catch the 
program via Galaxy 7, transponder 20.  Broadcast time is not yet announced, 
call FCF at 202-546-3000 or 800-525-4992. s

##II  Oh, Canada! (Film Show)
  A classic train trip through Canada will be just a short SEPTA ride away 
March 2, as the Jenkintown Kiwanis present Doug Jones's film travelogue 
"The Great Canadian Train Ride" 8:00 pm at the Keswick Theatre in Glenside.  
Tickets are $10.00, and will be sold at the door.

##JJ  Renewal Reminder
  Please renew your DVARP membership right away, if you haven't done so 
already.  We need your support to continue with our work analyzing 
transportation plans, monitoring the quality of transit service, and 
telling government officials and the public about the need for balanced 
transportation.
  Check the label on your newsletter.  If it says 1994, thanks for renewing!  
If not, send the page 19 coupon and your check today.  Please allow several 
weeks for processing; we are an all-volunteer organization.

Save the Date!
  Please remember that the April General Meeting will be held on a Thursday 
evening!

##KK  Trolley Coalition Meetings
  The Philadelphia Trolley Coalition will hold a joint meeting with DVARP 
this month.  In March, PTC will travel to the Boyertown Museum of Historic 
Vehicles for a special lecture on trolleys, while the April 23 meeting will 
be at the Blue Bell near Elmwood Depot.  See the calendar below for 
details.

##LL  NARP Regional Meetings: 
  Early spring is the traditional time for the annual regional meetings of 
the National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP).  To date, we have 
received these notices:

Albany,. NY.  Guest speakers from NY DOT, NY State Assembly, Conrail, and 
Amtrak.  For information, call Bill Brizzell of ESPA at 518-785-6755.

and program to be announced.  For information, call Steve von Bonin of DRPA 
at 302-492-3676.

Ohio.  Guest speaker: Donald Pease, member of the Amtrak Board and former 
member of U.S. House of Representatives.  For information and reservations, 
call Larry George of OARP at 419-698-2167.

Harriet Parcells of NARP.

##MM  Dates of Interest

Station or Market East Station.

7777 for new schedules.

Room, 714 Market St.

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

Ave., Collingswood, NJ.

Center City, 1616 Walnut St.

Mitchell or in DVARP mailbox.

Market St.

963-3169 for information

Wed., Mar. 2, 8:00 pm at the Keswick Theatre, Easton Rd. and Keswick Ave., 
Glenside.  Tickets $10.00 at the door.

Stationmaster's Office, Amtrak Wilmngton Station.  Call Ken Berg, 410-648-
4405, for more information.

Inn, 102 Radcliff St., Bristol.

1121 Chestnut St., Phila.

Museum of Historic Vehicles, 28 Warnick St., Boyertown, PA.  Guest lecture 
on history of area trolleys.  For meeting and carpool information, call 
Joel Spivak, 215-785-7717.

Mar. 19, 9:00 to 5:00 at Hall of Science Auditorium, Drew University, 
Madison NJ.  Presentations on proposed museum.  Registration $30.00, 
contact Bob Hooper, 4 Carriage Hill Dr., Long Valley NJ, for information.

Ave., Collingswood, NJ.

Library.

Bonin, 302-492-3676, for details.
  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.

##NN  Up and Down the Corridor
  News of other Northeastern commuter rail and rail transit services

M-I-C-K-E-Y V-R-E? 
  Walt Disney Corp.'s plans to build the "Disney's America" theme park in the 
Virginia suburbs west of Washington has led to local concern about the 
effect on traffic, especially on I-66.  Some have suggested a Virginia Rail 
Express extension from Manassas to Haymarket. Meanwhile, VRE faces problems 
with the freight railroads over which its trains operate.  They are 
demanding higher trackage rights payments, and objecting to schedules for 
proposed off-peak service.  Partly as a result of these items, VRE is 
proposing the first fare increase in its history.

MARC Upgrade 
  The new and improved Brunswick and Camden Line schedules went into effect 
Jan. 31, bringing new mid-day and evening service.  Penn Line service was 
also increased.  There are newly-named express trains, but that's not the 
big story--MARC is seeking to beat the auto in comfort by introducing caf? 
and reserved-seat parlor car service on selected Brunswick and Penn trains.  
The parlor seat costs $105 a month above the usual rail fare, still only 
one-third or less of the lease payment on some less-prestigous cars.  For 
more information, call 1-800-325-RAIL.

GM Go-Round
  Washington WMATA hired San Jose's Lawrence Reuter as General Manager, 
replacing former SEPTA (and MBTA, NYCTA, etc.) GM David Gunn, whose 
resignation takes effect next month. 

Metrocard on Sale 
  New York subway riders now have a 'plastic token:' the TA's Metrocard.  The 
card can be purchased at selected stations, and is 'swiped' thru new 
turnstiles just like a SEPTA pass.  Initial reports are that the card is 
very popular.

Timetables Reach the Big Apple 
  The TA has finally relented to rider pressure, and will publish timetables 
for its subay and bus routes for the first time since the 1950s. 

More Metro-North 
  Metro-North recently increased service again.  They also plan to replace 
the Upper Hudson Line stations at Crugers and Montrose with a new Cortlandt 
station.

##OO  DVARP Phone & Voice-mail Directory
0  DVARP main number (voice mail line)	 215-222-3373 
1  Chuck Bode, President	 215-222-3373 
5  Tom Borawski, VP-Transportation	 215-552-4198 
     <73243.1224@compuserve.com>
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  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
0  Dan Radack, Bicycle Coordinator	215-232-6303
Media Hotline (digital beeper)	215-552-4198
Computer e-mail (internet)	73243.1224@compuserve.com 

##PP  DVARP Membership/Renewal Coupon
Yes, I want to support improved passenger train service in our region!  
	Here are my DVARP membership dues for 1994!	2/94

Name	                              Membership Number

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
	(  ) under 21 or over 65: $7.50	

##QQ  Upcoming DVARP Meetings:
Saturday, February 19, 1:00 to 4:00	Temple University Center City
  1616 Walnut St., Philadelphia
  *Joint meeting with the Philadelphia Trolley Coalition 
  Please check message board in lobby for meeting room
  Smoking, food, and drinks prohibited in meeting room
Saturday, March 19, 1:00 to 4:00	Collingswood Public Library
Thursday, April 14, 1:00 to 4:00	Temple University Center City
  please note Thursday date!

##RR  Agenda for the February meeting:
1:00 Introductions, agenda, minutes
1:10 Issues requiring immediate action
  Federal Budget
  Light rail conversions of RRD lines
  Rail and transit service in Jan. storms
  R5 service after Bryn Mawr fire
2:30 Other issues
  Transit Committe:	
      New SEPTA streetcars
  Commuter Rail Committee:
      R6 Cynwyd infrastructure
  Administration:
      Conflict-of-interest policy
      Incorporation
      Newsletter electronic subscriptions

##SS  Committee Meetings:
South Jersey Committee:  Sat., Feb. 19, 10:15 at 104 Edison Ave., 
  Collingswood, NJ
Transit Committee:  to be determined at February General Meeting
Commuter Rail Committee:  Sat., Mar. 12, 12:00 at Chestnut Gourmet, 1121 
  Chestnut St.