SEPTA Rebuilding for the Future Updates

[SCB2525]

Did the CBTC for routes 101/102 complete and have their been any improvements in operation as a result?

New crossovers installed at Woodland, Scenic and Providence but they're clamped and OOS.

[mcgrath618]

http://septa.org/rebuilding/pdf/novembe ... update.pdf
According to this, the crossing at Lenni should be finished by now. I had no idea that the bridge over Route 1 had to be replaced; hopefully that's a sign that they're at least considering a return to West Chester.

[ekt8750]

http://septa.org/rebuilding/pdf/november-2018-construction-update.pdf
According to this, the crossing at Lenni should be finished by now. I had no idea that the bridge over Route 1 had to be replaced; hopefully that's a sign that they're at least considering a return to West Chester.

They are. Also I believe the Wawa island platform extends across the US 1 overpass and the current bridge wouldn't be able to accommodate that.

[njt/mnrrbuff]

I rode the West Chester Railroad on Sunday and found it to be a neat operation. I could see why Septa would be reluctant to restore service to West Chester. Unless if you are running express trains, there is really no point as much of the old route is too curvy and tracks aren't in good shape. I think I was told that eventually, WCR will run some trains to Wawa where they will connect to Septa. I'm fine with that.

If you live in West Chester, you are pretty much no more than a five mile drive, depending on where you live from Exton. In fact, I took Amtrak to Exton and then an Uber to get to West Chester.

[ChesterValley]

Slowly but surly http://septa.org/rebuilding/pdf/2018-12 ... update.pdf, Wawa is being rebuilt.

No idea what the project status is on the KOP Spur, especially with the continuing partial shutdown the FTA has ground to a halt.

[mcgrath618]

KOP spur hits two major milestones in one month:
https://www.dailylocal.com/news/local/k ... e67da.html

he King of Prussia Rail Project has reached two milestones within the month.

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority Board has approved a contract to advance further engineering of the KOP Rail extension of the Norristown High Speed Line. The selected consultant team is led by HNTB, an infrastructure solutions firm serving public and private owners and contractors.

The contract scope encompasses the detailed preliminary design work, including surveying and utility and geotechnical investigations. This will progress the engineering and architectural design from the conceptual Locally Preferred Alternative, completing 15 percent of the total design. This design work is able to progress and is fully funded with existing federal funds already allocated to the project.

Additionally, the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission released a new study earlier this month that explores the local land use and transportation implications of the proposed extension of SEPTA’s Norristown High Speed Line to the King of Prussia area.

Things seem to be moving along.

[JeffK]

The elephant* in the room of course is the current administration which opposes the entire New Starts program. Much is riding on Congress being willing to put up more-balanced funding.

*Symbolism intentional

[ekt8750]

Drove through Wawa over the weekend and all of the land in the area of the station has been completely cleared. All that remains is the old overpass over Baltimore Pike which is supposed to come down soon.

[glennk419]

Drove through Wawa over the weekend and all of the land in the area of the station has been completely cleared. All that remains is the old overpass over Baltimore Pike which is supposed to come down soon.

Is the overpass being replaced due to age or will WCRR be totally landlocked?

[mcgrath618]

Drove through Wawa over the weekend and all of the land in the area of the station has been completely cleared. All that remains is the old overpass over Baltimore Pike which is supposed to come down soon.

Is the overpass being replaced due to age or will WCRR be totally landlocked?

It will indeed be replaced.

[ekt8750]

Drove through Wawa over the weekend and all of the land in the area of the station has been completely cleared. All that remains is the old overpass over Baltimore Pike which is supposed to come down soon.

Is the overpass being replaced due to age or will WCRR be totally landlocked?

It'll be replaced. The new station's platform will extend over the new bridge.

[glennk419]

Interesting. Thanks

[mcgrath618]

Interesting. Thanks

You brought up the WCRR. There's a rumor circulating around that if SEPTA won't look seriously into restoring service to West Chester, the WCRR will run some sort of service from Wawa into town.

[SCB2525]

Interesting. Thanks

You brought up the WCRR. There's a rumor circulating around that if SEPTA won't look seriously into restoring service to West Chester, the WCRR will run some sort of service from Wawa into town.

Doubtful without significant upgrade to the track; its currently FRA excepted meaning no passengers allowed. I can't speak for WCRR's track beyond Glen Mills but its in deplorable shape between Wawa and Glen Mills, especially along the quarry. That section is what killed the ballast trains running several years back.

WCRR doesn't lease this section and SEPTA has no compelling reason to dump money into it.

[ChesterValley]

The elephant* in the room of course is the current administration which opposes the entire New Starts program. Much is riding on Congress being willing to put up more-balanced funding.

*Symbolism intentional

I think you're downplaying the problem. The US DOT has been holding back on giving money to projects that have already been allocated funding found here: http://t4america.org/transitfundingdelays/. The latest out of the FTA is that

The FY 2019 proposal limits funding for the CIG Program to projects with existing full funding grant agreements. For the remaining projects in the CIG program, FTA is not requesting or recommending funding. Future investments in new transit projects would be funded by the localities that use and benefit from these localized projects.

This is pulled from their page which can be located here: https://www.transit.dot.gov/sites/fta.dot.gov/files/docs/funding/grant-programs/capital-investments/69556/fy19-annual-report.pdf

Keep in mind this is completely independent of the budget which the Trump administration already attempted to kill off the new starts program.