More El cars with new seats: 1041-1042

Rode the MFSE 15th to 34th yesterday around 2:50PM. Married pair 1041-1042 had the new seats--and no scratchitti. The expressions on several passengers' faces led me to believe that the retrofits are not going unnoticed or unappreciated. I'll try to keep my camera with me in the future in case I stumble across one the cars with the new seats again.

Interesting.

Since I haven't been on the MFL in quite a while (and the odds of me getting a 'new' car is quite rare), could someone post a picture of the new seats for both myself and the other members?

Thanks!

Want to see what they look like? Go ride a 5000-5800 series bus. Same type of seats on the PCC-II cars. They're terrible.....I think we went from bad to worse....

I take it you'd rather sit on those horrible plastic on plastic seats that could be found in the now retired Neoplan transit buses numbered 8285-8875 and 3000-3117? Those were the most un comfortable seats.

Jfrey40535: the new seats on the El are NOT the same type as on the PCC-IIs. The new El seats are the new type of bus seats--the same type that they have in the newest low-floor buses with the curved back, making them look kind of "wavy." The seats and backs are made from very thin metal, as opposed to the older bus seats (those found on the PCC-IIs) which are much boxier looking. Trust me, the new seats on the El look very slick.

(PS: I'm not a bus fan so I don't know all the makes and models, but the new El seats are the same type I've seen on the newest low-floor buses on route 21; I think they might be New Flyers?)

Penn: The first retrofitted cars I was on had the old metal boxy seats, which I think are very uncomortable. I would prefer something akin to the BSS cars. With these new seats, they will still be prone to staining and moisture absorbtion as the old ones were. Based on the patron types on the MFL I would have thought a non-cloth seat would have been more appropriate.

Anyone remember the famous Pat Deon comment a couple of years back, to the effect that he wished all SEPTA seating were "stainless steel benches that could be hosed off at the end of the day"?

If anyone wants to compare the seats for themselves, it'd appear an oppertunity is at hand. 1037-1038 and 1041-1042 are now coupled, with 1049-1050 forming the third pair. I saw them on a Frankford bound train at 8th and Market about 11:45 this morning. At that time 1050 was leading (with 1042 on the 69th St end, IIRC), but a few relays at FTC and loops at 69th will likely change that.

I have to say that I really like the seats in 1041-1042, they're still fairly comfortable, even with the loss of the padding. Just as far as I can tell, they seem to have higher backs than both the current seats and the bus seats on 1037-1038. Judging from SEPTA's bus fleet, they do a fairly good job keeping the fabric inserts in the buses fairly clean, so here's hoping they do the same with these new seats.

After talking with some people at the 69th St. shops, it is my understanding that the decision has been all but made to go with the older style bus seat configuration, as installed in 1037-38. Apparently that is the preferred version. No word just yet on when we'll see more cars get them, though.

JeffK wrote:Anyone remember the famous Pat Deon comment a couple of years back, to the effect that he wished all SEPTA seating were "stainless steel benches that could be hosed off at the end of the day"?

That wouldn't be very far from the old PRT (PTC predecessor) practice of using slatted polished wooden seats. ( The original 1911 Nearside Streetcars had this kind of seating). Then there were the rattan seats used on the original ( 1907) MSE cars. Seating on Philadelphia's transit vehicles was often uncomfortable.

walt wrote:Then there were the rattan seats used on the original ( 1907) MSE cars.

You're makin' me feel old. I remember those rattan seats very well from the days when my parents took us from Upper Darby to go shopping at Wanamaker's and Gimbel's - and of course to see the Christmas light show, which thankfully still exists.

Seating on Philadelphia's transit vehicles was often uncomfortable.

But Pat Deon's quote was simply thoughtless and insensitive; i.e. an example of the 1234 mindset towards riders.

I agree--- Somewhat OT ( at least for the topic of seats), but if you remember the "El"'s rattan seats do you also remember that prior to the introduction of the M-3 ( Almond Joy) Cars, the subway surface PCC Cars would actually out run the El's in the subway between 30th Street and 19th Street eastbound?

I haven't been on those cars yet to check out the new seats. I will say one thing though, all of the cars despertly need new seats because the original seats are getting worse and worse each day it seems. Its a shame because when the M4's first came out the seats were nice. Its a shame that people couldn't have kept them nice.

That's the exact same thing I think almost every time I set foot on a Silverliner IV.

What's with that kind of seating (cloth and padding vs. heavy-duty plastic something-or-other on the SL2's and 3's, or plastic bench seats on the trolleys and BSS cars) that makes it not only not stand up to the test of time, but also retain the bodily odor of every person who sat in that seat before you?

The new seats are just another example of SEPTA's failure to think. Not only was money wasted on the old ones, but the new ones are smaller and less comfortable. Guess they really don't want people to ride.

You would think they would have taken note of how well the old Silverliner IV seats which lasted from '76 until 02 or 03, or the seats on the PATCO cars which are still in great shape.

I can see it now in 5 years--get on a Silverliner and sit on a bus seat!