Observations: Little Red Railcar and Somerton Station

On my way home yesterday, I noticed two things that I constantly see every day and keep forgetting to ask about here.

1. On one of the stub tracks at Suburban Station, there is a red railcar with SEPTA's callsign painted on the side along with an american flag. Why is it there, what is it used for, and does it ever get used?

2. I've also noticed that on the inbound side of Somerton Station, there is an asphalt path leading to what looks like used to be an inbound platform. There is fencing installed on it now, and the path leads to Calvary Chapel (that school/church that takes up most of the block between Bustleton and Byberry.) Was that just a temporary platform, and when was it used?

And, just for fun, I have two more observations that I would like to share, not because I'm curious, but I just thought it was interesting:

3. I borded the MFSE at 2nd Street yesterday afternoon around 3, and the train was packed with Transit Police. Not only have I never seen so many policemen in one place at one time, I never felt so safe in my life. They all got off at 15th Street. I later saw two of them at 30th Street Station. I figured that the rest of them went to the funeral procession for the slain Philadelphia officer.

4. Also, at 30th Street Station, I saw a wedding party getting pictures taken. I never saw something like that before. They both must have been hardcore railfans.

Well, just some food for thought.

R3 Passenger wrote:On my way home yesterday, I noticed two things that I constantly see every day and keep forgetting to ask about here.

1. On one of the stub tracks at Suburban Station, there is a red railcar with SEPTA's callsign painted on the side along with an american flag. Why is it there, what is it used for, and does it ever get used?

2. I've also noticed that on the inbound side of Somerton Station, there is an asphalt path leading to what looks like used to be an inbound platform. There is fencing installed on it now, and the path leads to Calvary Chapel (that school/church that takes up most of the block between Bustleton and Byberry.) Was that just a temporary platform, and when was it used?

And, just for fun, I have two more observations that I would like to share, not because I'm curious, but I just thought it was interesting:

3. I borded the MFSE at 2nd Street yesterday afternoon around 3, and the train was packed with Transit Police. Not only have I never seen so many policemen in one place at one time, I never felt so safe in my life. They all got off at 15th Street. I later saw two of them at 30th Street Station. I figured that the rest of them went to the funeral procession for the slain Philadelphia officer.

4. Also, at 30th Street Station, I saw a wedding party getting pictures taken. I never saw something like that before. They both must have been hardcore railfans.

Well, just some food for thought.

1) It's a SEPTA Caboose. According to a quick search..

the caboose is used by our car department for mechanical purposes. it houses or stores cleaning supplies...

2) Indeed! I had some time to kill on Thursday, and I went over to check it out. It looks as if its been there for awhile. Is is part of an old station that was there, or is it of some other origin?

The abandoned platform at Somerton was used while the current platform was being bebuilt during the reconstruction of the station about five years ago.

The funeral procession for Sgt Liczbinski departed from the Basilica around 2:35, not sure what all of the Transit Police would have been doing other than staffing up for rush hour.

R3 Passenger wrote:Also, at 30th Street Station, I saw a wedding party getting pictures taken. I never saw something like that before. They both must have been hardcore railfans.

Not necessarily. Amtrak routinely rents out the north waiting room for catered parties and other functions that have nothing to do with the railroad. Look around, and you might find a sign advertising the space and giving more information.

BTW, if anyone ever wants to host something at 30th Street, I can recommend an good event planner who's worked there before.

I've attended at least one business event at 30th over the years.

Even if you're not a railfan, 30th is one of the great train stations in the US and the architecture is appealing to many. We're fortunate that it remains in good shape even with the financial misfortunes of its owning railroads over the past half century.