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  • SEPTA Plays The Name Game Once Again.

  • Discussion relating to Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (Philadelphia Metro Area). Official web site can be found here: www.septa.com. Also including discussion related to the PATCO Speedline rapid transit operated by Delaware River Port Authority. Official web site can be found here: http://www.ridepatco.org/.
Discussion relating to Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (Philadelphia Metro Area). Official web site can be found here: www.septa.com. Also including discussion related to the PATCO Speedline rapid transit operated by Delaware River Port Authority. Official web site can be found here: http://www.ridepatco.org/.

Moderator: AlexC

 #1532063  by BuddCar711
 
Starting today, the University City Regional Rail station will be renamed the Penn Medicine station (obviously to collect on naming rights). The thing is that the one name change that would be logical for SEPTA to do but they refuse to do it, and that is to rename the 15th Street Market-Frankford and Subway-Surface station to City Hall (after all, both the M.F. and S.S. connects with the Broad Street Line and the B.S. is already City Hall). I wonder will another station in the system will be renamed before 15th Street will.
 #1532064  by mcgrath618
 
Of all of the name changes we’ve seen, this is the only one that makes logical sense and, in my mind, actually clarifies something about the station. University City was only ever good for Penn Students (medical or otherwise). If you’re going to Drexel, just take the train to 30th.
 #1532065  by rcthompson04
 
mcgrath618 wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 9:08 am Of all of the name changes we’ve seen, this is the only one that makes logical sense and, in my mind, actually clarifies something about the station. University City was only ever good for Penn Students (medical or otherwise). If you’re going to Drexel, just take the train to 30th.
I don't have a problem with the change either. As you noted, it is not a great stop for most University City.

I guess if the City of Philadelphia was willing to pay enough they could get City Hall for Suburban Station. I suspect Suburban Station is off limits for renaming just like nobody is talking about giving Fenway or Yankee stadiums corporate names.
 #1532087  by ExCon90
 
Not much chance of any municipality springing for renaming rights with taxpayers' money; it would have to be a corporate-prestige thing. (Macy's Station?--wrong side of City Hall.) Maybe it was felt that 13th and 15th are equally situated to serve City Hall, but since the transfer to the BSS is at 15th St. I think it would make a lot of sense to change the name, so there's your trouble right there ...

Now that I think of it, I imagine that "Jefferson" station must have been really eating into the folks at Penn Medicine. Do we know how much they're paying?
Last edited by ExCon90 on Mon Jan 27, 2020 3:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
 #1532089  by mcgrath618
 
ExCon90 wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 3:34 pm Not much chance of any municipality springing for renaming rights with taxpayers' money; it would have to be a corporate-prestige thing. (Macy's Station?--wrong side of City Hall.) Maybe it was felt that 13th and 15th are equally situated to serve City Hall, but since the transfer to the BSS is at 15th St. I think it would make a lot of sense to change the name, so there's your trouble right there ...
I would do it without any money. 15th Street isn't even the major thoroughfare of the area; it's 14t- I mean Broad Street.
 #1532097  by JeffK
 
BuddCar711 wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 8:35 am ... the one name change that would be logical for SEPTA to do but they refuse to do it, and that is to rename the 15th Street Market-Frankford and Subway-Surface station to City Hall
The Inky did a story about that couple of months ago. The gist was that SEPTA looked into the idea but decided it would cause too much confusion. There was serious concern that with the number of non-commuters (e.g. sports fans, concertgoers, etc.) who use MFSE and BSS, many might end up on the wrong line. The feeling was that the names would have to be qualified somehow, like "City Hall / Market-Frankford" and "City Hall / Broad Street" which is a mouthful.

Of course none of that seems to have stopped them from renaming a bunch of P&W stations the same as RRD stations even if they’re miles apart.

... the B.S. is already City Hall.
That’s one way to put it :P :P
 #1532107  by mm670
 
mcgrath618 wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 9:08 am Of all of the name changes we’ve seen, this is the only one that makes logical sense and, in my mind, actually clarifies something about the station. University City was only ever good for Penn Students (medical or otherwise). If you’re going to Drexel, just take the train to 30th.
Wasn't 30th Street renamed by Federal law in 2014 to William H. Gray III 30th Street Station ?
 #1532111  by ekt8750
 
mm670 wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 9:26 pm
mcgrath618 wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 9:08 am Of all of the name changes we’ve seen, this is the only one that makes logical sense and, in my mind, actually clarifies something about the station. University City was only ever good for Penn Students (medical or otherwise). If you’re going to Drexel, just take the train to 30th.
Wasn't 30th Street renamed by Federal law in 2014 to William H. Gray III 30th Street Station ?
Official name. Also that's Amtrak's property.
 #1532126  by ryan92084
 
Bit of a mouthful and now we'll have 3 or 4 stations people will call Penn station in the region, fun.
BuddCar711 wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 8:35 am Starting today, the University City Regional Rail station will be renamed the Penn Medicine station (obviously to collect on naming rights). The thing is that the one name change that would be logical for SEPTA to do but they refuse to do it, and that is to rename the 15th Street Market-Frankford and Subway-Surface station to City Hall (after all, both the M.F. and S.S. connects with the Broad Street Line and the B.S. is already City Hall). I wonder will another station in the system will be renamed before 15th Street will.
People seem to expect stations to be named after streets within the city. You'd be surprised by the number of people saying they are going to Suburban Street and Jefferson Street.