How a Tunnel made SEPTA America’s Best Regional Rail

SEPTA Regional Rail is the 100% electrified train system operating in and around Philadelphia. It started out as two separate, rival commuter networks. But a little bit of ingenuity turned it into a world-class system. Now we just wait for new trains to arrive…
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Chapters
0:00 Introduction
1:15 Philadelphia 30th Street Station
1:58 Buying a Ticket
2:25 Riding the former Pennsylvania Railroad
5:28 Suburban Station
7:03 History of the Reading Lines
8:08 Building the Center City Commuter Connection
8:41 Jefferson Station and the Reading Terminal Market
12:34 Riding the former Reading Company
14:55 Other Applications

[@SteveGettingAroundPhilly]

Philly native and regular SEPTA rider who shouts about them on youtube here: and I totally agree that SEPTA has the bones of one of, if not the best, regional rail system on the continent with the tunnel and all of the routes it runs on. The main reason why they can't take full advantage with S-bahn frequency is due to a lack of staff to run the trains at such a frequency due to, you guessed it, lack of funding. You get the staff to do it, get the replacement for the Silverliner IVs, which they're starting to do, do fare integration with the rest of their services, and in the further future, fix a few bottlenecks on the system, and it can truly be world class like it should be.

[@Thom-TRA]

I’m very curious to find out who will build the new Silverliners. And yeah, staffing is a pervasive issue in a lot of places unfortunately.

[@ELAlcoRS3]

@@Thom-TRA The new Silverliner V (which you filmed but didn't ride on) were built by Hyundai Rotem. They have a fantastic "rail fan window" up front. They are also used on RTD in Denver.

[@tardissixteen8178]

@@ELAlcoRS3the Silverliner V isn’t really new anymore. SEPTA got the first ones in 2010. They’re currently looking into ordering Silverliner VIs which will replace the now 50 year old Silverliner IVs

[@ericbruun9020]

SEPTA trains are overstaffed. This is part of the reason headway are still 1 hour or 30 minutes.

[@chrishowell4845]

@@tardissixteen8178 , I was wondering if there was anyone looking into at the very least replacing the Silverliner IV`s.....I`d be curious to see what kind of modern design they could come up with.

[@LouisChang-le7xo]

Philadelphia almost has an sbahn. Now you just need to increase frequency and do fare intergration so people can use regional rail where the subways dont go, kind of like in german cities (or really any european cities)

[@Thom-TRA]

Exactly! It’s steps closer than most American systems, but there’s ways to go.

[@robertcartwright4374]

It's not just you. That is one attractive train station.

[@Thom-TRA]

Stop, you’re making it blush

[@robertcartwright4374]

@@Thom-TRA Haha!

[@jacktaggart2489]

Former Mayor Frank Rizzo was a huge motivator in getting the Center City Commuter Tunnel done. It remains the largest infrastructure project in the city's history. Boston could benefit greatly by linking North and South Stations in a similar manner. Linking the former PRR and Reading Lines has been a godsend to Phila. commuters. I rode the last train out of the Reading Terminal and didn't know what the future would bring. The Tunnel allows seamless travel from Jenkintown to Paoli. Thanks for posting.

[@Thom-TRA]

Rizzo is a sick last name

[@Mastershaker1]

​@@Thom-TRAunfortunately attached to a sick person.

[@lancomedic]

@@Mastershaker1 Possibly the best mayor we’ve ever had.

[@MrPrius-fy1sc]

@@lancomedic he was genuinely a terrible person

[@lancomedic]

@@MrPrius-fy1sc You’re entitled to your opinion.

[@SupremeLeaderKimJong-un]

Not a tunnel, but a great project that has unified a system is NJ Transit's Secaucus Junction. NJ Transit operates in two divisions, Hoboken and Newark. The Hoboken Division was part of the Erie Lackawanna Railway, while the Newark Division was once the Pennsylvania Railroad and Central Railroad of NJ. These two divisions were never previously integrated (because competing railway companies), even when both were under Conrail. When ownership was passed to the state in 1983, they built connections where trains from the Hoboken Division would be able to switch onto the Northeast Corridor, but they still never had a direct transfer. That is until Senator Frank R. Lautenberg helped allocate for funds to build Secaucus Junction. Frank R. Lautenberg was a big supporter of NJT and Amtrak, including Access to the Region's Core...which was of course cancelled by Chris Christie and later resurrected as the Gateway Program. Because of this when it opened in 2003, the station was named in honor of his dedication. When he passed in 2013, he was fittingly carried onto an Amtrak funeral train from Secaucus Junction en route to DC. The two-track Northeast Corridor embankment was expanded to three tracks for a mile on each side of the station and to four tracks through the station itself, allowing Amtrak and nonstop NJT trains to pass stopped trains. The two-track Bergen County Line was re-aligned southwestward to join the two-track Main Line to pass through the station on the four-track lower level. Secaucus Junction is such an engineering marvel that was a no-brainer and has helped so many. Designing such a massive station without disrupting the active NEC and making it withstand the nearly constant vibration was such a challenge, but they took it head on. NJT buses, trains, and light-rail aren't perfect, but with how much of the state you can travel to and from, the NJT system really does punches above its weight.

[@Thom-TRA]

I already loved Secaucus, learning this makes me love it even more! Kinda sounds like a video idea, doesn’t it…

[@maas1208]

​@@Thom-TRA I think something similar could be applied to Metra.

[@mrvwbug4423]

Another reason for the extra tracks is so that Amtrak can pass through the station without stopping. Acela never stops there and most NE Regionals don't stop there, so it's normal to see Amtrak trains flying through Secaucus at 90mph (line speed on the NEC in that section)

[@vinniezcenzo]

@@mrvwbug4423 It would be so nice if Amtrak stopped at Secaucus! I have to visit family on the Pascack Valley line and the transfer is annoying.

[@SupremeLeaderKimJong-un]

@@mrvwbug4423 I know, I already mentioned that: "The two-track Northeast Corridor embankment was expanded to three tracks for a mile on each side of the station and to four tracks through the station itself, allowing Amtrak and nonstop NJT trains to pass stopped trains." And the only time NERs have really stopped there was to drop off spectators for the Super Bowl in 2014, or for Senator Lautenberg's funeral train in 2013.

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

Love the tilework at Jefferson/Market East station, the murals depict the four seasons! And Suburban Station was designed by the Chicago-based Graham, Anderson, Probst & White firm, who also worked on 30th Street Station, multiple Chicago icons like Merchandise Mart, Field Museum, Metropolitan Tower, Chicago Union Station, and the Shedd Aquarium, and Cleveland's Terminal Tower (which stood as the tallest building in North America outside of NYC from its completion in 1927 until 1964). I'm glad the Center City stations have level boarding, because much of the regional rail stations don't! Level boarding is not only of course better for accessibility, but also for dwell times as people won't have to take steps up to the door to get in! Meanwhile all LIRR stations, even the ones with low ridership, have level boarding (though not all of these have been accessible, but the LIRR has improved on this by adding elevators and ramps)! Yup, all of the SEPTA Regional Rail lines are electrified, but that's because they simply cut all their diesel services instead of electrifying. Conrail operated four diesel SEPTA-branded routes under contract throughout the 1970s! There used to be an Allentown via Bethlehem, Quakertown, and Lansdale service and this was gradually cut back. Allentown-Bethlehem service ended in 1979, Bethlehem-Quakertown service ended in early July 1981, and Quakertown-Lansdale service ended later that month. Pottsville line service to Pottsville, via Reading and Norristown, ended in late July 1981. West Trenton service previously ran to Newark Penn and this was cut back to West Trenton in early July 1981. The final service, Fox Chase-Newtown service, initially also ended in early July 1981, re-established in October of that year as the Fox Chase Rapid Transit Line, which then ended in 1983, thus today's Fox Chase Line just ends at Fox Chase. The services were phased out due to low ridership, a lack of funding outside the five-county area of SEPTA, withdrawal of Conrail as a contract carrier, aging equipment that needed replacement, and a lack of SEPTA-owned diesel maintenance infrastructure. The death knell for any resumption of diesel service was the Center City Commuter Connection, which lacks the necessary ventilation for exhaust-producing locomotives!

[@Thom-TRA]

Looking forward to renewed train service to Reading and the Lehigh Valley!

[@chrishowell4845]

I hear rumors that service may eventually renewed to West Chester......is there any truth to that?

[@maeonlinux]

When I visited Philadelphia from Europe, the difference in cleanliness and quality between SEPTA and the different subway lines was staggering to me. Thanks for covering the interesting history in more detail :D

[@Thom-TRA]

Overall if you’re looking for cleanliness, Philly would not be at the top of my list of recommendations lol

[@trainglen22]

The 30th Street station is a beautiful station! SEPTA has a great idea on running trains through the Central City.

[@Thom-TRA]

There are many stunning stations in the US! And some… not so pretty

[@stache1954]

It's amazing that they managed this makeover in the face of suburbanization.

[@Thom-TRA]

It went against the grain in terms of urban planning!

[@scottydude456]

Taking the regional rail from Temple to 30th street is literally the most convenient thing ever for me as a student who lives on the NEC, plus I can get to PHL really easily if I need to!

[@AA_8184_1]

Great job explaining a very complex set of topics and history. Very happy for the tunnel and continued SEPTA enhancements. The Reading Terminal is a treasure! I am sure that, as a Dutch person, that you find the Pennsylvania Dutch (aka Deutsch/German) term odd/confusing!

[@Thom-TRA]

Thanks! Don’t find it confusing, just funny what people in different parts of the US call Dutch.

[@stephenhandrailronin1060]

As a former locomotive engineer on septa’s regional rail lines you did a good job in this video

[@Thom-TRA]

Thank you! What was your favorite line to run on?

[@BobNWFA]

I'm glad you showed Reading Terminal Market! It's one of my favorite places to go when I'm in Philly.

[@Thom-TRA]

What do you recommend getting there?

[@BobNWFA]

@@Thom-TRA I don't think you can go wrong with anything there. I'm partial to the turkey sandwiches (Original Turkey) and ice cream at Bassett's. The Reading Terminal Market is a convenient place to get a cheesesteak when there's not enough time to go to South Philly. My idea of a perfect day is to fly in from DTW, SEPTA Airport Line to Suburban Station, hear the Wanamaker's Organ in Macy's, lunch and Bassett's ice cream at the Reading Terminal Market, a little sightseeing, Airport Line back to PHL and fly back to DTW.

[@schmickey2202]

​@@Thom-TRAHerschel's deli!

[@chrishowell4845]

@@BobNWFA , what airport is DTW?

[@BobNWFA]

@@chrishowell4845 Detroit

[@brianhubert8418]

Thanks for this thorough look at SEPTA Regional Rail. It does really have the best bones for a regional rail system in the U.S. with the gem of a genius tunnel the Center City Tunnel is. I hope SEPTA will be given the funding it needs to bring things to the next level in terms of frequency. There's just too much potential here not to!

[@benzzc3626]

Great video, more professional than others on KZbin. I lived in several places in Philly & the 'burbs before retiring and always chose to live within walking distance of rail. In Philly & the inner-ring suburbs, you'd almost have to try to find an area that's NOT within a short drive of a rail station.

[@rikkichunn8856]

Meanwhile, here in Southern California, Metrolink is taking the first baby steps to becoming a regional rail system. First, they're using the term "regional rail" to describe their system. And the schedule on our line, the Antelope Valley Line, has been radically restructured. No longer is it frequent service at rush hour, and then infrequent service during the rest of the day. In the new schedule, there's a train every hour all day long between Los Angeles and Santa Clarita, and then half of those trains continue all the way to Lancaster. We rode a late morning train into Los Angeles the other day, and came home on the 3:30 PM train. Both trains were full, to the point where the conductor had to ask people not to put belongings on the seats, but leave them free for other passengers getting on the train. Lots of people got on at the little stops in the San Fernando Valley to come home to the suburbs. Based on one day, it looks like the regional rail concept may be a success here in car-centric Southern California!

[@Thom-TRA]

I love the Antelope Valley line and I was so happy to see those schedule improvements! They may be baby steps, but as you say, they’re marching towards something great!

[@mrvwbug4423]

AVL might be one of the most scenic commuter trains anywhere, but it's definitely not a fast trip. 2hrs from LA to Lancaster and vice versa. Metrolink could really benefit from electrification, especially on the super busy San Bernidino line. Some of those Stadler KISS trains that CalTrain got would work great for Metrolink as they also have the ample loading gauge to use double decker EMUs.

[@kertchu]

Now they just need to electrify their lines or be forced to by the government.

[@Thom-TRA]

@@kertchu yeah I wish

[@rikkichunn8856]

@@kertchu Sorry, that ain't gonna happen. They ARE the government. 😒

[@steamymemes7946]

The regional connector in LA is also a great example. So many people have benefited from it

[@rehabmax]

If you come into Philadelphia on Amtrak you can board any Regional Rail train that day for free, just by showing you ticket to an attendant at the station. If you have a return Amtrak ticket you can do it again. The tunnel was made in the mid 1970's connecting Penn Central and Reading lines. It is one of best infrastructure projects of the city. Before the tunnel was constructed, you could walk between reading Terminal and Suburban Station, or take the Market Frankford line from 11th Street to City Hall or stay on to 30th Street. The inner city transportation trains are only two lines, Market-Frankford and the Broad Street Subway, crossing at City Hall.. And there is a New Jersey connection with the PATCO line taking you over the Benjamin Franklin bridge in to South Jersey.

[@Thom-TRA]

Not any regional rail train, just within center city

[@rehabmax]

@@Thom-TRA I have ridden Trains that go out to the suburbs with my Amtrak ticket through 30th street station. Probably won't work on PATCO as that system is more automated

[@ChrisH-1952]

As someone who doesn't know the city, I found this really interesting because you explained it so clearly with excellent use of maps and diagrams. Joined up lines should come from joined up thinking and sometimes city planners don't quite get it and when they do, the tax payers have to be convinced.

[@Thom-TRA]

Appreciate the high praise!

[@DaRealPhillyJawn]

Jefferson Station/Market East concourse is so much better now than what is was a few years ago. As you say it's nice and clean and the seats waiting for trains are for commuters. Those areas used to be open for anyone to sit and you'd get some shady people there along with homeless sleeping in those areas.

[@Thom-TRA]

Contrary to some transit KZbinrs, I’m actually a big supporter of fare gates. They just need to be strategically placed.

[@jimmyconway8025]

It's still not that great outside is borderline horrible / dangerous Suburban station is a hell hole!

[@finemusician4770]

Chicago offers the greatest benefit to cost, with intercity/commuter stations literally next door to each other. I wish they had the leadership to get this done!

[@Thom-TRA]

Chicago could return to the world-class railway system it once had with relative ease. But yeah, politics.

[@finemusician4770]

@@Thom-TRA it’s also a north side/south side thing. Not just about segregation but that’s part of it. Having white relatives on both sides there is a lack of respect and empathy for Sox fans if you get my drift.

[@maas1208]

​@@Thom-TRA And Racism

[@teecefamilykent]

Fantastic video, you should look at the Thameslink project in London that originally started in the 1800's that connected rail lines north of London to South London... That Dutch food thing...glad you made it out alive! Just buy one of those septa rugs lol lol.

[@mrvwbug4423]

Thameslink really takes through running to 11. The Brighton to Bedford run might be one of the longest through running commuter routes I've seen. TL also gets through London very quickly as they have their own dedicated line between Clapham Jct and St Pancras (and their own dedicated platforms under St Pancras) so don't have to deal with the chokepoint near Victoria.

[@BarrieHughes]

For such a young KZbinr he really does well explaining the SEPTA system and the history.

[@landon176]

Thom! A new Amtrak route is now open! The train is the borealis operating from Chicago to St. Paul Minneapolis.

[@Thom-TRA]

Tomorrow!

[@johnjmccabe4691]

Remember Philadelphia had two of the largest ,richest Railroads in the world , Reading RR and the Pennsylvania RR

[@RenegadeChauffeur]

Thank you for showing me how to get from Amtrak to Septa; I’m doing the trip in a few weeks and never did it before.

[@Thom-TRA]

Hope it goes well!

[@cdr-sailor]

When I was IT consulting in Center City, I rode SEPTA R2 every day. Drove 15 minutes from my home in New Castle, DE to the state-owned station in Claymont, DE, parked for free at the station, and caught the train to Suburban Station. It was a short walk from there to my client's offices. If my consulting colleague and I decided to stop for a beer after work, I didn't worry about there not being a later train. Best commute ever.

[@Thom-TRA]

Claymont is a huge station!

[@iamweave]

I'm old -- and I remember when Market East had this really fabulous urban shopping mall, The Gallery. It used to blow my mind as a suburban kid that you could take a train right into a four story mall. Seemed like the future at the time, but the future is now the distant past. Does it even exist still? Been many years since I've been there but last time I was there it was a ghost mall.

[@Thom-TRA]

The gallery still exists, I walked through it later that day. It’s in pretty rough shape though.

[@johnjmccabe4691]

Huge Mall now , Fashion District

[@Ratcher.]

reading terminal is the best unlike food halls its still pretty much the same thing it always has been a market with the Amish who take the train in to Philly, the tons of butchers, place to buy produce and goods, tons of amazing foods, and they try very hard to keep it a non tourist only destination bassets ice cream the first and longest running ice cream shop is still in there too and philly invented ice cream so its fitting! ya used to take food and cargo off the trains in trade shed off the freight trains and haul it down to the market to sell was a good system

[@Thom-TRA]

What do you recommend most there?

[@brentrn]

@@Thom-TRA Hershel's Deli pastrami sandwich. Better than NYC. Beilers donuts, we call them Crack Donuts because they are as addictive as crack.

[@Ratcher.]

@@Thom-TRA IMO sammi soma for sure those Georgian cheese boats are too die for. dessert wise termini for sure. you could spends days in there trying everything!

[@matd3791]

Nice video Thom! Being a Septa rider I know you had to pack a lot of info into this video.

[@Thom-TRA]

Yeah it was a lot of fun facts to sift through. But worth it, I love railway history!

[@user-xr4ze5cn8e]

I always wondered how SEPTA got a circular underground rail line below Philadelphia. Great idea, I TY thought. Commuter trains can enter from one branch and go out through another. Now I know,Tom!

[@Thom-TRA]

Yep, it has a long history preceding it!

[@phildupont6460]

Grew up a block and a half from the Folcroft station on the Wilmington/Newark Line, formerly the "R2" My freshman year at Temple I took a train every single day, and used it on weekends to go into the city to hang out with friends on-campus. I used the thru-running feature often, as I had friends in Jenkintown I could get to just by staying on the train I picked up near my house in Delco. The faregates are relatively new. I graduated undergrad in 2016, and at that point we still had paper/plastic passes that had "M" or "F" stickers on them (male/female - presumably to negate pass sharing?) Regardless, as someone who has lived in Baltimore for the last 8yrs, and takes MARC daily, I can say I fully took for granted the SEPTA regional rail system. It's world class, and if you tried to build that system from scratch anywhere in America today, I'm convinced it'd cost well over a trillion.

[@holly5234]

Really hoping SEPTA can one day implement their plan to increase frequency all day as they outlined in their 2040 vision. Unlike most other commuter rails in the US they actually have a fair shot of doing it since probably the biggest hurdles of the tunnel and electrification are already done. I really hope Metra and Boston can electrify one day hoping maybe Caltrain will show how beneficial it is but we’ll see

[@Thom-TRA]

I’m sure once Caltrain proves to be effective, others will follow. FrontRunner in Utah might be next tbh.

[@holly5234]

@@Thom-TRA it would be atleast simplier to electrify that system since it largely is just one line, I was in the Bay Area recently but sadly too early to see the stadler units running hope I can one day

[@mrvwbug4423]

Those Stadler KISS EMUs would work great for Metra, they have the loading gauge to use full height double deckers. Get a 9 or 10 car set of those and they could dethrone the NJT 9 car multi-level trains as the highest capacity commuter trains in the Americas.

[@maas1208]

​@@mrvwbug4423 They should put Mechanical Bells on them tho (if possible)

[@maas1208]

​@@mrvwbug4423 It can also work for NEC railroads like NJT, MARC, SEPTA and VRE

[@myrtlejeanne6526]

Thanks. I had noticed the cages between now and the couple times I took the train in the early 70s, but had no idea about how or when it happened. You missed the beautiful mural on the brick wall going down into Jefferson station. I use Septa much more now that I am retired and have a free transit cared

[@lizzykatieschindele6265]

It’s really cool to see someone follow my same “schedule” for when I go into the city! (I love to see all of the historical buildings and museums). SEPTA makes it MUCH easier to go to the city and it’s nice to see that others also think that way!

[@kennethryesky417]

This 60+ Philly boy remembers when there were the two competing Pennsylvania RR and Reading RR. Dear Old Dad often took me to the Reading Terminal Market. Had occasion to use just about every station on the SEPTA commuter rail. After relocating to Long Island, I often visited friends and relatives and/or did other business in Philadelphia by taking LIRR to NYP, switching to NJT to Trenton, and then at Trenton, switching to SEPTA. The reason there is a Chestnut Hill East and a Chestnut Hill West is that one was Pennsy and the other was Reading. When they built the center city Commuter Rail Tunnel the streets were a mess and traffic was severely impeded. One neighborhood that was especially affected was Chinatown, whose restaurant industry took a big hit for a few years. One Chinatown resident put up a sign reading "Our forefathers built the railroad -- They never expected it to come this far!"

[@LMHPhilly]

Lifelong Phila resident. Great video, many facts shared that I did not know. I remember the pushback during the 1970s to build the connector. It's a very short distance geographically (maybe 6 city blocks) but what a game changer. It took lots of vision (and support from the construction unions) to get it done.

[@Thom-TRA]

Thanks for commenting! Glad the pushback met pushback and it got built

[@benzzc3626]

The biggest (erroneous) complaint was that the Connector was spending money on "suburbanites". But there are many train stations within Philly, and 4 of the RR lines lie completely within the city (CHE, CHW, Fox Chase & Airport). Plus, the RR lines are like conveyor belts of money for the city, which levies a wage tax on all workers and gets part of the sales tax.

[@respect411]

thank you for finally highlighting septas RR! once they finish the 'reimagining regional rail' overhaul and increase frequency we'll truly have a world class system. also, you should come check out the suburban trolleys/nhsl! very unique by US standards

[@Thom-TRA]

Stay tuned for a video on the 102 coming soon!

[@stephenkeever6029]

@@Thom-TRA Yeah!

[@54blewis]

Being born and raised in Philly and a regular user of the regional largely to Wilmington,or NYC…occasionally I’ll travel to places like Norristown or Doylestown…

[@northernidaho5750]

I’ve been doing a lot of fantasy transit maps, and it just so happens that I just did Philly’s regional rail yesterday.

[@Thom-TRA]

What are some of the highlights?

[@northernidaho5750]

@@Thom-TRA Extensions of lines to West Chester and Reading; and 2 new lines, one from Warrington to Wawa via the Warminster and Newark lines, and the other from 30th Street to Allentown and Bethlehem via the Doylestown Line; plus I turned it into an S-Bahn system by having specific lines through run instead of having it vary like it does now. I also included the Atlantic City and Norristown High Speed Lines because both are in the Philly area, and I chose not to include the NHSL on my subway map.

[@stephenkeever6029]

@@northernidaho5750 You should post these maps!

[@rikkichunn8856]

Thanks for an excellent presentation on the Center City Connector and its importance. I agree with you that Philadelphia has probably the best regional rail system in the country.

[@Thom-TRA]

Looking forward to the electric trains beginning to run on Caltrain

[@rikkichunn8856]

@@Thom-TRA Me too!

[@howardmcginn9000]

I lived in suburban Philadelphia and commuted into the city for many years. For many years I used the former PA Railroad’s Paolo Local. For the same number of years I used the former Reading Norristown Local. Because the PA trains stopped at Suburban Station I had a long walk through the tunnels to my job in the Independence Hall area of the city. The connector is a great improvement.

[@kjrehberg]

A fascinating fact is that the Pennsylvania Railroad and Reading divisions use slightly different catenary wires. SEPTA has been spending several years rebuilding the Reading division's catenary to match the PRR profile so the pantographs on both divisions' trains don't wear down differently. A nice coincidence is that both divisions use 12 kV at the same 25 Hz frequency.

[@Thom-TRA]

I was wondering about that actually. Thanks for the fun fact!

[@WillsJazzLoft]

Customarily when I've traveled up north from Virginia, I've usually transferred @ 30th Street Station since my trip would normally be entirely by rail. However, the Memorial Day weekend of 2018 I took the bus up to Philly. That terminal is across from that Suburban Station. So, it was my first experience with that station. It was a good experience. By and large it seems that a decent portion of the the Philadelphia transit infrastructure is well maintained. I really would like to spend more time laying over at 30th Street Station. Its aesthetics as mentioned in your remarks are pleasant as is the Suburban Station architecture

[@Thom-TRA]

Sadly today the greyhound buses just dump you in on the sidewalk near independence hall.

[@brentrn]

Good video, Thom. I have two notes: 1. If traveling from 30th St Station to Suburban Station I recommend sitting on the left hand side of the SEPTA train. It gives a great view of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Schuykill River, and the new Acela trainsets waiting to be put into service. 2. Above Jefferson Station/Market East the escalator takes you to the Convention Center but it was the site of the Reading Railroad Terminal train shed. Your video shows they have pillars left of the original trainstops or rail blocks to stop a runaway train. Plus they put metal strips in the tile where the dozen or so train tracks led up to the trainstops. I used to the take the Reading line to that terminal in the 60s and 70s. Not all Reading lines were electrified so RDCs were used on the small lines. Those lines all had to close when the Commuter Rail Tunnel opened as only electrified trains can pass underground. I'm now 66 and use the SEPTA Senior Pass which gives free rides on anything in SEPTA. I use it to go from my mother's house in a NE Philadelphia suburb to Newark, Delaware close to where I live. The commuter tunnel means there are some trips I can ride straight through the city without getting off the train at a center city station to switch lines. Downside is the SEPTA Silverliners have no bathrooms.

[@SleepTrain456]

Now, I know a lot more about the SEPTA Center City Commuter Connection (CCCC)! I didn't know Reading Terminal is now a market! Also, I can see how such a connection would be useful in Chicago (with the four terminals) or Boston (which, just like pre-1984 SEPTA, is cut in two, although there are/were proposals to unify them). Thanks for the video!

[@Thom-TRA]

It’s amazing how they found a name with 4 Cs!

[@starprof]

Years ago, I lived and worked (at the Franklin Institute) in Center City. I moved south during the early part of the Mayor Frank Rizzo era and thus missed the completion of The Tunnel. This was an excellent video!

[@bobsykes]

Very cool ideas from you at the very end. Oh, my. Has SEPTA changed since I lived in West Philly for school at Penn. (Class of '80)

[@Thom-TRA]

I’m sure they have! And I’m sure the Silverliner IV already looked ancient even back then 😂

[@ChinaAl]

Really nice. Thanks

[@Foxy_AR]

„Minding the gap“ sounds like a series name that Geoff Marshall would use 😂

[@SteveGia80]

Great video! The CC Commuter Tunnel is an engineering marvel because they had to figure out how to cross the Broad Street Line between Suburban and Market East

[@TheTrainspotterFromTauranga]

I like the idea of a centre-city tunnel on commuter rail systems; Melbourne, Australia has an example of such a set-up in the form of the City Loop. As for Philadelphia's tunnel, I enjoy learning about it here because I didn't really know too much about it before. Auckland, New Zealand is also getting something similar; called the 'City Rail Link'. It's an extension of the underground line past the existing Britomart station, and will meet the North Auckland Line at the rebuilt Mt. Eden station.

[@BrennanZeigler]

In addition to a tunnel in Chicago, Metra just needs to electrify their entire network, and they could too if they wanted. Metra owns the tracks of six of the 11 lines so if they wanted to electrify those lines, they could. One of the lines is already electrified. I get that it’s harder to electrify the lines where the tracks aren’t owned by Metra like the Union Pacific lines and the BNSF line as well as the north Central service, which runs on tracks owned by the Canadian National, but there’s ways around it. Personally, I think Metra needs to take ownership of all the tracks they operate on, but that’s just me. I also think Union Station is also a perfect candidate for an underground connector. In the station was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad after all

[@Thom-TRA]

I know, Metra has the opportunity to improve more than almost anywhere else (except maybe SLC). They literally own so many of their own tracks already.

[@ELAlcoRS3]

That would be fantastic. Are there any un-funded plans for METRA improvements? It never made sense that Union Station (and Ogilvie Transportation Center) was away from everything (across the river) and didn't have any type of rail connection to the rest of the City.

[@Thom-TRA]

@@ELAlcoRS3 i know they’re trying to go to a more all-day model

[@samtrak1204]

Excellent video and commentary. Thanks.😍✌

[@paulmoreno6279]

Awesome Thom! Happy Monday from South Florida! SEPTA also has the Broad Street subway and the Market-Frankford El. Also the impressive Philly light rail/streetcars. 👌

[@Thom-TRA]

And you’ll see them all in future videos!

[@paulmoreno6279]

@@Thom-TRA Can't wait my guy!! 👏

[@chrismcdonald3786]

The North South Rail Link (NSRL) was a rail link proposed to connect the MBTA commuter rail lines terminating at North Station with the ones at South Station in Boston. The NSRL was just one aspect of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts's larger plan to bury Interstate 93, known as the Big Dig. Of course the burying of the highway happened but the city center regional rail tunnel never did. I know it's a lofty dream, but hopefully the NSRL gets built in my lifetime :)

[@sammymarrco47]

Looking forward to the minding the gap series (great name) and the videos from Philly. My dad grew up near the 101 trolly line and lots of fam still lives in the area so Its got a special place in my heart. Now I gotta actually visit the city proper.

[@Thom-TRA]

I love the suburban trolleys! I rode the 102 on this trip, heard the 101 is beautiful

[@moraimon]

フィラデルフィアの歴史知らなかったので、とても楽しめました！

[@Thom-TRA]

今日も動画を見てありがとございます！

[@harrydonahue1657]

Excellentt!! Well done.

[@Thom-TRA]

Thanks!

[@Maurice-Navel]

Thanks for all the Philly content. I have long lived away from there but grew up there. I would have liked to see more of the Fern Rock station, since I often used that one.

[@Thom-TRA]

Lucky for you, Fern Rock is exactly where the next Philly video will start!

[@johnfriel-uj2zs]

Thank You For Awsome Video Of Awsome System😊

[@Thom-TRA]

Glad you liked it!

[@johnbristow8099]

Great video with an excellent commentary

[@Thom-TRA]

Thank you, I appreciate it

[@Cupertinorail]

OMG an old MU at 13:56

[@EddieLeindecker-re1hg]

Hey Tom, another great video as always I have actually been to 30th St. station when I’ve taken the Pennsylvanian to visit family in Philadelphia I am hoping to make it there for Independence Day, but we shall see what happens

[@JerrellWoolford]

Another awesome video with a lot of information. I've only been on SEPTA twice (Airport and Trenton Line) and they've got a good system up there. I remember being wowed by the view coming up the steps and into the Amtrak Hall at 30th Street which also had that old style solari flip board which displayed the train arrivals and departures.

[@Thom-TRA]

I wish they still had the solari board there

[@mmkdd]

Excellent presentation!

[@Thom-TRA]

Thank you!

[@dennisallen8333]

I love it ! I used to take the R5 to go to the Penn State Ogontz campus in the eighties.

[@Thom-TRA]

I don’t know why the R naming system didn’t work out. Especially since they’re now doing basically the same thing with the metro network.

[@stephenkeever6029]

Really excellent and thorough report on this unique through connection. There was a lot of NIMBY resistance to it when it was first proposed because people could not imagine how it would actually improve two dying railroads that were having trouble just keeping their trains running. And they were still running some MP54 trains at the time! The (Market East) Jefferson Station really did look ultra modern with the MP54 trains in it. Looking forward to your continued coverage of SEPTA (SCHELPTA).

[@Thom-TRA]

Broad Street will be my next video, probably in a few weeks!

[@ck4426]

30th Street Station is awesome!!! I can’t believe it had a landing strip on the roof!! Thank you for this informative video about this awesome tunnel!!!

[@Thom-TRA]

Would you rather arrive at a station by train or by plane? 😂

[@anthonywarrener1881]

Thank you for this fascinating video. I have sampled some of the SEPTA routes, and agree with all that you say. It was fortunate that both the Pennsy and Reading railroads believed in electrification for their suburban routes. Your reference to Boston and Chicago rail routes is very relevant, but it is hard to see either MBTA or Metra embarking on a wide ranging electrification programme, but you never know !

[@Thom-TRA]

Miracles do happen, Metra is at least getting BMUs. But another big dig in Boston, that might be a lost cause…

[@peterfrey6062]

excellent!!! as a local guy, I can say your narrative is spot on. You might have just mentioned that the connection at Fern Rock with the Broad St. subway is another connecting link. My only beef is that back when the tunnel was built, Mayor Rizzo chose that over building the Roosevelt blvd subway extension to NE Philly (my neck of the woods), an even more needed project today- take a ride on the blvd and you'll see why. Anyway, the tunnel got built and yes it is a great addition to our regional system. A great job in your narration, and the historic details about Reading Terminal and the old Broad St station were very accurate.

[@Thom-TRA]

Well, I transfer to the Broad Street line at FR, which you’ll see I. A future video!

[@londonwhaley8690]

I enjoyed the video👍👍

[@Thom-TRA]

I’m glad!

[@injustifiiable]

Love Philly and go a few times a year...usually taking NJ Transit from NYC to Trenton then transferring to SEPTA. If you haven't been yet, you should go to Strasburg, about an hour outside Philly in Lancaster County. Nicknamed Train Town USA...you got one of the best RR museums there and one of the oldest heritage railroads. I make it a point to go there every year...never gets old!

[@Thom-TRA]

I’d love to visit Train Town! I’ve heard good things about

[@injustifiiable]

@@Thom-TRA Oh, you definitely should. The RR Museum of PA has a preserved AEM-7 (AMTK 915) and the original Solari flipboard from 30th Street on display. You'd have to drive there, but the Strasburg Railroad does go out to where you can see trains running on the Keystone Corridor (the old PRR Main Line). You could also stay at the Red Caboose Motel too!

[@crusinscamp]

Nice job covering SEPTA. At 11:01 there's a brief view of the convention center. The ceiling is the roof of the old Reading Market Street terminal, it was open at the far end. There were about a dozen tracks entering, and terminating there. That was our station when we went down to Philly when I was a child. If you look at the floor, there are inlaid decorative elements echoing the location of the old tracks. I remember when the Silverliner IVs were new. You should have experienced what was before. You can see one at 13:52 They were electrically driven and similar to the Silverliners, but much cruder. Acceleration was by the engineer selecting one of about seven taps on a transformer. You really felt it as he selected higher and higher taps (rrrrr, pause, rrrrr, pause, rrrr, etc. until you were up to speed). No air conditioning, jut windows that you could open. There were brass latches on each side of the window that you squeezed and then you could lift the window. Their use faded in the 70s as the Silverliners were introduced. Good memories.

[@Thom-TRA]

I can imagine the noise on those beasts!

[@crusinscamp]

@@Thom-TRA As a child, it was what it was, you got use to it. Oh, and there was the brake smell and a bit of smoke when it stopped at a station. If I remember correctly, it was kind of a bitter burnt metallic smell, but it dissipated quickly. However as a child, you were on your way to Philly; The Franklin Institute, or natural museum, or at Christmas all the department stores and their decorations. Good times. P.S. that old MU car you filmed is on the branch between Philly and Lansdale , I notice it whenever we go down. Also, there's a lot of interesting cuts-and-fills just south of Ambler.

[@kirillboyko9208]

Loved the video and am very happy for our neighbors to the North for having such a great infrastructure. You guys are very close to achieving public transit nirvana!

[@Thom-TRA]

The subway in Philly is a little… unpleasant at times

[@kirillboyko9208]

@@Thom-TRA i remember your other video about Philly where you went down the steps to enter some station and found excrements…

[@kevanhubbard9673]

That SEPTA pass appeared to have the MasterCard symbol on it from the brief glimpse I had.Turning locomotives around at terminus stations use to be very common but less so now with diesel and electric multiple units.For trains which still have locos you can have remote driver cabs or a loco at both ends like the French TGV or English 125s.

[@Thom-TRA]

Yeah, they are Mastercards. I believe they want to phase those out, however.

[@mikeleone1347]

Jefferson Station is very nice. the Norristown Transportation Center, on the other hand, is an outpost of Hades most days ...

[@bubbatrubbah505]

Nice!

[@Thom-TRA]

Thanks!

[@Thebanjoseph2]

One thing would make SEPTA regional rail better is consolidation the two Radnor stations so the Norristown Highspeed line could function as a circumferential connection the Norristown, Paolo and Market Frankford lines directly

[@calypso_the_freak]

HELLO FROM PHILADELPHIA

[@wavesnbikes]

Great video, Thom. Metra: Good thing a few former Illinois Central lines were electrified and Metra kept them like that. Metrolink should start with the San Bernardino Line from LAUPT to Univeristy of Redlands, since they own the line. Brightline could use Rancho Cucamonga to Los Angeles over Metrolink to get to Downtown LA. Metrolink should then electrify the Antelope Valley Line from LA to Lancaster, that would allow CAHSR into LA for the meantine, just like what Caltrain will do for CAHSR...

[@ncliffordjr]

as a current Hyde Park resident and frequent Metra Electric commuter, I feel you on that last proposal! I also think it would be neat if maybe the St Charles Air Line were electrified and we could have ME trains running into Union

[@Thom-TRA]

Though I think the Airline will be busy with Amtrak trains once it reopens

[@ncliffordjr]

@@Thom-TRA we can only hope!

[@rebeccawinter472]

What would take things to the next level was if the tunnel was extended east across the Delaware River to provide access to a (much) expanded NJ Transit regional rail system. Jersey used to have a tonne of passenger rail services in the mid-20th century - but now south Jersey just has the 2 lines. If there was a tunnel allowing rapid connection to downtown Philadelphia, it could make it so much easier to get around the region and make driving almost pointless. I could see at least 2 possibly 3 additional lines. In addition to ensuring bi-directional service all day on all lines, at least every 30 mins.

[@ac3115]

I had such a great time riding lots of SEPTA regional rail suburb to suburb thru Center City! Back then there were numbers such as R1 Airport, R5 Doylestown, etc. Thank you for explaining the main reason and now it totally makes sense why there are Chestnut Hill East and West branches! For most suburbs there are usually two ways to reach Center City, either by SEPTA regional rail, or by bus/trolley to subway. Doylestown can also take 55 to BSL, Norristown can also take Norristown High Speed Line to MFL, Media can also take 101 to MFL, just to name a few.

[@johnjmccabe4691]

Phila also has some of the oldest RR lines in the country , built before other cities even existed

[@paulcastillo1310]

Great video

[@Thom-TRA]

Thanks!

[@paulcastillo1310]

@@Thom-TRA your welcome

[@alk61695]

Reading Terminal is probably my favorite spot in Philadelphia. Next time you are there have a sandwich at DiNic's. Also at 12:58 in the video if you see the rail infrastructure, that is the former right of way to the original Reading Terminal station which closed when the tunnel opened. Some of that space was turned into a rail park further down the line (very similar to the New York Highline).

[@Thom-TRA]

How does the park compare to the Highline?

[@alk61695]

@@Thom-TRA It is not as big as the Highline, though they want to expand it. It is basically the same concept as the NYC Highline, turning abandoned railroad tracks into green park space.

[@Trainsaregreat365]

It's not just you 30th street station is very good for us standards

[@BirbarianHomeGuard]

Trains are awesome

[@ringslow]

As a New Yorker, I wish Grand Central Madison never happened. In reality, they should’ve made a junction under 34th and Park Ave that connects the NEC to Grand Central. This would allow complete thru running between LIRR, NJT, and MetroNorth. However this is a pipe dream due to politics and the sheer complexity of tunneling under Midtown Manhattan and the Lexington Ave line. At this point, I would love for them somehow to extend the shuttle past Times Square and down 7th or 8th Ave to Penn Station to connect the two Manhattan terminals and the busiest subway station.

[@stelampology]

I’ve lived here almost 25 years… I had no idea there was an upstairs😮😮😮😮😮

[@Thom-TRA]

Go check it out!

[@officialmcdeath]

Couldn't find Oswald Laurence anywhere - guess I'll have to watch again to make sure \m/

[@Geotpf]

I believe the through running tracks they are adding in Los Angeles' Union Station are mainly for Amtrak Pacific Surfliner trains and eventually California High Speed Rail, not Metrolink. LA's Metro Rail did recently build their Regional Connector project, which is a similar downtown tunnel but for light rail, connecting two light rail lines that ended on the west side of downtown to two halves of a former U shaped light rail that was on the east side of downtown.

[@Thom-TRA]

Most renderings show Metrolink trains using the line, I assume even without through-running, trains from the south will use the new tracks. But I highly doubt that Metrolink would not take advantage of the new layout, given their drive to expand.

[@jack615]

Boston needs to do the same and do the north south rail link

[@Thom-TRA]

Absolutely

[@kevinb8881]

Thom, I guess the Silverliner IV's will be around longer now that SEPTA cancelled their big order for Silverliner VI's with CRRC, SEPTA is furious with them, and yes, SEPTA is the only commuter rail system in US and Canada along with CT Rail Shore Line East that's 100% electric!!

[@Thom-TRA]

That’s a separate order actually! The CRRC cars were locomotive-hauled, the Silverliner VI order is still happening

[@kevinb8881]

​@@Thom-TRAReally, wow, ok, yeah I know they'll be push-pull trains!!

[@ELAlcoRS3]

@@Thom-TRA Thank goodness - the CRRC order was something like 4 years behind schedule, other trains CRRC built (Boston) are pure crap. I wonder who'll end up building the SL VIs? NJ Transit has ordered some bi-level EMUs from Alstom SEPTA might be interested in. Siemens is crazy busy (Brightline, Amtrak, VIA rail) and opening up another plant in the Carolinas to meet demand.

[@blacklisted351]

What about denver's commuter rail?

[@kevinb8881]

@@blacklisted351 Oh snap, Denver RTA, I forgot about them, yesss, they're 100% electric all around!!

[@kristianerickson6197]

As usual, excellent analysis! I am a polyglot from Alaska, who was educated in Germany and Switzerland. I flew to Philly once to go to the symphony, but I was mystified by trying to use the public transportation system to get from the airport into and around downtown. I wish I had seen this video before that trip because I would have better understood the vagaries of the Philadelphia system. In my beloved Alaska, we are a century behind the rest of the world. The spectacular Alaska Railroad, for example, departs from Anchorage for points north a couple times a day during the summer and once a week in the winter. Anchorage city planners are visionaries trying to catapult us into the 1980's. I sold my car six years ago and get around by bus, Alaska Airlines, and regional commuter air services. I give kudos to the Anchorage People Mover system despite their being financed by a city government populated by officials that have never ridden a bus in their lives except between the airport and hotels in Puerto Vallarta and Orlando.

[@Thom-TRA]

The Alaska railroad is one of those trips that is high on my bucket list.

[@Thom-TRA]

I think it’s awesome you are living car-free up there!

[@bkark0935]

Hi Thom, love your videos way back when you were in Chicago…and speaking as a former heavy user of the CTA Blue Line… Do you think a BLOOP down Desplaines St. from Milwaukee Ave. south to Congress/Ida B. Wells Pkwy. would help with terminal connectivity between the OTC and Union Station? Maybe having the UIC-Halstead/Jefferson Park service via Dearborn and O’Hare/Forest Park trains via Desplaines? The new Desplaines Subway would have a station at Washington St. and Adams St. The west Loop would really be dynamically transformed! That would even allow enough room for an underground tunnel from OTC along Canal to connect to Union Station and bury the UP services.

[@Thom-TRA]

I think any extra connectivity in that area would be a great idea! Especially if you made it a double-deck tunnel with a floor for Metra.

[@frankbernotimm3031]

Do You know the S-Bahn system in Munich, Germany? They've also a tunnel through the city as a backbone. This tunnel, called "Stammstrecke", reached the end of capacity and they are going to build a second one (for tons of money).

[@Thom-TRA]

Yes, I do know the S-Bahn München

[@michaelb9629]

There’s at least a couple of the Septa subway trains I’d like to ride next time I go to Philadelphia.

[@CrabMan2539]

One thing I find really funny about the septa platforms at 30th street station is how similar they look to newark penn station. It's like a mini newark

[@Thom-TRA]

Probably same era!

[@samuelbennie7690]

PRR built it. Thats enough right there lol. They def have the same design with the coverings .