This past Friday, SEPTA unveiled the first of their new Silverliner V railcars. According to a video on their website, the new cars focus on "customer comfort and convenience." Features include the removal of middle seats, an automatic bridge plate to allow easier wheelchair access, and digital displays showing route, time, and location information.
SEPTA has ordered 120 of these new cars, which will replace 73 cars built in the 1960s. Nine more Silverliner Vs are expected to be running by the end of December and the remaining of the 120-car fleet are expected to be running by the end of 2011.
The positive attention for SEPTA and the new railcars comes after some negativity this past summer. During the summer, passengers were left waiting or stranded at different stations on multiple occasions when the older SEPTA railcars experienced electrical and signal problems due to the excessive heat. Besides the heat problems, SEPTA has gained a reputation for running behind schedule on a daily basis.
The new Silverliner V cars are aimed to increase comfort and convenience for commuters, and encourage the use of public transportation. Only the future will tell whether the new railcars will improve SEPTA's overall service by eliminating problems associated with the older railcar models.
Will you be more inclined to ride SEPTA once the Silverliner V cars are running?
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