SEPTA Announces Trolley Tunnel Blitz For 9 Days In July

Philadelphia, Pa, July 2, 2018 – Due to power, track and station improvement projects, SEPTA Trolley Routes 10, 11, 13, 34 and 36 are not operable in Philadelphia’s Center City tunnel from 10 p.m. on Friday, July 13, through 4 a.m. on Monday, July 23. Trolley service begins/terminates at 40^th and Market Streets as trolleys are redirected to their alternate diversion service routing allowing for connections to SEPTA’s Market-Frankford Line at 40^th and Market Streets. Trolley passengers can change for the Market-Frankford Line at the 40^th Street Station for travel to-and-from Center City, as the work efforts don’t affect that service.

This is the fifth consecutive summer SEPTA has conducted the Trolley Tunnel Blitz. During this year’s nine-day tunnel closure, members of SEPTA’s in-house Engineering, Maintenance and Construction Division crews work around-the-clock on key maintenance and construction tasks throughout the five-mile, single loop Center City tunnel. 

                 Photo and story by Joseph M. Calisi (c)2018 All Rights Reserved

SEPTA Media-Sharon Hill Trolley Service Changes Begin on July 20

Philadelphia, Pa., July 15, 2015 -

Buses are being used in place of trolleys along SEPTA Routes 101 and 102 (Media-Sharon Hill Line) through Sunday, September 6, 2015 due to a 12-week trolley modernization project. New timetables for Routes 101 and 102 will begin on Monday, July 20. The new schedules reflect some Route 101 trip time adjustments and Route 102 bus re-routing to accommodate track construction on Springfield Road and Woodlawn Avenue.

The Media-Sharon Hill Line is comprised of three parts: the trunk from 69th Street Transportation; Center to Drexel Hill Junction (Shadeland Avenue) used by both Route 101 and 102; stops from Huey Avenue to Media used by Route 101, and; stops from Garrettford to Sharon Hill used by Route 102.

 

During the 12-week summer trolley shutdown, 16 SEPTA in-house and third party contractor groups will work on a variety of projects on all three portions of the line. The work schedule will typically be Monday-Saturday, from 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

 

Scheduled work in 10 phases over the 12-week period on Route 102 are:

·         Rail replacement;

·         Concrete roadway and repaving the parking lanes, and;

·         Installation of rubber rail boots around the new rails to lessen vibration and noise.

 

The last time the trolley track and roadway were replaced in this area was 1983.

 

During this first of 10 phases of the construction, substitute Route 102 buses between Clifton Heights and Aldan will travel via Baltimore Avenue, Oak Avenue and Providence Road due to the Springfield Road and Woodlawn Avenue construction as trips will be15-20 minutes longer.

Boarding locations will be moved to Baltimore Avenue at Trolley Station and Providence Road at Woodlawn Avenue. For details, visit: http://septa.org/rebuilding/101-102-modernization-phase-2.html.

 

For more information on the Route 101/102 Trolley Modernization work, visit http://www.septa.org/rebuilding/101-102-modernization.html.

SEPTAs Trolleys Halted During Their Trolley Tunnel Blitz

Philadelphia, Pa, Wednesday, July 16, 2014 – SEPTA is following a trend other transit agencies around the country are practicing, an intensive 24/7 period of maintenance that requires a service outage for a period of time and is being nicknamed the ‘Trolley Tunnel Blitz’ for the Center City Trolley Tunnel. Beginning August 1, 2014, a 17-day period of no trolleys operating on Routes 10, 11, 13, 34, and 36 which will be repaired for the over 5-mile tunnel route. These routes be diverted to 40th and Market streets and riders may transfer at 40th Street to the Market-Frankford Line for service to and from Center City.

New welded trolley rail, track switches, emergency lighting cables, and overhead wire are part of the maintenance program.

In a press release, SEPTA said, “Given that the Trolley Tunnel is a 5+ mile long, single track line, the length of our regular service day, and the number of Trolley routes operating through the tunnel it would take many months of night and weekend outages, spread out over the year, to complete the amount of work we have planned during this Blitz. An extended work window, during a traditionally low ridership period, makes it possible for our Track, Power, Communications and Signals, and Bridges and Buildings Maintenance Departments to efficiently complete important construction and maintenance projects that will benefit our customers."

The project is funded the Act 89 dedicated funding bill that provides the resources needed for SEPTA to begin Rebuilding for the Future. The Trolley Tunnel Blitz is part of a comprehensive infrastructure and revitalization program that tackles a $5 billion backlog of projects, including bridge replacements, substation, overhauls, and station improvements.