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News and Updates
11/3/03-
The first remanufactured PCC car from Brookville Equipment was
received in Philadelphia in September. While retaining the same
general appearance of the PCC, the end product is almost a new
vehicle, having been stripped to a frame and completely rebuilt.
The new cars feature all new propulsion equipment including new
trucks with AC motors, air conditioning, and new interiors. The
remaining 17 rebuilt cars are expected in the next few months.
3/30/03-
Although all 18 of the newly remanufactured "PCC-II"
cars have been delivered to SEPTA, trolley service has not yet
resumed on Route 15 / Girard Ave. Service was scheduled to begin
in June of 2004, but a delay has resulted due to a standoff with
local residents concerning parking on one of the streets that the
route uses to access the Callowhill Depot. Click
here for the story.
7/27/05-
The $82M Girard Ave. Light Rail project is scheduled to begin carrying passengers in
September 2005. A local political standoff over parking spaces
adjacent to a short section of the route delayed the start of
service for over a year. This article
in the Philadelphia Daily News has the full story.
9/5/05-
Service begins! Regular service began as scheduled on September
4. A scheduled trip over the 8.2 mile line varies from about
45 minutes to just over one hour during peak periods. 24/7 service
is provided, with 10 to 15 minute headways during the day, and up
to 30 minute headways in the overnight hours. Click
here for the Route 15 schedule. Thanks to Bob Vogel for the
excellent photographs.
Links
Page
of photos of the new PCC-II cars in Philadelphia
Brookville
Equipment website
Philadelphia
page on the APTA Heritage Trolley web site Friends
of Philadelphia Trolleys "Waiting
for a trolley in Philly" from the New Colonist web site "Will
Light Rail Prevail?" from Philadelphia Citypaper.net Philadelphia
Trolley Tracks web site Photo
Essays on Route 15 from PTT web site This
page was last updated on 9/5/05
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