transit cars. It is not clear if they will be equipped with bowling alley seating, similar to New York’s subway cars, where all pa- trons sit facing one another. That seating is not at all popular with Chicago riders. I was amazed at what I saw on the elevat-


ed railway in Chicago on my first visit in 1948: wooden L cars, including gate cars with open end platforms. When I got to know CTA Executive Director George Krambles in the 1960s, he told me that the CTA was the world’s largest operating transit museum. As I recall, wooden cars continued service into the late 1950s. Thanks to Charlie Boga- rt and Don Paulus for the news.


Transit Improvements in the New York Area It may not be an actual improvement, but there is thinking once again about expand- ing the PATH system to serve Newark Lib- erty International Airport. Don’t hold your breath on this one, but it is nice to know that some people still think it is a good idea. Apparently, it will be some time before the South Ferry subway station in Manhattan will be in service once again. The damage from the flooding caused by the storm surge of Hurricane Sandy is extensive, and while the transit authority is working hard to re- open the station, some things have to be in first rate shape before the service in the sta- tion can be renewed.


Some old things work well. Budd deliv- ered the first large batch of stainless steel subway cars to New York in 1964, as the R32 series of cars, and they have held up well af- ter all the years of hard service. The original fleet was composed of 600 cars of which 222 are still in service. The hardy cars are being cycled through the vast Coney Island Over- haul Facility at the rate of four cars per week. In 2014, the R32 cars will begin to be replaced by a 300 car fleet of R179 cars. The New York transit service is amazing. Each weekday, the subway trains and buses move about six million riders. This is about equal to the population of the state of Indiana. Speaking of Indiana, the Hoosier General Assembly is tackling the issue of passing en- abling legislation that would allow Marion County (in which Indianapolis is located) to join with other counties in allowing citizens to vote on taxing themselves to create a ma- jor transit system for the heart of the Hoosier Holy Land. However, don’t be sur- prised if a powerful yokel in the Indiana General Assembly stops the legislation from moving forward. For the information and in- spiration, thanks go to Bill Holman, Fred Cole, Mike Bondira and Ted Hudson.


Boston: Green Line Accidents


The Green Line in Boston is operated with trolleys, unlike the Red, Orange and Blue Lines which are operated with honest-to- goodness subway trains. The Green Line op- erates in a mixed environment, including subway, operations on a reservation in the center of the street, and in mixed traffic. It is subject to many accidents and crashes. One such crash in November 2012 left one person dead, over 100 injured, $20 million in dam- age with many lawsuits pending. What is going to be done about it? Not


much in a big hurry, because of the estimat- ed cost of $645 million to $721 million for a collision avoidance system. It is also esti- mated that it would take about nine years to carry out the planning and design work and install and test the system. The Massachu-


setts Bay Transportation Authority has over $3 billion in deferred maintenance and de- ferred replacement, so the collision avoid- ance system is unlikely to make it into the budget soon. Boston is not alone in facing fiscal difficulties and it is clear all over the U.S. there is a major need for doable busi- ness plans that are adequate and provide structures for the wherewithal to do the jobs that need to be done; to build, operate and maintain rail transit. Thanks to Bill Mur- phy for news and inspiration.


Flashes


Nothing gets the worry up like the feeling that you may be pushed onto the subway tracks or fall from a platform. Many years ago, when I happened to use the 15th Street station of the Market Street subway in Philadelphia, I was always aware of how narrow the platform was, especially in com- parison with the 8th Street station, where I usually boarded the trains bound for the 69th Street Terminal. In the latter part of 2012, there were several instances in NEW YORK CITY of people being pushed into the path of a train. Thanks to the unneces- sary deaths, talk of using platform doors is starting up once again. The situation re- quires the trains to stop with car doors im- mediately adjacent to the platform doors, just as an elevator does. Retrofitting exist- ing subways would be difficult, but new lines in some places are already being designed and built to the platform door standard. Nobody seems able to make up their minds in Michigan City, Ind., on the subject of the relocation of the SOUTH SHORE LINE tracks. Getting the tracks out of the middle of 10th Street and 11th Street have been long term goals. Now the idea of put- ting tracks in the same general location, but in the middle of a new boulevard, is being considered once again. There is no telling where this may lead, but don’t expect a quick decision. Thanks to Steve Scalzo for the news. For some years, there has been discussion of making major improvements to the ARD- MORE, PENN., railway station served by SEPTA commuter trains and Amtrak. The big idea was to combine housing and retail space as part of the station upgrade. David Harris sends news that discussion is still go- ing on, but the station itself has been dropped from the plan. This is apt to change again and action may be taken when the economy improves. Perkasie, Penn., was served by the Lehigh


Valley Transit Liberty Bell Limited cars and was home to the famous and very sharp Perkasie Curve on the LVT. Word from the east says that the LVT station has been re- vamped as an Eagle Scout project and is now the home of PERKASIE HISTORICAL SOCIETY MUSEUM. The Perkasie Muse- um and the Sellersville Museum are only a short distance apart and they have agreed to hold their Train and Trolley Days at the same time. Thanks to George Malemont for the news. Passengers on METRO-NORTH RAIL-


ROAD had a much higher satisfaction rate with the service in 2012 than has been true in earlier years. The increased availability of seats, overall cleanliness and better on-time performance were principal sources of cus- tomer happiness. Riders on the Harlem and Hudson lines have higher satisfaction as well. One reason for the improved satisfaction


From Then to No


FroTmhen tNoow, To There and BacToThere


e anBdack


Visit us on the web for the k y to teh imegas oba www.transitgloriamundi.com


Visiuts otnhe wefbor th VDs from


.transitgloraimunidc.om


(008) 4 63 E.72th St.,Dpet.B-1


(800) 428-7003 824-3007 36 E. 27th St., Dept. B-145, Baltimore, MD 21218 541, Baltimore,MD81212


best choice for accuracy, quality, selection and value Ask for our free catalo.g


DVDfsromTrasniansit Glort Gloria Mdnui artetehractifnona’s bsehctoiec for caucrcay, qulaiyt, seletcoin and vulae. sAk foorur free catalog.


eh key to the images above. ia Mundi are the traction fan’


Vol. 1-Northern N.E.


DVD-R 53 min. Music & Narration.


Color and B&W $2395 (postpaid)


$2495 (MA & ME postpaid) $2395 (Canadian postpaid)


DVD-R 63 min. Music & Narration.


Color and B&W. $2395 (postpaid)


$2495 (MA & ME postpaid) $2395 (Canadian postpaid)


Corgi Models and many other DVD’s, Videos & Books available.


E-mail us or Visit our Website and see our Online Catalog


Kennebunkport, ME 04046-1690


Seashore Trolley Museum P.O. Drawer A


(207)967-2712 e-mail: carshop@gwi.net www.trolleymuseum.org


51


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66