AMTRAK Asks SEPTA to Temporarily Stop Running Trains.

June 23rd, 2011


As reported today on Philadelphia’s WTXF Fox 29 News at 5 o’clock and again on its News at 6 o’clock, AMTRAK was forced to ask SEPTA (SouthEastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority) to temporarily stop running its trains on AMTRAK’s rails for some period of time as the rail system did not have enough power to run both rail system’s trains. As it was reported, such a lack of power for the trains was mostly a result of the extremely aged power system which powers the trains. It seems that much/many of the components which power the infrastructure of the rail system date back to the 1920’s and 1930’s. Riders from NJ Transit rail system commented that such a lack of power condition happens repeatedly to riders of that system (as AMTRAK owns much of the rails in the northeastern corridor of the nation). In fact, it was reported that three times during this past week alone, a condition of insufficient power has existed which has affected SEPTA’s rail system. (Similar delays were also reported between NYC and Boston today as well.)

As I am aware that President Obama and Congress has recently approved one point three billion dollars ($1,300,000,000) for capital improvements of AMTRAK’s rail system, it appears that the infrastructure repairs can not hit the streets (or rails) soon enough.

As I repeatedly blog:

REBUILD THE NATION’S INFRASTRUCTURE!!!


Adam Trotter, P.E. / AVT


See:
Amtrak Runs Amok With Power Outages
http://www.myfoxphilly.com/dpp/money/amtrak-runs-amok-with-power-outages-062311

Also:
In February 2009, Congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), which appropriated $1.3 billion to Amtrak for capital investment.

ARRA Projects:
http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=Page&pagename=am%2FLayout&p=1237608345018&cid=1246045294707


Reports & Documents
http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=Page&pagename=am%2FLayout&p=1237608345018&cid=1241245669222



SEPTA
http://www.septa.org/