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/

Water Main and Gas Main Breaks Continue…

June 9th, 2011



While significant amounts of work appears to be underway on many of the nation’s roadways, the gas main and water main systems seem to be in the same poor and antiquated conditions as always. During my limited travels, I have encountered water main breaks in Cambridge and Medford [among other breaks in] Massachusetts, Brighton New York, and a gas main break somewhere around the Fort Lee New Jersey area.

There are continually so many water main and gas main breaks in our nation that it is becoming difficult to locate the specific story information when searching for any given break – as there are so many reported breaks throughout the nation. Infrastructure failures such as these are becoming so common place that the news media sources are starting to not report on these matters. Don’t let anyone fool you, these types of catastrophic infrastructure failures can be dangerous in addition to being costly and inconvenient.


Rebuild nation’s infrastructure!!

Adam Trotter, P.E. / AVT




Crews battle water main break in Cambridge
http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/boston/12004493543516/crews-battle-water-main-break-in-cambridge/



Water main break repaired in Cambridge
http://www.myfoxboston.com/dpp/news/local/water-main-break-repaired-in-cambridge-25-apx-20110605




Massive water main break closes West Medford Square
http://www.wickedlocal.com/northofboston/features/x1595585542/Massive-water-main-break-closes-West-Medford-Square



Brighton residents clean up after broken water main break
http://www.whec.com/news/stories/S2124559.shtml?cat=566


Old Bridge street reopens following gas main break
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/06/old_bridge_street_reopens_foll.html


Garden State Parkway entrance ramp in Old Bridge remains closed following gas main break
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/04/gas_main_break_closes_garden_s.html

Earthquake in Philadelphia. Second Quake in Phila. Area this Month.

June 2nd, 2011

An earthquake rumbled parts of the City of Philadelphia, PA, a few days ago. The quake measured 1.9 on the seismic Richter scale, according to news sources and the US Geological Survey. It was the second reported quake in the greater Phila. Area this month. No injuries and only minor damage was reported as a result of the latest quake.


Nevertheless…,

I take this opportunity to reiterate my long-standing position in support of constructing buildings in accordance with earthquake building codes/specifications everywhere in the U.S. Nation.

AVT, P.E.



Earthquake caused boom in N.E. Philly
http://articles.philly.com/2011-05-28/news/29594217_1_magnitude-earthquake-boom-government-seismologists


Mystery Boom Caused by Earthquake: USGS
http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/breaking/Mystery-Boom-Caused-by-Earthquake--122775629.html




Earthquake Off Long Island, New York. Build to Earthquake Building Code Specifications Everywhere in U.S.!!
http://engineeringandcommerce.blogspot.com/2010/12/earthquake-off-long-island-new-york.html



Another previous blog on this subject:
http://engineeringandcommerce.blogspot.com/2010/01/build-to-earthquake-building-codes-in.html


Richter magnitude scale
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richter_magnitude_scale