COUNCILMAN JOHNSON’S STATEMENT ON SEPTA’S DEFECTIVE REGIONAL RAIL CARS

In Council News, Kenyatta Johnson, News by admin

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PHILADELPHIA — July 5, 2016 – “As Chairman of City Council’s Committee on Transportation, I have been asked to comment on the structural defects SEPTA discovered on Friday, July 1, 2016, that prompted schedule changes and immediate removal of roughly 30% of SEPTA’s railroad cars — 120 Silverliner V cars — from service.

I commend SEPTA for doing the right thing and putting public safety first. Swift actions were taken to lower speed limits, inspect all Silverliner V cars for defects, and pull all defective cars out of service as soon as it was feasible.

I commend the initial inspector and SEPTA personnel who recognized a safety issue, took action to correct it, and were not silenced in the process of reporting a major problem to their authorities. All too often, we read about train derailments that could have been prevented if proper safety protocols had been followed. I am grateful that the safety measures in place to protect the public worked as intended when warning signs appeared, and that nobody was injured in discovering the cracked equalizer beams.

This is a difficult situation for all parties involved, including stakeholders responsible for fixing the trains, SEPTA Regional Rail staff responsible for operating the trains, and members of the public commuting to work. Expect overcrowding and delays while schedules and alternative transportation services are adjusted to accommodate the shift in usage. Please be patient as SEPTA works to restore service.”

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Councilman Kenyatta Johnson, a former Pennsylvania State Representative, represents the 2nd Council District which includes parts of Center City, South Philadelphia and Southwest Philadelphia. More information at phlcouncil.com/KenyattaJohnson

 

For more information:

SEPTA Contingency Schedule.

 

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