Three months after a rail car defect caused a commuting nightmare for SEPTA Regional Rail riders, train schedules will return to regular next week.
SEPTA announced Thursday that they will resume regular weekday Regional Rail service on Monday (Oct. 3).
"We are excited to bring Regional Rail service back to the level our loyal customers expect and deserve," said SEPTA General Manager Jeffrey D. Knueppel. "We are grateful to our customers for their patience, and we sincerely regret the inconvenience this situation has caused."
SEPTA took 120 Silverliner V rail cars – about one-third of the Regional Rail fleet – out of service over July 4th weekend after cracks were found in equalizer beams in the rail car suspension system.
The transit agency ran fewer trains and put some lines on express service in the days after the defect turned up. Over the coming months they would run on modified schedules using rail cars borrowed from neighboring transit agencies.
Repairs continued Thursday and by Monday, SEPTA said that more than 50 repaired Silverliner V rail cars would be back in service.
SEPTA urged passengers on all lines with the exception of the Media/Elwyn Line to refer to the June 19, 2016 schedules. The Media/Elwyn Line will follow a new schedule to be put into effect on Sunday.
Despite being back on track, SEPTA warned passengers to remain patient as they may continue to experience crowded trains due to more than half of the Silverliner V cars remaining off line.
