SEPTA to Add Countdown Clocks to Market-Frankford Subway Line

It might not sound like much as other major metropolitan areas have -- quite literally -- counted on this technology for years. But, come the end of March, SEPTA will begin installing countdown clocks on signage along the Market-Frankford Line.

Andrew Busch, spokesperson for the mass transit company, told NBC10 that once the city's most popular line has this technology in place -- which could take a year to implement -- SEPTA plans to add similar clocks next to the Broad Street Line, then the trollies and the Norristown High Speed line.

"It really takes out a lot of the guesswork with travel," Busch explained.

The clocks would count down to when the next train in set to arrive on the system's current signage. No new signs are needed, Busch said.

What is needed is an update to the signal system along the line.

Busch said the current system does a fine job moving trains along but it was never designed to provide "customer-facing" information, like a displayable countdown clock.

"So, that's taking a little bit of work," he said.

Busch said the company plans to bring the technology to the 13th Street station first -- that's the station closest to SEPTA's Center City headquarters -- then expand.

"We do plan to quickly move out from there," he said.

Busch said that SEPTA has been working for several years to get countdown-style clocks installed on train platforms. In fact, it was originally proposed before the pandemic.

But, he said COVID-19-related delays, along with a malware attack on SEPTA's systems in August of 2020, caused the company to delay the implementation of countdown clocks.

Along with these clocks, Busch said that SEPTA also expects to update its app later this year to incorporate the same information that will be displayed on the countdown clocks.