Federal Railroad Administration grants SEPTA extension to complete Silverliner IV inspections
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — The Federal Railroad Administration has granted SEPTA a two-week extension to complete inspections of its aging Silverliner IV Regional Rail fleet, following a series of fires that raised safety concerns.
SEPTA now has until Nov. 14 to finish inspecting its 223 Silverliner IV railcars. The original deadline was Oct. 31.
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“We are grateful for the FRA’s collaboration, and we are committed to following through on the required actions so that we can continue returning safe and reliable service to our customers,” said SEPTA General Manager Scott A. Sauer. “This has been a herculean effort by our workforce to establish this process and execute the required work, and I am confident in our ability to complete these tasks in a timely manner.”
The inspections follow an urgent safety warning from the National Transportation Safety Board citing an “immediate and unacceptable safety risk” involving the 50-year-old railcars. The first happened in February near the Crum Lynne Station in Ridley Park. More than 300 people were on board the train when it caught fire.
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As of this week, SEPTA crews have inspected 120 of the 223 cars. The transit agency said it feels confident it can get the rest done with the two-week extension.
In addition to the inspection extension, the FRA has also pushed back the deadline to Dec. 5 for SEPTA to install thermal protection circuits, devices designed to interrupt the flow of electricity to overheating components.
While the safety work continues, Regional Rail riders are experiencing delays, cancellations, and overcrowded trains.
“We know our Regional Rail riders have been subjected to crowded conditions, pass ups, delays, and cancellations, and we expect those service disruptions to continue as we complete this critical safety work,” Sauer said. “We sincerely appreciate our riders’ patience and understanding.”
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