Philadelphia appears to be on the brink of
bringing PCC cars back to its streets on a regular basis, adding to the
growing number of cities turning to these venerable but reliable vehicles for
heavy-duty transit service. SEPTA has invited bids for the refurbishing of 18
stored PCCs to equip Route 15-Girard, which was “temporarily” converted from
trolleys to buses in 1992. City officials promised that streetcars would
return when the right-of-way was upgraded and new equipment provided. The
project dragged on for a number of reasons, including a lack of funding.
Finally, SEPTA proposed purchasing a fleet of low floor LRVs for its
subway-surface streetcar lines, allowing the release of some existing Kawasaki
cars for the 8.2-mile Girard route. But with the cost of new vehicles in the
$3 million range, SEPTA decided instead to remanufacture the PCCs for about $1
million each, part of the high cost attributed to a requirement for wheelchair
lifts and air conditioning. Several firms have reportedly expressed interest
in the project and a contract may be awarded soon. Meanwhile, work on renewal
of track and overhead wire is already
underway. Improvements will include
the use of exclusive ROW where possible and redesigned stops that will speed
boarding and alighting. The design phase was completed in November 1999 and
construction has just gotten underway, with completion scheduled during the
first quarter of 2002. Rail service is
expected to draw more riders than buses and will help redevelop impoverished
neighborhoods in north and west Philadelphia.
