SEPTA is still working to complete its federally mandated inspections of old Regional Rail cars, passing its original Halloween deadline.
The Federal Railroad Administration granted the transit authority an extension to finish its safety review of the Silverliner IV trains, introduced in the 1970s. SEPTA now has until Nov. 14 to wrap its point-by-point inspections and repairs of the 223 cars, which make up over half of the Regional Rail fleet.
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The FRA had ordered an emergency audit of the vehicles on Oct. 1 after five electrical fires this year. The earliest incident occurred in February when a Wilmington/Newark line car departing Crum Lynne Station caught fire and 325 passengers were forced to evacuate. Cars also sparked, smoked or burned on June 3, July 22, Sept. 23 and Sept. 25.
SEPTA officials said Friday that they had completed "almost all of the required actions" outlined in the order but are still conducting "enhanced" inspections with specialized teams. These technicians still have 103 railcars to review.
The FRA also granted SEPTA more time to install safety mechanisms which interrupt the flow of electricity to overheating devices. These circuits must be added to "all critical locations" on Silverliner IV trains by Dec. 5.
SEPTA General Manager Scott Sauer acknowledged that the audit had impacted Regional Rail service and warned commuters to expect further disruptions as the inspections continue.
"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 in a statement. "We sincerely appreciate our riders’ patience and understanding."
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