Rail Car Rendering. Image – SEPTA
Earlier this year, SEPTA approved the purchase of 45 multi-level rail cars to relieve congestion on its busiest regional rail lines. The first cars will begin arriving in late 2019 and the delivery should be complete in 2020. This is great news for people who want better access for people who want to take their bike on regional rail as the specifications require that bike racks are installed on the intermediate (platform) level.
Taking your bike on Regional continues to be a chore, on older rail cars passengers often have to lug a bike up the stairs and then down to the end of the rail car, only to find the designated space occupied. Even the newer Silverliner 5 cars can be problematic if someone has decided to use the flip up seat. The wheel chair belt, which you use to secure the bike is usually stained with residual chain oil.
Tie downs and fold up seats on a NJ TRANSIT multi-level train.Multi-level cars equipped with bike racks is standard equipment on most newer commuter lines in the western US. Here is an example of how to take your bike on the North Star Line in Minnesota. And while there won’t be replacing any older cars we hope this leads the way to rush hour access, regardless easier bike on rail access is on its way.
These look like the cars on NJ Transit trains – much easier with a bicycle than any of the SEPTA cars. The bicycle areas on these cars are close to the doors, and long enough for larger bicycles.
SEPTA seems to have a much larger proportion of older cars that requiring rolling the bicycle all the way through the car, vs. easier access on both older and newer NJ transit cars.
It’s about bloody time!!! NJ Transit had only had them for what, 10 years, now? -But will SEPTA’s also have bathrooms? (Probably not.)