Heat, humidity and Hillary as SEPTA loses 120 rail cars
Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-Chief
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) discovered on July 1 a defect with its Silverliner V Regional Rail cars and took these cars out of service for the immediate (summer) future.
On Friday, July 1, an engineer first noticed one Silverliner V car was leaning slightly, and upon investigation, discovered a crack in a 9-foot steel equalizer beam. Follow-up inspections with the fleet showed a structural defect with cracking in the main suspension systems. Within 24 hours, all 120 Silverliner Vs had been taken out of service.
SEPTA says it will work with Hyundai Rotem, the rail car manufacturer, to resolve the problems on these cars, received between 2010 and 2013. The suspension systems are still under warranty, and Hyundai Rotem is working with SEPTA to locate and expedite the procurement of materials to repair or replace the failed suspension components.
The Silverliner Vs comprise approximately one- third of SEPTA’s Regional Rail fleet. SEPTA hopes to lessen impact by adjusting schedules, utilizing other cars in the Regional Rail fleet, and cross-honoring transit tickets. And by hoping heat, humidity, and Hillary don’t become too much to handle in the coming weeks.
