What to Know
- SEPTA plans on replacing its green, cream and maroon Route 15 trolley cars – which run mostly along Girard Avenue from Port Richmond to West Philadelphia – with buses on Sunday.
- The service change to the only surface only trolley line is expected to last 12 to 18 months, SEPTA said.
- Rust and other issues are to blame for the condition of the 73-year-old trolley cars, SEPTA said.
Some of the icons of Philadelphia’s streets are going away – for now.
SEPTA plans on replacing its green, cream and maroon Route 15 trolley cars – which run mostly along Girard Avenue from Port Richmond to West Philadelphia – with buses over the weekend. The service change to the only surface trolley line is expected to last 12 to 18 months as the cars undergo much needed repairs, SEPTA said.
The transit agency is citing ongoing highway construction and maintenance for doing away with the 1940s-era trolley cars. Only four of the 18 trolley cars could pass inspection, reported WHYY.
Rust and other issues are to blame for the condition of the 73-year-old trolley cars, SEPTA said.
More than 8,200 passengers use the Route 15 trolley line on the average weekday. Those passengers will be using buses starting Sunday.
The year-plus service change will give SEPTA time to bring the old-school rail cars up to standards, the agency said.
Transportation and Transit
Scott Sauer, SEPTA’s assistant general manager of operations, told NBC10 the removal shouldn't impact traffic.
"The level of service we anticipate to be the same," Sauer said.
There are fears however that the disruption could mean an end to travel around Philadelphia as we know it, taking away a piece of Philadelphia’s street car history. Sauer told NBC10 the trolleys will eventually return however.
"The trolleys are important," Sauer said. "The trolleys are part of Philadelphia's culture, part of Philadelphia's history."
Last August, SEPTA shut down trolley service in Center City for 10 days. This disruption is expected to last at least a year.
