Massive Service Cuts in Store for SEPTA Regional Rail

According to SEPTA, there will be massive service cuts to the regional rail network with the upcoming regional rail schedule changes for January 24th. For the most part, the cuts will increase the wait time between midday trains from one hour to two hours, with most other times unaffected. However, as it stands, this still means only 50% of normal regional rail trains will operate.

Accordingly, this change is for ongoing trackwork, but it seems to be the trend to blame maintenance to cover up the fact that service is being cut. The same “maintenance” reason was used for bringing back overnight shuttle service on the MFL and BSL on weekends, as well as cutting back subway surface lines to 40th Street overnight. Below are a few excerpts from the official SEPTA service changes page, addressing the cuts only. If you want to see the full list of changes, it’s highly recommended you go on the official service changes page, as there are some extensions as well. Just not as many as there are cuts

CHESTNUT HILL EAST LINE

Service Towards Center City

• The following trains are CANCELLED:
  Train#711 departing Chestnut Hill East Station at 9:57 a.m.
  Train #715 departing Chestnut Hill East Station at 11:57 a.m.
  Train #719 departing Chestnut Hill East Station at 2.:02 p.m.

Service Towards Chestnut Hill East

• The following trains are CANCELLED:
  Train #704 departing Suburban Station at 8:52 a.m.
  Train #708 departing Suburban Station at 10:52 a.m.
  Train #712 departing Suburban Station at 12: 44 p.m.

MANAYUNK/NORRISTOWN LINE

Service Towards Center City

• Train #6213 currently departing Elm Street St at 11:13 a.m. is CANCELLED
• Train #6217 currently departing Elm Street St at 1:13 p.m. is CANCELLED

Service Towards Manayunk/Norristown

• Train #3210 currently departing Suburban Station at 8:57 a.m. will depart 4 minutes LATER from Norristown T.C, Main Street, and Elm Street
• Train #6212 currently departing Suburban Station at 9:57 a.m. is CANCELLED.
• Train #6216 currently departing Suburban Station at 11:57a.m. is CANCELLED.

TRENTON LINE

Service Towards Center City

• Train #718 currently departing Trenton at 3:05 pm will depart 9 minutes LATER at 3:14 p.m. and 9 minutes later from all station stops through Center City

WILMINGTON/NEWARK LINE

Service Towards Center City

• Train #2512, currently departing from Marcus Hook at 11:29 am and arriving at Suburban Station at 12:09 p.m. is CANCELLED. Customers may use Train #2510, departing at 10:16 a.m. or Train #2514, departing at 12:16 p.m.
• Train #2516, currently departing from Marcus Hook at 1:29 pm and arriving at Suburban Station at 2:09 p.m. is CANCELLED. Customers may use Train #2514 departing at 12:16 p.m. or Train #2518, departing at 2:2 p.m.

Service Towards Wilmington/Newark

• Train #5209 currently departing from Suburban Station at 9:35 a.m. is CANCELLED Customers are advised to use Train #5207, which departs at 8:35 a.m. or Train #5211, which departs at 10:35 a.m.
• Train #5213, currently departing from Suburban Station at 11:35 a.m. is CANCELLED. Customers are advised to use Train #5211, which departs at 10:35 a.m. or Train #5215, which departs at 12:35 p.m.
• Train #5229, currently departing from Suburban Station at 8:35 p.m. to Marcus Hook is CANCELLED. Please consult Wilmington Line schedules for evening services available between Philadelphia and Wilmington.

About the author: Dash

I have been with Virtual Transit Center since it's conception as the "Dash Forums" back in 2008. Since then, I have been writing and doing YouTube side by side, focusing both on Transportation and Gaming. Most of my knowledge comes from SEPTA as I lived in Philadelphia for most of my life. As of 2021, I am on YouTube as DashTransit, Dash5155, and TheDashOfficial.

As for the name DashTransit itself, it actually stems from my YouTube channel.

DashTransit was originally called "njt5329" and the channel was just clips of buses. Mostly SEPTA and NJT. A Fujifilm Finepix was used in this era.

Starting in July 2011, the Canon SX130IS camera became the camera of the channel, bringing HD documentary-style videos much like my buddy (trainman1971) did for DVD for many years past. This is when the channel became known as "Transit Action Series"

In May 2012, the original Canon SX130IS retired, and then all videos were recorded off a mobile phone until eventually uploaded proved too difficult due to hardships IRL

Starting in 2017, I used a Canon SX200IS from Bastranz to reboot the channel that otherwise was dead for a whole year prior.

Between April 19th, 2019, and January 21st, 2021, all videos were recorded by a Canon SX710 HS camera. The channel was renamed DashTransit 4/19/19.