SEPTA’s Philadelphia trolley tunnel will remain closed at least until next week as we work to continue repairs to the five miles of overhead infrastructure throughout the tunnel. All T trolleys will remain on diversion to 40th and Market streets for connection to the L to and from Center City.
We recognize that this ongoing closure poses a significant inconvenience for our customers. We are acting out of an abundance of caution to ensure the tunnel is safe to reopen for service. This closure is unrelated to planned preventative maintenance work that took place this summer during the annual trolley tunnel blitz.
Earlier this fall, SEPTA replaced a vehicle part on each trolley called a “slider” that connects the vehicles to the overhead wire on most of the T trolley fleet – replacing 3-inch sliders with 4-inch sliders. We took this action to reduce maintenance costs as we continue to maintain aging vehicles. Evidence from peer agencies and testing performed by SEPTA suggested this change would reduce wear and tear on carbon pieces that sit within the sliders, cutting maintenance costs since they would need to be replaced less frequently.
Unfortunately, soon after the old sliders were replaced, there were two major incidents in the tunnel that led to evacuations: On Oct. 14, 150 passengers were evacuated after four trains were stranded in the tunnel, and a second incident on Oct. 22 led to the evacuation of 300 passengers.
Upon our investigation of the incidents, it became apparent that the sliders caused damage to the overhead infrastructure. We re-installed the 3-inch sliders on all vehicles. As we further assessed the damage, we closed the tunnel from Nov. 7 to 13, and made repairs to the overhead infrastructure. However, after reopening on Nov. 13, additional issues were identified related to the damage caused by the sliders, which caused us to close the tunnel again.
SEPTA crews have been working around the clock to make the additional repairs, such as using a special tool to smooth out the wires so trolleys can operate without incident. We are addressing these issues through a calculated action plan, using data from pilot cars that have been running in the tunnel throughout the closure. However, it is not yet clear when the issues will be resolved and the tunnel will be able to safely reopen.
As we work through these matters, we are working closely with the Federal Transit Administration, which on Oct. 31 ordered SEPTA to inspect the entire overhead catenary system that powers our D, G, and T trolleys. This order followed an unrelated Sept. 25 pantograph incident on the D.
SEPTA will continue to provide updates as more information is available about the projected reopening of the tunnel. For now, expect the tunnel to remain closed through this weekend, with trolleys diverted to 40th and Market St for transfer to the L.
-via Press Release
