Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), one of the largest transit systems in the country, announced it is nearing completion of 14 safety-related requirements outlined in a Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) emergency order issued on Oct. 1.
The emergency order was in response to recent fires involving SEPTA’s Silverliner IV Regional Rail trains. After the order was issued, SEPTA conducted inspections and addressed any needed repairs. On Oct. 31, the FRA granted SEPTA an extension to Nov. 14 to finish inspecting the 223-railcar fleet and complete installations of new high-heat detectors.
The FRA also extended the deadline for SEPTA to install thermal protection circuits on the Silverliner IV railcars to Dec. 5. The circuits are a safety mechanism designed to interrupt the flow of electricity to an overheating device.
“We are grateful for the FRA’s collaboration, and we are committed to following through on the required actions so that we can continue returning safe and reliable service to our customers,” SEPTA General Manager Scott Sauer said. “This has been a herculean effort by our workforce to establish this process and execute the required work, and I am confident in our ability to complete these tasks in a timely manner.”
SEPTA will continue to work closely with the FRA.