(The following article by Thomas J. Gibbons Jr. was posted on the Philadelphia Inquirer website on November 4.)
PHILADELPHIA — Already weary SEPTA Regional Rail commuters suffered another indignity yesterday evening when downed wires near 30th Street Station forced hours-long delays on the overburdened system.
“These are Amtrak wire problems,” a SEPTA spokesman said of the delay that began around 5 p.m., just at the height of the homebound rush.
The delays caused a large backup of passengers at the Market East and Suburban Stations in Center City. At the Market East stop, commuters queued up in cattle-chute lines outlined by yellow ropes as message boards explained the reason for the delay, and SEPTA employees worked the floor giving verbal assistance.
“Due to Amtrak power problems, all trains are subject to delays. Please listen for announcements,” flashed a message over the steps to the trains.
Most riders seem resigned to their predicament.
“It’s just frustrating. It’s been a long day,” said Becky Leister, who arrived at the station around 5:15 p.m. to catch the 5:39 to Paoli. Leister, a teacher at Lionville Middle School in Exton who was in Center City with 21 other Lionville teachers for a National Middle School Association convention, was resigned to a very long wait.
“What else can we do?” she asked. “We’re making the best of it.”
“I’m going to hang in,” said Earle Smith, 65, a shoe salesman waiting to catch the 6:03 to Chestnut Hill East. “You got to take it easy. What’s the difference?”
SEPTA said the downed wires were corrected by 7:15, but delays were expected to last through the night.