(The following story by Dan Geringer appeared on the Philadelphia Daily News website on April 14, 2010.)
PHILADELPHIA — Yes, there is a “new train smell.”
The first three of 120 state-of-the-art Silverliner V regional rail cars that SEPTA plans to put into service in the next two years were a knockout at their media debut yesterday.
There are video monitors broadcasting real-time travel information inside the cars. The 109 blue-upholstered seats in the climate-controlled, wheelchair-accessible cars are armchair-comfortable and even have individual coat hooks.
The Silverliner V’s – built by Korea-based Hyundai Rotem USA in a South Philadelphia plant by up to 200 local workers using mostly American parts – are open for public inspection today and tomorrow, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., on Track O, opposite the SEPTA ticket booths on the Suburban Station concourse.
“They will replace Regional Rail cars that are 35 to 40 – and up to 47 – years old,” said SEPTA General Manager Joe Casey.
In other words, the Beatles were making their American debut on “The Ed Sullivan Show” when some of the current rail cars were put into service – and riding them today feels like Ringo is drumming “A Hard Day’s Night”on your butt.
That will start to change by August or September as the first of the smooth-riding Silverliner V’s pass their 30 to 40 days of safety testing in SEPTA’s Wayne Junction rail yard, and are put into Regional Rail service.
Casey said SEPTA plans to add nine to 10 cars per month until the ancient Silverliner II’s and III’s are all replaced by Silverliner V’s.