Septa Regional Rail Strike

[Acela150]

As of 12:01am this evening Septa regional rail trains are halted.. Septa and The Union representing Engineers and Electricians couldn't strike a deal...

To say that the Philly area will be gridlock is an absolute understatement.

With Regional Rail trains shut down, the I-495 Bridge closed, and I-95 about to undergo a major construction project the Philadelphia Metropolitan area will be hard to get around until the strike is resolved.

Both the Engineers and Electricians have been without a contract for over four years! Septa and the unions keep splitting hairs over Pension, Pay, and a lot more.

http://6abc.com/news/septa-regional-rail-workers-announce-strike/111442/

 

[Bob Dylan]

The City of Brotherly Love won't be so Brotherly during the Strike!

 

[Acela150]

http://www.philly.com/philly/business/transportation/20140614_Last-ditch_talks_pending_as_Regional_Rail_strike_looms.html

 

[Green Maned Lion]

The city of brotherly union breaking.

 

[Paulus]

Hopefully they'll be done before I need to use them next month.

 

[Anderson]

*sighs*
Well, at least the Regionals should do some brisk business between Wilmington and Trenton off of this.

Serious question: Has Amtrak ever considered working with some of the relevant agencies to work up extra-stop schedules for some Regionals (or add in "Strike Extras" that use the equipment of the agency in question the way they have the "Holiday Extras" at Thanksgiving) when stuff like this happens? Transit strikes don't happen every day, but most major commuter rail agencies have one or more lines served by Amtrak.

 

[MikefromCrete]

*sighs*

Well, at least the Regionals should do some brisk business between Wilmington and Trenton off of this.

Serious question: Has Amtrak ever considered working with some of the relevant agencies to work up extra-stop schedules for some Regionals (or add in "Strike Extras" that use the equipment of the agency in question the way they have the "Holiday Extras" at Thanksgiving) when stuff like this happens? Transit strikes don't happen every day, but most major commuter rail agencies have one or more lines served by Amtrak.

Let's see. You want to use Amtrak crews to use Septa (for example) equipment to stop at SEPTA stations. Looks like you'd have Amtrak crews going out on their own strike in sympathy with the SEPTA strikers.

 

[jis]

It does raise a definite "crossing the picket line" issue, and is best avoided.

For stations where Amtrak stops anyway it is fair game on those trains that stop there. But other than that it is not at all clear what Amtrak has to gain by exposing itself to the possibility of action in sympathy when it need not be involved.

 

[Acela150]

http://6abc.com/news/obama-intervenes-forcing-septa-employees-back-to-work/111442/

 

[Green Maned Lion]

I didn't know Obama was so anti-union.

 

[Fan Railer]

I didn't know Obama was so anti-union.

that's one way to look at it...

 

[Anderson]

I didn't know Obama was so anti-union.

That is a rather creative way to look at it. If I'm not mistaken, such boards are actually a pretty standard item in cases like this. I want to say there was one summoned for BART at one point.

As to the Amtrak stuff, there are a few possibilities:

(1) Amtrak could add stops at a few SEPTA stations where it already stops. Easy examples would be Newark (Delaware), North Philadelphia, Cornwells Heights, and Trenton. This should be doable with existing equipment.

(2) Amtrak could add stops at stations not generally served by Amtrak, but on existing train schedules. I'm not going to even try and guess what the best stops for this would be, but there are plenty.

(3) Amtrak and PA could always fiddle with the schedules/terms/equipment allocations on the Keystones for that line. Trying to sort that one out would be fun...and of course, though I don't know about compatibility issues between the sets I do wonder where everyone would be if PA wanted Amtrak to add stops on a line and wanted to swap in some SEPTA equipment to add capacity.

 

[Bob Dylan]

President Truman drafted the RR. workers into the Army (also the Postal Workers in another strike) in the 40s when they refused to work after striking and refusing to follow the law and honor a cooling off period!The Supreme Court later over turned this act but at least he had a pair!

And he was considered a friend of Labor! He vetoed the Union hated Taft-Hartley Act but the Republican Congress over rode the veto! He was reflected in a Huge Upset in 1948 with strong Labor support and is considered one of our better Presidents by Real Historians!

 

[blueman271]

Amtrak should be able to run trains up to Bala Cynwyd and back as they already have qualified crews.

 

[Fan Railer]

Amtrak should be able to run trains up to Bala Cynwyd and back as they already have qualified crews.

lol

 

[Ryan]

Well played.

 

[jis]

Amtrak should be able to run trains up to Bala Cynwyd and back as they already have qualified crews.

ROTFL, and carry the 5 passengers back and forth until kingdom comes

 

[MikefromCrete]

I didn't know Obama was so anti-union.

That is a rather creative way to look at it. If I'm not mistaken, such boards are actually a pretty standard item in cases like this. I want to say there was one summoned for BART at one point.

As to the Amtrak stuff, there are a few possibilities:

(1) Amtrak could add stops at a few SEPTA stations where it already stops. Easy examples would be Newark (Delaware), North Philadelphia, Cornwells Heights, and Trenton. This should be doable with existing equipment.

(2) Amtrak could add stops at stations not generally served by Amtrak, but on existing train schedules. I'm not going to even try and guess what the best stops for this would be, but there are plenty.

(3) Amtrak and PA could always fiddle with the schedules/terms/equipment allocations on the Keystones for that line. Trying to sort that one out would be fun...and of course, though I don't know about compatibility issues between the sets I do wonder where everyone would be if PA wanted Amtrak to add stops on a line and wanted to swap in some SEPTA equipment to add capacity.

So, the SEPTA engineers put up picket lines at Amtrak facilities and the Amtrak crews refuse to cross the picket line. Your a smart guy Anderson, but you don't know much about railroad unions. Besides these strikes are usually ended by presidential degree of a cooling off period and subsequent negotiations. Also, its doubtful would have enough capacity to handle rush hour ridership.

 

[jis]

So, the SEPTA engineers put up picket lines at Amtrak facilities and the Amtrak crews refuse to cross the picket line. Your a smart guy Anderson, but you don't know much about railroad unions. Besides these strikes are usually ended by presidential degree of a cooling off period and subsequent negotiations. Also, its doubtful would have enough capacity to handle rush hour ridership.

Mike, that is exactly the point I tried to make, though not as eloquently as you, a little ways back in this thread.

 

[Acela150]

Cliff,

Amtrak already stops at Newark, DE.. Ask Betty.. She lives there! They also serve North Philadelphia, and Cornwells Heights. While it's only a few trains a day it's better then nothing.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Cliff,

Amtrak already stops at Newark, DE.. Ask Betty.. She lives there! They also serve North Philadelphia, and Cornwells Heights. While it's only a few trains a day it's better then nothing.

I think he meant add additional stops at these stations. Newark doesn't have very many Amtrak trains stop there, but if they had a few more stop, during "rush hour", they would fulfill the needs of those who usually take SEPTA to WIL or PHL

 

[Trogdor]

Besides the question of a union not wanting to hurt another union during a strike, the question must be asked, do Amtrak trains even have the capacity to handle extra crowds of displaced SEPTA commuters? The reality is such commuters probably wouldn't be profitable for Amtrak unless SEPTA paid Amtrak a bunch more money on top of the fares collected (or unless they bought Amtrak tickets, but then you're blocking out more profitable, longer-distance seats because of a few short-distance tickets).

 

[jacorbett70]

The Amtrak buckets for NRK-PHL seem to reach at least $61 one way, compared to SEPTA $6.50 advance and $8 on-board.

 

[Fan Railer]

The Amtrak buckets for NRK-PHL seem to reach at least $61 one way, compared to SEPTA $6.50 advance and $8 on-board.

Lol yea. From all the times I've ridden SEPTA NEC service (Trenton & Newark lines), I can say that a good chunk of those people who ride aren't going to be shelling out for the Amtrak premium.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

The Amtrak buckets for NRK-PHL seem to reach at least $61 one way, compared to SEPTA $6.50 advance and $8 on-board.

The Amtrak buckets for NRK-PHL seem to reach at least $61 one way, compared to SEPTA $6.50 advance and $8 on-board.

Lol yea. From all the times I've ridden SEPTA NEC service (Trenton & Newark lines), I can say that a good chunk of those people who ride aren't going to be shelling out for the Amtrak premium.

Agree.