I lived in Lindenwold from 1985 until 1996 and used PATCO to commute to my job with Amtrak at 30th street station. Here's a few facts about PATCO. PATCO was planned to be a three branch system. In addition to the main branch to Lindenwold two other lines were planned. One would run north to the Moorestown area and the other would run south towards the Glassboro area. In your video at the 11:30 mark you can see the ramp that was built for these two lines to diverge from the main line. There is talk of a light rail line south towards Glassboro that would be an extension of the River line and not PATCO. You mentioned the operators having to run the trains in manual mode during wet track conditions. This is because the braking distance setup in ATO mode causes the trains to slide by the stations in rain, snow and ice. When PATCO was being planned the stations would have manned ticket booths to sell tickets and collect fares. These booths would only be open during daylight hours. At night the train operators would collect fares. In order to do this a small number of single cars were ordered. The operators position was placed on the left side of the train with a single leaf door directly behind the operator. This allowed him/her to view the platform for closing the doors and collecting fares at night. This is why the operators position is on the left side as opposed to the right side which is standard north American practice. I believe all the single unit cars have either been retired or converted into "married pairs" with other singles. The PATCO magnetic fare card system was chosen after the cars were ordered. The Lindenwold station is a transfer station with the NJT Atlantic City line. This station see heavy usage by the gambling crowd and beach goers during the summer months. PATCO's shops are also located at Lindenwold. Back in the 80's a set of the old Bridge Line cars were stored at the shops. I don't know if they're still there or not. Over the years there have been plans to extend to PATCO line under the river to 30th street and the University of PA. Don't hold your breathe on this one. And finally the cars as built used to have a great "Rail Fan Window" (RFW) seat at the front. When the cars were rebuilt full width cabs were installed.
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
This is all great information! Thank you!
@erichhouchens37115 ай бұрын
@@Thom-TRA I can't remember if WAMTA has a "rain mode" for their ATO or not. You might want to check out how the train is run above ground next time it rains in DC.
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
I'm not sure if WMATA's ATO is up and running yet.
@erichhouchens37115 ай бұрын
@@Thom-TRA Thanks. I realized that just after I hit the reply button. I grew up in the DC area and remember back in the 80's and 90's all the operator had to do was open and close the doors and press the start button. I have heard the Red line will be the first to get ATO operation back. BTW - I forgot to mention back in my original post about the connection between Amtrak at Septa at 30th street. This underground connection built as part of the construction of 30th street back in the 1930's was closed in the 80's due to crime and maintenance issues. Both Septa and Amtrak claimed it was the other operators responsibility to police and maintain the passageway. If you go to the southwest corner of 30th street you can see in the floor where Amtrak blocked off the stairs leading down to the passageway. There are plans to reopen this link though I'm not sure if it's part of the ongoing refresh of 30th street.
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
@@erichhouchens3711 no worries, they’re bringing back ATO this year hopefully! The red line already has automated doors again, finally.
@brwagenblast4 ай бұрын
Another fun fact: the voice of the announcements is also the voice of AirTrain Newark and one of the voices of the NYC subway. That would be me.
@stephensaines71004 ай бұрын
I hear you!
@Thom-TRA4 ай бұрын
Really? That’s cool! I think I saw a video about you recently.
@theautistictransitfan4 ай бұрын
off all the people I expected to comment under a PATCO video, THE Bernie Wagenblast was not one of them!
@Mistahmarvista20 күн бұрын
@@stephensaines7100 Bernie Wagenblast.
@BirbarianHomeGuard5 ай бұрын
The retro-futuristic rail transit America never got.
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
I mean, America got BART and the DC Metro...
@tommorrison94904 ай бұрын
@@Thom-TRA don't forget MARTA!
@sakethballa36t4 ай бұрын
I use this line every day to get from Lindenwold to Philly. Comfortable, quick, and remarkably cheap. The stations on the Jersey side seem much better kept than the Philly side for whatever reason. Can't wait for Franklin Square to open!
@matty21285 ай бұрын
I hope that WMATA can turn on their automated trains again.
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
They're working on it!
@DJYNOT29 күн бұрын
I grew up in Camden New Jersey and I would be on the Patco speed line almost every day. My stop was Ferry ave in Camden. I would ride it as a kid to Philly by myself at 10 years old. Now I live in Philly and have used all the lines, including Patco to get around for years when I don’t feel like driving
@AverytheCubanAmerican5 ай бұрын
I agree that 30th Street Station is absolutely a breathtaking station, definitely one of my top favorites in the US among Grand Central Terminal, Hoboken Terminal, and DC Union Station! 30th Street Station was designed by Graham, Anderson, Probst & White, a Chicago firm that was the successor to Daniel Burnham's firm. Thus besides 30th Street in Philly, they worked on many Chicago icons like the Wrigley Building, Merchandise Mart, Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, and the Civic Opera House! They helped complete Chicago Union Station as well to finish a design that began under Burnham's firm. They also worked on Philly's Suburban Station and Cleveland's Terminal Tower. The sculpture you showed at 4:27 is called the Angel of the Resurrection, portraying Michael the Archangel lifting up the soul of a dead soldier from the flames of war. It commemorates the 1,307 Pennsylvania Railroad employees who died in World War II and was sculpted by Walker Hancock in 1952! At Lindenwold, there's a connection with the Atlantic City Line! After Conrail took over South Jersey rail services in 1976 (which also included Ocean City and Cape May) and NJDOT ceased these services in 1981, Amtrak and NJT struck a deal where the main line to Atlantic City would be upgraded by Amtrak, Amtrak would run an Atlantic City Express to AC from places like NYC, Philly, and DC, while also building commuter stations for a NJT service on the line. The line reopened in 1989, and during this time, NJT rail service was between Lindenwold and Atlantic City. After Amtrak discontinued the AC Express in 1995, NJT extended its service from Lindenwold to Philadelphia.
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
I was going to maybe ride the Atlantic City line last time I was in Philly, but the schedules lined up so that I would have spent most of the day doing that…
@stephenkeever60294 ай бұрын
@@Thom-TRA Hope you get to do it someday in the future.
@stephenkeever60294 ай бұрын
I am glad things lined up so that I could see what Avery had to say about the wonderful 30th street station!
@davidaldinger1134 ай бұрын
Great video it what REALLY would be great would be a ride over the entire Lindenwold line.
@00Zy994 ай бұрын
Interesting note-PATCO started after BART but opened earlier. Why? Because it focused on using state-of-the-art best practices rather than introducing massive new technological innovations. BART was forced to accept cutting edge technology as a prerequisite for federal aid (this being the 1960s when the planning began, and a desire to be high-tech and futuristic was annoyingly pervasive), which PATCO didn't receive. This has also helped PATCO in the long run, as its systems have proven relatively easy to update, while BART (and the Morgantown People Mover) have massive issues with dated technology.
@peterfrey60623 ай бұрын
also in its initial planning, Patco had to assert that it was running an urban rapid transit line, not a Railroad, subject to RR federal rules.
@SupremeLeaderKimJong-un5 ай бұрын
The Benjamin Franklin Bridge was designed in the 1920s by Paul Philippe Cret, who was educated at Lyon's École des Beaux-Arts and migrated from France to the US to teach at UPenn, who was also the architect of the National Memorial Arch at Valley Forge in the 1910s, DC's Duke Ellington Bridge, DC's Eccles Building and UT Austin's Tower in Texas in the 1930s, and DC's Pan American Union Building in the 1900s. Plans for a bridge to augment the ferries across the Delaware River began as early as 1818, when one plan envisioned using Smith Island, a narrow island off the Philadelphia shore that was removed in 1893. The bridge was dedicated as part of the 1926 Sesquicentennial Exposition, celebrating the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. From 1926 to 1929, it had the longest single span of any suspension bridge in the world. Besides Cret as supervising architect, the chief engineer of the bridge was Polish-born Ralph Modjeski and the design engineer was Leon Moisseiff. Leon became known for his work on "deflection theory," which held that the longer bridges were, the more flexible they could be. Charles Alton Ellis elaborated on Moisseiff's theories, and applied them in the design of the famed Golden Gate Bridge. Moisseiff served as a consulting engineer on the bridge. However, Moisseiff designed the original the Tacoma Narrows Suspension Bridge in 1940, the first bridge that he designed as the leading engineer. He lost his strong reputation when this narrow span across the Puget Sound in Washington State collapsed in a windstorm four months after it opened. In 1950, another bridge was built to replace it.
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
I love the Duke Ellington bridge! Especially the bus stop with the mural of all the presidents next to it.
@Byftpup4 ай бұрын
LMAO - Bunnies... that was my highlight.. You are insanely knowledgable on US rail systems, both historically and travel wise. Thanks heaps for the hard work.
@Thom-TRA4 ай бұрын
Thank you for the kind words! Drop another comment the next time you see a bunny :)
@peterfrey60623 ай бұрын
where did that bunny come from??? City Hall?
@himbourbanist5 ай бұрын
thanks for talking about PATCO :D it's such a cool line with beautiful trains and incredible views over the Delaware. A wonderful asset for our city. Hopefully someday the Port Authority has the sense to expand the system to its initially proposed scope and get South Jersey covered with high quality rail transit.
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
It would be nice if they could expand it into a larger network. And get some new trains.
@Foxy_AR5 ай бұрын
Am I the only one who knows about this line only because I watched an Alan Fisher video about it?
@db3995 ай бұрын
As someone who used to live in Philly (briefly) and took this train semi-regularly, it was jarring to go to Collingswood and Haddonfield after seeing Camden, Kensington and parts of West Philly.
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
Probably way more suburban
@CaradhrasAiguo495 ай бұрын
Your historical route diagrams always come in useful! I rode PATCO between Center City and Haddonfield, which definitely includes 65 MPH-rated segments. The acceleration and cruising at the top speed was a marvel by rapid transit standards! The whirring of the motors is so satisfying!
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
Nothing more satisfying than traveling at high speed!
@druliefw4 ай бұрын
I actually clocked the Speedline at 65 MPH between Haddonfield and Woodcrest Station with an app on my smartphone
@peterfrey60623 ай бұрын
@@Thom-TRA that's why it's called "Patco high speed line" hahaha
@mmrw5 ай бұрын
It’s crazy how many similarities PATCO has with PATH
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
There are quite a few!
@JohnJohn-uz8ipАй бұрын
I lived in Camden for a few years and loved the Patco. Hope you make it to Buffalo for the NFTA Metro Rail.
@Thom-TRAАй бұрын
Someday!
@MDLC4245 ай бұрын
Riding the patco made me so MAD. Seeing that small towns can get 24 hour frequent service made me very irritated with the situation out in places like California (where I live).
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
Oh yeah I bet! California has a ways to go, but seemingly they’re more willing to do it at this point than most places.
@radarhec3 ай бұрын
Glad your paco ride was so soft. We went from far NE Philadelphia to AC NJ . I felt the train was going to fall apart ! The trip was not boring ! Cell phones were a new thing . I called home to Philly from the board walk at AC NJ to see if the call would reach . It did . your ride took me back many moons ago ! Good flick !
@kjrehberg5 ай бұрын
Great video! I also learned that PATCO trains accelerate much faster than other mass transit systems.
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
It didn’t stand out to me when I was riding it but that’s probably because I was paying attention to other things!
@theultimatereductionist75925 ай бұрын
I love that the Riverline finally made an interchange in Pennsauken, NJ to switch to the Atlantic City Line which also goes into Philadelphia. Back in 2015 going home from a doctor in Philly, I made a switch there at Pennsauken to the Riverline.
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
The RiverLine is a great line! I have yet to ride the Atlantic City line.
@travelingfool909624 күн бұрын
As a Philly (Delco) lifer, I seem to remember this being referred to as " Lindenworld High Speed Line" in my youth ( ima old) ,but in more recent times as "Patco". but I never rode.
@ck44264 ай бұрын
Really enjoy your historical research, graphics, and explanations in your videos. Absolutely awesome!!!
@Thom-TRA4 ай бұрын
Thank you thank you!!
@richardgerome489713 күн бұрын
I really love your videos and I used to build passenger rail cars when I worked for The Budd Company in Philadelphia. I would really love for you to do some more videos of these cars and how many are still in service. At one time in history we built the best rail cars…
@Thom-TRA13 күн бұрын
What part of the building process were you involved with?
@NickBurman4 ай бұрын
Never ridden the Lindewold line, but I'm a firm fan of their pre-PATCO rolling stock with their "Buck Rogers" look.
@user-ni9ig7oo1f12 күн бұрын
I grew up in philly. I use to hooky school and ride the Broad street subway all day. At Girard ave. I notice a train waiting when my local would pull in. I went to investigate and it was the Ridge Ave. line. I got on and was shocked when i came above ground and started climbing the Ben Franklin bridge. In Camden N.J. it went back underground, and ended 2 stations later. Eventually those tracks become the PATCO high sped line that is featured in this story.
@Thom-TRA11 күн бұрын
Yeah it’s cool that they used to be interlined. Have you watched my Broad street subway video yet? You might like it!
@user-ni9ig7oo1f11 күн бұрын
@@Thom-TRA I use to ide the BS subway the entire length fom Snyde Ave. to olney ave.when I was going to Cental high at olney and Ogontz ave. I use to walk the tacks fom Olney to Erie ave.😁
@trainsdestinations39605 ай бұрын
Wow, nice video. This is my local transit system and is so convenient for me getting into the city and back.
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
I’m sure you use it a lot!
@frontier_etc5 ай бұрын
Great video on the Patco Speedline. I live in northern NJ so I've never ridden this, but I did look into this line before when considering a move and job opportunity in southern NJ
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
Definitely go down and ride it if you get the chance!
@mikecarrington42975 ай бұрын
amazing how much transit info you have accumulated. great job as usual
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
Thank you! It definitely takes up a lot of my brain space haha
@peterfrey60623 ай бұрын
@@Thom-TRA yep, very enjoyable; and you are quite an expert, especially on something as complex as the Patco history. I might add that the Locust street tunnel was originally designed as part of a downtown "subway loop" There is a partly built "ghost subway" under Arch street that was never finished.
@stephenkeever60294 ай бұрын
Excellent research, information and storytelling! Glad you covered a transit system that I have ridden, but never knew much about it. It has always felt old and slow, but safe, reliable and a system you knew would get you there.
@willy.william45825 ай бұрын
For the announcements, is that the same guy who does the Newark and JFK AirTrain announcements?
@TheHungryTransitFan4 ай бұрын
Correct, that's Bernie Wagenblast. She also recently came out as a trans woman last year. In addition to the AirTrains, she also did the station announcements for MTA (arriving trains, "Stand clear...")
@TheHungryTransitFan4 ай бұрын
8:15 you got the full PATCO experience, a pocket full of Sacajawea dollars! In the future (as mentioned in a reply elsewhere) they're aiming to use TVMs which can dispense bills. They'll also have a contactless trip card, so I guess there will be an opportunity for another neat collector's item. Thanks for featuring South Jersey's dependable little transit line!
@Thom-TRA4 ай бұрын
Those coins came in handy! And I kept a few
@filanfyretracker4 ай бұрын
as someone who lives and works in SNJ in a supermarket, I can always tell if one of our cashiers got someone who rode the train. dollar coins are common change from ticket machines, Metro-North issued them too when I lived up that way.
@user-bv9gm1kc2v3 ай бұрын
There you go, channeling your Canadian viewers with our "loonies". @@Thom-TRA
@kirstynloftus826Ай бұрын
I still have my coins, they’re just too cool to use!
@Transit_Biker7 күн бұрын
Taking PATCO to RiverLine as a bridge is a genius move. You could stop at Newark and then take PATH next time? 😎
@rmorzy755 ай бұрын
4:00 got me dying 😂😂 5:58 lmaooooo
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
People need to be told haha
@srsykes2 ай бұрын
I used to ride the Bridge Line, as we called it before PATCO. It only had two stops, City Hall-Camden and Broadway, the end of the line. A transfer from the Philly subway system plus a token ( two for 5 cents) was required. That was in 1965. The fact that PATCO runs 24/7 is GREAT! I live about four miles from the Lindenwold Station so I always use the train when I have to go into Philly.
@Thom-TRA2 ай бұрын
When the conversion was complete, did you consider PATCO an improvement over the Bridge Line?
@filanfyretracker4 ай бұрын
I dont think NJ could function without trains.
@Thom-TRA4 ай бұрын
Most places can’t
@anthonywarrener18815 ай бұрын
Thank you for this wonderful video ! I rode that route about 10 years ago, all the way to Lindenwold. I agree with all that you say, and really thought the cars were very comfortable, and nicely maintained. Fortunately I didn’t have your experience on entering the PATCO station ! I look forward to your ride from Trenton to NYC, and hope you ride in a bi-level service which give a great ride, and splendid views !
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
Surprisingly, it was a single level train!
@charlesbaran11065 ай бұрын
Years ago, an Amtrak rider getting out at 30 St. could get a free ride on SEPTA to Suburban Station. If that is still so, and maybe includes a ride to Jefferson Station, it would be an alternative to taking the Market St. subway.
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
I’ve heard of that but I’m not sure if it’s still the case
@calinahernandez67754 ай бұрын
Septa still honors Amtrak tickets to Suburban, Jefferson and Penn Medicine Stations.
@charlesbaran11064 ай бұрын
Thanks for the update!
@guyfaux39785 ай бұрын
The stations in Center City were, I believe, originally intended to be on a balloon loop that would have returned to the Broad line after going to Suburban Station, and would have been operated as part of the Broad line
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
Yes, that is correct! The tunnel was built decades before it ever went into use.
@davidaldinger1135 ай бұрын
I thought the worst thing anybody would have to deal with in any rapid transit station would be what smells like panther piss. I smelled what smelled like that in a stairwell in a Metra station in downtown Chicago.
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
How do you know specifically what panther urine smells like?
@davidaldinger1134 ай бұрын
@@Thom-TRA oh, I don’t know. I had a friend in college who made that remark about panther piss when we got back to our dorm after some partying we’d been doing one night. I mean the stairway DID smell like piss but his reference to panther piss just sounded too good not to stick with me all these years.
@lancomedic3 ай бұрын
The official name for the PATCO line was "Lindenwald-Philadelphia Hi-Speed Line". We all called it the Lindenwold Line. In the early ‘70s when I first rode it compared to the El (which is what Philadelphians call the Market-Frankford Subway Elevated Line) it seemed truly space aged. It was fast, quiet and had automated announcements which are commonplace today. I was fortunate to lead a tour of the entire facility including the main control building and shops. At the shops there was a train of PRSL RDCs operated by Conrail idling. Haven’t been back to Philly in 40 years but I still have a PATCO time-table from 1976, the Bicentennial Year. The fare was $.90 to Lindenwold.
@genmdse3 ай бұрын
thats super cool you keep the tickets as a souvenir
@JerrellWoolford4 ай бұрын
I recall a few times riding New Jersey Transit's Atlantic City Line which runs parallel to the PATCO Line around Lindenwold . If you're lucky, you'll get to race PATCO along the way 😁
@MrCrazycook85 ай бұрын
Thom suffers from 'Railfixation' No known cure. Only relief is to share experiences/thoughts with others on KZfaq :)
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
There's no known cure because no one has ever felt the need to find a cure!
@shigemorif10664 ай бұрын
Great video! Lived near one of the stations in Philly back in the day. Great news about the Franklin Square station! Maybe that will make it an alternative for intra city trips in Philly. I could see going from Rittenhouse square over to Chinatown using it.
@Thom-TRA4 ай бұрын
A cheaper alternative too!
@ELAlcoRS35 ай бұрын
Thanks, great video. I have to go down there and ride on it one of these days.
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
Let me know how it goes!
@Bratsbergbanen14 ай бұрын
Hi Thom, first time viewer here. Great video, you're a really enjoyable presenter. Will absolutely check out your other stuff!
@Thom-TRA4 ай бұрын
Thank you, please do! Thanks for commenting too
@BDavinci065 ай бұрын
Good vid covering PATCO. Can't wait for your NJT RiverLine video. I use those 2 to go into Philly. When I can't get the SEPTA Regional Rail at Trenton.
@Thom-TRA4 ай бұрын
Just a few more days!
@japanamericacar4274 ай бұрын
san diego is planning on extending the blue line into downtown tijuana so that would be a first in north amreica, an international line
@Thom-TRA4 ай бұрын
I’m curious how that would happen given the current political climate
@japanamericacar4274 ай бұрын
@@Thom-TRA Sandag, our planning agency, and the company they are partnering with to study it, Cordova, are both optimistic. They are pitching it as a way to increase border capacity as it would make another border crossing in function.
@japanamericacar4274 ай бұрын
Also this is dependent on a new san ysidro station, which will have 3 tracks and be elevated, they are considering either a shuttle service or a full service to tijuana, issues are some things in mexican law when it comes to railroads
@jpninja77617 күн бұрын
Great video! Couple of thoughts: - You no longer need a SEPTA Key card for MFL, BSL, NHSL, trolleys, or busses, you can tap any credit card or Apple/Google Pay. The fare is still the discounted $2 and it includes up to 2 transfers within 2 hours if you use the same payment method (not to PATCO because that’s a different system) - re: poop I believe that station you entered at has the unfortunate distinction of having a mezzanine partly controlled by the City for some reason. Draw your own conclusions there
@wildgoldean4 ай бұрын
It would be nice if PATCO extends to Atlantic City on its east end & to 30th St station on its west end.
@Thom-TRA4 ай бұрын
Definitely better than the current NJT line
@mcrochip23 күн бұрын
While the views aren't nearly as nice, the pedestrian subway in Center City Philadelphia is an pretty cool walk. There are also some historic artifacts down there like ancient Regional Rail maps and a shopping mall. You can walk from 15th Street under Market to 8th, and under Broad Street all the way to South Street (I think). It's still not a free transfer, but you never have to see daylight to transfer between the 4 underground transit lines (MFL, BSL, Subway/Surface Trolley, PATCO).
@BenriBea5 ай бұрын
It's interesting how 2 of only 4 interstate metros are in New Jersey. Where would they be without their neighbors...
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
Haha very true!
@kirstynloftus826Ай бұрын
NJ is probably one of the only states that doesn’t have a major city in the state, it’s really only popular because of its location to other metro areas, otherwise it’d just be a bunch of farmland
@dylan18455 ай бұрын
When I used to live in southern New Jersey, I used to take PATCO every day to get to work in center city Philly 😊I worked on 8th and Market
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
That’s a nice easy commute!
@SF_SPOTTER4 ай бұрын
Hey Thom I was wondering if you could review the Amtrak blue water
@Thom-TRA4 ай бұрын
I’ve been on the blue water before but I haven’t done a review of it yet!
@SF_SPOTTER4 ай бұрын
@@Thom-TRA I’ve heard it’s very beautiful is that true
@davidsummers67003 ай бұрын
Took this train as a 15 year old living in Suburban NJ to Philly to buy booze and cigarettes for $2 each way. Great train. lolz.
@jamallhayden25125 ай бұрын
Thank You!
@stephensaines71004 ай бұрын
Great channel! I'm subscribing.
@Thom-TRA4 ай бұрын
Thanks!
@UncommonElevators5 ай бұрын
I enjoyed riding patco for the first time a few months ago. My only complaints were the low frequency on sundays and lack of schedule/ticket coordination with the river line.
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
I wish it would be integrated with SEPTA
@user-ni9ig7oo1f11 күн бұрын
If I remember correctly those PATCO trains were air 😆😆conditioned.
@alancutler64535 ай бұрын
I was a Center City resident until 1987. Used PATCO to visit my aunt near Haddonfield. Latter we took PATCO to Lindenwold then caught a train to Atlantic City.
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
Good memories I’m sure!
@BeniRoseMusic28 күн бұрын
30th st station DID connect with the 30th street El stop once upon a time, but they closed the pedestrian tunnel due to crime in the 80s due to crime. There's constant talks about reopening it but it never happens.
@Thom-TRA27 күн бұрын
I believe they’re actually building it again
@BeniRoseMusic27 күн бұрын
@@Thom-TRA Wikipedia says in the section about the current work they’re doing there funded by the infrastructure bill, that there aren’t plans to connect the two. I’d love for that to be wrong!
@kiosk55955 ай бұрын
Vancouver also sometimes has manual operators, albeit much more rarely. I remember a video somewhere during a rare major PNW snowstorm and there was someone manually operating the Skytrain
@Thom-TRA4 ай бұрын
But do they ride along even when the train is in automatic mode?
@kiosk55954 ай бұрын
@@Thom-TRAThat I’m not sure of. I’d need an actual Vancouverite to confirm that instead of it’s 3-hours-south neighbor 😁
@amfm8894 ай бұрын
@@Thom-TRANo. Skytrain is completely driverless.
@yaush_4 ай бұрын
After seeing the MBTA comment I just have to say: it is very cool that the T goes to providence. The MBTA has also tried for many years to make a line which goes to Manchester NH. However, the proposal is repeatedly rejected by the New Hampshire government. If it got accepted though, it would be the third rail line in NH which is funded by a separate government. The Downeaster and Vermonter are funded by Maine and Vermont respectively. The Downeaster must go through NH to reach Maine and the Vermonter has one stop (which is for some reason) in NH, but the whole line runs on the border.
@peterfrey60623 ай бұрын
Great narrative. and good knowledge of the history of Patco. Only thing to add would be more shots of the view crossing the river. It's really too bad Patco never carried through on its original plan to add other branches to the system and in effect replace the old railroad lines.
@TuukkaVarjoranta5 ай бұрын
Interesting documentary of the PATCO! 😎
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
Thanks!
@Roma_eterna5 ай бұрын
I really hope they integrate mobile pay on PATCO like they did on SEPTA
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
I wish they would just integrate both systems
@Roma_eterna5 ай бұрын
@@Thom-TRA even better!
@AG7-MTM4 ай бұрын
I hope the speedline can get new open-gangway trains, maybe similar to DC's 8000 series or more hopefully Atlanta's CQ400
@johnfriel-uj2zs5 ай бұрын
Patco Is Awesome Never Has Problems😊
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
I don't think anywhere never has problems but PATCO seemed pretty great
@MattMcIrvinАй бұрын
The name "PATCO" always sounds strange to me because I think of the air traffic controllers' union that got crushed by Reagan in 1981.
@Thom-TRAАй бұрын
Yeah it sounds like the name of a power company or something
@dave116865 ай бұрын
Very cool
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
Super cool
@stefunnyoАй бұрын
"The Machine Will Not Take My Card, So i have to walk a decent chunk to an atm" Continues To Walk By A Bank Of America
@Thom-TRAАй бұрын
Why would I pay for fees at BOA when I can walk a few more blocks and visit Chase?
@Jackyliu0095 ай бұрын
Riding on the Benjamin Franklin bridge at night offers a georgeous view
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
Oh I’m sure!
@AG7-MTM3 ай бұрын
I hope modern CBTC signalling and walk-through trains can be introduced. And maybe introduce a Metro Trains Melbourne idea-CBTC as a driver assist to help them stop in the right spot without needing to do it automatically
@TheLIRRFrenchie...4 ай бұрын
Hmmm, a provision at 11:32 perhaps 🤔🤔....
@paulcastillo13105 ай бұрын
Great video
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
Thank you!
@counterfit54 ай бұрын
When I visited Philly in August, I somehow managed to pick a seat with no window going both ways over the Delaware
@Thom-TRA4 ай бұрын
Oh that sucks lol
@ayindestevens61525 ай бұрын
So last week I was in the area to see the Battleship Nea Jersey be moved so we went to Philly For lunch. We wound up walking one to stop up to City Hall because we couldn’t figure out where to enter in at the Broadway stop.
@Thom-TRA4 ай бұрын
Valid, sometimes it’s not always very clear
@ilikedoom27074 ай бұрын
It's so crazy that you saw a human turs at a Patco station because the only time I've ever seen one that I didn't create was at the Patco station in Lindenwald
@Thom-TRA4 ай бұрын
I’m not sure if I like that you added “that I didn’t create” 😂😂
@transitimprover5 ай бұрын
It’s a METRO, but it serves the purpose of a commuter rail
@leshawnjefferson61502 ай бұрын
Btw Parking is free if you use the train at all the suburban stations.
@backsoncryptid74 ай бұрын
You should go back when Franklin Square station opens this year
@Thom-TRA4 ай бұрын
I’m thinking about it
@brian_brennan425 ай бұрын
I really love that there is a ton of transportation KZfaq pages now…and you all seem to live in the DMV…which is where I’m at! 😊
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
I've been on KZfaq for 9 years! I wonder who else lives in the DMV, I'd love to meet them
@brian_brennan425 ай бұрын
That Andy on Track guy who does all the Metro videos…those are SO good!!!
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
Oh I know him
@brian_brennan425 ай бұрын
@@Thom-TRA not surprised, you are two great transit content creators! 🫡
@brianhenderson91245 ай бұрын
I used to live there, but now I live in Salt Lake City. Incidentally, TRA, great job covering the TRAX and S-Line.
@keithlantz68214 ай бұрын
People from Philadelphia call the Market-Frankford line the "El" because it is elevated except for the stops in center city, which are underground.
@Thom-TRA4 ай бұрын
I knew that
@peterfrey60623 ай бұрын
in its new "re-branding" set up it will now just be labelled as "L" Go figure, it's Septa.
@St.souptown4 ай бұрын
Best transit channel,
@Thom-TRA4 ай бұрын
Thank you thank you
@Earths-Moon2 ай бұрын
Path is a commuter rail. While it does look like a metro/rapid transit, by definition it transports people from the suburbs to Jersey city and New York City
@Thom-TRA2 ай бұрын
It’s legally classified as a commuter rail because it shares a bridge with FRA-compliant tracks. By your definition of commuter rail, practically every subway and light rail in the country would be one.
@Earths-Moon2 ай бұрын
@@Thom-TRAI see. So there is more that is required than it just being a passenger train going from suburb to urban
@samlbrown66655 ай бұрын
Get yourself a main line credit card ( MC or Visa ) and you s/b able to pay fares anywhere & everywhere. there are plenty of cards available with no annual fee.
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
I have a credit card, the issue was the card reader was broken. It was only accepting cash.
@londonwhaley86905 ай бұрын
I enjoyed that video👍👍
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
Thank you!
@thetrainfoamer_gaming_7272 ай бұрын
8:44 had the ace train beep
@keithrussell983428 күн бұрын
I never knew that Philadelphia has a metro system until now and I'm watching from London. There is a blink and you'll miss it moment in the video that one can see the poop on the right side of the stairs of the station before he went to the ATM so walking past it 3 times must of been bad. I'm surprised that nobody left some chunky soup (vomit) there too as the smell is bound to make someone sick.
@LAWLESSKING5 ай бұрын
I don't want to be a jerk but you gave emphasis that this is like a Philadelphia train... Which is very common people overlooking Jersey. The origin of the train is in New Jersey the primary riders are New Jersyan's this is a NJ train that connects to Philly.
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
Not to be a jerk, but which is the more interesting place people are likely to visit? Where did I start my trip? Which city literally owns half the line? It’s not a Jersey train, it’s literally owned by both sides. Lose the whiny victim complex, nobody’s trying to offend you.
@alanwiad39783 ай бұрын
SEPTA does as well from DE-PA-NJ
@Thom-TRA3 ай бұрын
How did you manage to skip the entire introduction of the video?
@carlos.a.sanchez2014 ай бұрын
Interesting, just like PATH it has 13 stations, one out of four rapid transit system operates bistate in the county, I did board the PATCO High Speedline three times, and it's a nice rail system. However, I'm not too surprised on TVM are not too reliable, but PATH is worse on TVMs. The good news is now you can use your smartphone with digital payment to tap at the turnstile and walk through.
@Thom-TRA4 ай бұрын
Wow, I hadn’t made that 13-station connection yet! Must not be that unlucky of a number then…
@carlos.a.sanchez2014 ай бұрын
@@Thom-TRA there's still time, just like PATCO, PATH does operate 24/7, now you can use your smartphone with digital payment to tap at the turnstile at all five train terminals which is under Phase (2), Phase (3) will be expanding from Grove St., Exchange Place, Newport Stations in Jersey City, NJ. Then at Christopher St., 9th St., 14th. & 23rd Streets in NYC by using the TAPP which stands for (Total Access PATH Payment). The MTA MetroCards & Smarlink Cards will be phased out by either the end of this year or early next year.
@lukestrainsandotherstuff5 ай бұрын
I’ve never even heard of this line it’s pretty cool though
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
Definitely worth checking out!
@esjay20115 ай бұрын
Thanks
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
Thank you so much, that's very generous :) have a great day
@tonyfreehauf44634 ай бұрын
Hey dude! you should wear a suite and tie ... I like your videos ... oldtony
@kirillboyko92085 ай бұрын
Haha wait, Thom, wait! Wait!! But what about Metra, MBTA and New Jersey Transit?! 😂
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
You are banned for eternity and then some!!!!
@wilfstor30785 ай бұрын
Is that like a standard off the shelf PA chime or something, it's completely identical to the Union Pearson Express here in Toronto, and I swear I heard it used somewhere else as well...
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
They're used on a lot of streetcars and light rails. I think Milwaukee's Hop uses it.
@TheHungryTransitFan4 ай бұрын
I've searched, but am very curious who the manufacturer of the chime is. I can't nail it down to one exact brand. They're also used on the Baltimore Streetcar
@StLouis-yu9iz5 ай бұрын
Thanks for shouting out the StL Metro again.⚜️🥰 Great video as usual!
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
Gotta do StL’s biggest fan a solid every now and again
@StLouis-yu9iz5 ай бұрын
@@Thom-TRA I’m one of your biggest fans too man, thanks for shedding light on such an important thing and spreading awareness of the benefits/usefulness of rail (and other active forms) of transit! :]
@user-rp6dl3iz6z5 ай бұрын
“Philly 30th street is the most beautiful station” :LA union station has entered the chat
@Thom-TRA5 ай бұрын
So if you go to an ear doctor, get them to do a cleaning, come back, and watch the video again, you’ll be surprised to hear I actually said *_”one of_* the most beautiful.”
@user-rp6dl3iz6z4 ай бұрын
Ohhhhhhhhhhh okay cause I guess the captions didn’t register “one of the most” sry bout that
@rebeckaann82464 ай бұрын
What’s so great about automated rail (and driverless rail), it’s just one more lost job opportunity? And driving train seems like a cool job.
@Thom-TRA4 ай бұрын
It’s safer, it’s less prone to errors, you can run more trains on one line, and you can have consistent train service even if the labor market is tight. Do you know how many trains were cancelled in Europe the past few years because they couldn’t find enough drivers?
@yaush_4 ай бұрын
@@Thom-TRAomg the rail strikes in France are crazy 💀🇫🇷
@rebeckaann82464 ай бұрын
Still….driverless system are more “dead” than staffed ones. And when errors occur, and there are errors on driverless systems, I know as I ride the toy-like København Metro, they can be major. Delays, accidents and so on. And yes, train personnel go on strike now and then, in most of Europe you have the right to do so (at least for now) and they probably have reasons to do that. High frequency timetables often create half empty trains and that’s not so environmentally friendly. No, I don’t know how many trains that was cancelled due to shortage of drivers but its to bad if enough people aren’t fit for that job. But it’s still a lost job opportunity. Thank you for your answer.