Philadelphia’s SEPTA completed the point-by-point inspections of its Silverliner IV Regional Rail trains ahead of the deadline set by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).

SEPTA General Manager Scott A. Sauer thanked employees at the maintenance shops where crews have worked around the clock for weeks to conduct the complex inspections and address any needed repairs.

“I appreciate the hard work and dedication of our workforce to achieve this major milestone,” said Sauer. “I am confident that, through continued collaboration with the FRA, we can maintain safe Silverliner IV service for our customers.”

FRA’s Mandate

The FRA outlined 14 safety-related requirements in an Emergency Order issued on Oct. 1 in response to recent fires involving the Silverliner IV fleet.

SEPTA met almost all of the required actions by the FRA’s initial Oct. 31 deadline. The FRA granted SEPTA an extension to finish enhanced inspections of the 223 railcars and install new high-heat detectors.

The agency stated that it will meet the new deadline of December 5 to install the thermal protection circuits on the Silverliner IV railcars. The circuits serve as a safety mechanism, designed to interrupt the flow of electricity to an overheating device, thereby providing an added layer of protection.

Now that the inspections are completed, Regional Rail reliability should gradually improve through the end of the year as more railcars are repaired and returned to service.

“We understand that the recent service disruptions on Regional Rail have wreaked havoc on the daily lives of our riders,” said Sauer. “We appreciate their patience as we work to mitigate the canceled trips, long delays, and crowded railcars.”

Filling the Gap

Meanwhile, SEPTA has signed an agreement with the Maryland Area Regional Commuter Rail (MARC) system to lease 10 rail coach cars, which will help provide some relief to customers in the coming weeks.

The agency stated that it will continue to provide updates on the federally mandated safety actions.