Subways and Trolleys in the Same Tunnel?? Philly’s Market-Frankford Line & Subway-Surface Trolleys
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- čas přidán 19. 04. 2022
- We're riding one more line of the Philadelphia subway... or should I say, two more lines? The Market-Frankford Line, which opened in 1907, links the Frankford Transit Center with the 69th St Transit Center. In Center City, between 13th St and 30th St, the MFL shares its tunnel with five different trolley lines. These are collectively known as the Subway-Surface Trolleys. The Trolleys run local along this shared section, using the outer tracks and a balloon loop under the City Hall at 13th St, while the MFL trains run express between 15th and 30th St stations on the inner tracks. The easiest transfer is at 13th St, but today we'll show you how to transfer between the two lines at 15th St station. Not an easy task to do!
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3:26 that city hall you drew looks... suggestive
The "Metro" rebrand you talked about also includes plans for better signage and way finding. So hopefully that transfer won't be that difficult for too much longer.
Yeah I’m honestly a big fan of it. I wonder if there will be any next steps. SEPTA has some really cool stuff that I’ve tried to highlight in my past videos. They should strut that stuff!
The 13 and 36 didn't become subway-surface lines until around 1955, replacing routes 31 and 37, which survive as bus routes today.
I was a Market / Frankford [Blue Line] Train Operator on this line. Yes, these lines are amazingly crafted for such a heavy flow of daily pedestrian traffic. It is an interesting profession to say the least. [SEPTA = South Eastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority]. I completed 15 years with this company, as I started out a Bus Operator. I left in 2015. A great opportunity as a career choice for me. And aren't "Jim's Steaks" delicious? Thank you for this video. I am "Thankful"
Not sure if you knew but Regional Rail here in Philadelphia used to have numbering R1 to R8 until 2011. Many people here still use the old numbers to refer to the trains they ride.
Absolutely, my mom always refers to our local Paoli-Thorndale Line as "the R5."
@@tristanwain3868Yep. My only issue with the number system was they used the same numbers for both lines. Not every train that started in, say, Chestnut Hill using the old R7 as an example, would end in Trenton. We should've kept numbers in place but modified them. Phila isn't alone though. Other cities do commuter rail based on the destination, too.
my grandma kept telling me to take the R7 to work and i was like "what is that" lol turns out that's now just teh trenton line
@@mycobacteriem2540 Correct. The old number system was confusing in that despite the maps, not all trains that originated in Trenton would terminate in Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia; they would run a truncated route to Center City, Philadelphia. Using just the destinations like Boston & NYC does is clearer.
Got a kick out of your low-tech map drawing.
The 30th Street MFL and Subway Surface station opened in 1955 replacing the original El station at 32nd Street. They had an underground pedestrian concourse connecting to 3 escalator banks at Amtrak's 30th Street Station. As you leave the subway station you can see a metal panel covering the concourse entrance. You could have gone from train to subway or light rail without going outdoors. It was closed in the late 70's because of an increase in crime. Hopefully that'll reopen someday. Across Center City they just started work to reopen the Franklin Square Station on the PATCO High Speed Line. That opened in 1976 for the Bicentennial and closed in 1979.
@sovi I hope that you are right about that. It's a pain having to go outdoors and cross 30th St. to make the connections.
Maybe this time will be the charm for the 5 times reopened station.
This is interesting! Never knew that they were in the same tunnel. Guess it would save costs when constructing and make it easier to maintain.
Wow..I recognize that Trolley operator..great guy! I last lived in Philadelphia in 2008.
Fully agree about the ' Philly cheesesteak' a very unique meal, together with crab fries, I recall the roast pork sandwich was also one of the best I ever tasted in the USA! The city is historic & has many famous landmarks. Your in-depth explanation of the various public transit options is appreciated - I feel there is a potential teacher in you as you have excellent communication skills - I liked your 'mud map' of the local transport on what appeared to be crumpled-up paper (perhaps previously containing a Philly Cheesesteak?). Looking forward to your trip to Baltimore - have not been there but it is on my 'bucket list'. My son wants to take me there to watch his favorite NFL team the Baltimore Ravens play.
Thanks! And you taught me something today too: i am so sports-illiterate that I didn’t even know Baltimore had a NFL team 😂
I appreciate the comment about teaching! Actually almost all of the people on my wife’s side of the family are in education. It’s not the path I feel called to right now, but hoping to use my voice to serve in some form. Including in my videos (stay tuned for an Amtrak review on Saturday!)
The market Frankford lines tend to be very dirty most of the time. I live in Philly and my main train is the market frankford line. They do get cleaned I promise you that
The dirtiness is mostly perpetuated by the questionable people getting on and off at Somerset and Allegheny Stations. Two stops NOT worth visiting.
when you go Eastbound from 15th Street you can see there used to be a second track section.
As a tourist who has been to Philadelphia multiple times, I appréciate the frequency and comvenience of MFL (blue line) and BSL (orange line). But the cleaniness of both stations and trains are poor. It is difficult to natvigate some stations like City Hall 15th Street. And like NYC subway homeless people are living in the system.
Philly is my ORIGINAL hometown. As you enjoyed the cheese steaks, you are now aware of the nickname "Philthy-Delphia." (The blatant disregard for cleanliness.)
I recently went home to see family in May 2022, and have yet to keep up on the plans you discussed around 7:25.
Loving it!!
So informative a golden fine, trolly who knew. Thanks so much Thom
Thank you! Good to hear from you again, hope you are doing well.
Got an Amtrak review ready for you on Saturday!
Very nice presentation . keep up the good videos !
Welcome to Philly
Just fyi you can use your amtrak ticket to travel on regional rail between Jefferson station or suburban and 30th street station
Oh, that's good to know for the future! I wanted to ride the MFL and the SST anyways, but next time I might stick to Regional Rail
No, the transfer is made at 13th Street where you simply descend from the Mkt-Fkd platforms directly into the Subway-Surface 13th (Juniper) St station
The rail line letter designations serve no purpose to SEPTA patrons as lines and services are unchanged and everyone has been long familiar with these rail lines and where they go
The suburban/regional lines once utilized "R" designations up until a few years ago and by that it is unclear why SEPTA would reinstate rail line letter designations
I’m glad there’s an easier way to transfer. I’m also glad that we were able to show people how to transfer at 15th St, if they happen to miss their stop at 13th.
As for the letters, you’re missing two groups people: tourists and people who don’t ride public transport daily. For these people, simplification can be a huge help. A transport company that seeks only to serve its patrons will see no growth in ridership. If you traveled to a different city, wouldn’t you want it made as easy as possible for you?
Definitely change to the trolley lines at 13th Street the next time....it's so much easier and much more direct
@@Thom-TRAActually such a (missed) transfer is easily available at 30th St rather than 15th St. and also can save some travel time over doing so at 13th St. I'll always make an eastbound transfer from the 34 (T2 they'll call it?) there. I'm looking forward to the re-established, and improved, direct connection into 30th St Station that was severed decades ago
Excepting the transfer, you easily navigated, understood, and explained SEPTA on what I'll assume your first time on the system by the longstanding designations and wayfinding
New riders always must figure out the method a transit agency identifies its system be it color, letter, number, name, mode/vehicle, type of service, stopping pattern, deviation, branch, time of day, day of week. It can take some finesse anywhere you go
But tell me if, from your experience, a clean well kept SEPTA system would be the best enticement and service to tourists and new riders or not over this new wayfinding
@@clivegregory8511 cleanliness would help tremendously! But is the system open 24 hours? If so I understand why it’s dirty
@@Thom-TRA
czcams.com/users/clipUgkxZZIe5cLyYNtySGQHhQN1kgYDAyed3xv7
Frankford El in Kensignton, Philadelphia
Woah!
A subway and a trolley share the same tracks?!
That is awesome!
They don’t share the same tracks their side by side
@@darrellwilliams9850 Oh!
Ok!
Welcome to Philly
Gosh the Market Frankford Line trains are so much dirtier now compared to 10 years ago when I last lived in Philadelphia. Still love the MFL though.
As a Philly native, I'll explain. The Frankford Line is probably filthy due to the fact that it runs through Kensington.
Trains could be cleaned at one end of the line and they'd be dirty by the other. This is partly laziness/piggishness and partly the belief by some poor and near-poor people that throwing away their own trash is taking away a cleaner's job. (I'm serious.)
They did talk about adding a MFL stop on 19th Street Station until they found it would cost 1 Billion dollars and cancelled it.
Cool
The seats on the trolley are the same as the ones on CTA 26-3200 trains. Very interesting
That is interesting!
Sad the driver opened the backdoor and no one had to yell at these two to step down ll
PEOPLE throw things down on the floor, tracks and concourse instead of trash cans.
Yep…
A man in front of me was eating pistachios and just throwing the shells on to the ground while I was riding this yesterday lmao made a whole mess
Can you take us on a walking video of what it looks like to arrive at Amtrak 30th st Philadelphia and ride the blue Market Frankfort to 12th or 13th st. I have never been and needed help figuring out the safest way to get to the Hard Rock Cafe area. Thank you very much .
I can try to do that next time I’m in Philly!
The walnut chestnut st bus can do it
OK so like imagine the septa ANB wooden New York a MB train sisters
So how were those cheesesteaks?
Really good!
The El is always dirty
You could probably put 100% of the blame on Kensington. The Frankford Line runs through the infamous Kensington neighborhood. In case you don't know about Kensington, Kensington is the skid row of Philly. Kensington is a OPEN DRUG MARKET that's suffering from an opioid crisis
Didn't use to be that way.@@homeoftek5844
Leave the regional rail lines the way they are. they used to be number
I disagree. The system needs to be one cohesive system with easy transfers.
Transfers between Regional rail? or all of Septa system? by the way MFL is still filthy. glad i only ride it once in awhile.
They should change the trolleys to real tramways to add more capacity. But sadly it's the US so they want to remove all of them to make more room for cars
I would Google “new septa trolleys”
oh my bad I didn't looked on the internet, thanks !@@Thom-TRA
@@p0tat0es_nation64 they look sweet
The distance between the 15th St. and 30th St. stops on the MLF is too long, and it's a pain to transfer to a trolley if you're going someplace in between 15th and 30th St., like Rittenhouse Square. SEPTA should add a MFL stop at 19th St., but that will never happen, because it makes too much sense...
Filthy trains in Philly? No bueno!
It’s a normal thing I see it all the time. Among other things I see
Name a perfectly clean subway lol