SEPTA Buys 24 Rail Cars From Quebec Public Transit Agency

SEPTA is expanding its Regional Rail fleet with the purchase of 24 passenger rail cars from Montreal’s transit agency.

The $8.58 million bid for the used coach cars was approved in March by the board of Exo, the Quebec-based public transit agency officially known as Réseau de transport métropolitain.

The acquisition is being funded through a portion of nearly $220 million in supplemental capital dollars allocated by Gov. Josh Shapiro in last year.

The funds were designated to address urgent infrastructure needs and safety upgrades across the authority after the state legislature couldn’t agree on more funding.

“These additional rail cars will help us enhance reliability and expand capacity for our customers while we work toward replacing our aging Regional Rail fleet,” SEPTA General Manager Scott Sauer said.

Last fall, Federal Railroad Administration-mandated inspections and repairs forced SEPTA to sideline large portions of its 50-year-old Silverliner IV fleet. The move came after safety concerns and fires, including one at the Levittown Train Station.

The Budd Company-built Silverliner IV cars make up approximately two-thirds of the Regional Rail inventory.

SEPTA was forced to reduce capacity and cancel trips for several months.

While most Silverliner IVs have returned to service, SEPTA has implemented an enhanced maintenance program to keep the aging cars viable until they can be fully replaced, the agency said.

To prevent further disruptions to commuter rail service, SEPTA has spent recent months scouring North America for used equipment to lease or buy.

Earlier this year, SEPTA integrated 10 leased cars from Maryland’s MARC system into its daily operations.

The 24 cars from Exo were originally manufactured by Bombardier in the late 1980s.

SEPTA officials said the coaches are compatible with the authority’s existing ACS-64 electric locomotives.

Before the Montreal cars can carry Philadelphia commuters, they must undergo modifications to their doors and other onboard systems to meet SEPTA standards, according to officials.

Logistics for transporting the fleet from Canada are currently being finalized.

SEPTA officials expect to announce a timeline for the cars’ entry into service later this spring.