SEPTA begins next phase of trolley CBTC installation

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) tomorrow will begin the next phase of a multiyear project to install a communications-based train control (CBTC) system on its Media-Sharon Hill trolley lines.

Weather permitting, the work will require buses to be used in place of trolleys along the entire routes of both lines on Friday nights, Saturdays and Sundays for certain weekends this month and next, SEPTA officials said in a press release.

"The work we are doing on the Media and Sharon Hill lines will allow us to better serve our Delaware County customers," said SEPTA General Manager Jeffrey Knueppel. "This extensive infrastructure work cannot be completed while trolleys are operating or during the short night-owl windows."

The Media-Sharon Hill Line is comprised of three parts: the trunk from 69th Street Transportation Center to Drexel Hill Junction (Shadeland Avenue) used by both Route 101 and 102; stops from Huey Avenue to Media used by Route 101; and stops from Garrettford to Sharon Hill used by Route 102.

The improvement project is the next phase of SEPTA's installation of CBTC on Routes 101 and 102. This portion of the project includes interlocking construction at multiple locations on the trunk between 69th Street and Drexel Hill Junction and on the Sharon Hill branch between Drexel Hill Junction and Collingdale Borough.

New track crossovers, overhead contact wire and support structures at the new interlockings will be installed, SEPTA officials said.

In addition, SEPTA crews will take advantage of the weekend track closures to perform key heavy maintenance projects along Routes 101 and 102, they said.