SEPTA pulls 120 rail cars from service due to structural defect

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) has taken all Silverliner V Regional Rail cars out of service due to a defect, the agency announced Sunday.

One of SEPTA's Silverliner V rail cars
Photo: SEPTA

SEPTA's railroad vehicle maintenance personnel identified the defect July 1. Follow-up inspections showed a problem with cracking in the main suspension systems, SEPTA officials said in a press release.

In particular, the agency found a crack in a weight-bearing beam on the cars' undercarriage, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.

All 120 Silverliner Vs were taken out of service within 24 hours of discovering the flaw.
It could take the rest of the summer for SEPTA to repair the units, the newspaper reported.

The agency will work with rail-car manufacturer Hyundai Rotem to resolve the issues. The suspension systems are still under warranty, and the company is cooperating with SEPTA to locate and expedite procurement of materials to repair or replace failed components, agency officials said.

The defect doesn't likely pose a safety risk, agency officials told The Philadelphia Inquirer.

There have been other issues with the cars, such as doors not opening and closing reliably. The malfunction led to delays during cold weather, the newspaper reported.

The Silverliner V cars comprise about a third of SEPTA's Regional Rail fleet. Today, the agency implemented a modified Saturday schedule used for weather emergencies, with added rush-hour trips.