Trip Report

"Little" Trip to Philly

October 26, 2003

Today I had an opportunity to visit Philadelphia. My aunt was visiting a friend in Turnersville area, and I decided to tag along to Runemede, NJ where I got on NJT route 400 bus to Philly.

Got off at 12th and Market, grabbed new SEPTA bus schedules at Market East station (HQ building is open only M-F business hours). Then I went to Frankfort Terminal and back to 69th Street. Then I took 102 to Sharon Hill, where I had my lunch (Philly cheesesteak across the street from Station).

After 19 minute lunch break took 102 back to Drexel Hill Junction and transferred to 101 to Media and back to 69th. Then took Blue line to 15th Street where I transferred to one of the last Orange line Sports specials to Pattison. Light load with just a few standees. Walked around Pattison on the surface to see traffic nightmare and went back underground for local trip to Fern Rock.

From there I took it back to City Hall, where on the whim, (it was still light out on the surface) I decided to take a trolley trip. I let #11 go because front seat was already taken and boarded next trolley which was 34. I took it to the end of line and back. That ride was most interesting. At the trolley portal the operator had to manually throw the switch using a switch iron. He had some trouble with it. It took at least 4 tries before it was aligned properly. Then on surface it seemed that we were sliding for every stop. At the 61 Street loop he took it out of revenue service. I had to wait for the next one for a trip back. That went without a hitch all the way to 13th.

And I was lucky Blue pulled up as I was walking through the platform so I took it to 11th. And there I was for a big surprise. Mall closes at 6, but they close gates separating station from the mall at 5:40. So I had to walk back to 12th St. anyway to get to the station. Because of that I almost missed my R7 to Trenton. On R7 the conductors don't let you stand, so no railfan window for the rest of slow track work delayed trip to Trenton.

At Trenton it was AGAIN the run from track 5 to track 2. Usual 17 minutes between trains dwindled to 3 minutes with 90% of passengers transferring and hitting the crowd doing opposite transfer. On the dot NJT departure with on time arrival at Metropark and after short wait my mother picked me for the short ride back to South Amboy.

One-way bus ticket to Philly - $2.55. SEPTA Day Pass $5.50. One-way ticket from Trenton to Metropark - $6.10. Philly cheesesteak in Sharon Hill $5.00 (tip included). Seeing all the trespassers on 101 and 102 - priceless.

Piotr Dzwonek
NJCoastExp