5 replies to this topic

[jacorbett70]

Since I had time this morning I went over the Philly portion of the trip to check the timekeeping and connections:
Broad Street Line Leave City Hall 9:02 AM on time Exactly on schedule
Arrive Girard 9:06 AM ... actual 9:07 AM Uneventful trip. I deliberately went out on the opposite side, having to cross both Girard and Broad, and proceeded slowly as a group would take more time. The SEPTA app indicated a trolley approaching ahead of the 9:15 schedule and no second trolley behind it.
SEPTA 15 Leave Broad & Girard 9:15 AM ...actual 9:11 AM Made it and believed a group would have done so too.
Arrive Frankford & Delaware 9:27 AM (Sugar House) ... actual 9:23 am There was another vehicle ahead and I was able to switch to that one. However that vehicle was the regular departure around 9:34.
Leave Frankford & Delaware 9:34 AM ... actual 9:35 am The co-ordinated bus from the east end of Girard Avenue arrived while we were waiting for the turn on to Girard.
Arrive Front & Girard 9:36 AM... actual 9:38 am. I was looking out all along for the next trolley I would have taken had I missed the 9:11 at Broad St. That one was arriving the MFL eastbound at 9:38 with the Frankford turn still to do, so timekeeping would have been very tight.
Market-Frankford Line Leave Girard 9:50 AM ... On time I watched the 9:40 depart, took about a half-dozen photos from the platform, and boarded.
Arrive 30th Street ... 10:01 AM ... On time. The NJT Atlantic City train was shown as on time and then boarding. I went to the Club Acela and then the Keystone Line for a points run to Paoli instead.

Pictures:
http://www.flickr.co...57638674736186/

[KevinKorell]

Wow, thanks very much John for the dry run in Philly, although "dry run" may be a misnomer on a day like today was. It tells me that SEPTA's trolley schedule is not easily adhered to, but then again Saturday was in a snowstorm guaranteed to mess things up. I thought of a question for you, one I had planned to ask privately, but since you've now gone and done all this, a public question would be beneficial to everybody anyhow. Where around the City Hall station would be a good first of the morning meeting place? Most coming from the south up Broad Street, some approaching the real center of the city from the west at 30th Street, while others approaching from the east having some from PATCO or the Market Street Subway. A place that is not in the wind but preferably outdoors so we have cell phone signals. Should it be really uncomfortable, those by Doubletree could get on the Broad Street Line at Walnut/Locust one stop sooner.... but then where would they meet the others?

[BillMagee]

I'll chime in with my suggestion. City Hall Courtyard would seem the be an ideal meeting location.

Philadelphia City Hall is a rectangular building with an open courtyard in the middle. There is a large compass painted on the pavement in the middle of the yard - maybe a good meet-up spot, but the courtyard is small enough that anywhere would work. The courtyard can be entered from all four sides - Broad Street north and south, and Market Street, east and west. There is an entrances to City Hall station inside the yard. Since it is surrounded by building, the yard is about as protected from wind as you can get.

City Hall general info

City Hall Courtyard

EDIT: I believe the entrance to City Hall Courtyard from Market Street West is presently closed due to the reconstruction of Dilworth Plaza, just west of City Hall. The other three access portals through the building (Market East, Broad North and South) are open. If you decide to meet in the courtyard, John or I could scout out access for you.

[jacorbett70]

Fortunately the weather was not a factor yesterday until midday; the first snow I saw was while approaching Paoli after 11AM.

That City Hall/Dilworth Plaza construction closes off access from the courtyard to the Broad Street Line too.
http://www.flickr.co...70/11393112264/
http://www.flickr.co...70/11393089766/
Also the sidewalks along City Hall are closed necessitating crossing multiple streets to get around and access the BSL.
http://www.flickr.co...70/11393111534/

So meeting there would require allowing extra walking time to avoid missing the first train.

One possible meeting place across from City Hall is down by the MFL entrance, a short distance from the open BSL entrance.
http://www.flickr.co...70/11393074515/
http://www.flickr.co...70/11393111534/
http://www.flickr.co...70/11393091666/

Dunkin' Donuts is down there, one of the few places that is open on a Saturday morning.
http://www.flickr.co...70/11393107604/

[KevinKorell]

John,

Thanks again for your preview trip. I am not sure whether the times you used to determine whether things were running on time or not was based on my itinerary, SEPTA's trip planner, or SEPTA's printed schedule. And it doesn't surprise me that the latter 2 resources both coming from SEPTA don't exactly match one another.

Nevertheless, in looking further into this, I see that SEPTA has adjusted its timetables for the subways and trolleys by a few minutes since I originally put together the itinerary.

Based on the suggestions over the weekend here on the board and during Sunday Chat from you and Bill, I decided to add a timepoint at Walnut/Locust for those who would be better served by originating there on the Broad Street Line.

Moving to the #15 trolley, I note that the 9:11 AM trip you observed was more than likely due at 9:06 AM but running 5 minutes late. The current trip planner shows eastbound trolley trips at that timepoint at 9:06 AM and 9:21 AM, with 15 minute headways continuing throughout much of the day. Under normal circumstances we would miss the 9:06 trip, so 9:21 would be the next possible trip. This in turn throws everything back, which jeopardizes our making the NJ TRANSIT trip out of 30th Street Station at 10:17 AM. The rest of the Philly schedule is therefore moot since I have to change almost everything. We need some time at 30th Street to use restrooms and purchase tickets.

Therefore, I am moving the Fest start time Saturday earlier by 20 minutes. (If you've already printed the itinerary, discard it.) Thus we depart Walnut/Locust 8:40 AM or City Hall 8:42 AM. This allows more flexibility at the transfer points. However, after the first scheduled subway trip on the Broad Street Line if a trolley or subway should show up ahead of time (really a late previous trip), we'll take it to get out of the cold and proceed earlier to 30th Street Station. As happened to John, we may not need all the dwell time I've scheduled if we can move up one trolley car and leave the Frankford & Delaware Loop sooner.

[jacorbett70]

Fortunately the weather was not a factor yesterday until midday; the first snow I saw was while approaching Paoli after 11AM.

That City Hall/Dilworth Plaza construction closes off access from the courtyard to the Broad Street Line too.
http://www.flickr.co...70/11393112264/
http://www.flickr.co...70/11393089766/

Correcting myself, I noticed the entrance is open during weekday rush hour so I was wrong to blame the construction.
http://www.flickr.co...70/11413471643/