SEPTA/Service alert on the Market-Frankford El, Bus-bridge between Spring Garden and 15th St. Options

[NickG]

From SEPTA's website:

Attention Market-Frankford El Riders:
Shuttle buses are being used in both directions between Spring Garden and 15th Street Stations due to emergency station repairs at 8th Street Station.

I was on the El at 8th Street at 8:00 this morning and everything was fine. I wonder if a station column or part of a platform finally gave up the ghost and collapsed from years of neglect.

[NickG]

Here's the problem:

From Channel 6 Action News:

PHILADELPHIA-October 23, 2003 — Emergency workers got the call to a fire underground on SEPTA's westbound Market-Frankford train around 9:15am. That turned out not to be the case.

SEPTA now tells Action News that some ceiling tiles in the station dropped on a train at 5th and Market. Officials say the tiles may have touched the energized rail and may have caused some sparking, but there was not fire.

All commuters were evacuated. There are no reports of any injuries. Firefighters were on the scene at 8th and Market, which is part of the Gallery Mall area.

All Market-Frankford trains, subways and El service have been shut down. Officials are not sure when it will be up and running again.

[NickG]

Service is now back to normal. Here's a wrap-up of the incident from CBS 3:

PHILADELPHIA (KYW) Officials say some ceiling tiles fell onto a train on the Market-Frankford subway line Thursday morning, creating noise, sparks and smoke. The line had to be shut down for several hours.

The full story is here.