From the Source

SEPTA starts "quiet car"

News blogs, sports blogs, entertainment blogs, and more from Philly.com, The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News.

SEPTA starts "quiet car"

POSTED: Monday, January 12, 2009, 10:01 AM

SEPTA's experiment with a "quiet car" on the R5-Lansdale/Doylestown line started this morning, and the agency plans to follow suit on other rail lines in March, if passengers like the pilot program.

Cell-phone use will be prohibited on the first cars of the morning and evening rush-hour express trains on the R5 line. Passengers in the cars will also be asked to use headsets with any electronic devices and to keep conversations quiet.

Here's the morning schedule:

# Train #507 Departs Doylestown 6:12 a.m. Train #505 Departs Lansdale 6:20 a.m.
# Train #4711 Departs Doylestown 6:41 a.m.
# Train #509 Departs Lansdale 6:49 a.m.
# Train #6595 Departs Doylestown 7:02 a.m.
# Train #515 Departs Lansdale 7:46 a.m.

And the evening schedule:

* Train #6596 Departs Suburban Station 4:15 p.m.
* Train #6572 Departs Suburban Station 4:44 p.m.
* Train #6576 Departs Suburban Station 5:17 p.m.
* Train #6598 Departs Suburban Station 5:34 p.m.

And here's a link to the SEPTA press release announcing the program.

Read more breaking news in our From The Source blog.

Inquirer Online Desk @ 10:01 AM Permalink | 8 comments

Comments (8)

Comment removed.

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 12:05 PM, 01/12/2009

As long as you keep the hammering to a whisper, you are ok.

— Sillimish

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 12:42 PM, 01/12/2009

I believe SEPTA needs to come out with a no smell car. My nose has had enough, well with the homeless and their blatent disregard for showering, the rancid food some people eat, and the half a bottle of $2 perfume from CVS that some people wear, I just can't take it anymore.

— Jack Daniels on the rocks

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 12:49 PM, 01/12/2009

Nice idea, but not a chance in hell that SEPTA will enforce this policy.

— JusWonderin

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 1:04 PM, 01/12/2009

I can not WAIT until the Fox Chase R8 starts this program! Then I will FINALLY have a legitimate reason to tell those four loud-mouthed redheads to SHUT their respective PIE HOLES!

— SueBoo

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 1:28 PM, 01/12/2009

Can SEPTA enforce the "no eating church's chicken" or "no 5 course meal in a styrofoam platter box" rule now? Sometimes I think people intentionally WAIT TO EAT on public transportation (probably for the ambience haha). I dont see how SEPTA can enforce anything because THEY DONT!

— cemego

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 3:06 PM, 01/12/2009

I used to take the R5 from Downingtown to Center City for several years. I was fortunate to ride the train (and sit in the car) where there was a conductor that enforced all policies and was courteous enough to announce to the passengers when there was a delay and what was causing the delay. Whether or not the "quiet car" policy will be enforced will depend on the conductor. I have seen many who just don't care and believe their only job is to collect fares. Unfortunately, there will never be a "no cheap perfume" policy, but I seem to remember that eating smelly foods was not acceptable. SEPTA management needs to impress on its conductors that their job is to enforce the rules and those who don't should be let go. There are lots of people without jobs who would be glad to take their place.

— PattyJo

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 3:13 PM, 01/12/2009

You are 100% right "cemego". I am so sick of the loud talkers and those greedy folks who can't wait to get home to stuff their fat a##es, so they eat on the train!!!

— gymmomma