SEPTA completes lineup of new Silverliner V cars

SEPTA received its last Silverliner V railcar on Wednesday, completing the long-delayed delivery of 120 new cars purchased in 2006 for $274 million.

The total cost, including spare parts and associated training and management, is $330 million.

Officials of SEPTA and the South Korean train-builder Hyundai Rotem celebrated the completion of the last car in a ceremony Wednesday morning at the South Philadelphia factory where the cars were assembled.

The last railcar was nearly three years late, as production snags - including material delays, design flaws, labor-management disputes, and workmanship problems - put delivery far behind schedule.

Hyundai Rotem is liable for penalties of $200 for each day that each of the first 104 cars was late.

Penalties are not assessed for the final 16 cars, purchased under an option clause in the contract.

With the new cars and its existing Silverliner IV cars, the transit agency will have a fleet of about 400 to carry passengers on its 13 Regional Rail lines.

"This is a good day for the riders," said Matthew Mitchell, president of the Delaware Valley Association of Rail Passengers. "We commend SEPTA for their steadfastness in overseeing the project and insisting that the cars meet all the contract standards for quality and performance."

Mitchell said the new cars accelerate faster and stop more quickly, with "more comfortable seating, better windows, and new passenger amenities."