# Trolley Ride to Media, Pennsylvania



## Bill C. (Jan 2, 2008)

The SEPTA trolley line Route 101 to Media, Pennsylvania is due to shut down for three months beginning Monday, December 14, for repairs so my wife and I decided to squeeze in a combination trolley ride and shopping trip from the Springfield Mall (Delaware County) where there is free parking to the quaint town of Media, the county seat. If you can't get there this weekend before the shutdown, a trip in the springtime when it reopens would be a good idea.

Media claims to be the only small suburban town in the United States with a trolley in the center of the main street. Their claim, not mine. Whatever, a beautiful little town with a trolley to boot.

Schedules and other info can be found at septa.org

The location is not too far from Nicholas Smith Trains up the Blue Route, to make it a complete day.

A few more pictures to follow.

Merry Christmas to all!


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## jfrank (Jan 2, 2008)

THREE MONTHS? That's outrageous. I think it's really amazing that now in the 21st century we can't repair anything without shutting it down for weeks and months. While back when this line was built they never shut it down. In the horse and buggy days they could actually do repairs while the thing kept running. Progress?


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## JEFF RUNGE (Jan 2, 2008)

one word John: LAWYERS


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## Bill C. (Jan 2, 2008)

John and Jeff, first of all I looked at the fine print in the SEPTA website and noticed that through August 2010 service on the 101 line to Media and the neighboring branchline, 102, will be disrupted quite often. Personally, I'll be waiting until next September until I visit this line again.

The picture above, shot through the front of the trolley, shows us a double-tracked section of the private right of way headed towards Media. I imagine that in a snowstorm this would be a beautiful spot. Some sections follow a wooded, meandering stream. That's the farebox in front of the windshield. Regular fare is $2, for seniors it is $1 if you show your Medicare card. I call that a bargain.










A three-quarter shot of the trolley in town. Made by Kawasaki, it has double-ended controls and entrance doors on both sides. I would love to see this car painted in a traditional style and color scheme such as the old Red Arrow that used to run on this line, but SEPTA rules.










A view of the track in town. I expected to see a steel flangeway such as you see in a big city, but it is just a depression in the concrete. Must be cheaper and easier to do it this way.


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## Madman (Jan 5, 2008)

" I would love to see this car painted in a traditional style and color scheme such as the old Red Arrow that used to run on this line, but SEPTA rules." 
*As long as they don't plaster advertising all over the vehicle. Ugh, I hate those buses and trolleys with gaudy pictures that no one pays attention to. Especially pictures of the local news people. Don't we see too much of them already on the boob tube?*


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

The system here in Phoenix has the same depressed concrete for the flange. It does not have cross ties like we are use to. It has spacers every so many feet and then it is fill in with rebar and concrete.


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