February 16, 2024
Thom Carroll/For PhillyVoice
SEPTA has received $317 million to help it replace its Market-Frankford Line train cars, which are 25 years old and increasingly needing repairs.
The Market-Frankford Line is getting a new fleet of cars in the years to come thanks to a $317 million federal grant.
The money will help SEPTA purchase 200 new cars. The transit authority currently uses about 220 M-4 model cars on the El, but they are about 25 years old and increasingly need more maintenance to remain operational.
SEPTA plans to spend $800 million to replace its fleet with M-5 cars and another $150 million to upgrade the Market-Frankford Line's signal system. The transit authority expects to acquire the last of the cars by 2030. It currently is reviewing bids.
The Market-Frankford Line is SEPTA's busiest, and has been dubbed the "workhorse" of the transit system. In July 2022, SEPTA officials said the El required 96 cars to maintain its weekly service schedules, but only about 85 vehicles were available, on average, due to repairs, inspections and other maintenance. They said rail cars typically last 30 years before encountering major structural problems.
SEPTA did not immediately respond to a request for information about how the grant will affect the timeline of the project and what the new cars will look like. The grant is the largest SEPTA has ever received from the federal government. The funding comes from the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a $1.2 trillion package that included money for public transit improvements.
Sen. Bob Casey and U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans announced the grant on Friday morning.
"Thousands of Pennsylvanians rely on SEPTA's Market-Frankford Line every day," Casey said on X, formerly Twitter. "Thanks to the infrastructure law, SEPTA is receiving $317 million to purchase 200 new rail cars and continue providing safe, reliable transportation for years to come."
I’m pleased to announce $317 MILLION in federal funding for SEPTA to buy about 200 new rail cars to replace its older rail cars operating on the Market Frankford Line!
— Congressman Dwight Evans🟧 (@RepDwightEvans) February 15, 2024
I’ve proudly voted for the Biden Infrastructure and Jobs Act and other transit funding bills!
The Philadelphia International Airport also received $20.4 million Friday through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to upgrade electrical and HVAC systems.
