Published on Nov. 19 | Updated on Dec. 15
PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — SEPTA said the Center City trolley tunnel will remain closed through the end of December as crews repair damage from a replacement part.
The transit agency replaced 3-inch sliders that connect trolleys to the overhead wires with 4-inch sliders, believing they would need to be replaced less often. However, SEPTA spokesman Andrew Busch said a carbon insert in the slider wasn't as durable as hoped.
“The carbon that was on that piece was barely making it through one trip in the tunnel, where it was supposed to last for at least a couple of weeks,” he explained.
Not only that, but the 4-inch sliders were damaging the overhead infrastructure. SEPTA then switched back to the 3-inch sliders and closed the trolley tunnel for a week. But when it reopened on Nov. 13, crews found more issues related to the damaged wires. Later that day, the tunnel was closed again.
The trolley tunnel has been closed since then, with trolleys diverted to 40th Street. It was supposed to open at the end of November, but SEPTA said it needed another week, and that the closure would last through at least Dec. 7. On Dec. 15, officials said it would remain closed until the end of the month
"We have crews that are in the tunnel now working day and night to try to make repairs when needed, to prepare the trolley tunnel to get trolleys back in the tunnel,” said SEPTA General Manager Scott Sauer.
The closure has inconvenienced 60,000 daily riders, including Will Tung. He told the SEPTA board Thursday that trolleys being routed to 40th Street are constantly stuck in University City traffic.
"With the prolonged trolley tunnel diversion, the system has become unreliable and frankly unusable for our daily needs," Tung said.
Sauer, who began his career as a trolley operator, apologized for the frustrations but said he wants to be sure the tunnel is fully ready when it reopens.
SEPTA has added shuttle buses that will run along Market Street from 40th Street to 15th Street.