SEPTA's Southern Depot has been condemned by the City of Philadelphia's department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I).  L&I condemned the building following an explosion of a boiler on Wednesday morning, March 22nd, shortly after 7 am.  Three SEPTA workers performing a routine inspection were injured, two seriously burned, when the boiler exploded.  Because of the condemnation, Southern's fleet is being parked in a portion of the parking lot of Citizen's Bank Park near 10th and Packer and the fleet is being serviced and fueled at other depots until it is safe to occupy Southern depot.  The building sustained some damage from the explosion.  The Citizen's Bank Park parking Lot is under SEPTA Transit Police supervision so don't try to go down there to get pictures or anything because you will get caught.

Since Southern is a ULSD depot, expect to see only a few Hybrids in operation due to the fact that they can only run off of ULSD #1.  The 8000s are the same way but forum poster Jesse Hunley reports that 8013 was at Callowhill depot recently getting fueled.  Could this mean the 8000s can take on regular diesel #2?  Stay tuned for more information.  It is unknown whether just the building or the entire property of Southern Depot was condemned.  Depot personnel may be able to access the fueling area to fuel the ULSD buses.  Southern was scheduled to have an all ULSD depot by now with all the New Flyers (Hybrids and 8000s) running off of ULSD already and the NABIs (5349-5350, 5353-5400) scheduled to be converted to run off of ULSD as well.  Southern is also supposed to be the central location for the Cummins ISL parts since the 32 Hybrids and 120 8000s have Cummins ISLs as opposed to the now discontinued Detroit Diesel Series 50 that most other 40 foot buses at SEPTA operate with.  Keep watch here and on our forums for more information and as to how long Southern Depot will be out of service.

Remember, baseball season is around the corner and SEPTA has until March 31st to vacate the Citizen's Bank Park lot since the Phillies play their first game at CBP on April 1st in exhibition play and April 3rd for the season opener.  If Southern Depot should be out of service longer than expected, who knows where Southern's fleet will be stored.  Best guesses would point towards the parking lot at Lincoln Financial Field or a portion of the old Philadelphia Naval Yard.  It is also not known as to where the drivers are reporting to get their assignments since the Southern Depot lounge would likely be closed as well due to the condemnation.  Once again, stay tuned for more on this still developing story.

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SEPTA's Southern bus garage is now back in service. MORE INFO TO COME!!

SEPTA has Approved the purchase of 104 new rail cars from the South Korean/ Japanese Rail consortium United Transit Systems. The Contract which is worth $244,236,714 calls for the Construction of 34 Double end and 70 single end cars. The first 3 prototype cars are due in 2008 with the final car due in 2010 or 2011. These cars will allow for the retirement of the Budd Silverliner II cars and St Louis Car Silverliner III cars built in 1963 and 1967. The Silverliner Vs will also expand SEPTA's Railroad fleet by 31 cars.

Since the arrival of the 2005’ flyers, SEPTA has started a new practice of advertisements. Not only that these advertisements are on the left, right, and back sides of the buses. Now they are also on the top of the windows on the curb side of the bus. So far a hand full of New Flyers and NABIs are using these advertisements. The most popular advertisement seen thus far is 1-800 LUNDY LAW, and Champps side wrap.
  
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Accorded to the new sheet release annually by SEPTA. There may going to be some interesting changes regarding the future of the SEPTA fleet. For detail information...
 http://philadelphiatransitforums.cjb.net/index.php?showtopic=428