PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Latest on the Philadelphia-area transit agency's railroad problems (all times local):
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4:45 p.m.
Philadelphia's main transit agency is looking to lease equipment from other states after sidelining 120 regional rail cars due to structural problems.
With a third of the fleet out of service, commuters Tuesday had to cope with delayed and packed trains.
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority says cracks were discovered Friday in beams in the suspension system on its fleet of Hyundai Rotem-made Silverliner V rail coaches.
The transit union claims the agency knew about the problem for at least a month, which SEPTA disputes.
Transit officials say the problem could be a design flaw, bad materials or faulty workmanship.
Denver's mass transit agency is inspecting similar Hyundai Rotem coaches used in its airport service. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority says it's inspecting two of its older Hyundai coaches. Both say they are doing so as a precaution.
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2:30 p.m.
At least one other transit authority in the United States has begun inspecting some of its rail cars after Philadelphia's main transit agency pulled 120 of a similar model out of service.
Denver's train airport service uses cars similar to Philadelphia's Silverliner V, and also made by Hyundai Rotem Co.
Structural problems with the Silverliner V cars in Philadelphia were discovered Friday night.
The rail cars used by Denver's airport service are about 5,000 pounds lighter and have a different weight distribution than those used in Philadelphia. Regional Transportation District spokesman Scott Reed said Tuesday the cars are being inspected as a precaution, but won't be pulled from service.
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has 75 Hyundai Rotem commuter rail cars but they are bi-level coaches. The agency says they are performing well, and no special inspections are planned, just regularly scheduled ones.
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6:30 a.m.
Rail commuters in Philadelphia are finding fewer trains on the tracks and some delays, because the region's main transit agency has sidelined more than 100 rail cars over a structural problem.
Tuesday is the first business day since the problem was discovered. Trains are running behind schedule, with delays ranging from a few minutes to over a half-hour.
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority is bolstering bus and trolley service and urging people to think about other options, especially getting to subway lines if they are close to the city.
SEPTA took all 120 Silverliner V cars out of service after finding a fractured beam on one car and fatigue cracks on almost all other cars Friday night.
That leaves 13,000 fewer regional rail seats, reducing service by 30 percent to 50 percent.
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1 a.m.
The transit agency serving Philadelphia and its suburbs is warning regional rail commuters to expect crowded trains or even full trains that pass them by with a third of its regional rail cars sidelined by a structural problem.
Tuesday is the first business day since the problem was discovered Friday night.
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority is bolstering bus and trolley service and urging people to think about other options, especially getting to subway lines if they are close to the city.
SEPTA took all 120 Silverliner V cars out of service after finding a fractured beam on one car and fatigue cracks on almost all other cars.
Trains will be running on a Saturday schedule until further notice with additional rush-hour service. But with 13,000 fewer regional rail seats service will be reduced by 30 percent to 50 percent.