SEPTA's new interim weekday schedule goes into effect

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- SEPTA's new interim weekday schedule went into effect Monday morning, and officials are hoping it will help ease some of the overcrowding and delays from its ongoing Regional Rail crisis.

An Amtrak train pulled into Bryn Mawr Monday, one of the pieces of equipment SEPTA has on loan to help the transit agency get through its Regional Rail crisis.

Monday marked the first day of the new interim schedule, which comes after SEPTA announced plans to lease equipment from Amtrak, NJ Transit and Maryland.

You could see the leased vehicles along the Paoli Thorndale and Trenton lines.

Last week SEPTA lost a third of its Regional Rail fleet after serious cracks were found in the suspension systems. That translated into 13,000 fewer seats.

Officials say 18 additional cars and three locomotives hit the tracks Monday to ease overcrowding and delays.

The leased equipment means 1700 more seats than last week, but that still leaves a significant seat shortage.

SEPTA officials hope this week will at least be better than last.

In Glenside, Pa. Monday's new schedule meant additional service between Glenside and Center City.

Commuters say leaving early helps, as does staying flexible, because there's no overnight fix to this.

"It's going to be a long haul," said Denise Franchetti of Dresher, Pa. "We've dealt with this before with strikes, but it's always been a week, maybe two weeks. But this is going to be couple months."

Here are the Regional Rail Lines operating with the new Interim Weekday Schedules:

Trenton

Manayunk/Norristown

Media/Elwyn

Lansdale/Doylestown

West Trenton

Chestnut Hill East

Wilmington/Newark

Paoli/Thorndale

Airport

Chestnut Hill West

Fox Chase

Warminster

Cynwyd Line will operate Shuttle Buses and will make stops at Cynwyd, Bala, Wynnefield, and 30th Street Stations. At 30th Street customers can connect to the Market Frankford Line or Trolleys for travel to Center City.

ONLINE: SEPTA.org