SEPTA: Crash like D.C.'s unlikely here

0 Comments | Philadelphia Daily News, June, 2009 | by DAN GERINGER geringd@phillynews.com 215-854-5961

In the wake of Monday's deadly rear-end crash involving two Washington, D.C., mass-transit trains, SEPTA officials sought to reassure riders yesterday that millions of dollars have been spent to prevent a similar tragedy here.

While declining to speculate on what caused the accident, Jeff Knueppel, SEPTA's chief engineer, said that $200 million has been spent in Philadelphia to ensure that Broad Street Subway, Market-Frankford El trains and all trolleys automatically maintain safe separation and do not overspeed.

A similar upgrade on the Regional Rail is 60 to 65 percent complete and will be finished by 2015, he said.

In the earliest stages of the investigation into Monday's accident, which killed nine people and injured more than 70 others, the National...