SEPTA is nearing completion of the 14 safety-related requirements outlined in the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)’s Emergency Order issued on Oct. 1 in response to recent fires involving SEPTA’s Silverliner IV Regional Rail trains. The FRA today granted SEPTA an extension to finish point-by-point inspections of the 223-railcar fleet and complete installations of new high-heat detectors.
Immediately upon the issuance of the Emergency Order, SEPTA stood up a massive operation to conduct the complex inspections and address any needed repairs. That has allowed SEPTA to meet almost all of the required actions by the FRA’s initial Oct. 31 deadline, and work will continue around-the-clock to finish the remaining items under the extension. SEPTA has worked closely with the FRA throughout this process.
“We are grateful for the FRA’s collaboration, and we are committed to following through on the required actions so that we can continue returning safe and reliable service to our customers,” said SEPTA General Manager Scott A. Sauer. “This has been a herculean effort by our workforce to establish this process and execute the required work, and I am confident in our ability to complete these tasks in a timely manner.”
Over the last 30 days, SEPTA has completed nearly all of the required actions, including:
- Developing a plan to determine the direct and contributing causes of each thermal incident that has occurred in 2025
- Reviewing the inspection, testing, and maintenance plan
- Completing a stand-down and debriefing with every mechanical employee involved with the
Silverliner IV railcars
- Reviewing and updating employee training requirements
- Reviewing and updating all technical documents
- Documenting all inspections and repairs made to the Silverliner IV fleet
SEPTA will now have until Nov. 14 to finish the enhanced inspections of every Silverliner IV railcar. Specialized teams have already inspected 120 of the 223 railcars in the fleet, on top of the normal inspections conducted on a regular basis.
The FRA also extended the deadline to Dec. 5 for SEPTA to install thermal protection circuits on the Silverliner IV railcars. The circuits are a safety mechanism designed to interrupt the flow of electricity to 2 an overheating device. SEPTA is working to procure the materials, train personnel, and install the circuits that will provide an added layer of protection.
“We know our Regional Rail riders have been subjected to crowded conditions, pass ups, delays, and cancellations, and we expect those service disruptions to continue as we complete this critical safety work,” said Sauer. “We sincerely appreciate our riders’ patience and understanding.”
SEPTA will continue to work closely with the FRA and share progress on each directive to keep the public informed.
For more information about SEPTA, visit septa.org, follow @SEPTA, or download the official SEPTA app.
