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SEPTA buys rail cars from NJ Transit to deal with crowding
July 7th, 2021 | Uncategorized |
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
As gas prices have risen in the United States, the regional transport authority for southeastern Pennsylvania, SEPTA, has seen a sharp increase in ridership, which has caused overcrowding on the trains.
“As fuel prices have continued to rise, SEPTA ridership has steadily increased and is the highest in 18 years,” said SEPTA General Manager Joseph Casey. Monthly ridership was 22 percent higher last month than a year ago.
“They have crushed loads on their rail lines, already where people are standing, and there’s not enough seats,” said Rich Bickel, the director of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission.
“At peak times some railcars are standing room only and commuter parking lots are nearly full. All Regional Rail lines are running near full capacity and the train station parking lots are at about 90 percent capacity or more,” SEPTA spokesperson Felipe Suarez said.
While SEPTA awaits new Silverliner V trains from Hyundai Rotem, which begin arriving in 2009, it had hoped to lease eight rail cars from New Jersey Transit, at an agreed-upon rate of US$10,000 per month. However, due to problems with insurance and liability indemnification, the deal fell through, according to Casey.
SEPTA has entered a new agreement to purchase the eight rail cars from NJ Transit. The transit authority will pay US$670,000 for the cars and assorted supplies plus one additional inoperative car which will be used for spare parts. The rail cars will be operated using a SEPTA provided locomotive as they are not self-propelled.
The cars are being disposed of by NJ Transit because it has switched from single-floor cars to double-decker cars.
SEPTA is expecting to raise US$3.1 million by selling rail that has been out of service since 1981 at auction.
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Thursday, May 3, 2012
In a Rolling Stone magazine interview on Wednesday, United States President Barack Obama responded to recent backlash over his alleged policy shift on medical marijuana.
In January 2004, then-Illinois Senator Obama said, “The war on drugs has been an utter failure. We need to rethink and decriminalize our nation’s marijuana laws.” Since he took office as president, over 170 raids have been conducted on medical marijuana facilities across the U.S.
In the U.S. certain states have voted to allow for the use of marijuana for medical purposes, although it is still illegal to possess and consume under federal law. This has led to the recent raids and seizures on dispensaries by authorities with the federal government.
“What I specifically said was that we were not going to prioritize prosecutions of persons who are using medical marijuana,” President Obama said. “I never made a commitment that somehow we were going to give carte blanche to large-scale producers and operators of marijuana – and the reason is, because it’s against federal law. I can’t nullify congressional law.”
On April 2, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) raided Oaksterdam University in Oakland, California. Oaksterdam provides courses in which students can learn about the horticulture and business aspects of the medical marijuana industry, but does not distribute marijuana. Authorities confiscated marijuana plants, records, computers and seized bank accounts held by that department of the university.
“In many respects [the raids in California] are not a surprise considering that these dispensaries and cultivation centers are in violation of federal law, and always have been.” said Allen St. Pierre, executive director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML). Along with the advocates at NORML, multiple lawmakers have written letters to President Obama criticizing his alleged shift on policy. The lawmakers have also called for the federal government to allow states to regulate themselves.
While medical marijuana is legal in California, as well as sixteen other states including Washington D.C., the Controlled Substances Act classifies marijuana as an illegal substance. California state law requires dispensaries to run as non-profit, and those who do make a profit are subject to getting raided by federal and local authorities. “If you grow a small amount at home or buy some off the street then he doesn’t care, that’s what they’ve said,” St. Pierre said.
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If you’ve noticed opossums on your property and you don’t want them around, contact an experienced company that specializes in Animal control in Columbus OH. Below you’ll find the answers to frequently asked questions about opossums, humane removal and how to keep them away.
Q.) Are opossums dangerous and do they attack people?
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A.) Although you may think that opossums look scary, these animals aren’t a threat to you or your family. These nocturnal animals are afraid of you too and they only act aggressive if they feel threatened. If you scare an opossum, many times the animal will act as if it’s dead. Even though an opossum won’t hurt you, they can be a nuisance and cause damage to your property. If you have opossums in your house or in your yard, you should have them removed by a company that performs Animal control in Columbus OH.
Q.) What will an animal control company do when I call them for Opossum Removal?
A.) A company that performs animal control will remove the animal as humanely as possible. A trap is baited and placed in the area where the animal travels. After catching the animal in the trap, the animal control company will release the animal in a safe location away from your home.
Q.) Is there anything that can be done to keep opossums away?
A.) Opossums come out at night to look for food, so to keep them away, you shouldn’t leave food or garbage outside overnight. These animals often find cat or dog food that’s left outside for your pets. After your pet is finished eating, bring any remaining food indoors. Keep your garbage inside of a metal or plastic container that has a secure lid. If you have trees in your yard that bear fruit, regularly pick up fallen fruit that’s on the ground.
If you have nuisance animals in your home or on your property, contact the The Wildlife Control Company to humanely trap the animal for you. Visit their website at yourohiowildlifepro.com to learn more about their services and to contact the company.
