Community Clean-up of SEPTA Stations

[Volanova]

Has anyone had any experience organizing a cleanup/repair/repainting party for a SEPTA regional rail stop? Specifically, St. Davids in Radnor. I spend every day here and its condition is just depressing me. I've often thought of trying to get the community together to do a little cleaning and painting over a weekend, but I'd like to see who has done this before and gauge support for it. Any advice or volunteers?

[scotchrocks]

Has anyone had any experience organizing a cleanup/repair/repainting party for a SEPTA regional rail stop? I spend every day here and its condition is just depressing me. I've often thought of trying to get the community together to do a little cleaning and painting over a weekend, but I'd like to see who has done this before and gauge support for it. Any advice?

I am all for it and will be there if you get one scheduled on a BSL stop, but I would also bet dollars to donuts that the unions won't allow it.

[Sean]

I actually tried to arrange this for the Spring Garden BSL stop prior to it being redone. I got shot down by SEPTA management as it would cut into work the union currently does (or just views as theirs regardless of if they do it or not). I only asked about cleaning though and in a way that was more permenant, similar to the Adopt a Highway program. I suggest they allow a group to "Adopt a subway stop", it was rejected. I suggest you ask anyway though. Hopefully you'll get a different answer!

Good luck! It sucks to be in a dirty station every day.

[Volanova]

"Work the union does..." What a joke. They wouldn't have people requesting to donate their time and effort to cleaning things if their unionized employees actually did the jobs they are (generously) paid for.

[mixiboi]

The subways are a little different then the Regional Rail stations when it comes to cleaning unions.

You might have a better chance of getting SEPTA allowing you to clean a Regional Rail stop, as I don't thing they have cleaning squads like the subways.

But you should contact the Delaware Valley Association of Rail Passengers

DVARP

They are very influential in this stuff.

[Volanova]

Good idea, just shot them an email. Here's to hoping they have some good advice on getting this done.

[Andy Sharpe]

Hi Volanova,

Thanks for contacting DVARP about this. As I said in my e-mail to you, SEPTA is interested in having community groups "adopt a station," although it's a question of how quickly they're willing to make things happen. Make sure to contact the person I referred you to in the e-mail, and keep us posted.

As for everyone else, let us know if you're interested in "adopting a SEPTA train station" (SEPTA seems to be concentrating mostly on Regional Rail). We'd be happy to put you in touch with the appropriate official within SEPTA, spread the word about your efforts, and maybe even chip in ourselves.

Andy Sharpe
Communications Director
Delaware Valley Association of Rail Passengers
1601 Walnut St., Suite 1129
Philadelphia, PA 19102-2913
phone: 215-RAILWAY (215-724-5929)
e-mail: sharpe@dvarp.org

[mixiboi]

As I thought, as SEPTA, from what is seen, doesn't have cleaning union workers like the el and subway station do.

It makes sense as most of the outer stations are lonely places when it comes to having SEPTA employees.

[BarryG]

I actually tried to arrange this for the Spring Garden BSL stop prior to it being redone. I got shot down by SEPTA management as it would cut into work the union currently does (or just views as theirs regardless of if they do it or not). I only asked about cleaning though and in a way that was more permenant, similar to the Adopt a Highway program. I suggest they allow a group to "Adopt a subway stop", it was rejected. I suggest you ask anyway though. Hopefully you'll get a different answer!

Good luck! It sucks to be in a dirty station every day.

Maybe it's the stations I use but for the past couple years I've found the BSL stations to be very clean all the time, and the cleaning crews often visible.