PHILADELPHIA — The Federal Railroad Administration has granted a two-week extension to the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority for completion of its FRA-mandated inspections of the 223-car Silverliner IV fleet.
SEPTA said that as of today — Oct. 31, 2025, the original FRA deadline — it has met almost all of the actions required under the federal agency’s 14-point order issued Oct. 2 [see “FRA issues an emergency order …,” Trains.com, Oct. 2, 2025]. SEPTA said it will continue work around the clock to complete the inspection program.
“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,” SEPTA General Manager Scott A. Sauer said in a press release. “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.”
SEPTA said it has completed inspections on 120 of the cars built by GE between 1974 and 1976. It also said the FRA has extended the deadline for another aspect of the FRA order, a requirement to install thermal protection circuits designed to halt the flow of electricity to any overheating device. SEPTA said it is working to obtain the materials needed, train personnel on the process, and install those circuits.
The FRA order was spurred by a National Transportation Safety Board recommendation to sideline the entire Silverliner IV fleet over safety concerns stemming from five fires earlier this year [see “NTSB urges SEPTA to pull Silverliner IV cars …,” Trains.com, Oct. 1, 2025]. SEPTA has said it would like to retire the fleet, but currently does not have the funding to order replacements, and that the process would take years. It is currently looking into leasing or buying surplus equipment from other transit agencies.
In the interim, SEPTA Regional Rail trains are continue to run with abbreviated consists, leading to packed trains and service disruptions. Those conditions could last through the end of the year. As of Thursday, more than 70 of the inspected Silverliners remain out of service, awaiting repairs that can only begin once the maintenance workforce completes the inspection process.
“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,” Sauer said. “We sincerely appreciate our riders’ patience and understanding.”
