Title
Honoring the Port Authority Transit Corporation (PATCO) on the occasion of their 50th Anniversary.
Body
WHEREAS, The Port Authority Transit Corporation (PATCO) High-Speed Line, began operation in 1969, was the first of an entirely new generation of mass transportation. The rail line provided South Jersey commuters with a quick, inexpensive, and reliable trip to Philadelphia. The high-speed rail line provided an original running time of 22 minutes from Lindenwold to 15/16th & Locust in Philadelphia. Similar trips by car and bus were 45 and 60 minutes respectively; and
WHEREAS, The vehicles were automated trains which operated on a dedicated right-of-way at speeds far exceeding those of the neighboring streets. PATCO was the first rail line in the country to offer a direct challenge to the private automobile - a remarkable achievement and one of deep significance for the future of commuters in the United States; and
WHEREAS, The new vehicles were completely automated. The train operators had to only push a button to start the train and to open and close the doors at each station. The operators also had the ability to stop the train in an emergency and operate under manual control. Under normal operation, the train is controlled by signals transmitted through the rails which allowed the PATCO trains to operate at an original speed of 75 mph; and
WHEREAS, Personal comfort was provided for the public, the cars were designed to be spacious, extra wide doors allowed passengers to enter and exit, temperature and humidity control, as well as enough seats for all passengers. Seats were designed to be "roomiest" seats ever made. Seating was also designed to fit the passenger's body better; and
WHEREAS, Train operation was created to operate at a frequency such that commuters had little time to sit around the station. What few minutes commuters did have were spent in pleasant, modern stations. The air-conditioned stations interiors were designed to featu...
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