PHILADELPHIA — For Philadelphia commuters, the coming week was supposed to be a celebration of normalcy. On Monday, January 12, SEPTA is set to restore all full Regional Rail morning express service—a major milestone after months of federal safety inspections sidelined much of the fleet.
However, that progress has been clouded by a violent weekend that has reignited the conversation around safety on the city’s transit lines.
A Violent Saturday Night
The sense of security for weekend riders was shattered Saturday night, January 10, when a double stabbing occurred at the 40th Street Station on the Market-Frankford Line.
According to SEPTA Transit Police, a woman allegedly stabbed a man as he was entering the station around 7:30 p.m. She then moved onto the eastbound platform where she attacked a second victim, a woman, after a brief confrontation.
- The Victims: The man remains in critical condition as of Sunday morning, while the woman is listed in stable condition.
- The Arrest: Transit police took a suspect into custody shortly after the incident, but the brazen nature of the attack—occurring during a relatively busy evening window—has left riders rattled.
Adding to the tension, another stabbing was reported on a Route 55 bus in Elkins Park on Saturday, involving an argument between passengers that escalated into a physical fight.
The Great Service Rebound
These incidents come at a bittersweet moment for the agency. On Friday, SEPTA General Manager Scott Sauer announced that nearly 180 Silverliner IV railcars have been successfully repaired and inspected, allowing the “morning express” schedule to return for the first time since October…