SEPTA liquor license?

[h***@bbs.cpcn.com]

Other threads had a discussion of a ban on alcohol sales by the MTA on
its LIRR and MNRR trains and terminals. MTA railroad employees
presently sell alcohol.

Years ago Red Arrow Lines, now a SEPTA suburban division, operated the
Liberty Liners and served liquor on the afternoon run. To do so Red
Arrow and then SEPTA had to have a liquor license, which are costly in
Penna to obtain.

Would anyone know if SEPTA still has that license*? If so, SEPTA
perhaps could provide similar services that the MTA does, to the
happiness of its commuters and revenue stream.


*The assets SEPTA acquired from the private transit and railroad
companies included a variety of items, some used, some dormant. For
example, there was a subsidiary company, Trenton Philadelphia Coach
Company, used mostly for national charter service rights. It became
dormant but was reactivated as a unit to operate a special transit
support service.

[Robert Bonomi]

Post by h***@bbs.cpcn.com
Other threads had a discussion of a ban on alcohol sales by the MTA on
its LIRR and MNRR trains and terminals. MTA railroad employees
presently sell alcohol.
Years ago Red Arrow Lines, now a SEPTA suburban division, operated the
Liberty Liners and served liquor on the afternoon run. To do so Red
Arrow and then SEPTA had to have a liquor license, which are costly in
Penna to obtain.
Would anyone know if SEPTA still has that license*?

I don't -know-, but I'll give good odds that the answer is 'no'.

Such licenses are a recurring annual expense. If it's not actively being
used, it would be 'financialy irresponsible' to continue paying the renewa
feed.

Post by h***@bbs.cpcn.com
If so, SEPTA
perhaps could provide similar services that the MTA does, to the
happiness of its commuters and revenue stream.
*The assets SEPTA acquired from the private transit and railroad
companies included a variety of items, some used, some dormant. For
example, there was a subsidiary company, Trenton Philadelphia Coach
Company, used mostly for national charter service rights. It became
dormant but was reactivated as a unit to operate a special transit
support service.

[Mark R. Cusumano]

Post by Robert Bonomi

Post by h***@bbs.cpcn.com
Liberty Liners and served liquor on the afternoon run. To do so Red
Arrow and then SEPTA had to have a liquor license, which are costly in
Penna to obtain.
Would anyone know if SEPTA still has that license*?

I don't -know-, but I'll give good odds that the answer is 'no'.
Such licenses are a recurring annual expense. If it's not actively being
used, it would be 'financialy irresponsible' to continue paying the renewa
feed.

You are insinuating that SEPTA is fiscally responsible?

Silly boy ;-)

[m***@msn.com]

I worked as a bartender on the Liberty Liner in the mid seventies. I
received a call from a friend who worked at Red Arrow and was asked to
show up at the Terminal at 3 pm. It seems that the two
bartenders(Postal Workers) who worked the train both came up lame the
same day (heart attack & broken arm). I worked for two weeks and then
the train blew a transformer along the line and was out of commission
for months. Red Arrow called and requested that I return but I was
employed elsewhere. The pay was $3.00 an hour and the tips were
terrible.

I doubt that Red Arrow had a liquir license. The train was used to
transport the blue bloods from the main line They could pull the
Liquir Board strings!

Tom the bartender

Post by h***@bbs.cpcn.com
Other threads had a discussion of a ban on alcohol sales by the MTA on
its LIRR and MNRR trains and terminals. MTA railroad employees
presently sell alcohol.
Years ago Red Arrow Lines, now a SEPTA suburban division, operated the
Liberty Liners and served liquor on the afternoon run. To do so Red
Arrow and then SEPTA had to have a liquor license, which are costly in
Penna to obtain.
Would anyone know if SEPTA still has that license*? If so, SEPTA
perhaps could provide similar services that the MTA does, to the
happiness of its commuters and revenue stream.
*The assets SEPTA acquired from the private transit and railroad
companies included a variety of items, some used, some dormant. For
example, there was a subsidiary company, Trenton Philadelphia Coach
Company, used mostly for national charter service rights. It became
dormant but was reactivated as a unit to operate a special transit
support service.

[h***@bbs.cpcn.com]

Post by m***@msn.com
I worked as a bartender on the Liberty Liner in the mid seventies.

Was is hard mixing/pouring drinks on a moving train? Did they sell a
lot of drinks?

Many youth railfans sought to take their first legal drink (upon
reaching 21) on the Liberty Liner.

Post by m***@msn.com
the train blew a transformer along the line and was out of commission
for months.

In the mid 1970s that happened frequently. The LLs drew a lot of
power and the P&W didn't have it in those days. The LLs themselves
would be out of service often. We got the impression that SEPTA
really didn't want to run them because of the extra expenses. The
passengers loved them, however. They were air conditioned back in an
era when many vehicles weren't, had deep very comfortable seats, and
rode smooth as silk.

Post by m***@msn.com
The pay was $3.00 an hour and the tips were
terrible.

For 1975 that is on the low side. It would be good money for a
college kid in a summer or after school job, but not so for an adult.


The Liberty Liners actually were very unsuited for the P&W. They were
designed for high speed express service and the P&W was essentially a
trolley line. They added a number of stops at the outer end of the
line to capture new suburban growth. I think they were a rather
expensive publicity stunt by Red Arrow's owner; if you own the
company you can do as you please. The two train sets weren't
expensive to buy, but had to be completely overhauled with new doors
cut in. As mentioned, they were expensive to run due to power
consumption and extra crew needs. They were a novelty at first,
attracting some ridership (they had Saturday trips with hot dogs to
attract family joy riders and of course railfans right to the end),
but after a while just another service. While psgrs did like them
very much, people didn't go out of their way to ride them. I doubt
the added revenue ever paid for the costs.