The National Transportation Safety Board issued a recommendation on September 30 for SEPTA to suspend the operation of its Silverliner IV fleet due to the threat of fires.

The recommendation is the outcome of an investigation by the safety board following a series of fires involving Silverliner IV rail cars. There are 225 Silverliner IV railcars among SEPTA’s 390 passenger-carrying railcar fleet.

These trains were involved in fires on February 6 in Ridley Park, June 3 in Levittown, July 22 in Paoli, September 23 in Fort Washington, and September 25 in Philadelphia, according to federal investigators.

From the announcement:

The fourth incident occurred on September 23, 2025, about 4:46 p.m., when the crew of SEPTA train 3592 observed smoke coming from the roof of the fifth railcar while the train was approaching Fort Washington Station in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania. Train 3592 consisted of six Silverliner IV railcars. Four crew members and about 350 passengers were on board; all were evacuated at the station. No injuries were reported. This incident involved the same railcar that caught fire in Levittown. The NTSB examined the involved railcar from train 3592, and preliminary findings indicate that the fire began with electrical components near the dynamic brake resistor banks on the railcar’s roof. The electrical components had been replaced during repairs and maintenance after the Levittown fire; preliminary findings indicate that the fire was associated with these repairs rather than the defects that led to the Levittown fire. As in the Levittown fire, the fire did not spread to occupied compartments.

The Silverliner IV fleet was introduced between 1974 and 1976 by SEPTA’s predecessor, the Reading Company. According to the safety board’s report, the Silverliner IV fleet has not been refurbished since its original deployment.

The full report is below:

For all the latest news, follow us on Facebook or sign up for Glenside Local’s “Daily Buzz” newsletter here.

Photos: NTSB