Overview

• The NTSB issued urgent recommendations after five Silverliner IV fires this year, citing an immediate and unacceptable safety risk linked to outdated design and SEPTA operating practices.
• Investigators traced the fires to multiple electrical systems, including propulsion equipment, dynamic brakes, and a traction motor, with evacuations and minor injuries reported.
• The board called for sidelining the entire Silverliner IV fleet, implementing a monitoring plan that triggers removal if mitigations fail, and expediting retrofit or replacement that meets modern fire-safety standards.
• SEPTA said it will keep the cars in service with added inspections and mitigation steps, asserting trains remain safe, and it has 30 days to formally respond to the NTSB.
• Silverliner IV cars account for roughly 225 of SEPTA’s 390 regional railcars, replacements are estimated near $1 billion with timelines extending into the 2030s, and local reports say two senior maintenance officials were placed on leave.