February 10, 2024
Chris Compendio/PhillyVoice
This is one of two SEPTA trolleys decorated for Valentine's Day. Operator Gary Mason, who is responsible for the hearts and flowers on this street car, has been decorating his vehicle each of the last five Februarys.
Riders on two of SEPTA's trolley lines may have been feeling as though they were struck by Cupid's arrow when they set out on their commutes this month.
For Valentine's Day, the transit authority is spreading the love in the City of Brotherly Love via a pair street cars decked out for the holiday. These trolleys are already on the rails and will remain adorned in red and hearts and roses through the end of February.
The festive trolleys operate on the Route 10 and Route 36 lines, and they are the creations of their operators Gary Mason and Devante Parker. Mason has been decorating his Route 10 car for Valentine's Day for five years, and it's the second year for Parker.
"They decorate their trolleys to show love and appreciation to customers," SEPTA spokesperson Elvira Méndez said about the two operators.
Mason's Route 10 trolley, which rides the rails from Overbrook to City Hall, is awash in red. It's normally white exterior covered in the color of the holiday, with red tinsel garlands, lights and flowers as accents.
On the inside, doo-wop love songs, like "Oh, What a Night" by The Dells and "Your Smile" by René & Angela, pump from the speakers, adding to the romantic mood. There more are hearts, red flowers and string lights outlining car's cabin, and red covers on ceiling lights cast everything in a red hue.
But the love light really shines once the No. 10 enters the tunnel beneath Market Street — the red glow takes over as the string lights sparkle, alternating between red and white.
While Parker's Route 36 Valentine's Day car retains most its white exterior as it hauls passengers from Elmwood in Southwest Philly, through University City, to Center City and back, the trolley's windows are outlined with red string lights on the outside and a pair of illuminated neon hearts cover the SEPTA logo on the vehicle's front.
Inside there are more hearts and red lights trimming the ceiling along with decorations spelling out classic Valentine's Day messages, like "XOXO" and "KISS ME."
SEPTA buses and trolleys being decorated for holidays isn't unusual; SEPTA holds a competition among employees for the best-dressed SEPTA buses around Christma and Halloween.
