Editing SEPTA (section)

=== Formation ===
[[File:PCC2790 Philly 1970s.jpg|thumb|The former [[SEPTA Route 6]] trolley in [[Philadelphia]], {{circa|1980}}]]
SEPTA was created by the [[Pennsylvania General Assembly]], on August 17, 1963, to coordinate government funding to various transit and railroad companies in southeastern Pennsylvania. It commenced operations on February 18, 1964.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Pawson |first=John R. |title=Delaware Valley Rails: The Railroads and Rail Transit Lines of the Philadelphia Area |publisher=John R. Pawson |year=1979 |isbn=0-9602080-0-3 |location=[[Willow Grove, Pennsylvania]] |pages=21}}</ref>

On November 1, 1965, SEPTA absorbed two predecessor agencies:
* The Passenger Service Improvement Corporation (PSIC), was created on January 20, 1960, to work with the [[Reading Company]] and [[Pennsylvania Railroad]] to improve commuter rail service and help the railroads maintain otherwise unprofitable passenger rail service.
* The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Compact (SEPACT), was created September 8, 1961, by the City of Philadelphia and the Counties of Montgomery, Bucks, and Chester to coordinate regional transport issues.

[[File:SEPTA logo 1970s.svg|thumb|SEPTA's logo in 1970s]]
By 1966, the [[Reading Company]] and Pennsylvania Railroad commuter railroad lines were operated under contract to SEPTA. On February 1, 1968, the Pennsylvania Railroad merged with the [[New York Central]] railroad to become [[Penn Central]]. On June 21, 1970, it filed for bankruptcy. Penn Central continued to operate in bankruptcy until 1976, when [[Conrail]] took over its assets along with those of several other bankrupt railroads, including the Reading Company. Conrail operated commuter services under contract to SEPTA until January 1, 1983, when SEPTA took over operations and acquired track, rolling stock, and other assets to form the [[SEPTA Regional Rail|Railroad Division]].