Hello! Happy 2010 to you all. The world has mostly been on vacation since that big snowstorm, and I have as well. And now I'm back but, unfortunately the news is not. Because honestly, there just isn't anything new going on with our beloved transit system right now. Construction projects don't happen in the winter, committees don't get things done over the holiday break, and Christmas decorations and advertising wraps on trolleys just don't make good blog posts.

So, if I have somehow MISSED something going on with SEPTA, and you read a news story and think "Boy, he should really be writing about that on SEPTA Watch!" then please feel free to send it my way or tweet it to me.

And now, what little news there is:

Plan Philly has a good blurb discussing the Silverliner V cars, as well as whether SEPTA should wait (in case of mechanical problems) before selling off old Silverliner II and III cars. The CAC is worried because Hyundai-Rotem has never handled an order of this magnitude and received a poor technical rating from SEPTA, and SEPTA says they can't because there's simply nowhere to put them.

SEPTA has begun signing agreements to turn the abandoned right of way between Coopersburg and Hellertown.

Another teen involved with the SEPTA beating death has been sentenced. 18-year-old Rasheem Bell will receive 18 to 23 months in prison for his role in the death of Sean Conroy.

Coming up this week:

• A better transit mapping solution for the Delaware Valley
• A look at what's changed since the launch of the new SEPTA homepage