Three hours later, he was still waiting in a station stairwell.
"This is the first time I've used SEPTA, and the last time I use SEPTA," Paine said.
SEPTA spokesman Richard Maloney said the system had never handled this many people.
The agency had every bus, trolley, train and subway car operating at capacity all day, he said.
"Does anyone really expect us to have 500 extra buses and trains sitting around waiting for a parade?" Maloney asked.
On a normal day, the SEPTA system transports about 500,000 riders. Yesterday, the system was inundated. Because SEPTA uses paper tickets on its Regional Rail system, the agency won't know how many people rode its trains until Monday, Maloney said. But when that count is made, it will be a record.
"We're talking about a day in public transportation of historic proportions," Maloney said. "To have standing-room only on every vehicle we have over a sustained period of time - we've just never had it."
By 7:45 last night, the Broad Street Line and the Market-Frankford El were running on normal schedules, Maloney said. Only Suburban Station was still clogged with Regional Rail riders.
With hundreds of thousands of people descending on Center City, everyone knew yesterday would be a bad day not only for SEPTA, but for all public transportation.
But this bad?
So bad that SEPTA riders in Haverford watched with mounting anger as more than 10 morning trains - each packed with riders - raced by without stopping?
So bad that three Millersville University students taking Amtrak from Lancaster had to ride to 30th Street Station sitting in the women's restroom?
So bad that fans riding the PATCO High-Speed Line from New Jersey had to wait up to two hours to buy tickets?
