Chestnut Hill West Line

Chestnut Hill West Line
Chestnut Hill West Line
	Shelter at the terminal station in Chestnut Hill
Overview
Status	Operating
Termini	Chestnut Hill West ; Temple University ;
Stations	10
Website	septa.org
Service
Type	Commuter rail
System	SEPTA Regional Rail
Operator(s)	SEPTA
Rolling stock	Electric Multiple Units
Daily ridership	2,768 (FY 2023)
History
Opened	1884
Technical
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Electrification	Overhead line, 12 kV 25 Hz AC
Operating speed	50 mph (80 km/h) (Chestnut Hill West to North Philadelphia); 50 mph (80 km/h) (North Philadelphia to Zoo Junction)
Route map
Route map
	Legend
	11.3 mi
	18.2 km
	10.7 mi
	17.2 km
	10.2 mi
	16.4 km
	Fort Washington Branch
	to Fort Hill
	9.4 mi
	15.1 km
	9.8 mi
	15.8 km
	9.1 mi
	14.6 km
	7.9 mi
	12.7 km
	2
	1
	7.4 mi
	11.9 km
	6.8 mi
	10.9 km
	PG&N
	to Norristown
	NEC & TRE
	to Trenton & Boston
	4.5 mi
	7.2 km
	1
	C
	Philadelphia to
	Harrisburg Main Line
	0.9 mi
	1.4 km
	Northeast Corridor
	Schuylkill River
	0 mi
	0 km
	0.5 mi
	0.8 km
	2.1 mi
	3.4 km
	This diagram: view ; talk ; edit ;

Last updated November 12, 2024

The Chestnut Hill West Line is a commuter rail line in the SEPTA Regional Rail network. It connects Northwest Philadelphia, including the eponymous neighborhood of Chestnut Hill, West Mount Airy, and Germantown, to Center City.

Route description

The Chestnut Hill West Line branches off from Amtrak's Northeast Corridor at North Philadelphia station and runs entirely within the City of Philadelphia. Its terminal is named Chestnut Hill West to distinguish it from the end of the Chestnut Hill East Line (a competing line of the Reading Company until 1976, when SEPTA assumed operations). Some stations are less than half a mile apart, a characteristic more commonly seen in an urban rapid transit system rather than a commuter rail line. The line runs roughly parallel to the Chestnut Hill East, and the two terminals are rather close. The line is fully grade-separated.

History

The line was originally opened June 11, 1884 by the Philadelphia, Germantown and Chestnut Hill Railroad, and was operated by the Pennsylvania Railroad until 1968.^{[ citation needed ]} Electrified service began on March 30, 1918.^[2] The Penn Central operated it until 1976, turning operations over to Conrail until 1983, when SEPTA took over.^{[ citation needed ]}

Between 1984–2010 the route was designated R8 Chestnut Hill West as part of SEPTA's diametrical reorganization of its lines. Chestnut Hill West trains operated through the city center to the Fox Chase Line.^[3] Plans had called for the line to be paired with West Chester/Elwyn Line and designated R3, but this depended on a never-built Swampoodle Connection from the Chestnut Hill West Line to the Norristown Line; this would have connected it to the former Reading Company side of the Center City Commuter Connection.^[4]As of 2022^[update], most weekday Chestnut Hill West Line trains pass through Center City and terminate at Temple University while most weekend trains continue through Center City to the West Trenton Line.^[5] While the line runs generally northbound between 30th Street and Chestnut Hill West, it is considered to run timetable south. This anomaly exists because SEPTA considers ex-Reading lines (including the Fox Chase Line) to run timetable north and ex-Pennsylvania lines to run timetable south.

Between June 26, 1987 – December 17, 1989 service terminated at Allen Lane with shuttle buses serving St. Martin's, Highland and Chestnut Hill West because of unsafe conditions on the Cresheim Valley bridge. The original iron bridge dated to 1884 and was replaced with a $7.6 million steel structure financed by the Urban Mass Transportation Administration.^[6]

SEPTA activated positive train control on the Chestnut Hill West Line on August 22, 2016.^[7]

On April 9, 2020, the line was suspended indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic,^[8] though North Philadelphia station was still being served by other rail services.^[9] In addition to reduced ridership from the COVID-19 pandemic, service on the Chestnut Hill West Line was also suspended due to Amtrak construction along the Northeast Corridor that the line uses for part of its route. Service on the Chestnut Hill West Line resumed on March 8, 2021 on a limited schedule, with service running Monday through Friday.^[8]^[10] Weekend service was restored on December 19, 2021.^[11]

As of 2024, SEPTA has made considerations to discontinue service on the line due to low ridership and systemwide budget cuts. ^[12]

Stations

The Chestnut Hill West makes the following station stops after leaving 30th Street Station; stations indicated with gray background are closed.^[5] The entirety of the route is located within Philadelphia city limits.

Zone	Location	Station	Miles (km) from Center City	Date opened	Connections / notes
C	Mantua	Zoological Garden	1.9 (3.1)	1874	Closed November 24, 1901^[13]
	Brewerytown	Engleside	2.8 (4.5)		Closed April 5, 1903^[14]
	Strawberry Mansion	Ridge Avenue	3.2 (5.1)		Closed April 5, 1903.^[14]
	Strawberry Mansion	22nd Street	3.9 (6.3)
1	Glenwood	North Philadelphia	4.5 (7.2)		Amtrak: Keystone Service SEPTA Regional Rail: Trenton SEPTA Metro: Broad Street Line SEPTA City Bus: 4, 16
	Nicetown–Tioga	Westmoreland	5.5 (8.9)		Closed October 29, 1994^[15]
	Germantown	Queen Lane	6.8 (10.9)		SEPTA City Bus: K
		Chelten Avenue	7.4 (11.9)	June 11, 1884^[16]	SEPTA City Bus: 26 , J
2		Tulpehocken	7.9 (12.7)	June 11, 1884^[16]	SEPTA City Bus: 53 , 65
	Mount Airy	Upsal	8.4 (13.5)		SEPTA City Bus: H
		Carpenter	9.0 (14.5)	June 11, 1884^[16]
		Richard Allen Lane	9.4 (15.1)
	Chestnut Hill	St. Martins	10.2 (16.4)
		Highland	10.7 (17.2)	June 11, 1884^[16]
		Chestnut Hill West	11.3 (18.2)	June 11, 1884^[16]	SEPTA Regional Rail: Chestnut Hill East (at Chestnut Hill East) SEPTA City Bus: 23, 77, L SEPTA Suburban Bus: 94, 97

Ridership

Yearly ridership on the Chestnut Hill West Line between FY 2013–FY 2019 remained steady around 1.3–1.6 million before collapsing during the COVID-19 pandemic.^{[note 1]}

500,000

1,000,000

1,500,000

2,000,000

FY 2013

FY 2014

FY 2015

FY 2016

FY 2017

FY 2018

FY 2019

FY 2020

FY 2021

FY 2022

FY 2023

Notes

↑ Data for individual lines is not available for FY 2020.^[1]

Related Research Articles

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The SEPTA Regional Rail system is a commuter rail network owned by SEPTA and serving the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The system has 13 branches and more than 150 active stations in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, its suburbs and satellite towns and cities. It is the sixth-busiest commuter railroad in the United States. In 2016, the Regional Rail system had an average of 132,000 daily riders and 118,800 daily riders as of 2019.

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The Chestnut Hill East Line is a route of the SEPTA Regional Rail system. The route serves the northwestern section of Philadelphia with service to Germantown, Mount Airy, and Chestnut Hill. It is one of two lines that serve Chestnut Hill, the other one being the Chestnut Hill West Line. The line is fully grade-separated.

References

1 2 SEPTA Data Group. "Route Operating Statistics" . Retrieved March 22, 2024.
↑ Williams, Gerry (1998). Trains, Trolleys & Transit: A Guide to Philadelphia Area Rail Transit. Piscataway, New Jersey: Railpace Company. p. 95. ISBN 978-0-9621541-7-1.
↑ Lustig, David (November 2010). "SEPTA makeover". Trains Magazine. Kalmbach Publishing: 26.
↑ Vuchic, Vukan; Kikuchi, Shinya (1984). General Operations Plan for the SEPTA Regional High Speed System. Philadelphia: SEPTA. pp. 2–8.
1 2 "Chestnut Hill West Line schedule" (PDF). SEPTA. January 7, 2024. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
↑ Hollman, Laurie (December 17, 1989). "A Bridge Is Rebuilt With Clout". The Philadelphia Inquirer . Archived from the original on December 30, 2015. Retrieved August 13, 2016.
↑ "Positive Train Control Update". SEPTA. May 1, 2017. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
1 2 "Service Information". SEPTA . Retrieved April 14, 2020.
↑ "SEPTA Regional Rail & Rail Transit Lifeline Service" (PDF). SEPTA. 2020. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
↑ Madej, Patricia (January 28, 2021). "SEPTA Chestnut Hill West Line will return with 'restricted service' in March". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
↑ "Regional Rail Select Schedule Changes – New Timetables Effective Sunday, December 19, 2021". SEPTA. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
↑ Robinson, Carla (July 17, 2024). "State budget shorts SEPTA; NW braces for transit cuts". Chestnut Hill Local.
↑ Baer, Christopher T. (April 2015). "A General Chronology of the Successors of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and Their Historical Context: 1901" (PDF). Pennsylvania Railroad Technical Historical Society. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
1 2 "Discontinuing All Stops of Trains at Paschal, South Street, Engelside and Ridge Avenue". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. April 3, 1903. p. 2. Retrieved October 17, 2017– via Newspapers.com.
↑ Rider, Phantom (October 26, 1994). "Eulogy for an R8 Station". The Philadelphia Daily News. p. 8. Retrieved November 4, 2017– via Newspapers.com.
1 2 3 4 5 "Steam Roads: Opening of Pennsylvania's New Branch Line". The Philadelphia Inquirer. June 11, 1884. p. 2. Retrieved November 10, 2017– via Newspapers.com.

External links

SEPTA – Chestnut Hill West Line schedule

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[17] Data for individual lines is not available for FY 2020.^[1]

[ridership-1] 1 2 SEPTA Data Group. "Route Operating Statistics" . Retrieved March 22, 2024.

[2] Williams, Gerry (1998). Trains, Trolleys & Transit: A Guide to Philadelphia Area Rail Transit. Piscataway, New Jersey: Railpace Company. p. 95. ISBN 978-0-9621541-7-1.

[3] Lustig, David (November 2010). "SEPTA makeover". Trains Magazine. Kalmbach Publishing: 26.

[4] Vuchic, Vukan; Kikuchi, Shinya (1984). General Operations Plan for the SEPTA Regional High Speed System. Philadelphia: SEPTA. pp. 2–8.

[timetable-5] 1 2 "Chestnut Hill West Line schedule" (PDF). SEPTA. January 7, 2024. Retrieved June 18, 2024.

[6] Hollman, Laurie (December 17, 1989). "A Bridge Is Rebuilt With Clout". The Philadelphia Inquirer . Archived from the original on December 30, 2015. Retrieved August 13, 2016.

[7] "Positive Train Control Update". SEPTA. May 1, 2017. Retrieved May 17, 2017.

[covid-8] 1 2 "Service Information". SEPTA . Retrieved April 14, 2020.

[covidmap-9] "SEPTA Regional Rail & Rail Transit Lifeline Service" (PDF). SEPTA. 2020. Retrieved April 14, 2020.

[10] Madej, Patricia (January 28, 2021). "SEPTA Chestnut Hill West Line will return with 'restricted service' in March". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved January 28, 2021.

[11] "Regional Rail Select Schedule Changes – New Timetables Effective Sunday, December 19, 2021". SEPTA. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved December 12, 2021.

[12] Robinson, Carla (July 17, 2024). "State budget shorts SEPTA; NW braces for transit cuts". Chestnut Hill Local.

[prr1901-13] Baer, Christopher T. (April 2015). "A General Chronology of the Successors of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and Their Historical Context: 1901" (PDF). Pennsylvania Railroad Technical Historical Society. Retrieved October 17, 2017.

[engleridge-14] 1 2 "Discontinuing All Stops of Trains at Paschal, South Street, Engelside and Ridge Avenue". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. April 3, 1903. p. 2. Retrieved October 17, 2017– via Newspapers.com.

[westmoreland-15] Rider, Phantom (October 26, 1994). "Eulogy for an R8 Station". The Philadelphia Daily News. p. 8. Retrieved November 4, 2017– via Newspapers.com.

[chwopens-16] 1 2 3 4 5 "Steam Roads: Opening of Pennsylvania's New Branch Line". The Philadelphia Inquirer. June 11, 1884. p. 2. Retrieved November 10, 2017– via Newspapers.com.

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[note 1]

v t e Mass transit in the Delaware Valley
Transit buses	SEPTA Philadelphia Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties NJ Transit Camden, Gloucester, and Salem County suburban service Camden, Gloucester, and Salem County local service Atlantic and Cape May County local service Long-distance local routes from Philadelphia Long-distance routes from Atlantic City DART First State Krapf Transit Philly Phlash South Jersey Transportation Authority Shuttle routes Berks County Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority Bucks County Bucks County Transport TMA Bucks Cecil County Cecil Transit Chester County Transportation Management Association of Chester County Atlantic City Atlantic City Jitney Association Pottstown Pottstown Area Rapid Transit
Commuter rail	SEPTA Regional Rail Airport Line Chestnut Hill East Line Chestnut Hill West Line Cynwyd Line Fox Chase Line Lansdale/Doylestown Line Manayunk/Norristown Line Media/Wawa Line Paoli/Thorndale Line Trenton Line Warminster Line West Trenton Line Wilmington/Newark Line NJ Transit Atlantic City Line MARC Train Penn Line
Rapid transit and light rail	SEPTA Metro Market–Frankford Line Broad Street Line Subway–Surface Trolleys Route 15 Trolley Media–Sharon Hill Line Norristown High Speed Line Delaware River Port Authority PATCO Speedline NJ Transit River Line Proposed Glassboro–Camden Line Roosevelt Boulevard Subway
Aviation	Major Atlantic City International Airport Philadelphia International Airport Trenton–Mercer Airport Reliever Chester County G. O. Carlson Airport Doylestown Airport Heritage Field Airport Northeast Philadelphia Airport South Jersey Regional Airport Wilmington Airport Wings Field
Intercity bus	Amtrak Thruway Greyhound Lines Klein Martz Trailways OurBus Peter Pan Bus Lines Trans-Bridge Lines
Intercity rail	Amtrak Acela Cardinal Carolinian Crescent Keystone Service Northeast Regional Palmetto Pennsylvanian Silver Meteor Silver Star Vermonter Proposed Northeast Maglev Schuylkill River Passenger Rail