This is Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Serving a population of 5.9 million people, a network of commuter rail lines connects
this US city, servicing 162 stations across 9 counties and 3 states.
Consisting of 14 lines and 340 miles of track the system travels across the city, with trains
radiating from center city to the suburbs.
But how did the system grow from its original stations to the network it is today?
My name’s Zach, and this is the Evolution of the Network.
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority assumed operational control of Philadelphia’s
commuter rail network in January 1983, taking over 12 lines from Conrail.
Six lines travelled from Suburban Station, radiating to end stations at Marcus Hook,
West Chester, Paoli, Ivy Ridge, Chestnut Hill West, and Trenton New Jersey.
The remaining six lines travelled out of Reading Terminal, continuing to end stations in Norristown,
Chestnut Hill East, Doylestown, Warminster, Newtown, and West Trenton New Jersey.
Only two weeks later, the Newtown line saw shuttle service to Fox Chase discontinued,
closing 10 stations on the line.
The line was the only diesel service on the network, offering limited trips and receiving
limited ridership.
On the West Chester line, West Chester State College station was renamed that July, harmonizing
its name with the recently accredited West Chester University.
One year later in July 1984, a new station opened in Center City Philadelphia, with a
new shuttle train running between the new Market East station and Suburban station.
The shuttle was discontinued two months later in September, with trains on the Paoli extended
to Market East in its place.
Sunday service on the Chestnut Hill West, Marcus Hook, Trenton, and West Chester lines
were also extended to Market East.
Two months later in November, service on Philadelphia’s regional rail network was reconfigured, with
the opening of a new tunnel through the Center City.
Reading Terminal and Spring Garden St stations were closed, with the 6 line extended to meet
other lines at Market East.
Seven lines were created through this new arrangement, with former Reading Terminal
lines being paired with lines running from Suburban Station.
Trains on the Elwyn/West Chester and West Trenton lines continued to terminate in Center
City, ending at North Broad St and 30th St Station respectively.
Paoli line service was extended west in March 1985, adding four new stations to Downingtown.
The following month in April, a thirteenth line was opened on the network, adding service
to Philadelphia International Airport.
Three new stations serviced the five airport terminals, with the route running through
Center City to North Broad St station.
Service on the R6 Ivy Ridge line was cut back to Cynwyd due to poor track conditions in
May 1986, ending service to Ivy Ridge and Barmouth.
Three months later in August however, platforms were added to the R6 Norristown line at Ivy
Ridge, allowing service to resume to the station.
Service on the network was further reduced one month later in September, when the R3
West Chester to Media shuttle was discontinued, closing nine stations west of Elwyn.
Various stations in North Philadelphia were closed in the latter half of the 1980’s
owing to low ridership and limited train service.
After a fire damaged the R7 Chestnut Hill East station at Nicetown, the station was
closed to passengers in November 1988.
The adjacent station at Tioga was also closed in 1989, although we were unable to confirm
an exact date.
SEPTA service was extended into Delaware in January 1989, with R2 Marcus Hook trains extending
one station to Wilmington.
Service on the network was reconfigured in May 1989, with R3 trains extending over the
R1 line to West Trenton, eliminating downtown turnbacks at 30th St Station and North Broad
St. Airport line trains were formally designated as R1 at that time, continuing to terminate
at North Broad St. On the R6 Norristown line, DeKalb St station became the Norristown Transportation
Centre in June 1989, recognizing the newly opened hub.
New Jersey Transit began service to the Philadelphia metro area in September 1989, with the launch
of the Atlantic City line.
Starting from Atlantic City, the line serviced four intermediate stops to Lindenwold, which
offered an interchange to rapid transit services into the city.
On the R7 Trenton line, Frankford station was closed in 1990, although we were unable
to confirm an exact date.
R5 Downingtown service was extended two stations in April 1990, adding stops in Coatesville
and Parkesburg.
Six months later in October an infill station opened on the R2 Wilmington line in Delaware,
adding service to a new station at Claymont.
A new Terminal A opened at the Philadelphia International Airport in March 1991, resulting
in a new station opening on the R1 Airport line.
One year later in March 1992, Tabor station on the R2 Warminster was closed, being replaced
by an expanded station nearby at Fern Rock.
R3 West Trenton and R5 Doylestown trains also began servicing Fern Rock at that time, offering
an interchange to the subway.
One month later in April 1992, the R7 Chestnut Hill East station at Fishers was also closed,
having experienced low ridership in the years prior.
Various other low ridership stations were closed in October 1992, including Logan on
the R2 Warminster, Mogees on the R6 Norristown, and Andalusia and Frankford Junction on the
R7 Trenton.
Service to North Broad St station was also reduced, now only servicing trains on the
R5 Doylestown and R6 Norristown.
With this change, trains on the R1 Airport line were extended north, servicing six existing
stations to Glenside.
Service on the Atlantic City line was extended into Philadelphia in May 1993, with trains
crossing the Delaware River to end at 30th Street Station.
At the same time, two new express trips were launched on the R3 West Trenton and R5 Doylestown,
running along unelectrified tracks between Fern Rock and 30th Street Station.
Using diesel locomotives, the trips provided a faster ride around a nearby construction
project, helping to improve service on these lines.
The R5 trip to Doylestown was cancelled in August, while the R3 West Trenton trip continued
until the conclusion of construction in September.
An infill station was added to the Atlantic City line in July 1994, with trains now stopping
at Cherry Hill.
Three months later in October, the R8 Chestnut Hill West station at Westmoreland was closed.
An infill station was opened just west of Center City in April 1995, with trains on
the R1 Airport, R2 Wilmington, and R3 Elwyn line stopping at University City.
SEPTA’s budget was cut in November 1996, resulting in 3 station closures.
The R2 Warminster station at Fulmore, R5 Doylestown station at Fellwick, and R6 Norristown line
station at Shawmont were all closed at this time, while R5 Parkesburg service was cut
back to Downingtown.
R2 Wilmington service was extended further into Delaware the following year in September
1997, adding an additional station in Newark.
Four months later in December, an infill station opened on the R1 Airport line, with trains
now stopping at Eastwick.
R5 Downingtown service was extended once again in November 1999, adding an additional station
at Thorndale.
In Delaware, an infill station opened on the R2 Newark line in June 2000, adding a stop
at Churchmans Crossing.
More stations on the network were closed in July 2003, owing to low ridership at their
locations.
On the R2 Newark Line, Lamokin St closed in July 2003, while on the R7 Trenton line, service
to Wissonoming ended in November.
Regional rail service was reconfigured once again in July 2010, with the R numbering system
being dropped.
Instead, lines were identified by their end station, with trains interlining to different
routes through the Center City.
Three years later in October 2013, an infill station opened on the Atlantic City line,
with trains now servicing Pennsauken Transit Center.
SEPTA began selling the naming rights to stations in September 2014, with Market East station
being the first on the Regional Rail network.
The stop was renamed to Jefferson, after the nearby Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.
Seven months later in April 2015, the Doylestown line station at Delaware Valley College was
also renamed, now being known as Delaware Valley University.
In November of that year, an infill station also opened on the line, with trains now stopping
at 9th Street.
A second station was sponsored five years later in January 2020, with the Airport, Elwyn,
and Newark line station at University City becoming Penn Medicine.
This brings us to the Philadelphia Regional Rail map that we know today.
In the years to come, minor expansions are planned for Philadelphia’s regional rail
network, restoring service to some former stations.
In July 2022, the Elwyn line will be extended one stop west to Wawa, restoring service for
the first time since 1986.
Three years later in 2025, service on the Thorndale line will be extended back to Coatesville,
coinciding with the opening of a new Amtrak station in the city.
That was the evolution of Philadelphia’s commuter rail network, giving us the 14 lines
that we know today.
If you haven’t already, be sure to watch our video on the evolution of Philadelphia’s
subway and light rail network, which you can access by clicking the button in the top right
corner.
Don’t forget to leave a like if you enjoyed this video, and comment down below to join
in the discussion.
My name’s Zach, and I’ll be Vanishing Underground, until the next one.