Wikipedia

West Trenton Line

This article is about the SEPTA commuter rail line. For the proposed NJ Transit line, see West Trenton Line (NJ Transit).

The West Trenton Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail service connecting Center City Philadelphia to the West Trenton section of Ewing Township, New Jersey.

West Trenton Line
Langhorne station on the West Trenton Line
Overview
Service typeSEPTA Regional Rail commuter service
Current operator(s)SEPTA
Ridership3,613 (FY 2022 daily)[1]
Route
TerminiPenn Medicine
West Trenton
Stops23
Line(s) used
Technical
Rolling stockElectric multiple units
ElectrificationOverhead line, 12 kV 25 Hz AC
Route map
Map
Legend
 NWK
to Newark
 WAW
to Wawa
 AIR
to Airport Philadelphia International Airport
1.8 mi
2.9 km
 Penn Medicine
0.9 mi
1.4 km
 30th Street
Atlantic City LineAmtrak
0 mi
0 km
 Suburban
0.5 mi
0.8 km
 Jefferson
Reading Terminal
closed
Spring Garden Street
closed
2.1 mi
3.4 km
 Temple University
Zone
 C 
1
 NOR
to Elm Street
5.1 mi
8.2 km
 Wayne Junction
Bypassed
 CHE
to Chestnut Hill East
 FOX
to Fox Chase
 Fern Rock T.C.
Zone
 1 
2
8.4 mi
13.5 km
 Melrose Park
9.2 mi
14.8 km
 Elkins Park
Zone
 2 
3
10.8 mi
17.4 km
 Jenkintown–Wyncote
Main Line
to Glenside
12.0 mi
19.3 km
 Noble
12.8 mi
20.6 km
 Rydal
13.8 mi
22.2 km
 Meadowbrook
15.1 mi
24.3 km
 Bethayres
16.4 mi
26.4 km
 Philmont
17.7 mi
28.5 km
 Forest Hills
18.2 mi
29.3 km
 Somerton
19.9 mi
32 km
 Trevose
21.1 mi
34 km
 Neshaminy Falls
Zone
 3 
4
23.9 mi
38.5 km
 Langhorne
Fairless Junction
closed
26.4 mi
42.5 km
 Woodbourne
Roelofs
closed
30.8 mi
49.6 km
 Yardley
Pennsylvania
New Jersey
Zone
 4 
NJ
32.5 mi
52.3 km
 West Trenton
service ended in 1982
service ended in 1982
Pennington
closed
Hopewell
closed
Belle Mead
closed
Hillsborough
closed
NJ Transit Raritan Valley Line
to High Bridge
 Bound Brook NJ Transit
Newark Penn Amtrak NJ Transit
Northeast Corridor
This diagram:

Route

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Outbound train on the West Trenton Line between the Meadowbrook and Bethayres stations
Main article: Neshaminy Line

The West Trenton Line connects Center City Philadelphia with the West Trenton section of Ewing, New Jersey. The line splits from the SEPTA Main Line at Jenkintown, running northeast on the Neshaminy Line. At Bethayres, it crosses the Pennypack Trail that runs along the former Philadelphia, Newtown and New York Railroad, which once connected with the Fox Chase Line. At Oakford, the former New York Short Line Railroad, once part of the Reading's main line to West Trenton and Jersey City and currently CSX's Trenton Subdivision, merges. North of Oakford, the West Trenton Line runs parallel to CSX's Trenton Subdivision. The West Trenton Railroad Bridge, a concrete arch bridge, crosses the Delaware River to the final stop at West Trenton.

History

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See also: New York Branch
 
West Trenton station

Like all of the Reading Company's commuter lines, the West Trenton Line was electrified in the early 1930s and has a mix of at-grade and grade separated crossings. Electrified service to West Trenton was opened on July 26, 1931. The RDG planned to also electrify tracks between West Trenton and the CNJ Terminal in Jersey City for long-distance service, but had to drop plans for electrification outside of the commuter service area due to economic setbacks as a result of the Great Depression.

 
Reading Railroad Crusader streamliner

The line north of the split at Jenkintown was originally built as the National Railway project, opened on May 1, 1876, to provide an alternate to the United New Jersey Railroad and Canal Companies' monopoly over Philadelphia-New York City travel. From Jenkintown to the Delaware River it was built by the North Pennsylvania Railroad as a branch, while the New Jersey section was built by the Delaware and Bound Brook Railroad, merging with the Central Railroad of New Jersey at Bound Brook. In addition to the Reading Company, which leased the North Pennsylvania Railroad in 1879, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad also used the line for passenger and freight service to New York City, including its famed Royal Blue service. In 1976 the Reading merged into Conrail, and in 1983 SEPTA took over operations.

 
Former R3 Logo

Prior to 1981, limited service continued north to Newark, New Jersey (Jersey City prior to the Aldene Plan of the 1960s), using Budd Company-built Diesel multiple units. This service was the last remains of the Reading's Crusader service, which began in 1937 using streamlined steam locomotives and passenger cars. SEPTA ended service beyond West Trenton on August 1, 1981; connecting NJT diesel service lasted until December 1982.[2][3] NJT has since considered service resumption on their West Trenton Line.[4]

Beginning in 1984 the route was designated R1 West Trenton as part of SEPTA's diametrical reorganization of its lines. West Trenton Line trains operated through the city center to the Airport Line on the ex-Pennsylvania side of the system.[5] In later years this behavior changed; the line was designated R3 West Trenton and trains continued on to the Media/Elwyn Line on weekdays and the Airport Line on weekends.[6] The R-number naming system was dropped on July 25, 2010.[7] As of 2022, most West Trenton Line trains terminate at 30th Street Station on weekdays, while most evening trains operate to Malvern or Thorndale on the Paoli/Thorndale Line. Most weekend trains operate to Chestnut Hill West on the Chestnut Hill West Line.[8]

On April 9, 2020, service on the line was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[9] though stations between Center City and Jenkintown–Wyncote were still being served by other rail services. Service resumed on June 15, 2020.[10]

Stations

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Passenger Schedule (eff. 1974-09-30) of Reading Railway and Central Railroad of New Jersey joint service between Newark, New Jersey and Philadelphia's Reading Terminal via Belle Mead, New Jersey on today's SEPTA's West Trenton Line and NJT Raritan Valley Line.

The West Trenton Line includes the following stations north of the Center City Commuter Connection; stations indicated with a gray background are closed. The train expresses from Bethayres to Temple University inbound on some trains in the morning and expresses outbound from Temple University to Bethayres on some trains in the evening.[8]

State Zone Location Station Miles (km)
from
Center City 		Date opened Connections / notes
PA C Temple University Temple University   2.1 (3.4)   SEPTA Regional Rail: all lines except for the Cynwyd Line
  SEPTA City Bus: 3, 23, 47
1 Olney-Oak Lane Logan Discontinued October 4, 1992[11]
Tabor
Fern Rock
Transit Center   		7.3 (11.7)   SEPTA Regional Rail:   Airport Line,   Lansdale/​Doylestown Line,   Warminster Line
  SEPTA Metro:   Broad Street Line
  SEPTA City Bus: 4, 28, 57, 70
2 Melrose Park Melrose Park   8.4 (13.5)   SEPTA Regional Rail:   Airport Line,   Lansdale/​Doylestown Line,   Warminster Line
Elkins Park Elkins Park 9.2 (14.8) May 14, 1899[12]   SEPTA Regional Rail:   Airport Line,   Lansdale/​Doylestown Line,   Warminster Line
  SEPTA City Bus: 28
3 Jenkintown Jenkintown–Wyncote 10.8 (17.4)   SEPTA Regional Rail:   Airport Line,   Lansdale/​Doylestown Line,   Warminster Line
  SEPTA City Bus: 77
Noble Noble 12.0 (19.3)   SEPTA City Bus: 55
Rydal Rydal 12.8 (20.6)
Abington Meadowbrook 13.8 (22.2)
Bethayres Bethayres   15.1 (24.3)   SEPTA City Bus: 24, 88
Huntingdon Valley Philmont   16.4 (26.4)
Somerton, Philadelphia Forest Hills   17.7 (28.5)   SEPTA City Bus: 84
Somerton   18.2 (29.3)   SEPTA City Bus: 58, 84
Bensalem Township Trevose   19.9 (32.0)
Neshaminy Falls   21.1 (34.0)   SEPTA City Bus: 58
Penndel Parkland Closed March 1978[13]
4 Langhorne Langhorne 23.9 (38.5)   SEPTA City Bus: 14
  SEPTA Suburban Bus: 130
Middletown Township
Fairless Junction Closed March 1978[13]
Woodbourne   26.4 (42.5)
Yardley Yardley   30.8 (49.6)
NJ NJ West Trenton West Trenton 32.5 (52.3)   NJ Transit Bus: 608

Ridership

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Between FY 2013–FY 2019 yearly ridership on the West Trenton Line held steady at 3.3–3.5 million, except for a dip to 3 million in FY 2018, before collapsing during the COVID-19 pandemic.[note 1]

1,000,000
2,000,000
3,000,000
4,000,000
FY 2013
FY 2014
FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023

Notes

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

References

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  1. ^ a b SEPTA Data Group. "Route Operating Statistics". Retrieved March 1, 2024.
  2. ^ Williams, Gerry (1998). Trains, Trolleys & Transit: A Guide to Philadelphia Area Rail Transit. Piscataway, New Jersey: Railpace Company. p. 71. ISBN 978-0-9621541-7-1.
  3. ^ Pawson, John (March 1993). "New Backing for "Crusader" Route". The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger. 13 (3). Delaware Valley Association of Railroad Passengers. Archived from the original on 2017-09-05. Retrieved 2017-01-31.
  4. ^ "Chapter 1: Purpose and Need" (PDF). Proposed Restoration of Passenger Rail Service on the West Trenton Line Draft Environmental Assessment. New Jersey Transit. November 2007. p. 1-1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-02-02. Retrieved 2017-01-31.
  5. ^ Vuchic, Vukan; Kikuchi, Shinya (1984). General Operations Plan for the SEPTA Regional High Speed System. Philadelphia: SEPTA. pp. 2–8.2-8&rft.pub=SEPTA&rft.date=1984&rft.aulast=Vuchic&rft.aufirst=Vukan&rft.au=Kikuchi, Shinya&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:West Trenton Line" class="Z3988">
  6. ^ "R3 West Trenton" (PDF). SEPTA. June 21, 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 27, 2009. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
  7. ^ Lustig, David (November 2010). "SEPTA makeover". Trains Magazine. Kalmbach Publishing: 26.
  8. ^ a b "West Trenton Line schedule" (PDF). SEPTA. January 7, 2024. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  9. ^ "Service Information". SEPTA. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  10. ^ "SEPTA Regional Rail & Rail Transit Lifeline Service" (PDF). SEPTA. 2020. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  11. ^ "New Rail Schedules Set". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. October 2, 1992. p. 36. Retrieved October 19, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.  
  12. ^ "Elkins Station Opened at Ogontz Park". The Philadelphia Times. May 15, 1899. p. 3. Retrieved July 3, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.  
  13. ^ a b "Rail Hikes Stalled". The Philadelphia Daily News. March 23, 1978. p. 58B. Retrieved July 4, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.  
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