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North Philadelphia (SEPTA Regional Rail station)
Encyclopedia
North Philadelphia, formerly Germantown Junction Station, is a railroad station on the Northeast Corridor
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, United States
. It is an above-ground station at 2900 North Broad Street
in the city's North Philadelphia section. The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
's (SEPTA) Regional Rail
accounts for most of the station's service, and five Amtrak
trains stop each weekday.
diverges from the Northeast Corridor, which carries SEPTA's Trenton Line. Platforms for the two lines are a short distance apart.
Two high-level island platforms serve three of the four Northeast Corridor tracks. The Trenton Line trains make regular stops at these platforms. The station and tracks are owned by Amtrak
, and five of their trains stop at this station each weekday. On the SEPTA-owned Chestnut Hill West line, two low-level platforms serve Chestnut Hill West trains, which normally treat North Philadelphia as a flag stop.
The station is within a few blocks of the North Broad station
on SEPTA's Main Line (formerly belonging to the Reading Company
), and the North Philadelphia subway station on SEPTA's Broad Street Line
. The station has SEPTA ticket offices, retail shops, restaurants, and access to Broad Street businesses. As of 2006, the SEPTA Trenton and Chestnut Hill West had an average of 219 weekday boardings and 245 weekday disembarks. These numbers are a key reason why North Philadelphia is among Amtrak's least busy stations.
, and was designed by Theophilus Parsons Chandler, Jr.
It was Philadelphia's sole stop for the Broadway Limited
train, as well as the General Motors
Aerotrain
. The station includes a 333-space parking lot, and is on the National Register of Historic Places
and the Historic American Building Survey.
Northeast Corridor
The Northeast Corridor is a fully electrified railway line owned primarily by Amtrak serving the Northeast megalopolis of the United States from Boston in the north, via New York to Washington, D.C. in the south, with branches serving other cities...
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is an above-ground station at 2900 North Broad Street
Broad Street (Philadelphia)
Broad Street is a major arterial street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is nearly 13 miles long.It is Pennsylvania Route 611 along its entire length with the exception of its northernmost part between Old York Road and Pennsylvania Route 309 and the southernmost part south of Interstate 95...
in the city's North Philadelphia section. The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority is a metropolitan transportation authority that operates various forms of public transit—bus, subway and elevated rail, commuter rail, light rail, and electric trolley bus—that serve 3.9 million people in and around Philadelphia,...
's (SEPTA) Regional Rail
SEPTA Regional Rail
The SEPTA Regional Rail system consists of commuter rail service on thirteen branches to over 150 active stations in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States and its suburbs. Service on most lines runs from 5:30 AM to midnight...
accounts for most of the station's service, and five Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
trains stop each weekday.
Layout and service
The station is 4.4 miles from upper level 30th St Station via the outbound track, or 4.5 miles via the inbound. It is immediately northeast of where SEPTA's Chestnut Hill West LineChestnut Hill West Line
The Chestnut Hill West 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...
diverges from the Northeast Corridor, which carries SEPTA's Trenton Line. Platforms for the two lines are a short distance apart.
Two high-level island platforms serve three of the four Northeast Corridor tracks. The Trenton Line trains make regular stops at these platforms. The station and tracks are owned by Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
, and five of their trains stop at this station each weekday. On the SEPTA-owned Chestnut Hill West line, two low-level platforms serve Chestnut Hill West trains, which normally treat North Philadelphia as a flag stop.
The station is within a few blocks of the North Broad station
North Broad (SEPTA station)
North Broad is a SEPTA Regional Rail station located at 2601 North Broad Street south of Lehigh Avenue along the SEPTA Main Line. Unlike most stations, such as Wayne Junction, only the Lansdale/Doylestown Line and Manayunk/Norristown Line serve this station, while most trains pass by the station...
on SEPTA's Main Line (formerly belonging to the Reading Company
Reading Company
The Reading Company , usually called the Reading Railroad, officially the Philadelphia and Reading Rail Road and then the Philadelphia and Reading Railway until 1924, operated in southeast Pennsylvania and neighboring states...
), and the North Philadelphia subway station on SEPTA's Broad Street Line
Broad Street Line
The Broad Street Line is a rapid transit line operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority that runs from Fern Rock Transportation Center in North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Pattison Avenue in South Philadelphia...
. The station has SEPTA ticket offices, retail shops, restaurants, and access to Broad Street businesses. As of 2006, the SEPTA Trenton and Chestnut Hill West had an average of 219 weekday boardings and 245 weekday disembarks. These numbers are a key reason why North Philadelphia is among Amtrak's least busy stations.
History and architecture
According to the Philadelphia Architects and Buildings project, the main structure of the station was built from 1896 to 1901 for the Pennsylvania RailroadPennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
, and was designed by Theophilus Parsons Chandler, Jr.
Theophilus Parsons Chandler, Jr.
Theophilus Parsons Chandler, Jr. was a Philadelphia architect best remembered for his churches and country houses. He founded the Department of Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania , and was its first head.-Career:...
It was Philadelphia's sole stop for the Broadway Limited
Broadway Limited
The Broadway Limited was the Pennsylvania Railroad's premier named passenger train, operating daily in each direction between New York City and Chicago, via North Philadelphia. It replaced its predecessors, the Pennsylvania Limited and the Pennsylvania Special...
train, as well as the General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
Aerotrain
Aerotrain (GM)
The Aerotrain was a streamlined trainset introduced by General Motors Electro-Motive Division in the mid-1950s. Like all of GM's body designs of this mid-century era, this train was first brought to life in GM's Styling Section. Chuck Jordan was in charge of designing the Aerotrain as Chief...
. The station includes a 333-space parking lot, and is on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
and the Historic American Building Survey.
External links
- Trenton and Chestnut Hill West station pages on SEPTA's official website
- Daniel Campo, "Train Wreck," City Paper, 24 January 2007
- North Philadelphia Amtrak-SEPTA Station (USA RailGuide -- TrainWeb)
- Station from Google Maps Street View