Port Authority Transit Corporation
Encyclopedia
The PATCO Speedline, also known colloquially as the High Speed Line, is a rapid transit
system operated by the Port Authority Transit Corporation, which runs between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
and Camden County
, New Jersey
. The Speedline runs underground in Philadelphia, crosses the Delaware River
on the Benjamin Franklin Bridge
, runs underground in Camden
, then runs above ground in New Jersey until the east end of the line. The Port Authority Transit Corporation and the Speedline are owned and controlled by the Delaware River Port Authority
. Speedline operation began on February 15, 1969, with the first trip from Lindenwold, New Jersey
, to Center City, Philadelphia
. The line transports over 33,000 people daily, and operates 24 hours a day, one of only four U.S. rapid transit systems to do so.
at Broadway).
In Philadelphia, the line used a tunnel built in 1931 to serve both Ben Franklin Bridge trains and a Broad Street Subway
spur designed to serve 8th and Market and the southern part of the city center via Locust Street. The tunnel, which replaced an earlier proposal for a downtown subway loop, extended under 8th to Locust, then under Locust to 16th, but as tracks were not laid beyond 8th and Market, the first Bridge Line trains did not run beyond 8th Street into the Locust Street Subway until February 10, 1952. This section is owned by the City of Philadelphia and leased by PATCO.
No sooner had the Bridge Line entered service than neighboring communities in Southern New Jersey began agitating for rapid transit extensions to serve them. To facilitate their construction, the states of New Jersey and Pennsylvania expanded the powers of the Delaware River Joint Commission, which owned the Ben Franklin Bridge and the New Jersey portion of the Bridge Line, rechristening it as the Delaware River Port Authority
in 1951. The agency commissioned Parsons, Brinckerhoff, Hall and MacDonald (now Parsons Brinckerhoff) to study possible rapid transit services for South Jersey; Parsons, Brinckerhoff's final report recommended building a new tunnel under the Delaware and three lines in New Jersey. Route A would run to Moorestown, Route B to Kirkwood (now Lindenwold), and Route C to Woodbury Heights. A later study by Louis T. Klauder & Associates recommended using the Bridge Line instead to reach Philadelphia and suggested building Route B first, as it had the highest potential ridership.
The last Bridge Line and Broad-Ridge Spur
trains ran through the subway on August 23, 1968, when work began to convert the Locust Street and Camden subways for use by the new PATCO Speedline, which would use the Bridge Line subway to enter Philadelphia. The new Speedline from Camden to Lindenwold opened on February 15, 1969 along former Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines
trackage. Woodcrest Station was added later, in 1980, between the existing Haddonfield and Ashland stations.
In 2005, PATCO officials began planning a new route in the corridor of the originally proposed Route C that would serve Gloucester County and end in Glassboro on the grounds of Rowan University
(formerly Glassboro State College). On May 12, 2009, Jon Corzine
, the Governor of New Jersey, formally endorsed a diesel light rail along an existing Conrail right-of-way, which was selected because of its lower capital cost and operating cost. The proposed light rail would require riders to transfer to the Speedline at the Walter Rand Transportation Center
for trips to Philadelphia. The PATCO study also recommended a multimodal, regional initiative to introduce bus rapid transit to Routes 42 and 55, and upgrading New Jersey Transit's Atlantic City Line
to improve its usability.
(DRPA) Chairman John Estey announced that the DRPA would renovate and modernize the PATCO subway station under Franklin Square
. The Franklin Square station
has been closed since 1979, but is now slated to be upgraded and made compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act. No opening date has been set.
PATCO operates 121 67-foot cars which were acquired in two separate orders, labeled PATCO I and PATCO II. The original PATCO I cars were designed and manufactured by Budd
of Philadelphia, PA in 1968. Cars numbered 101-125 are single units, and cars numbered 201-250 are in permanently coupled married pair
s. The PATCO II cars were delivered in 1980 (in parallel with the opening of the Woodcrest Park and Ride
facility) and consisted of married pairs numbered 251-296. The PATCO II cars were manufactured by Vickers Canada under a license from Budd, but are nearly indistinguishable from the PATCO I's, the only differences being that the PATCO II cars have a fixed partition behind the operator's booth and lack a stainless steel shroud below the door line to ease access to traction components.
The single units differ from the married pairs by having an extra single leaf door located behind each operators booth. This was installed before the fare collection system was finalized and there was a possibility of operators collecting fares on board during the late night hours.
The PATCO I cars were originally fitted with Budd standard "pin and cup" MU couplers. Due to reliability issues these were replaced by "hook" type couplers manufactured by Ohio Brass. Also, the original electrical system in the PATCO I cars was found to have certain reliability issues and was completely rebuilt after the PATCO II cars arrived to the PATCO II standard.
PATCO cars use camshaft resistance type motor controller
s common to DC powered rapid transit vehicles up through the 1980s. The unique whine of the motors and gear assemblies can lead many to mistake the cars for using thyristor drive
or even a variable-frequency drive, but this is not the case. Bogie
s are of the Budd designed Pioneer III variety and while lightweight, provide for a very bouncy ride. The married pair cars share a single motor control unit and automatic operation box. Many PATCO Car design features later appeared in the M1/M3 class
of MU railcars for the Long Island Rail Road
which provides for a similar riding experience.
PATCO was one of the first transit systems to incorporate Automatic Train Operation
for regular service. The PATCO ATO is an analogue system that makes use of pulse code cab signaling
supplied by Union Switch and Signal. The cab signals supply one of 5 different speeds (20 mph, 30 mph, 40 mph, 65 mph and 0 mph) and the on-board ATO gear will supply maximum acceleration or maximum braking force to reach that target speed. The frequent use of such high acceleration and deceleration rates makes for a quick ride, yet one that is also perilous for non-seated passengers. Automatic station stops are handled by track mounted transponders and can be overridden by the operator for non-stopping trains.
The system suffers from problems handling slippery track conditions and human operators are required to take control in any sort of precipitation. Because of the ATO limitations, drivers must make one trip per day under manual operation to stay in practice and are not penalized for running their trains manually at any time of their choosing. In practice, most operators prefer automatic operation as not only is it less effort, but it also tends to result in faster trips.
The system was designed for one person train operation by exclusively utilizing island platforms and right-handed operation with operators sitting on the left side of the vehicle where they can open their window and monitor the boarding process. Where trains have to use the "wrong" side, mirrors are provided to give the operator a proper view. The operator's booth is not isolated from the passenger cabin, instead being surrounded by a low partition. Operators wishing privacy can pull a curtain closed during operation, but are still on call to answer inquiries from passengers. When not in use, a lockable cover sits over the console controls. Operators are responsible for making station announcements, opening and closing the doors, sounding the horn, starting the train from station stops and full manual operation of the train (when necessary).
Trains operate at a maximum of 65 mph on the surface portion of the system and 40 mph in the subway portion and over the bridge. Trains used to have a top speed of 75 mph on the surface portion, but this caused excessive wear on the traction motors and was cut back to 65 mph in the 1970s.
PATCO runs the majority of its trains in 2, 4 or 6 car configurations. Single unit trains are occasionally seen late at night while 3 or 5 car trains are encountered only when not enough cars available to meet the load line. All stations are capable of handling 7 or 8 car trains, but these lengths have never been run except for brief testing and for the annual holiday "Santa Train" special for children. In an effort to contain costs, PATCO actively manages its consist length as opposed to running trains in fixed sets. Train length is matched to the demand level for that particular time of day. In peak periods trains are 6 cars long, on "shoulder" periods they are 4 cars long, off peak they are 2 cars long and overnight sometimes single units are run alone. Due to recent capital improvements weekend and mid-day headway
s have grown prompting to run 4-car trains all day, albeit less frequently than the 2-car trains.
The interior of a PATCO car can best be described as retro
, not due to any intentional choice by PATCO, but simply due to the fact that the interior styling has not been updated since its introduction in 1968. The color combination is a base of cream with a Moss green fill. Seating is a 2+2 arrangement, with half of the seats in each car facing the direction of travel, and half facing backward. Seats run the full length of the car with the front seats next to the operator's booth having the benefit of a large picture window.
Each PATCO car has a pair of doors on each side with a foyer area inside the doors for standing passengers. There are also hand-holds on the seat backs for passengers to stand all the way down the aisles. A few PATCO cars have been modified in accordance with the ADA
to have a standard 2 person seat replaced with a single side mounted seat to create a space for a wheelchair passenger.
Car end-doors are unlocked, but inter-car movement is discouraged due to the extreme motions between cars. Train end-doors are also left unlocked, but are also secured with additional non-locking latches.
, at a cost of $194.2 million, beating Bombardier
's bid by $35 million, though Bombardier claimed the contract was incorrectly awarded. PATCO began to ship the railcars with their wheel assemblies removed via flatbed truck
to the Alstom facility in Hornell, NY in March 2011.
The refurbishment will consist of a completely new interior with more modern colors, wheelchair access and more reliable HVAC systems. Also to be replaced are the propulsion and automatic operation systems which currently use technology last updated in the early 1980's. The camshaft resistance type motor controller will be replaced by a new solid state
unit using IGBTs and the relay based ATO unit will be replaced by a computerized system. The DC type motors, Pioneer III trucks and gearboxes will not be replaced so that the PATCO cars will retain their distinctive sound.
An additional sign is displayed (Special) when the train is accepting no passengers. Currently, the only three service designations used are Lindenwold Local, Philadelphia Local, and Philadelphia Express. The only currently operating express service is westbound from Lindenwold towards Philadelphia, which operates six times daily between 7:30 am – 8:45 am, skipping only Haddonfield, Westmont, and Collingswood stations. There is currently no eastbound express service, and all eastbound trains terminate at Lindenwold, as opposed to terminating early at Ferry Avenue or Woodcrest.
system which transmits signal codes to the trains via the running rails. Wayside signals are located only at interlocking
s and consist of two lamps on a single signal head, one lunar white, the other red
. There are three typical signal indications, Red for "Stop", Lunar White for "proceed under cab signals on main route" and flashing lunar white for "proceed under cab signals on diverging route".
There are 5 cab signals, each corresponding to a speed. The cab signals are displayed to the operator via a series of 5 lamps above the speedometer
, red for Stop, yellow/red for 20 mph, yellow for 30 mph, yellow/green for 40 mph and green for 65 mph. These lamps correspond to the same cab signals in use by various northeastern railroads. Even when the Automatic Tran Operation System is not in use, the cab signal speed control function is still enabled and if an operator goes above the permitted speed, the power is cut and the brakes are applied until the speed is back within the limit.
The entire PATCO system is run from Center Tower, centrally located above a substation near the Broadway station
in Camden, NJ. Center Tower contains a relay based CTC
machine dating from 1968. The CTC machine at Center Tower is staffed by two operators at peak periods and a single operator otherwise. Wayside signals are marked with their corresponding lever in the old US&S fashion with R signals indicating a "right" lever motion and L signals indicating "left". Signals and switches are numbered in ascending order from west to east with 15th/16th Locust using levers 1-4 and Lindenwold using levers 73-76. The interlocking at Woodcrest, which was added in 1980, uses levers 87-98.
The following fixed signs are also present on PATCO:
In case of a cab signal failure or the need to disregard them, the cab signal may be cut out by the operator with permission from Center Tower.
at 750 volts DC
. There are two feeds from the commercial power grid, one located in Philadelphia from Exelon
for the old Bridge Line tunnel segments and the other in New Jersey from PSE&G for the new mainline segments. In New Jersey power is distributed via wayside AC transmission lines in the 50kV range and a series of 7 substations, located every 2 miles (3.2 km) or so, transform and rectify the current to the 750V DC used in the third rail.
was capable of selling two types of tickets, which the rider chose by pushing a button after inserting the correct fare. Several machines were needed in each station, since different types of one-way and two-way tickets needed to be sold. After the ticket was purchased, it was inserted through a turnstile
gate. To exit the station, it was inserted again, and if it had rides remaining, returned to the rider. A ticket with no rides was re encoded by the system and returned to use in the vending machine. Tickets could also be purchased in ten-trip passes, but these were obtained through mail or in office.
At its inception, this system was state-of-the-art, but has become more problematic. Tickets are vulnerable to damage from magnetic sources such as cell phones and PDA
s that did not exist when the system was put in place.
system. Magnetic tickets are still sold, for the occasional riders, however they are now in a paper form and can only be purchased with cash. The new computer vending machines allow more advanced purchasing options for Freedom Cards (the term used for the smart cards). Payment can now be in the form of coins, bills, credit cards, or debit cards, however, credit and debit cards can only be used to load fare onto a Freedom Card or purchase a new card. PATCO also says that they are designing a system which will allow balances to be reloaded on the Internet
.
Each fare machine in the unpaid areas (i.e. outside the gates) performs all transactions (except for SEPTA transfers in PA stations, as the transfers are only sold on the unpaid side of NJ stations). Also, to augment the call-for-aid phones, there are now exit fare machines located inside of the fare gates, so that if a rider has purchased the wrong fare, they may pay the remaining fare to exit.
The system has been in use by the general public at all PATCO stations since its launch in 2007.
The system was put into effect in an attempt to gain ridership, which had fallen sharply since its peak in 1990. The system was designed, built and integrated by Cubic Transportation Systems, Inc.
Because of the system's flexibility, it could one day operate seamlessly with SEPTA and RiverLine rail networks, allowing an integration of the systems.
Because the smart cards store value (instead of "rides") and the paper tickets expire after three days, it is no longer possible to hoard "rides" in advance of a fare increase. Also, the combination of the contactless card payment and the new swinging fare gates have decreased turnstile throughput, resulting in long exit queues after a train discharges a load of passengers at a station.
buses connect to most PATCO stations in New Jersey. The New Jersey Transit Atlantic City Line
also stops at Lindenwold Station, and the River Line
connects at Broadway Station (Walter Rand Transportation Center
).
(Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority) Market-Frankford Line
connects to PATCO at the 8th & Market Station, which is five blocks away from SEPTA Market East Station
, where all of SEPTA's regional trains stop.
SEPTA's Broad Street Line
connects to PATCO at the Walnut-Locust
station via a short underground walkway to PATCO's 12th-13th & Locust, and 15-16th & Locust stations. The Broad-Ridge Spur connects to PATCO at the 8th & Market Station via a pedestrian walkway.
A special "SEPTA Transfer" ticket may be purchased from the unpaid side of any NJ station. These tickets are sold for $2.60 ($1.30 per ride, a savings compared to $2 cash fare or a token for $1.55) and dispense two paper receipts, one good for a ride within one hour of the time of purchase and another good for a ride within 24 hours of the time of purchase. Originally, both transfers were going to be valid for 24 hours, however, PATCO changed the time limit to prevent the unauthorized sale of PATCO transfers at PA stations (similar to "selling swipes" on the NYC Subway).
Amtrak
trains at 30th Street Station
. To make the connection to 30th Street Station, one must either transfer at the 8th Street and Market Station to the SEPTA Market-Frankford Line
, and then travel four stations west to 30th Street Station or walk through the Gallery Mall
to the Market East Regional Rail station and then catch any Regional Rail train to 30th St Station. While the MFL option involves less walking, the Regional Rail option is free for anyone holding Amtrak tickets (even though tickets are not normally lifted between the 3 Center City Regional Rail stations anyway). Alternatively, one can ride to 30th Street via the New Jersey Transit
Atlantic City Line
from the Lindenwold Station.
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
system operated by the Port Authority Transit Corporation, which runs between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and Camden County
Camden County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the 2010 Census the population of Camden County was 60.28% Non-Hispanic white, 18.45% Non-Hispanic black, 1.12% Hispanic blacks, 0.17% Non-Hispanic Native American, 0.15% Hispanic Native Americans, 5.07% Non-Hispanic Asian, and 0.14% non-Hispanics reporting some other race...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. The Speedline runs underground in Philadelphia, crosses the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
on the Benjamin Franklin Bridge
Benjamin Franklin Bridge
The Benjamin Franklin Bridge , originally named the Delaware River Bridge, is a suspension bridge across the Delaware River connecting Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Camden, New Jersey...
, runs underground in Camden
Camden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
, then runs above ground in New Jersey until the east end of the line. The Port Authority Transit Corporation and the Speedline are owned and controlled by the Delaware River Port Authority
Delaware River Port Authority
The Delaware River Port Authority is a bi-state instrumentality created by a Congressionally approved interstate compact between the governments of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of New Jersey...
. Speedline operation began on February 15, 1969, with the first trip from Lindenwold, New Jersey
Lindenwold, New Jersey
Lindenwold is a borough in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 17,613.The Borough of Lindenwold was created on April 23, 1929, from Clementon Township, one of seven municipalities created from the now-defunct township, and one of...
, to Center City, Philadelphia
Center City, Philadelphia
Center City, or Downtown Philadelphia includes the central business district and central neighborhoods of the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. As of 2005, its population of over 88,000 made it the third most populous downtown in the United States, after New York City's and Chicago's...
. The line transports over 33,000 people daily, and operates 24 hours a day, one of only four U.S. rapid transit systems to do so.
History
The modern-day PATCO Speedline follows the route of several mainline railroad lines, some dating back to the 19th century. These railroads all terminated in Camden, where passengers could catch ferries to Philadelphia. Early in the 20th century, the idea of a fixed Delaware River crossing connecting Camden and Philadelphia gained traction, and in 1919, the states of Pennsylvania and New Jersey formed the Delaware River Bridge Joint Commission to build a bridge between the two cities. The Delaware River Bridge (now Ben Franklin Bridge) was designed to accommodate rail as well as road traffic; when it opened on July 1, 1926, it had two outboard structures beside the main roadway for rail and space for two streetcar tracks (never installed) on the main road deck. Construction of the rail line did not actually begin until 1932, and the Bridge Line opened on June 7, 1936. Relatively short, it only had four stations: 8th Street and Franklin Square in Philadelphia (the latter currently closed) and City Hall and Broadway in Camden (connecting to the Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore LinesPennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines
Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines was a railroad that operated in southern New Jersey in the 20th century. It was created as a joint venture of the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Reading Company .- History :...
at Broadway).
In Philadelphia, the line used a tunnel built in 1931 to serve both Ben Franklin Bridge trains and a Broad Street Subway
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...
spur designed to serve 8th and Market and the southern part of the city center via Locust Street. The tunnel, which replaced an earlier proposal for a downtown subway loop, extended under 8th to Locust, then under Locust to 16th, but as tracks were not laid beyond 8th and Market, the first Bridge Line trains did not run beyond 8th Street into the Locust Street Subway until February 10, 1952. This section is owned by the City of Philadelphia and leased by PATCO.
No sooner had the Bridge Line entered service than neighboring communities in Southern New Jersey began agitating for rapid transit extensions to serve them. To facilitate their construction, the states of New Jersey and Pennsylvania expanded the powers of the Delaware River Joint Commission, which owned the Ben Franklin Bridge and the New Jersey portion of the Bridge Line, rechristening it as the Delaware River Port Authority
Delaware River Port Authority
The Delaware River Port Authority is a bi-state instrumentality created by a Congressionally approved interstate compact between the governments of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of New Jersey...
in 1951. The agency commissioned Parsons, Brinckerhoff, Hall and MacDonald (now Parsons Brinckerhoff) to study possible rapid transit services for South Jersey; Parsons, Brinckerhoff's final report recommended building a new tunnel under the Delaware and three lines in New Jersey. Route A would run to Moorestown, Route B to Kirkwood (now Lindenwold), and Route C to Woodbury Heights. A later study by Louis T. Klauder & Associates recommended using the Bridge Line instead to reach Philadelphia and suggested building Route B first, as it had the highest potential ridership.
The last Bridge Line and Broad-Ridge Spur
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...
trains ran through the subway on August 23, 1968, when work began to convert the Locust Street and Camden subways for use by the new PATCO Speedline, which would use the Bridge Line subway to enter Philadelphia. The new Speedline from Camden to Lindenwold opened on February 15, 1969 along former Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines
Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines
Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines was a railroad that operated in southern New Jersey in the 20th century. It was created as a joint venture of the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Reading Company .- History :...
trackage. Woodcrest Station was added later, in 1980, between the existing Haddonfield and Ashland stations.
In 2005, PATCO officials began planning a new route in the corridor of the originally proposed Route C that would serve Gloucester County and end in Glassboro on the grounds of Rowan University
Rowan University
Rowan University is a public university in Glassboro, New Jersey, USA with a satellite campus in Camden, New Jersey. The school was founded in 1923 as Glassboro Normal School on a twenty-five acre tract of land donated by the town...
(formerly Glassboro State College). On May 12, 2009, Jon Corzine
Jon Corzine
Jon Stevens Corzine is the former CEO of Goldman Sachs and of MF Global, and a one time American politician, who served as the 54th Governor of New Jersey from 2006 to 2010. A Democrat, Corzine served five years of a six-year U.S. Senate term representing New Jersey before being elected Governor...
, the Governor of New Jersey, formally endorsed a diesel light rail along an existing Conrail right-of-way, which was selected because of its lower capital cost and operating cost. The proposed light rail would require riders to transfer to the Speedline at the Walter Rand Transportation Center
Walter Rand Transportation Center
The Walter Rand Transportation Center is a transportation hub located at Martin Luther King Boulevard and Broadway in Camden, New Jersey, named for Walter Rand, a former New Jersey State Senator, who specialized in transportation issues while serving in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature...
for trips to Philadelphia. The PATCO study also recommended a multimodal, regional initiative to introduce bus rapid transit to Routes 42 and 55, and upgrading New Jersey Transit's Atlantic City Line
Atlantic City Line
The Atlantic City Line is a rail line operated by New Jersey Transit between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Atlantic City, New Jersey, operating along the corridor of the White Horse Pike. It runs over trackage that was controlled by both the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Pennsylvania-Reading...
to improve its usability.
Reopening of Franklin Square PATCO station
On May 20, 2009, Delaware River Port AuthorityDelaware River Port Authority
The Delaware River Port Authority is a bi-state instrumentality created by a Congressionally approved interstate compact between the governments of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of New Jersey...
(DRPA) Chairman John Estey announced that the DRPA would renovate and modernize the PATCO subway station under Franklin Square
Franklin Square (Philadelphia)
Franklin Square is one of the five original open-space parks planned by William Penn during the late 17th century in central Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.- History :...
. The Franklin Square station
Franklin Square (PATCO station)
Franklin Square is an abandoned PATCO Speedline station located at Franklin Square in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.The station first opened on June 7, 1936, along with 8th Street in Philadelphia and City Hall and Broadway in Camden, New Jersey, as part of Philadelphia Rapid Transit's...
has been closed since 1979, but is now slated to be upgraded and made compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act. No opening date has been set.
Rolling stock
Budd Company
The Budd Company is a metal fabricator and major supplier of body components to the automobile industry, and was formerly a manufacturer of stainless steel passenger rail cars during the 20th century....
of Philadelphia, PA in 1968. Cars numbered 101-125 are single units, and cars numbered 201-250 are in permanently coupled married pair
Married pair
A twinset or twin unit is a set of two railroad cars or locomotives which are permanently coupled and treated as if they were a single unit. A twinset of cars or coaches can also be called a twin car.-USA:...
s. The PATCO II cars were delivered in 1980 (in parallel with the opening of the Woodcrest Park and Ride
Park and ride
Park and ride facilities are car parks with connections to public transport that allow commuters and other people wishing to travel into city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, rail system , or carpool for the rest of their trip...
facility) and consisted of married pairs numbered 251-296. The PATCO II cars were manufactured by Vickers Canada under a license from Budd, but are nearly indistinguishable from the PATCO I's, the only differences being that the PATCO II cars have a fixed partition behind the operator's booth and lack a stainless steel shroud below the door line to ease access to traction components.
The single units differ from the married pairs by having an extra single leaf door located behind each operators booth. This was installed before the fare collection system was finalized and there was a possibility of operators collecting fares on board during the late night hours.
The PATCO I cars were originally fitted with Budd standard "pin and cup" MU couplers. Due to reliability issues these were replaced by "hook" type couplers manufactured by Ohio Brass. Also, the original electrical system in the PATCO I cars was found to have certain reliability issues and was completely rebuilt after the PATCO II cars arrived to the PATCO II standard.
PATCO cars use camshaft resistance type motor controller
Motor controller
A motor controller is a device or group of devices that serves to govern in some predetermined manner the performance of an electric motor. A motor controller might include a manual or automatic means for starting and stopping the motor, selecting forward or reverse rotation, selecting and...
s common to DC powered rapid transit vehicles up through the 1980s. The unique whine of the motors and gear assemblies can lead many to mistake the cars for using thyristor drive
Thyristor drive
A thyristor drive is a motor drive circuit where AC supply current is regulated by a thyristor phase control to provide variable voltage to a DC motor.-Applications:Thyristor drives are very simple and were first introduced in the 1960s...
or even a variable-frequency drive, but this is not the case. Bogie
Bogie
A bogie is a wheeled wagon or trolley. In mechanics terms, a bogie is a chassis or framework carrying wheels, attached to a vehicle. It can be fixed in place, as on a cargo truck, mounted on a swivel, as on a railway carriage/car or locomotive, or sprung as in the suspension of a caterpillar...
s are of the Budd designed Pioneer III variety and while lightweight, provide for a very bouncy ride. The married pair cars share a single motor control unit and automatic operation box. Many PATCO Car design features later appeared in the M1/M3 class
M1/M3 (railcar)
The M1 and M3 are two similar series of electric multiple unit rail cars made by the Budd Company for the Long Island Rail Road, the Metro North Railroad and Metro North's predecessors, Penn Central and Conrail...
of MU railcars for the Long Island Rail Road
Long Island Rail Road
The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US...
which provides for a similar riding experience.
Operation
Automatic train operation
Automatic train operation ensures partial or complete automatic train piloting and driverless functions.Most systems elect to maintain a driver to mitigate risks associated with failures or emergencies....
for regular service. The PATCO ATO is an analogue system that makes use of pulse code cab signaling
Pulse code cab signaling
Pulse code cab signaling is a form of cab signaling developed in the United States by the Union Switch and Signal corporation for the Pennsylvania Railroad in the 1920s...
supplied by Union Switch and Signal. The cab signals supply one of 5 different speeds (20 mph, 30 mph, 40 mph, 65 mph and 0 mph) and the on-board ATO gear will supply maximum acceleration or maximum braking force to reach that target speed. The frequent use of such high acceleration and deceleration rates makes for a quick ride, yet one that is also perilous for non-seated passengers. Automatic station stops are handled by track mounted transponders and can be overridden by the operator for non-stopping trains.
The system suffers from problems handling slippery track conditions and human operators are required to take control in any sort of precipitation. Because of the ATO limitations, drivers must make one trip per day under manual operation to stay in practice and are not penalized for running their trains manually at any time of their choosing. In practice, most operators prefer automatic operation as not only is it less effort, but it also tends to result in faster trips.
The system was designed for one person train operation by exclusively utilizing island platforms and right-handed operation with operators sitting on the left side of the vehicle where they can open their window and monitor the boarding process. Where trains have to use the "wrong" side, mirrors are provided to give the operator a proper view. The operator's booth is not isolated from the passenger cabin, instead being surrounded by a low partition. Operators wishing privacy can pull a curtain closed during operation, but are still on call to answer inquiries from passengers. When not in use, a lockable cover sits over the console controls. Operators are responsible for making station announcements, opening and closing the doors, sounding the horn, starting the train from station stops and full manual operation of the train (when necessary).
Trains operate at a maximum of 65 mph on the surface portion of the system and 40 mph in the subway portion and over the bridge. Trains used to have a top speed of 75 mph on the surface portion, but this caused excessive wear on the traction motors and was cut back to 65 mph in the 1970s.
PATCO runs the majority of its trains in 2, 4 or 6 car configurations. Single unit trains are occasionally seen late at night while 3 or 5 car trains are encountered only when not enough cars available to meet the load line. All stations are capable of handling 7 or 8 car trains, but these lengths have never been run except for brief testing and for the annual holiday "Santa Train" special for children. In an effort to contain costs, PATCO actively manages its consist length as opposed to running trains in fixed sets. Train length is matched to the demand level for that particular time of day. In peak periods trains are 6 cars long, on "shoulder" periods they are 4 cars long, off peak they are 2 cars long and overnight sometimes single units are run alone. Due to recent capital improvements weekend and mid-day headway
Headway
Headway is a measurement of the distance/time between vehicles in a transit system. The precise definition varies depending on the application, but it is most commonly measured as the distance from the tip of one vehicle to the tip of the next one behind it, expressed as the time it will take for...
s have grown prompting to run 4-car trains all day, albeit less frequently than the 2-car trains.
Cabin
Retro
Retro is a culturally outdated or aged style, trend, mode, or fashion, from the overall postmodern past, that has since that time become functionally or superficially the norm once again. The use of "retro" style iconography and imagery interjected into post-modern art, advertising, mass media, etc...
, not due to any intentional choice by PATCO, but simply due to the fact that the interior styling has not been updated since its introduction in 1968. The color combination is a base of cream with a Moss green fill. Seating is a 2+2 arrangement, with half of the seats in each car facing the direction of travel, and half facing backward. Seats run the full length of the car with the front seats next to the operator's booth having the benefit of a large picture window.
Each PATCO car has a pair of doors on each side with a foyer area inside the doors for standing passengers. There are also hand-holds on the seat backs for passengers to stand all the way down the aisles. A few PATCO cars have been modified in accordance with the ADA
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is a law that was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1990. It was signed into law on July 26, 1990, by President George H. W. Bush, and later amended with changes effective January 1, 2009....
to have a standard 2 person seat replaced with a single side mounted seat to create a space for a wheelchair passenger.
Car end-doors are unlocked, but inter-car movement is discouraged due to the extreme motions between cars. Train end-doors are also left unlocked, but are also secured with additional non-locking latches.
Refurbishment
PATCO has announced plans for the complete refurbishment of the entire fleet, with work expected to begin in 2009. The contract for rebuilding the rolling stock was awarded to AlstomAlstom
Alstom is a large multinational conglomerate which holds interests in the power generation and transport markets. According to the company website, in the years 2010-2011 Alstom had annual sales of over €20.9 billion, and employed more than 85,000 people in 70 countries. Alstom's headquarters are...
, at a cost of $194.2 million, beating Bombardier
Bombardier Transportation
Bombardier Transportation is the rail equipment division of the Canadian firm, Bombardier Inc. Bombardier Transportation is one of the world's largest companies in the rail-equipment manufacturing and servicing industry. Its headquarters are in Berlin, Germany....
's bid by $35 million, though Bombardier claimed the contract was incorrectly awarded. PATCO began to ship the railcars with their wheel assemblies removed via flatbed truck
Flatbed truck
A flatbed truck is a type of truck which can be either articulated or rigid. As the name suggests, it has an entirely flat, level 'bed' body with no sides or roof...
to the Alstom facility in Hornell, NY in March 2011.
The refurbishment will consist of a completely new interior with more modern colors, wheelchair access and more reliable HVAC systems. Also to be replaced are the propulsion and automatic operation systems which currently use technology last updated in the early 1980's. The camshaft resistance type motor controller will be replaced by a new solid state
Solid state
Solid state may refer to:In science:* Solid-state chemistry* Solid-state physics* Solid-state laser* Solid matterIn electronics:* Solid state , circuits built of solid materials* Solid-state fan...
unit using IGBTs and the relay based ATO unit will be replaced by a computerized system. The DC type motors, Pioneer III trucks and gearboxes will not be replaced so that the PATCO cars will retain their distinctive sound.
Route identification
One of the six possible routes is displayed on a fluorescent lit piece of glass in the car. There are six routes, cut through a dark tinted piece of glass. The light behind the correct one identifies the train route. There are also rolling signs on the car ends and sides displaying this same route. The routes are as follows:- Lindenwold Local
- Lindenwold Express
- Philadelphia Local
- Philadelphia Express
- Woodcrest Local
- Ferry Avenue Local
An additional sign is displayed (Special) when the train is accepting no passengers. Currently, the only three service designations used are Lindenwold Local, Philadelphia Local, and Philadelphia Express. The only currently operating express service is westbound from Lindenwold towards Philadelphia, which operates six times daily between 7:30 am – 8:45 am, skipping only Haddonfield, Westmont, and Collingswood stations. There is currently no eastbound express service, and all eastbound trains terminate at Lindenwold, as opposed to terminating early at Ferry Avenue or Woodcrest.
Signaling
PATCO trains are governed by a Pulse code cab signalingPulse code cab signaling
Pulse code cab signaling is a form of cab signaling developed in the United States by the Union Switch and Signal corporation for the Pennsylvania Railroad in the 1920s...
system which transmits signal codes to the trains via the running rails. Wayside signals are located only at interlocking
Interlocking
In railway signalling, an interlocking is an arrangement of signal apparatus that prevents conflicting movements through an arrangement of tracks such as junctions or crossings. The signalling appliances and tracks are sometimes collectively referred to as an interlocking plant...
s and consist of two lamps on a single signal head, one lunar white, the other red
Red
Red is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–740 nm. Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared , and cannot be seen by the naked eye...
. There are three typical signal indications, Red for "Stop", Lunar White for "proceed under cab signals on main route" and flashing lunar white for "proceed under cab signals on diverging route".
There are 5 cab signals, each corresponding to a speed. The cab signals are displayed to the operator via a series of 5 lamps above the speedometer
Speedometer
A speedometer is a gauge that measures and displays the instantaneous speed of a land vehicle. Now universally fitted to motor vehicles, they started to be available as options in the 1900s, and as standard equipment from about 1910 onwards. Speedometers for other vehicles have specific names...
, red for Stop, yellow/red for 20 mph, yellow for 30 mph, yellow/green for 40 mph and green for 65 mph. These lamps correspond to the same cab signals in use by various northeastern railroads. Even when the Automatic Tran Operation System is not in use, the cab signal speed control function is still enabled and if an operator goes above the permitted speed, the power is cut and the brakes are applied until the speed is back within the limit.
The entire PATCO system is run from Center Tower, centrally located above a substation near the Broadway station
Walter Rand Transportation Center
The Walter Rand Transportation Center is a transportation hub located at Martin Luther King Boulevard and Broadway in Camden, New Jersey, named for Walter Rand, a former New Jersey State Senator, who specialized in transportation issues while serving in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature...
in Camden, NJ. Center Tower contains a relay based CTC
Centralized traffic control
Centralized traffic control is a form of railway signalling that originated in North America and centralizes train routing decisions that were previously carried out by local signal operators or the train crews themselves. The system consists of a centralized train dispatcher's office that...
machine dating from 1968. The CTC machine at Center Tower is staffed by two operators at peak periods and a single operator otherwise. Wayside signals are marked with their corresponding lever in the old US&S fashion with R signals indicating a "right" lever motion and L signals indicating "left". Signals and switches are numbered in ascending order from west to east with 15th/16th Locust using levers 1-4 and Lindenwold using levers 73-76. The interlocking at Woodcrest, which was added in 1980, uses levers 87-98.
The following fixed signs are also present on PATCO:
- H - Sound Horn
- T - Station stop outer transponder, trains not stopping must cancel automatic stop.
- AB - Absolute block, trains operating without cab signals prepare to stop.
- Speed X mph - Speed limit sign in tunnel section for sharp curves.
- Clear # - Train of # car lengths has cleared sharp curve.
In case of a cab signal failure or the need to disregard them, the cab signal may be cut out by the operator with permission from Center Tower.
Power
All PATCO trains are electrically powered. Power comes from a top contact covered third railThird rail
A third rail is a method of providing electric power to a railway train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a railway track. It is used typically in a mass transit or rapid transit system, which has alignments in its own corridors, fully or almost...
at 750 volts DC
Direct current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
. There are two feeds from the commercial power grid, one located in Philadelphia from Exelon
Exelon
Exelon Corporation is an electricity generating and distributing company headquartered in the Chase Tower in the Chicago Loop area of Chicago. It was created in October, 2000 by the merger of PECO Energy Company and Unicom, of Philadelphia and Chicago respectively. Unicom owned Commonwealth Edison...
for the old Bridge Line tunnel segments and the other in New Jersey from PSE&G for the new mainline segments. In New Jersey power is distributed via wayside AC transmission lines in the 50kV range and a series of 7 substations, located every 2 miles (3.2 km) or so, transform and rectify the current to the 750V DC used in the third rail.
Magnetic system
From its beginning in 1969, PATCO used a magnetic ticket as the sole means of collecting fares. The plastic tickets may still be bought for single rides through vending machines in the stations. These machines once required coins, so bill changers were placed in stations. Each vending machineVending machine
A vending machine is a machine which dispenses items such as snacks, beverages, alcohol, cigarettes, lottery tickets, consumer products and even gold and gems to customers automatically, after the customer inserts currency or credit into the machine....
was capable of selling two types of tickets, which the rider chose by pushing a button after inserting the correct fare. Several machines were needed in each station, since different types of one-way and two-way tickets needed to be sold. After the ticket was purchased, it was inserted through a turnstile
Turnstile
A turnstile, also called a baffle gate, is a form of gate which allows one person to pass at a time. It can also be made so as to enforce one-way traffic of people, and in addition, it can restrict passage only to people who insert a coin, a ticket, a pass, or similar...
gate. To exit the station, it was inserted again, and if it had rides remaining, returned to the rider. A ticket with no rides was re encoded by the system and returned to use in the vending machine. Tickets could also be purchased in ten-trip passes, but these were obtained through mail or in office.
At its inception, this system was state-of-the-art, but has become more problematic. Tickets are vulnerable to damage from magnetic sources such as cell phones and PDA
Personal digital assistant
A personal digital assistant , also known as a palmtop computer, or personal data assistant, is a mobile device that functions as a personal information manager. Current PDAs often have the ability to connect to the Internet...
s that did not exist when the system was put in place.
Freedom system
In July 2006, PATCO announced that it would start the transition from a magnetic ticket fare system to an electronic smart cardSmart card
A smart card, chip card, or integrated circuit card , is any pocket-sized card with embedded integrated circuits. A smart card or microprocessor cards contain volatile memory and microprocessor components. The card is made of plastic, generally polyvinyl chloride, but sometimes acrylonitrile...
system. Magnetic tickets are still sold, for the occasional riders, however they are now in a paper form and can only be purchased with cash. The new computer vending machines allow more advanced purchasing options for Freedom Cards (the term used for the smart cards). Payment can now be in the form of coins, bills, credit cards, or debit cards, however, credit and debit cards can only be used to load fare onto a Freedom Card or purchase a new card. PATCO also says that they are designing a system which will allow balances to be reloaded on the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
.
Each fare machine in the unpaid areas (i.e. outside the gates) performs all transactions (except for SEPTA transfers in PA stations, as the transfers are only sold on the unpaid side of NJ stations). Also, to augment the call-for-aid phones, there are now exit fare machines located inside of the fare gates, so that if a rider has purchased the wrong fare, they may pay the remaining fare to exit.
The system has been in use by the general public at all PATCO stations since its launch in 2007.
The system was put into effect in an attempt to gain ridership, which had fallen sharply since its peak in 1990. The system was designed, built and integrated by Cubic Transportation Systems, Inc.
Because of the system's flexibility, it could one day operate seamlessly with SEPTA and RiverLine rail networks, allowing an integration of the systems.
Because the smart cards store value (instead of "rides") and the paper tickets expire after three days, it is no longer possible to hoard "rides" in advance of a fare increase. Also, the combination of the contactless card payment and the new swinging fare gates have decreased turnstile throughput, resulting in long exit queues after a train discharges a load of passengers at a station.
New Jersey Transit connections
New Jersey TransitNew Jersey Transit
The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...
buses connect to most PATCO stations in New Jersey. The New Jersey Transit Atlantic City Line
Atlantic City Line
The Atlantic City Line is a rail line operated by New Jersey Transit between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Atlantic City, New Jersey, operating along the corridor of the White Horse Pike. It runs over trackage that was controlled by both the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Pennsylvania-Reading...
also stops at Lindenwold Station, and the River Line
River Line (New Jersey Transit)
The River Line is a diesel light rail system in New Jersey, United States, that connects the cities of Camden and Trenton, New Jersey's capital. It is operated for New Jersey Transit by the Southern New Jersey Rail Group , which originally included Bechtel Group and Bombardier...
connects at Broadway Station (Walter Rand Transportation Center
Walter Rand Transportation Center
The Walter Rand Transportation Center is a transportation hub located at Martin Luther King Boulevard and Broadway in Camden, New Jersey, named for Walter Rand, a former New Jersey State Senator, who specialized in transportation issues while serving in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature...
).
SEPTA connections
The SEPTASoutheastern 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,...
(Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority) Market-Frankford Line
Market-Frankford Line
The Market–Frankford Line is a rapid transit line in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority .-Route:The Market–Frankford Line begins at 69th Street Transportation Center, in Upper Darby...
connects to PATCO at the 8th & Market Station, which is five blocks away from SEPTA Market East Station
Market East Station (Philadelphia)
Market East Station is an underground SEPTA Regional Rail station located in the Market East neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its official SEPTA address is 12th and Filbert streets...
, where all of SEPTA's regional trains stop.
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...
connects to PATCO at the Walnut-Locust
Walnut-Locust (BSL station)
Walnut–Locust is a subway station on SEPTA's Broad Street Line in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The station is located between Walnut Street and Locust Street at 200 South Broad Street in the Avenue of the Arts district of Center City, Philadelphia....
station via a short underground walkway to PATCO's 12th-13th & Locust, and 15-16th & Locust stations. The Broad-Ridge Spur connects to PATCO at the 8th & Market Station via a pedestrian walkway.
A special "SEPTA Transfer" ticket may be purchased from the unpaid side of any NJ station. These tickets are sold for $2.60 ($1.30 per ride, a savings compared to $2 cash fare or a token for $1.55) and dispense two paper receipts, one good for a ride within one hour of the time of purchase and another good for a ride within 24 hours of the time of purchase. Originally, both transfers were going to be valid for 24 hours, however, PATCO changed the time limit to prevent the unauthorized sale of PATCO transfers at PA stations (similar to "selling swipes" on the NYC Subway).
Amtrak connections
The stations of the PATCO Speedline are a few miles from making connections with inter-cityInter-city rail
Inter-city rail services are express passenger train services that cover longer distances than commuter or regional trains.There is no precise definition of inter-city rail. Its meaning may vary from country to country...
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 at 30th Street Station
30th Street Station
30th Street Station is the main railroad station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and one of the five stations in SEPTA's Center City fare zone. It is also a major stop on Amtrak's Northeast and Keystone Corridors...
. To make the connection to 30th Street Station, one must either transfer at the 8th Street and Market Station to the SEPTA Market-Frankford Line
Market-Frankford Line
The Market–Frankford Line is a rapid transit line in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority .-Route:The Market–Frankford Line begins at 69th Street Transportation Center, in Upper Darby...
, and then travel four stations west to 30th Street Station or walk through the Gallery Mall
The Gallery at Market East
The Gallery at Market East, or "The Gallery" as it is known to locals, is an urban mall in downtown Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States with over 130 stores and a food court. The mall's major anchor stores are Kmart and Burlington Coat Factory....
to the Market East Regional Rail station and then catch any Regional Rail train to 30th St Station. While the MFL option involves less walking, the Regional Rail option is free for anyone holding Amtrak tickets (even though tickets are not normally lifted between the 3 Center City Regional Rail stations anyway). Alternatively, one can ride to 30th Street via the New Jersey Transit
New Jersey Transit
The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...
Atlantic City Line
Atlantic City Line
The Atlantic City Line is a rail line operated by New Jersey Transit between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Atlantic City, New Jersey, operating along the corridor of the White Horse Pike. It runs over trackage that was controlled by both the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Pennsylvania-Reading...
from the Lindenwold Station.
Station list
| State | Municipality | Station | Notes | Service |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PA Pennsylvania The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to... |
Philadelphia | 15-16th & Locust 15-16th & Locust (PATCO station) 15–16th & Locust is a PATCO subway station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is the last stop on the line which originates in Lindenwold, New Jersey. The station is connected by an underground walkway to the Walnut-Locust Station of SEPTA's Broad Street Line, the 12–13th & Locust PATCO station, and... |
End of the line and short walk to SEPTA 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... |
All trains |
| 12-13th & Locust 12-13th & Locust (PATCO station) 12–13th & Locust is a PATCO subway station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The station is connected by an underground walkway to the Walnut-Locust Station of SEPTA's Broad Street Line, the 15–16th & Locust PATCO station, and City Hall.-External links:** *... |
short walk to SEPTA 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... |
All trains | ||
| 9-10th & Locust | All trains, except when closed between 12:30 am – 5:00 am | |||
| 8th & Market | transfer to SEPTA Market-Frankford Line Market-Frankford Line The Market–Frankford Line is a rapid transit line in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority .-Route:The Market–Frankford Line begins at 69th Street Transportation Center, in Upper Darby... and Broad-Ridge Spur |
All trains | ||
| Franklin Square Franklin Square (PATCO station) Franklin Square is an abandoned PATCO Speedline station located at Franklin Square in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.The station first opened on June 7, 1936, along with 8th Street in Philadelphia and City Hall and Broadway in Camden, New Jersey, as part of Philadelphia Rapid Transit's... |
closed since 1979. Planned to be reopened, no date set. | |||
| NJ New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware... |
Camden Camden, New Jersey The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344... |
City Hall City Hall (PATCO station) City Hall Station is a PATCO station located at North 5th Street and Market Street in Camden, New Jersey. It is the last station in New Jersey before the train crosses the Benjamin Franklin Bridge into Philadelphia.-NJT Bus Connections:... |
All trains | |
| Broadway (Walter Rand Transportation Center) Walter Rand Transportation Center The Walter Rand Transportation Center is a transportation hub located at Martin Luther King Boulevard and Broadway in Camden, New Jersey, named for Walter Rand, a former New Jersey State Senator, who specialized in transportation issues while serving in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature... |
transfer to New Jersey Transit New Jersey Transit The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State... River Line River Line (New Jersey Transit) The River Line is a diesel light rail system in New Jersey, United States, that connects the cities of Camden and Trenton, New Jersey's capital. It is operated for New Jersey Transit by the Southern New Jersey Rail Group , which originally included Bechtel Group and Bombardier... |
All trains | ||
| Ferry Avenue Ferry Avenue (PATCO station) Ferry Avenue is a PATCO High-Speedline station located in Camden, New Jersey and Woodlynne, New Jersey.-Layout:The fare control is located at street level and the platform is elevated. For most of the platform, there are two tracks, serving the Philadelphia and Lindenwold bound trains. There is... |
All trains | |||
| Collingswood Collingswood, New Jersey Collingswood is a borough in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 13,926.... |
Collingswood Collingswood (PATCO station) Collingswood is a stop in Collingswood, New Jersey on the PATCO Speedline between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Lindenwold, New Jersey. It provides access access to the nearby historic and shopping district along Haddon Avenue. It also provides Park and Ride access.-New Jersey Transit Bus... |
Local trains only | ||
| Haddon Township Haddon Township, New Jersey Haddon Township is a Township in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township population was 14,707.... |
Westmont Westmont (PATCO station) Westmont is a station on the PATCO Speedline in Haddon Township, New Jersey. The station contains both metered and free parking and racks for up to 32 bicycles. Westmont Station was built in a manner similar to that of nearby Collingswood Station... |
Local trains only | ||
| Haddonfield Haddonfield, New Jersey Haddonfield is a borough located in Camden County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough had a total population of 11,593.... |
Haddonfield Haddonfield (PATCO station) Haddonfield is a station on the PATCO Speedline rapid transit system. The station is located in the Borough of Haddonfield, New Jersey, United States. It is 400 feet from historic Kings Highway.... |
The only station east of Camden to be located below street level (in an open cut). | Local trains only | |
| Cherry Hill Township | Woodcrest Woodcrest (PATCO station) Woodcrest is a station on the PATCO Speedline rapid transit system. The station is located in the Woodcrest section of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, at the intersection of Woodcrest Road and Melrose Avenue. Woodcrest was a later addition to the original PATCO system and was designed as a Park and Ride... |
parking lot very close to interchange (Exit 31) with I-295 | All trains | |
| Voorhees Township Voorhees Township, New Jersey -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 28,126 people, 10,489 households, and 7,069 families residing in the township. The population density was 2,424.0 people per square mile . There were 11,084 housing units at an average density of 955.2 per square mile... |
Ashland Ashland (PATCO station) Ashland is a station on the PATCO High Speedline rapid transit system. The station is located in Voorhees, New Jersey, roughly near the intersection of Evesham and Burnt Mill Roads. A small section of the parking area is located in Cherry Hill.... |
Original terminal | All trains | |
| Lindenwold Lindenwold, New Jersey Lindenwold is a borough in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 17,613.The Borough of Lindenwold was created on April 23, 1929, from Clementon Township, one of seven municipalities created from the now-defunct township, and one of... |
Lindenwold | transfer to New Jersey Transit New Jersey Transit The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State... Atlantic City Line Atlantic City Line The Atlantic City Line is a rail line operated by New Jersey Transit between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Atlantic City, New Jersey, operating along the corridor of the White Horse Pike. It runs over trackage that was controlled by both the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Pennsylvania-Reading... |
All trains |
External links
- PATCO Official Website
- DRPA Official Website
- Speedliner Newspaper Website
- NYCsubway.org - PATCO
- Philadelphia Chapter of the National Railroad Historical Society - PATCO
- PATCO Light Rail - website with details about system expansion
- PATCO - Southern New Jersey Transit Expansion Study
- PATCO - Philadelphia Waterfront Transit Expansion Study