Wikipedia

Chestnut Hill East Line

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

Chestnut Hill East Line
The Chestnut Hill East station as seen in October 2012. The station depot, constructed by the Reading Company, is visible on the left.
Overview
Service typeSEPTA Regional Rail commuter service
Current operator(s)SEPTA
Ridership2,318 (FY 2023 daily)[1]
Route
TerminiChestnut Hill East
Temple University
Stops14
Distance travelled18.1 mi (29.1 km)
Line(s) used
Technical
Rolling stockElectric multiple units
ElectrificationOverhead line, 12 kV 25 Hz AC
Route map
Map
Legend
10.8 mi
17.4 km
 Chestnut Hill East
10.3 mi
16.6 km
 Gravers
10.0 mi
16.1 km
 Wyndmoor
Mermaid
closed
9.3 mi
15 km
 Mount Airy
8.9 mi
14.3 km
 Sedgwick
Gorgas
closed
8.6 mi
13.8 km
 Stenton
7.8 mi
12.6 km
 Washington Lane
Walnut Lane
closed
Zone
 2 
1
6.8 mi
10.9 km
 Germantown
Church
closed
Wingohocking
closed
6.1 mi
9.8 km
 Wister
Fishers
closed
SEPTA Main Line
to Glenside
5.1 mi
8.2 km
 Wayne Junction
NOR
to Norristown–Elm Street
Zone
 1 
C
2.1 mi
3.4 km
 Temple University
Reading Viaduct
Spring Garden Street
closed
Reading Terminal
closed
0.5 mi
0.8 km
 Jefferson
0 mi
0 km
 Suburban
0.9 mi
1.4 km
 30th Street
Atlantic City Line Amtrak
This diagram:

History

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Main article: Chestnut Hill East Branch

The Chestnut Hill East Line is a continuation of the Reading Company's suburban services on the Chestnut Hill East Branch from Philadelphia to Germantown and Chestnut Hill. The oldest part of the line that became the Chestnut Hill East Branch was opened in 1832 by the Philadelphia, Germantown and Norristown Railroad, and later became part of the Reading system. Electrified service began on February 5, 1933.[2]

Until 1984 Chestnut Hill East trains used the Reading Viaduct to reach Spring Garden Street and the Reading Terminal; this ended with the opening of the Center City Commuter Connection which routed the trains through the city center and on the ex-Pennsylvania Railroad part of the system.[3] From this point the route was designated R7 Chestnut Hill East as part of SEPTA's diametrical reorganization of its lines; trains continued on to the Trenton Line.[4] The R-number naming system was dropped on July 25, 2010.[5] As of 2022, most Chestnut Hill East Line trains continue through Center City to the Trenton Line.[6]

SEPTA activated positive train control on the Chestnut Hill East Line on July 25, 2016.[7]

On April 9, 2020, service on the line was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[8] though Temple University and Wayne Junction stations were still being served by other rail services. Service resumed on June 28, 2020.[9]

Stations

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The Reading Company opened Gravers in 1879
 
Mount Airy, like Gravers, was designed by Frank Furness

The Chestnut Hill East line makes the following station stops after leaving the Center City Commuter Connection; stations indicated with a gray background are closed. All stations are located within the city of Philadelphia.[6]

Zone Location Station Miles (km)
from
Center City 		Connections / notes
C Temple University Temple University   2.1 (3.4)
Nicetown–Tioga
Tioga Closed 1989
Nicetown Closed November 14, 1988 due to fire damage[10]
1 Wayne Junction   5.1 (8.2)
Wister
Fishers 5.7 (9.2) Closed October 4, 1992[11]
Wister 6.1 (9.8)   SEPTA City Bus: J
East Germantown
Wingohocking 6.5 (10.5)
Germantown 6.8 (10.9)   SEPTA City Bus: 26, J, K
2 Walnut Lane 7.7 (12.4)
Washington Lane 7.8 (12.6)   SEPTA City Bus: XH
East Mount Airy Stenton 8.6 (13.8)   SEPTA City Bus: 18
Gorgas 8.7 (14.0)
Sedgwick 8.9 (14.3)   SEPTA City Bus: H
Mount Airy 9.3 (15.0)
Chestnut Hill
Mermaid 9.8 (15.8)
Wyndmoor 10.0 (16.1)   SEPTA City Bus: 77
Gravers 10.3 (16.6)   SEPTA City Bus: L
Chestnut Hill East 10.8 (17.4)

Ridership

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Yearly ridership on the Chestnut Hill East Line between FY 2013–FY 2018 was steady around 1.4–1.6 million. Ridership declined in FY 2019 and then collapsed during the COVID-19 pandemic.[note 1]

500,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
2,000,000
FY 2013
FY 2014
FY 2015
FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
FY 2019
FY 2020
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023

Notes

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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 22, 2024.
  2. ^ Coates, Wes (1990). Electric trains to Reading Terminal. Flanders, NJ: Railroad Avenue Enterprises. pp. 74–75. OCLC 24431024.
  3. ^ Williams, Gerry (1998). Trains, Trolleys & Transit: A Guide to Philadelphia Area Rail Transit. Piscataway, New Jersey: Railpace Company. p. 49. ISBN 978-0-9621541-7-1.
  4. ^ Vuchic, Vukan; Kikuchi, Shinya (1984). General Operations Plan for the SEPTA Regional High Speed System. Philadelphia: SEPTA. pp. 2–8.
  5. ^ Lustig, David (November 2010). "SEPTA makeover". Trains Magazine. Kalmbach Publishing: 26.
  6. ^ a b "Chestnut Hill East Line schedule" (PDF). SEPTA. January 7, 2024. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  7. ^ "Positive Train Control Update". SEPTA. May 1, 2017. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
  8. ^ "Service Information". SEPTA. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  9. ^ "SEPTA Regional Rail & Rail Transit Lifeline Service" (PDF). SEPTA. 2020. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  10. ^ Bowden, Mark (December 23, 1988). "A SEPTA Ride to a Sealed Station". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 15. Retrieved October 19, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.  
  11. ^ Dougherty, Frank (October 25, 1996). "Septa Board Cuts Service But Opposition Is Spirited". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on October 18, 2015. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
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