On August 21, 2022, service was restored to Wawa Station, 3 miles (4.8 km) west of the Elwyn station.[3] As of 2022[update], most inbound Media/Wawa Line trains continue onto the Manayunk/Norristown and Fox Chase lines.[4]
The line has four high steel trestle river valley crossings, built between 1891 and 1896 to replace earlier structures. From west to east, the first of these is over Ridley Creek between Elwyn and Media, and is 641 feet (195 m) long and 103 feet (31 m) high. The second, over Crum Creek between Wallingford and Swarthmore, is the longest of the four, and measures 915 feet (279 m) long and 97 feet (30 m) tall. The third, 274 feet (84 m) long, crosses Darby Creek immediately west of Gladstone. The last, 377 feet (115 m) long, crosses Cobbs Creek between Fernwood–Yeadon and Angora at a height of 56 feet (17 m).[7] The Crum Creek Viaduct, which required extensive rebuilding and complete repainting (with a lengthy shutdown of service beyond Swarthmore) by SEPTA in 1983 after decades of deferred maintenance, was completely replaced in 2016.[8] The other three trestles, received attention similar to Crum Creek in the 1980s, have undergone comprehensive structural and substructural renewal.[9]
The line is double-tracked from Arsenal Interlocking to Elwyn and single-tracked beyond,[5] with passing sidings at or near Glen Riddle, Lenni, Glen Mills, Cheyney, Westtown and West Chester. The sidings once allowed multiple commuter trains to operate on the single-track section.[citation needed] Passing sidings were marked by the PRR's trademark bowtie catenary poles,[clarification needed] while single-track areas used single-pole catenary supports.[citation needed] After regular service ended beyond Elwyn in 1986, vandals gradually stole the copper catenary wire, prompting SEPTA to remove the rest in summer 2005.[citation needed] SEPTA has been aggressively replacing its legacy catenary systemwide; it replaced the remaining 1928 catenary from University City to Lenni between 2014 and 2017.[10]
History
The line was originally built by the West Chester and Philadelphia Railroad (WC&P), which opened the Philadelphia-to-Burmont section on November 15, 1853. The WC&P extended service to Media on October 19, 1854, and to West Chester on November 11, 1858.[11]: 513 [12]
In the early 1880s, the Pennsylvania Railroad gained control of the line, which it renamed its West Chester Branch. One early station, Pennellton, located along a passing siding between the stations of Darlington and Wawa, was removed from service by 1911.[citation needed] Electrified service along the line began on December 2, 1928.
The line passed to Penn Central in 1968 and was later absorbed into Conrail in 1976.
1979 collision
On October 16, 1979, at 8:19 a.m., an inbound commuter train collided with two others plus cars from a fourth train between Angora and 49th Street stations. The accident killed one person and injured 525 others.[13]
Earlier, Train #712, a nine-car train of former PRR MP54E6 cars, had left behind the rear two cars (a coupler between the seventh and eighth car had broken), then continued on to Suburban Station. Train #716, consisting of nine ex-Reading "Blueliner" heavyweight cars, was detailed to push the empty defective cars out of the way, and slowed to a stop in order to couple with them. Train #0714, two Silverliner IVs, then stopped short of #716, in accordance with signal rules.[13]
The next train, #1718, a four-car consist of three Silverliner IIs and one Silverliner III, neither stopped at the nearest signal nor slowed adequately at the previous signal, nor did the engineer apply the air brake correctly once the rear of #0714 was seen around a curve. Traveling at an estimated 28 mph, #1718 rear-ended #0714, shoving it forward to collide in succession with all the other stopped equipment. Both cars of #0714 derailed, as did some of the other cars.[13]
A total of 525 passengers were injured, including a conductor who died a few days later from his injuries. Many cars were damaged, including the lead car of #1718 (Silverliner II #265) which was later written off and scrapped.
In addition to speed and signal rules violations, other causative factors in the accident cited by the National Transportation Safety Board included: inoperative onboard radios in the Silverliners, and no radios at all in the heavyweight MUs; an inoperative speedometer on Train 1718; improper operation of the air brake (a full-service brake application rather than an emergency "dumping the air" application) by #1718's engineer once he realized a collision was imminent; and the possible distraction caused by the presence of three other employees in #1718's operating cab. Also, the branch's 50-year-old automatic block signal system was criticized as being inadequate in such a situation; although it worked correctly, the system was not equipped to display cab signal indications or stop the train in event of a speed violation, nor could it allow trains to operate against the current of traffic on either track.[13]
SEPTA subsequently resignaled the line to all of these standards using color light wayside signals, first between Arsenal and Secane interlockings in the late 1980s, and then from Secane to Elwyn in the mid-1990s during restoration of double track between Media and Elwyn.[citation needed]
SEPTA era
R3 signage before truncationSignage used by SEPTA for R3 service until July 25, 2010
SEPTA took over operations in 1983, running commuter service on the line to West Chester. Beginning in 1984 the route was designated R3 West Chester and R3 Elwyn as part of SEPTA's diametrical reorganization of its lines. Shuttles operated between West Chester and Elwyn; Elwyn trains operated through the city center to North Broad station but did not continue on to the ex-Reading side of the system. Plans had called for the line to be paired with the Chestnut Hill West Line but this depended on a never-built connection from the Chestnut Hill West Line to the ex-Reading near Wayne Junction.[14] In later years the line was paired with the West Trenton Line.[15] The R-number naming system was dropped on July 25, 2010, and the service became known as the Media/Elwyn Line.[16] As of 2022[update], most weekday trains terminate at Temple University or continue to Elm Street in Norristown on the Manayunk/Norristown Line, while most weekend trains continue to Fox Chase on the Fox Chase Line.[17]
On September 19, 1986, SEPTA ended service west of Elwyn. Ridership on that segment had dwindled, a process accelerated by bustitution used while the deteriorating tracks were closed for repair. In addition, Chester County officials preferred to expand Exton Station on SEPTA's Paoli/Thorndale Line. SEPTA only had funds for one of the two projects, so service to West Chester was terminated.[citation needed] SEPTA did not officially place the line out of service until late 1991. At the time, Delaware County officials were pushing to restore service at least as far as Wawa, but Chester County officials were unenthusiastic and SEPTA General Manager Louis Gambaccini said service restoration between Wawa and West Chester was "not cost-effective."[18] Nonetheless, SEPTA studied the possibility of restoring service on the 3 miles from Elwyn to Wawa later in the decade.[citation needed]
SEPTA is undertaking the Southwest Connection Improvement Program to rebuild the section of the Media/Elwyn Line between 30th Street Station and Arsenal Interlocking; this section also carries trains from the Airport Line and Wilmington/Newark Line. The Southwest Connection Improvement Program involves replacing Arsenal Interlocking, removing Walnut Interlocking and realigning rail, constructing a new interlocking and turn back track near Penn Medicine station, replacing the catenary system, repairing and upgrading the Walnut Street Tunnel, and repairing drainage structures. During construction periods, service has been modified along the Airport, Media/Elwyn, and Wilmington/Newark lines.[20]
In June 2005, SEPTA hired URS Corporation for design and engineering services for a project to restore rail service between Elwyn and Wawa stations. The engineering design phase began the following month, and includes preliminary engineering, environmental impact analysis, and final engineering.[21] Shortfalls in funding delayed completion of the phase to 2010,[22][23] and construction was expected to take 24 to 36 months to complete.[citation needed] As of November 2016[update], the project's completion date slipped to the Summer of 2020. As of August 2018[update], the completion date was further delayed to the end of 2021.[24] As of January 2022[update], service to Wawa was expected to resume in July 2022.[25] On May 23, 2022, it was announced that the start of passenger service to Wawa would be delayed until August 21, 2022.[26]
The project included new track, catenary, signals, and communications equipment; and new structures, including a new station at Wawa with a large park and ride facility.[27] SEPTA initially estimated that the cost would be $51.327 million,[citation needed] but in SEPTA's 2014 Capital Budget, the estimate had risen to $91.387 million.[10] The extension of service to Wawa was expected to reduce traffic congestion through Middletown Township.[27] A new train storage yard at Lenni was also constructed.[1]
The Wawa Station is ADA-compliant with high platforms, a ticket office, ticket vending machines, and a waiting room, as well as a 600-car parking garage.[27] The station is expected to see 500 commuters on a typical weekday, as it will sit next to US Route 1 and serve the nearby corporate headquarters of convenience store chain Wawa.[28] Bus service will connect the station to Painters Crossing and Concordville, Pennsylvania.
On July 27, 2022, SEPTA announced that Wawa had acquired naming rights to the Wawa station for $5.4 million in a 10-year deal. Once Wawa station opened, the Media/Elwyn Line was renamed to the Media/Wawa Line.[29]
The Delaware County Planning Department is working with SEPTA and Friends of the Chester Creek Branch to build a hiking trail within SEPTA's right-of-way from the new Wawa station to Lenni Road. This will be the northern end of the Chester Creek Trail.[27]
In July 2022, SEPTA began restoration of track between the former Darlington and Glen Mills stations, in anticipation of future freight rail service to the nearby quarry and the possibility of the West Chester Railroad running future excursions past Glen Mills Station.
Wawa station opened for service on August 21, 2022.[30]
Proposed restoration of service to West Chester
West Chester and Chester County officials have been pushing SEPTA to restore service to West Chester since 2011. The request would give commuters an alternative to driving to the Paoli/Thorndale Line stations in Exton or Paoli, and reduce congestion on U.S. Route 202 between U.S. Route 1 and West Chester.
In 2014, the borough council of West Chester voted to establish a group known as the Committee to Reestablish Rail Service to West Chester.[33] Shortly thereafter, SEPTA official Byron Comati argued that West Chester lacks ridership demand needed to support expansion of the Media/Elwyn Line, in part due to competition from the Paoli/Thorndale Line.[33] Additionally, according to Comati, the "circuitous alignment" of the Media/Elwyn Line would mean that a trip from West Chester into Philadelphia would take two hours, whereas the Paoli line offers a 45-minute trip from the Extonstation.[33] SEPTA timetables from 1986 show local trains making all stops from West Chester to 30th Street Station with scheduled travel times ranging between 59 minutes and 69 minutes,[32] far less time than the two hours suggested by current SEPTA officials.
In March 2018, SEPTA completed the West Chester Line Restoration Feasibility Study, which showed that a restoration of train service to West Chester would improve connectivity, provide a commuter alternative, increase transit ridership, encourage economic development, and not have negative environmental effects.[34]
In 2022, the borough council of West Chester voted to seek funding for a plan called the Metro Concept that would establish train service using battery-operated cars between West Chester and Wawa, where riders would transfer to regular SEPTA trains to Philadelphia. The proposed extension would have two stops in West Chester, a stop in Westtown Township, and a stop near Cheyney University. The extension would cost $16.4 million and is planned as a two-year pilot project to show the service can attract riders.[35]
^Lynch, James J. D. Jr. (1988). "The West Chester Branch". The High Line. Philadelphia Chapter of the Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society. 8 (2–3): 29, 31–32.
^"Elwyn to Wawa". Rebuilding the System. Philadelphia, PA: Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA). Archived from the original on 2018-08-08. Retrieved 2018-08-11.
^Tulsky, Fredric N. (September 24, 1981). "Rail Cuts Approved by SEPTA". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 23. Retrieved October 30, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
