Wikipedia

Trenton Line

(Redirected from Trenton Line (SEPTA))
For the CSX line, see Trenton Subdivision (CSX Transportation).
Not to be confused with West Trenton Line (SEPTA) or West Trenton Line (NJ Transit).

The Trenton Line is a route of the SEPTA Regional Rail (commuter rail) system. The route serves the northeastern suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with service in Bucks County along the Delaware River to Trenton, New Jersey.

Trenton Line
Train #4656 pulls into the Cornwells Heights station.
Overview
StatusOperating
Termini
Stations15
Websitesepta.org
Service
TypeCommuter rail
SystemSEPTA Regional Rail
Operator(s)SEPTA
Rolling stockElectric Multiple Units, push-pull trains
Daily ridership4,507 (FY 2022)[1]
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
ElectrificationOverhead line, 12 kV 25 Hz AC
Route map
Map
Legend
Amtrak Northeast Corridor
to Boston
32.5 mi
52.3 km
 Trenton River Line (NJ Transit) NJ Transit Amtrak
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
Zone
 NJ 
 4 
Morrisville
closed
Trenton Cutoff
26.0 mi
41.8 km
 Levittown
Edgely
closed
22.7 mi
36.5 km
 Bristol
Zone
 4 
 3 
19.9 mi
32 km
 Croydon
18.2 mi
29.3 km
 Eddington
16.9 mi
27.2 km
 Cornwells Heights Amtrak
Andalusia
closed
14.8 mi
23.8 km
 Torresdale
Zone
 3 
 2 
12.2 mi
19.6 km
 Holmesburg Junction
11.2 mi
18 km
 Tacony
Wissinoming
closed
9.3 mi
15 km
 Bridesburg
Zone
 2 
 1 
 ACL
to Atlantic City
Frankford Junction
closed
CHW
to Chestnut Hill West
4.5 mi
7.2 km
 North Philadelphia
Amtrak
SEPTA Main Line
Zone
 1 
 C 
Ridge Avenue
closed
Engleside
closed
Zoological Garden
closed
Keystone Corridor (Main Line)
to Harrisburg
0.9 mi
1.4 km
 30th Street
Atlantic City Line Amtrak
0 mi
0 km
 Suburban
0.5 mi
0.8 km
 Jefferson
2.1 mi
3.4 km
 Temple University
This diagram:

Route

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Trenton Line trains operate along a four-track line from 30th Street Station via the Philadelphia Zoo (without stopping there), to North Philadelphia, before running parallel to I-95 and then US 13 for several miles. It crosses the Delaware River at Trenton, New Jersey before making its final stop at Trenton Transit Center, which is also served by Amtrak and New Jersey Transit trains.

The route is part of the middle leg of Amtrak's Northeast Corridor; all 11 of Amtrak's Northeast Corridor services run along this line. The line's termini, 30th Street and Trenton Transit Center, have long been among the busiest Amtrak stations in the country. On weekdays, Amtrak connections are also available at North Philadelphia and Cornwells Heights. Connecting Trenton Line service is listed in timetables for NJ Transit's Northeast Corridor Line, of which Trenton Transit Center is the southern terminus.

History

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Main article: Northeast Corridor
 

Electrified service between Philadelphia and Trenton began on June 29, 1930.

Between 1984–2010 the route was designated R7 Trenton as part of SEPTA's diametrical reorganization of its lines. Trenton Line trains operated through the city center to the Chestnut Hill East Line on the ex-Reading side of the system.[2] The R-number naming system was dropped on July 25, 2010.[3] As of 2022, most Trenton Line trains continue through Center City to the Chestnut Hill East Line, while some trains terminate at Temple University or continue to other destinations.[4]

The Trenton Line usually has two push-pull electric-locomotive-hauled trains on the morning express runs and two on the evening express runs. Each train is usually made up of 6 coach trailers made by Bombardier with ACS-64 locomotives hauling them.[citation needed]

SEPTA activated positive train control on the Trenton Line on May 1, 2017.[5]

Stations

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North Philadelphia station in 2013
 
The utilitarian Torresdale station (seen in 2012) is typical of the Trenton Line

The Trenton Line includes the following stations north of the Center City Commuter Connection; stations indicated with gray background are closed. All stations within the Philadelphia city limits have a ticket office for purchasing ticket(s) to ride the Trenton line. Many stations outside the city limits have a ticket office as well, however they have shorter hours (most outside the city limits are closed on weekends) and fewer amenities than the ticket offices inside the stations within Philadelphia. Cornwells Heights station is considered a popular station on the route as it is the busiest SEPTA Regional Rail station outside of Center City, and serves Amtrak trains as well.[6][4]

State Zone Location Station Miles (km)
from
Center City 		Connections and notes
PA C Mantua, Philadelphia Zoological Garden 1.9 (3.1) Closed November 24, 1901[7]
Brewerytown, Philadelphia Engleside 2.8 (4.5) Discontinued April 5, 1903[8]
Strawberry Mansion, Philadelphia Ridge Avenue 3.2 (5.1) Discontinued April 5, 1903[8]
22nd Street 3.9 (6.3)
1 Glenwood, Philadelphia North Philadelphia 4.5 (7.2)   Amtrak: Keystone Service
  SEPTA Regional Rail:      Chestnut Hill West Line
  SEPTA Metro:   Broad Street Line
  SEPTA City Bus: 4, 16
11th Street
Fairhill, Philadelphia North Penn Junction
Harrowgate, Philadelphia Harrowgate
Frankford Junction Discontinued October 4, 1992[9]
Frankford, Philadelphia
Frankford Closed 1990
2 Bridesburg 9.3 (15.0)   SEPTA City Bus: 73
Wissinoming, Philadelphia Fitler
Wissinoming 10.1 (16.3) Discontinued November 9, 2003[10]
Tacony, Philadelphia Tacony 11.2 (18.0)
Holmesburg, Philadelphia Holmesburg Junction 12.2 (19.6)   SEPTA City Bus: 84
3 Liddonfield
Pierson's Station
Torresdale, Philadelphia Torresdale 14.8 (23.8)   SEPTA City Bus: 19, 84
Andalusia Andalusia Discontinued October 4, 1992[9]
Cornwells Heights Cornwells Heights   16.9 (27.2)   Amtrak: Keystone Service
  SEPTA City Bus: 78
  SEPTA Suburban Bus: 133
Eddington Eddington 18.2 (29.3)   SEPTA Suburban Bus: 133
Croydon Croydon   19.9 (32.0)   SEPTA Suburban Bus: 128
4 Bristol Bristol 22.7 (36.5)   SEPTA Suburban Bus: 129
  TMA Bucks: Bristol Rushbus
Levittown Edgely Closed in 1956; the railroad razed the depot at Edgely on January 16, 1957.[11]
Tullytown Levittown   26.0 (41.8)   SEPTA Suburban Bus: 127, 128
Tullytown
Morrisville Morrisville Closed October 25, 1969[12]
NJ NJ Trenton Trenton Transit Center   32.4 (52.1)   Amtrak: Cardinal, Carolinian, Crescent, Keystone Service, Northeast Regional, Palmetto, Pennsylvanian, Silver Meteor, Vermonter
  NJ Transit Rail:      Northeast Corridor Line,      River Line
  NJ Transit Bus: 409, 418, 600, 601, 604, 606, 608, 609, 611, 613, 619
  SEPTA Suburban Bus: 127

Ridership

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Between FY 2013–FY 2019 yearly ridership on the Trenton Line ranged from 3.1–3.6 million before collapsing during the COVID-19 pandemic.[note 1]

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

Notes

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

References

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  1. ^ a b SEPTA Data Group. "Route Operating Statistics". Retrieved March 1, 2024.
  2. ^ Vuchic, Vukan; Kikuchi, Shinya (1984). General Operations Plan for the SEPTA Regional High Speed System. Philadelphia: SEPTA. pp. 2–8.
  3. ^ Lustig, David (November 2010). "SEPTA makeover". Trains Magazine. Kalmbach Publishing: 26.
  4. ^ a b "Trenton Line schedule" (PDF). SEPTA. January 7, 2024. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  5. ^ "Positive Train Control Update". SEPTA. May 1, 2017. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
  6. ^ "Fiscal Year 2021 Service Plan Update". SEPTA. June 2020. p. 24. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
  7. ^ Baer, Christopher T. (April 2015). "A General Chronology of the Successors of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and Their Historical Context: 1901" (PDF). Pennsylvania Railroad Technical Historical Society. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
  8. ^ a b "Discontinuing All Stops of Trains at Paschal, South Street, Engelside and Ridge Avenue". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. April 3, 1903. p. 2. Retrieved October 17, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.  
  9. ^ a b "New Rail Schedules Set". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. October 2, 1992. p. 36. Retrieved October 17, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.  
  10. ^ "SEPTA Regional Rail Schedules Change Sunday" (Press release). PR Newswire Association LLC. November 5, 2003. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
  11. ^ "Landmark Ruled Out". The Bristol Daily Courier. Bristol, Pennsylvania. January 17, 1957. p. 7. Retrieved October 17, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.  
  12. ^ Baer, Christopher T. (April 2015). "A General Chronology of the Successors of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and Their Historical Context: 1969" (PDF). Pennsylvania Railroad Technical Historical Society. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
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