West Chester station (West Chester Railroad)

Last updated
West Chester
West Chester Railroad tourist train station
West Chester Station 2018a.jpg
West Chester station in 2018
General information
Location230 East Market Street
West Chester, Pennsylvania
Coordinates 39°57′39″N75°36′01″W / 39.9609°N 75.6004°W / 39.9609; -75.6004
Owned byWest Chester Railroad
Line(s)West Chester Line
Platforms1 side platform
Tracks1
History
Opened1875, 1997 (as heritage railway)
ClosedSeptember 19, 1986 [1]
Rebuilt1885
ElectrifiedDecember 2, 1928 [2]
Previous namesMarket Street
Services
Preceding station West Chester Railroad Following station
TerminusMain Line Westtown
toward Glen Mills
Former services
Preceding station SEPTA.svg SEPTA Following station
Terminus West Chester Line West Chester University
Preceding station Pennsylvania Railroad Following station
Terminus West Chester Line Oakbourne
Maple Avenue
toward Frazer
Frazer – West ChesterTerminus

The West Chester station, formerly the Market Street Station, is an American train station that is located on Market Street in West Chester, Pennsylvania. It currently serves as a stop on the West Chester Railroad heritage railroad. The location was previously used as a stop on the Pennsylvania Railroad's (PRR) West Chester Branch, and later became a part of SEPTA's R3 West Chester Line.

Contents

SEPTA discontinued regular passenger service here in September 1986, due to deteriorating track conditions, Chester County's desire to expand facilities at Exton station on SEPTA's Paoli/Thorndale Line, and the existence of faster and more frequent bus service on SEPTA Route 104 along West Chester Pike to 69th Street Terminal.

Heritage service was restored in 1997 by the West Chester Railroad, a privately owned and operated tourist railroad that operates between Glen Mills and West Chester.

Station history

East Market Street Station in West Chester circa 1930 West Chester PA RR Sta 1930.jpg
East Market Street Station in West Chester circa 1930

The West Chester & Philadelphia Railroad opened Market Street station in 1875. [3] It was rebuilt following a major fire in 1885. [4] Demolition of the main station building occurred in 1968. [3]

SEPTA later used the stop for the R3 West Chester Line. In 1986, SEPTA discontinued service due to deteriorating track conditions, the expansion of Exton station, and the improvement of bus service on SEPTA Route 104. The frame building erected in place of the older station was closed and razed. [5]

In 1997, the West Chester Railroad (WCRR) constructed a new station for its heritage line running to Glen Mills. Except for the concrete platform, nothing remains of the former station; however, the foundation outline from the former building is visible. WCRR erected a one-room station on site that serves as a ticket office and gift shop.

Service restoration efforts

In 2014, the Chester County Planning Commission's long-term public transportation plan envisioned the return of SEPTA service to West Chester. [6] In 2018 a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation report estimated rebuilding to cost $380M USD. In July 2022 the West Chester Borough Council formed a Rail Service Restoration Committee to explore the use of battery-operated rail cars as a lower cost alternative to a full rebuilding of an electrified line. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Chester, Pennsylvania</span> Borough in Pennsylvania, United States

West Chester is a borough and the county seat of Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. Located within the Philadelphia metropolitan area, the borough had a population of 18,461 at the 2010 census. West Chester is the mailing address for most of its neighboring townships. When calculated by mailing address, the population as of the 2010 U.S. Census was 108,696, which would make it the 10th largest city by mailing address in the state of Pennsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SEPTA</span> Public transportation authority

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is a regional public transportation authority that operates bus, rapid transit, commuter rail, light rail, and electric trolleybus services for nearly four million people in five counties in and around Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It also manages projects that maintain, replace and expand its infrastructure, facilities and vehicles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SEPTA Regional Rail</span> Commuter rail service in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">SEPTA Route 13</span> Philadelphia trolley line

SEPTA Route 13, also known as the Chester Avenue Line, is a trolley line operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) that connects the 13th Street station in downtown Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with the Yeadon Loop in Yeadon, Pennsylvania, although limited service is available to the Darby Transportation Center in Darby, Pennsylvania. It is one of five lines that are part of the Subway-Surface Trolley system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Chester Branch</span> Railway line in Pennsylvania, U.S.

The West Chester Branch is a railway line in southeastern Pennsylvania. At its fullest extent, it connected with the Philadelphia–Washington Main Line at Arsenal Junction near the University of Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia-Chicago Main Line near Frazer, Pennsylvania. It was part of the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) system up until the formation of Conrail in 1976. Today, SEPTA operates the Media/Wawa Line commuter service as far west as Wawa, while the West Chester Railroad heritage railway operates between West Chester station and Glen Mills.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Chester Railroad</span> Tourist railroad in Pennsylvania, U.S.

The West Chester Railroad is a privately owned and operated tourist railroad that runs between Market Street in West Chester, Pennsylvania, in Chester County, and the village of Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, in Delaware County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Williamson School station</span>

Williamson School is an abandoned train station located on Station Drive near New Middletown Road in Middletown Township, Pennsylvania. The station was a stop on the Pennsylvania Railroad's West Chester Line. It later became a part of SEPTA's R3 West Chester.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glen Riddle station</span>

The Glen Riddle station was a commuter rail station which was located on the SEPTA Regional Rail R3 West Chester Line. Situated underneath the South Pennell Road (PA-452) overpass in Middletown Township, Pennsylvania, it was originally built by the West Chester and Philadelphia Railroad, and later served the Pennsylvania Railroad's West Chester Branch, which finally became SEPTA's R3 line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lenni station</span>

Lenni station is a defunct commuter rail station on the SEPTA Regional Rail R3 West Chester Line, located in Middletown Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. The station and several others were closed in September 1986, and subsequently demolished.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wawa station</span>

Wawa station is a commuter rail station on the SEPTA Regional Rail Media/Wawa Line, located adjacent to U.S. Route 1 in Middletown Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. The original station was built by the West Chester and Philadelphia Railroad and later served the Pennsylvania Railroad's West Chester Branch, which finally became SEPTA's R3 line. The outer section of the line, running from Elwyn to West Chester including the old Wawa station, was closed in 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darlington station (SEPTA)</span>

Darlington station is a defunct commuter rail station on the SEPTA Regional Rail R3 West Chester Line, located at 612 Darlington Road in Chester Heights, Pennsylvania. Originally built by the West Chester and Philadelphia Railroad, it later served the Pennsylvania Railroad's West Chester Branch, which finally became SEPTA's R3 line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glen Mills station</span>

Glen Mills station is a railroad station in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania currently used by the West Chester Railroad heritage railway. It is located at 130 Glen Mills Road, and owned by the Thornbury Historical Society.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Locksley station (Pennsylvania)</span>

Locksley station is a disused railroad station in Thornbury Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. It previously served the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) and later SEPTA Regional Rail's R3 West Chester Line. SEPTA closed the station in 1986. In 1997, this portion of the line was reopened by the West Chester Railroad heritage railway for weekend excursions; the company restored the Locksley station building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Chester University station</span> Former railroad station in Pennsylvania, US

West Chester University station is a former railroad station in West Chester, Pennsylvania. It was a stop on the Pennsylvania Railroad's (PRR) West Chester Line, and later became a part of SEPTA Regional Rail's R3 West Chester line before being closed in 1986. The West Chester Railroad heritage railway purchased the line, but does not use West Chester University station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oakbourne station</span>

Oakbourne station is a defunct railroad station on Oakburne Road in Westtown Township, Pennsylvania. Established by the Pennsylvania Railroad, it closed in 1961 and was subsequently demolished. SEPTA Regional Rail later used the line for R3 West Chester Line, but did not use the Oakbourne stop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westtown station</span>

Westtown station is a railroad station in Thornbury Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. It currently serves as a stop on the West Chester Railroad heritage railway as well as an art gallery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheyney station</span>

Cheyney station is a train station in Thornbury Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. It currently serves as a stop on the West Chester Railroad tourist railroad line, and previously served as a station for the Pennsylvania Railroad and SEPTA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Media/Wawa Line</span> SEPTA Regional Rail line between Center City Philadelphia and Wawa, Delaware County

The Media/Wawa Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail service that runs from Center City Philadelphia west to Wawa in Delaware County. It uses the West Chester Branch, which connects with the SEPTA Main Line at 30th Street Station. Under the Pennsylvania Railroad, service continued to West Chester, Pennsylvania. On September 19, 1986, however, service was truncated to Elwyn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paoli/Thorndale Line</span> SEPTA Regional Rail service from Philadelphia to Thorndale

The Paoli/Thorndale Line, commonly known as the Main Line, is a SEPTA Regional Rail service running from Center City Philadelphia through Montgomery County and Delaware County to Thorndale in Chester County. It operates along the far eastern leg of Amtrak's Philadelphia to Harrisburg Main Line, which in turn was once the Main Line of the Pennsylvania Railroad and is now part of the Keystone Corridor, a federally-designated high-speed rail corridor.

The West Chester Railroad (WCRR) was chartered in 1831 and began operation in 1832. The railroad line ran from West Chester, Pennsylvania, for 9 miles (14 km) to Malvern, Pennsylvania, where it connected with the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad. Service was originally provided with horse-drawn cars.

References

  1. "The Potential of Rail Service to West Chester Borough". Borough of West Chester. p. 24. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
  2. "Electric Trains to Start Sunday". The Chester Times. November 30, 1928. p. 1. Retrieved August 21, 2020 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  3. 1 2 U.S. National Park Service. Historic American Buildings Survey (1979). "Pennsylvania Railroad Station, Market Street, West Chester Borough, Chester, PA." Survey No. HABS PA-246.
  4. Jones, Ph.D. Jim A."Walking Tour of West Chester's Railroad Corridor." Accessed 2011-02-23.
  5. Jones, Ph.D., Jim A. (2006). Railroads of West Chester: 1831 to the Present. West Chester, Pennsylvania: Taggart Printing. pp. 77–78.
  6. "Chester County Public Transportation Plan - Draft April 2014"
  7. Cooper, Kenny (26 July 2022). "West Chester Borough Council supports effort to restore SEPTA passenger rail service". WHYY.org. Retrieved 21 August 2022.

Further reading