Philadelphia's Subway & Light Rail Network Evolution
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ก.ย. 2024
- From its beginning in 1895, Philadelphia's subway and light rail network has grown to 109 stations, spanning 164 kilometres (102 miles). This animated video takes you through the timeline of when new stations were opened, forming the SEPTA, PATCO, and New Jersey Transit network that we know today.
Thanks to SEPTA 101 and Classy Whale for their assistance with this video:
🎬 TH-cam: / classywhale
🐦 Twitter: / thatclassywhale
🐦 Ask us questions on Twitter: / vanishingunder
☑️ Video Criteria:
Population given is the sum of all counties and independent cities with stations in them.
Future extensions are shown only if a construction tender has been awarded for their completion, at the time of video publication. If a construction tender has been issued for a project not included in the video, feel free to leave a comment, and we'll add it to our list to update.
If you find an error, feel free to let us know in the comments. Please include links to any sources that will help us correct the error. Note: comments with links might take up to 24 hours to appear due to TH-cam anti-spam policies.
📸 Image Credits:
Video footage from @ClassyWhale
jpmueller99 from Shenandoah Valley of VA, USA - Media Trolley 072107 025Uploaded by GrapedApe, CC BY 2.0, commons.wikime...
Smallbones - Own work, Public Domain, commons.wikime...
Trolleybus at English Wikipedia - Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons by Liftarn using CommonsHelper., Public Domain, commons.wikime...
🖼 Thumbnail image: Derek Yu - Market-Frankford Line, CC BY-SA 2.0, commons.wikime...
🚋 #SEPTA #NJTransit #PATCO
Philadelphia Broad Street Line subway
Philadelphia Broad Ridge Spur subway
Philadelphia subway-surface trolley
Philadelphia Market-Frankford Line subway
Philadelphia PATCO Speedline subway
Philadelphia 101 Media trolley
Philadelphia 102 Sharon Hill trolley
Philadelphia Norristown High Speed Line
Philadelphia River Line
Philadelphia Ardmore busway
Happy to provide footage for this one. Good production!
Very funny how many times Franklin square has been reopened, hopefully this time it's for good haha.
Also congrats on finishing this video! Philly has probably one of the most complex histories with rapid transit in the US.
Thanks Alan! Probably my most research intensive video to date
Not funny, its an eyesore especailly after their '79 closure, but atleast PATCO is fully in charge of it instead of SEPTA-PATCO so now it isnt our problem anymore.
@@VanishingUnderground Remember its Olney, not Onley!
Goes to show the wastefulness and inconsistencies in Philadelphia. Historically that station has shown an inability to draw significant ridership to stay open. Why is this being opened for a fourth time?
This makes little to no sense, especially when considering the millions from this project that PATCO could be putting towards improving it's existing stations in Philly.
@Vanishing Underground It's so sad to see the Market-Frankford Line Skip-stop Service eliminated.
It sucks that Philadelphia has stagnated for so long: they could have one of the best metro systems in the country if they had kept with their original expansion plans.
What were the original plans?
@@nyrmetros
I think TH-cam is deleting the link, but it was for a similar concept to Chicago with the loop but with less lines.
Sadly, even with the stagnation and non completion of plans, SEPTA probably is the 2nd best "metro" system in the US after the MTA.
@@PhilipSalen
Um, Chicago? DC? San Francisco? I have Philadelphia about tied with Boston at 5th and 6th.
Your opinion noted. SEPTA's combination of subways, regional rail, trolleys, trolley buses, and buses does an incredible, for the US, job of accessing almost everywhere in Philadelphia and many of the near suburbs for an affordable price more so than DC, with no rail connection to Georgetown, or Chicago, the El is great but limited to parts of the city. SEPTA combined rail systems are more utilized and extensive than Bart's. However, other than NYC, mass transit is incredibly underutilized and underfunded. I look across the border at Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, and Vancouver and I'm jealous of the effort, planning, and expenditure that Canada is putting into mass transit. Check out RMTransit's videos, he also rates SEPTA as the 2nd best transit system in the US.
You should've double check on Olney not Onley, got it! Also, glad to be back after three months.
Thanks! Great video! Philly local here so only one piece of feedback: name is Olney (vs. Onley). Keep up the great work!
Thanks for the correction! I’ll get that fixed when I update this video
Now known as the Olney Transportation Center with several SEPTA bus llines conncting.
Another Philly born & raised person here. Loved the video, keep up the great work! More feedback, we have a streetcar route, the 15 that runs on Girard Avenue that connects with both the Broad Street & Market-Frankford Lines at each Girard station that has been running electrified since 1895, was "temporarily" substituted with buses from 1992-2005 & then reactivated with rebuilt original streetcars; a BRT called the Boulevard Direct that travels for more than 10 miles from Frankford Transportation Center north to Neshaminy Mall (with a second phase designed to head south from Frankford to Wissahickon Transportation Center w/ connection to the Broad Street Line @ Hunting Park) & the entire trolley system (along with the 15) will be modernized to current light rail standards in the next decade with stations outside of the trolley tunnel 🚉 & new vehicles
Also Olney Transportation Center was also a Trolley Terminal alongside Cheltenham Ogontz due to the Route 6 which’s travels alongside the Ogontz Bus line. Also Route 23 (Chestnut Hill/11th Market)was a Trolley line alongside Route 56( 23rd Vengado, Torresdale Cottman)
In September 2023, trolley service on Girard Avenue will be restored, with PCC Streetcars now running in the old tracks.
So happy to have you back, and be travelling with one of your excellent videos again ! Thanks Zach !
Great video; I was waiting for this one! Also, on an unrelated note you misspelled Olney.
This was the one I was waiting for.
I live across the street from a piece of that original right of way, it's now used as a bus lane and emergency vehicle lane, so it was cool and almost jarring to see that right off the bat lol
Hello I see you've did SEPTA Reginol Rail & Light Rail/Subway I appreciate the videos there really great. Are you going to do a video of the trolleys 10, 11,13, 15, 34, & 36?
I grew up in Philadelphia and remember a lot of the changes made in the 50s = 80s.
@Alan Cutler That must of been some rough years
Yay, he’s back!!
Great video. Do you have plans to do other video like your old history of transit or abandoned stations. Or are you going to be mostly evolution of transit.
As of now, my plan is to finish off Evolution of the Network videos for my remaining American cities, and then transition back to my other video series in 2023. I’ve filmed a bunch, but haven’t gotten around to editing them yet
@@VanishingUnderground that great. Sorry if I sound a bit aggressive in my comment but I do enjoy those history videos a lot . Can’t wait to see them.
Also are you covering the closure of Toronto’s Line 3? I heard it closing but I don’t know when.
NOOOOOOO!!!!!
Part of the discontinued branch to strafford is used as a walk and bike way
nyc transit needs to be ur next vid pleaseeeee
Great video! Would love to see a video about Chicago's CTA, PACE and Metra maps in the future.
It would be interesting to see the evolution from the surrounding counties. Grew up in Willow Grove and my dad in Ardsley/Roslyn area. He always talks about the Trolley system they had.. BEFORE the R-line connection to Warminster and down
The 6 trolley ran all the way to Willow Grove Park.
th-cam.com/video/3DWqkgk-hUk/w-d-xo.html
I can’t believe the MFL used to go to South St!! I would love that today
Agreed, that would be cool if it did
It was the Market-Delaware Line back then before the Frankford extension.
The legend is back!!!!!
Love this video, learn something new each time i revisit it. Any reason the girard ave trolley was omitted from the video?
They are also exploring a KoP Branch on the Norristown high-speed line
The initial design work is underway. Unfortunately as with most infrastructure projects funding is a big stumbling block.
@@Poisson4147 It was a dumb half-measure instead of the original train from Center City like it should have been.
@@cloudkitt I agree the goal should've been a 1-seat ride but it wasn't practical. The only (semi) cost-effective way would have been an RRD spur which meant:
- Larger trestles, a non-starter
- Two-car trains w/ two personnel at all times (FRA)
- Serious schedule revisions b/c the RRD isn't set up for 15-30 minute headways all day
- Much higher RRD fares
Sadly the way the project was handled was what the Scots call a total haggis.
Interestingly, they kept certain portions of the trolley corridor as a high-frequency transit lifeline.
Yes, evolution of the grade separated network only.
Amazing video, but just so you know it’s “Olney” not Onley
When you do NYC will you include the 14th Street Busway (M14A/M14D)?
Removing the West Chester trolley line was a huge mistake, I understand ridership was low during that time. I'm disappointed most of the right of way was not saved . Also during that MFL south branch was bad move with hindsight being 20/20
Actually ridership was fairly high. I read somewhere that there was an informal poll of residents and something like 80% wanted the trolley to be kept. But this was the 1950s and "cars were the future of transportation". The PA Department of Highways took its name very literally, and condemned the trolley ROW to widen West Chester Pike.
Wish you talked about the possibility of using RR as additional subway lines within the city.
Philadelphia Metro is 9 million. Are you going off of urban area?
OLNEY not ONLEY and there's no 5th ave, it's 5th STREET
Don't get on the el
Why?
💋 p̳r̳o̳m̳o̳s̳m̳
I feel like I relate to Franklin Square station on a personal level at this point. I hope it sticks around this time lmao
I'm sure it will this time. Back in the 70s it wasn't a lot of development around the station, plus them renovating it I'm sure it'll be permanently open. A perfect example is back in the seventies and eighties City Hall station in Camden as well as 9th and 10th & Locust used to be closed after the 9 p.m. on week days and would be closed all weekend before they permanently opened it back up.
😄
Not sure how busy it will be if the rendering showing it being surrounded by a large park on all sides is true
@@pizzajona Well this time you have the National Constitution Center, the American College of Physicians, Temple Foot & Ankle, Metroclub Condominiums, and the new houses on Race Street. Plus, it would be a waste of money to close up a station after installing an elevator and escalator.
YES! I'm so glad you uploaded again! I hope you're doing well. I went to Philadelphia 4 months ago and it was pretty nice. But it's very plagued with issues. Trains are slow, dirty, stations are also dirty, and it seems like (at least when I rode it) that there was almost nobody else riding. SEPTA also has a very nice transit store where they have things like large maps of the system and a Broad Street Line t-shirt. They even had a whole PCC Streetcar in the Basement that was connected to the Subway!
Depends what you ride and what day and time your also riding
@@shamarmays3577 True, I almost always rode on middays or a Sunday. But I was standing in a center city station at like 2 PM a Friday and I was like the only person in the entire station. And when I rode the regional rail there was, I would say 15 people on the entire train. System feels wayyyyyyyyyy underfunded and dirty. But who knows, maybe I was there at a bad time of day at a bad station.
@Enmity the Kindhearted SEPTA, it's a very weird and underfunded transit system that hasn't really expanded in 40 years. But I hope with reinvestment and people's attitudes changing towards transit things will get better. Extensions and new lines are necessary, upgrading of trains and stations are crucial, and better connections are needed. Even with all of this the network is surprisingly useful. I hope I get to go back one day soon and ride more of the network, I didn't even get to ride the trolleys!
@Enmity the Kindhearted eh I could kinda say Frankfort TC is low income so if people say that is then the MFL serves low income place
@@momentogabe Did you ever ride SEPTA pre-2020? Clearly the windfall of revenue loss and severe decline in ridership per CV19 devastated the system. I used to ride the system back in 2015-17 and had positive and memorable experiences. Hoping Philly and SEPTA get back on its feet.
Facts not mentioned:
- The BSL is one of the 2 rapid transits in America to use express services outside of New York
- The MFL is the least recognized el line, because most people are more familiar with New York and Chicago
- The trolleybus network is the oldest in the States and the 2nd oldest in the world
- The NHSL is one of America's surviving interurban railways and the only one to use what I call electric rail buses
- The Market St. Tunnel is the only subway tunnel in America, if not the world, where trolleys and subway trains run parallel to one another
- The Boulevard Direct is SEPTA's BRT route
- The River Line is America's first diesel light rail
- The PATCO train is the only rapid transit train to ever traverse over a suspension bridge (Ben Franklin Bridge) outside of NYC; it is also Philly's version of the PATH trains.
You also forgot to talk about the Girard trolley line, aka Route 15. It is Philly's heritage trolley line that uses refurbished PCC streetcars. Due the ongoing track reconstruction and intense trolley maintenance, the route is currently bustituted until further notice.
why dont you make your own video and stop critizing this video. He makes mistakes, and so do you.
@@yoyobass100 Great insights. Thanks for the info!
@@terencehill2320 I wasn't, so shut up!
@@terencehill2320 i dont think this comment was particularly mean, just informative from someone who knows the area
I was surprised you didn't mention the 15/Girard Ave trolley line in this video. SEPTA does consider that part of it's trolley network, despite being separate from the five "green" subway-surface trolley lines.
Also 23 to chestnut hill.
@@caseybechtel7518 The 23 was replaced by a bus decades ago. 😢
@@Poisson4147 The 15/Girard trolley has been temporarily suspended. It's slated to reopen with brand new trolley cars. Unsure if the 23 trolley line will reopen.
@@martincruz8319 My comment to casey was in reference to the 23. I've clarified the post.
I've heard differing stories about the 15, that it will get new cars or that the PCC-IIs are being restored. No solid info, unfortunately.
Sadly I doubt the 23 will ever come back full length. I took it to school as a grad student decades ago and even then the narrow clearances were a problem. That said, there's been talk (but no action) of restoring service on the upper (Chestnut Hill) end where there's more space.
No it’s not slated to re-open with brand new trolleys. It will resume operations with the again rebuilt PCC-II (III). When SEPTA purchases new trolleys for it’s lines all lines will get the new cars. City Routes 10, 11, 13, 15, 34 & 36 and Media (101) & Sharon Hill (102).
Great video as always.
One thing: Olney*
Another Legendary Transit System Evolution done. One of my most anticipated evolution videos by far.
Great as always! Good job on managing to cover the entire history, it seems to be quite a long one.
I'm a little sad at the amount of things that were turned over to cars, like the other suburban light rail lines, trolley tunnel, and transitway... (Or the lines and branches that were closed for 'low ridership')
The King of Prussia Rail Extension (to the NSRL), while stupid, is currently being constructed and would probably justify/qualify being included.
KOP Extension has been cancelled entirely, thanks to local Philadelphia lord and savior Alan Fisher. Federal funding for it was rejected because the department of transportation recognized it as being a dumb wasteful project. We need to build and reopen routes within Philadelphia rather than routes to strip malls in the middle of nowhere
Franklin-Square Station is like Futurama (the TV show) it refused to die.
Construction just started a few days ago (July, 2022) for reopening the Franklin Square Station on the PATCO Speed Line. I first discoverd the closed station in 1962 riding the Del. River Bridge Line during the Cold War. Looking out the window I could see emergency food ration boxes on the platform of the dimly lit station.
Subtitle: the trials and tribulations of Franklin Square station
Its Olney, not Onley. Also, it is sad to see the Franklin Station close 3 seperate times just to reopen once again for a 4th chance in 2023!
Wow, Franklin Square just closed for 3 times. That's really sad.
Chicago probably coming
I can sense it coming
Say all-knee not only nice video as usual
GREAT video of Philly's underground subway and light rail systems! Thx for giving my hometown Philadelphia a great Vanishing Underground video!!
Same I live in Philadelphia
So do I Thank you 💖
I wasn't aware that the Norristown line had a Stratford branch, nor that there was (or is) an underground trolley station at Vine Street.
I've seen pictures of the old Strafford line, they're amazing.
Also the station on 5th street under vine it's they're. I see it all the time, it's a cut in lol all this time I never knew that was a trolley stop for the old route 50 trolley.
Most of that line is now a walking trail in Radnor Twp.
Next time, can you do New York City's Subways, please?
You could do an episode on the BMT, IRT, and the IND!
@@nyrmetros Actually, Vanishing Underground gonna do it in his next video, but still
Always makes my day when I see a new Vanishing Underground
Threw me off for a minute cus I knew you guys did Philly already, then I realized this was strictly subway/light rail.
Great vid overall. Could've sworn that the broad street line was first though.
In 2026 Franklin Square will once again shut down due to low ridership.
NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! THAT'LL MAKE ME SO ANGRY😠😠😠😠😠😠!!!!!
Props for pronouncing the name of our river correctly 😉
I didn't hear him say "sure-to‐kill"
Interesting that a lot of the Upper Darby based lines came first. I always assumed they were extensions from the El as an Upper Darby native.
I was overjoyed to see this upload and your pronunciations were on point- until Olney lmao.
love your videos you should do one for Amtrak
Actually it’s pronounced Olney.
We missed you! Great vid as always!!!
I am in favor of SEPTA reopening the Ridge-Spur's Spring Garden Station so that people dont have to look at that abondonment as it has been for the past 3 decades.
So What’s Next MNRR or LIRR or NYC Subway ?
My Money's On Either Nashville's Brt And Commuter Rail Network Or Detroit's Rapid Transit Network(Light Rail, People Mover And Commuter Rail).
@@brendanu1680 why those? They’d be over in like 5 minutes. He would have done them by now.
Thanks for covering Philly! Only thing I'd have liked to see is the Eakins oval spring garden street trolley tunnel
Spring Garden Station on Broad-Ridge Line was closed due to a massive drug epidemic that was making safety impossible at that area. Thus closing, but in '91, not '89.
Do you have any plans for LIRR
I'm going to be entirely honest, as someone from the Philadelphia suburbs I just don't see the Franklin square station staying open. Don't get me wrong I would love to have more Transit options within the city of Philadelphia and the suburbs, but I just can't see it for that station. If you're coming from Philadelphia to go to Jersey, you're almost guaranteed to be going through 8th and market, it's so much more well connected. SEPTA provides two free transfers, as well as a bonus free transfer if your navigating through certain hubs.
You're not going to take this station to go into the rest of philly, because there's a bus station right across the street. You're just going to take the bus to 8th and market and get on rest of the system from there.
So if you are in the immediate vicinity of the station, and you're going to New Jersey, then you will use the station, otherwise most of that capacity is going to be going through 8th and market.
On the flip side if you're coming from new jersey, unless you're going to one of the tourist destinations, you're going to take the train to 8th and market so you can get on septa system.
Who knows, maybe I'm wrong, hopefully I am. But I just don't see it for this station
I love these videos! So fascinating to see the development of this transit system.
I loved SEPTA, I remember riding on a trolley for the very first time.
SEPTA actually services three states, with regional rail going to Wilmington, DE and Trenton, NJ.
He has a separate video on the Regional Rail network.
I wish the Market-Frankford Line Skip-stop Service was bought back😪😪😪😪😪😪😪😪!!!!
You should do a video about the Oakland Key and its related systems! Super fascinating history in its own right that goes far beyond just MUNI, BART, and the like.
It's genuinely sad just seeing the trolleys die out.
I love Philly trolleys
New trolleys are coming soon.
The PTC sold out to National City Lines back in the mid-1950s. Within 3 years they'd replaced two dozen trolley lines with buses and completely discontinued three more. SEPTA inherited that mindset, wrecking the 23, 56, etc.
GRRRRR!!!!
It's so sad to see the Market-Frankford Line Skip-stop service eliminated😪😪😪😪😪😪.
what do you think of the recent massive bus map redo in philly.
"Stop trying to make Franklin Square happen! It's not going to happen." 😂 don't think I've ever laughed at transit history but this is truly absurd
Its already being built. The question is: will it stay open?
Yes it will.
Hello, I see now why you haven't uploaded much recently, this must've taken a long time. Anywa Nice Job but I'm still waiting on that last Via Rail video. You told me back in like September 2021 that it'd be out by the end of that year, so when's that going to happen?
Lmao, Franklin Square has been through some rough times
Loved the video! A bit disappointed you didn't add the route 15 though ☹️
SEPTA, Stop trying to make Franklin Square happen. It isn’t going to happen
SEPTA gas nothing to do with this. That would be PATCO, which is operated by the Delaware River Port Authority.
Could you do a video on the Mexico City subway?
Septa services 3 states, namely Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware
Philly really deserves better transit
Forgot the 15 trolley
They didn't mention the extended Broad Street Line that splits off after Erie Avenue and goes up Roosevelt Boulevard
It's still a dream.
We need to do something to fix the Trolley network, I know let's Open/Close Franklin Square
One has nothing to do with the other. Trolleys are operated by SEPTA, while Franklin Square is a station along the PATCO line.
@@davidpayne3628 My fault, I should have known people have no sense of humour in TH-cam comments.
@@senorsoupe Nothing to do with a sense of humor-mine is as healthy as the next guy's. The point is knowing one transit authority from another.
Maybe not mention renaming of stations to speed things up and including pictures of the stations you are mentioning and/or what the rolling stock and right of way looks like would make for a more interesting viewing experience I think...
Great video thanks for the follow up! I had a few questions though, Where did that vine trolley station connect to? Also would’ve loved more detail on the route 15 trolley (might be what connected to vine?)
On another note there a lot of semi covered trolley tracks running north south on like 13th but I can’t find their history
Vine street trolley station was part of the old route 50 trolley which ran from South Philly to Olney in North Philly. It ran south up 4th Street at street level because it could clear the bridge and north on 5th street but since the entrance to the bridge was at street level at 5th street they dug under the bridge so it wouldn't interfere with bridge traffic. The trolley as well as 5th street traffic went under the bridge where the trolley stop is before coming back above ground at Callowhill Street. The station is visible when you drive or bike under the bridge .
btw AT&T just bought out the naming rights to the station, there's no mention of AT&T in the sports complex at all
Can we appreciate how long the editing took bro a entire 3 months!
The biggest issue I have with Philly's transit system is the safety. Its hands down the sketchiest and most unsafe transit system I have taken in the states. Baltimore is almost tied but Philly was just very bad. And I've been riding the NYC transit system my whole life and never felt as unsafe as riding the SEPTA in Philly.
Do you think Fulmor,Tabor and Logan regional rail stations should reopen? Me: DUH! THEY'RE ON THE WARMINSTER LINE!
Olney. NOT Onley. ALso, I would hardly call it a network (Chicago, New York, and D.C. have networks).
It's Olney, not Onley
or if yizz is a REAL Philulphyan, it's pronounced OLLeny. 😁
Slight correction but “Onley” is actually “Olney”
I look forward to your videos every time. Great job on this
That was a tough one; talk about a plethora of changes!
VERY WEll DONE VIDEO. BUT THE STATION ONTHE BROAD ST SUBWAY IS OLNEY ,,,,,,,NOT ONLEY
Glad you're back!! Nice video once again.
Welcome back, Zack!
It's Olney, not Onley...rhyming with doll-knee.
Northern terminus of Broad Street Line is Olney, not Onley
nice i love your videos
So… are you gonna do New York City subway one day lol