Girard Ave Train Station

The Reading Company at one time maintained a rail station at Girard Avenue. quite possibly long before the line became elevated. Considering the lack of access to regional rail outside of center city, a station here would be a benefit to an up and coming neighborhood, served by the 15 and close to the BSL.



http://philaphilia.blogspot.com/2012/09 ... ember.html

Regional Rail Division = CC to outer counties. City = City Transit. People already complain SEPTA runs its rail division like a glorified subway system. This station would put it much in that direction. Why spend so much money for a station (An elevated one that would cost 2.5X more) that would see service at the levels of Allegheny and N. Broad?

Because it would be nice to be able to access the train to reach places that city transit is too slow for....
Allegheny might get better use if it wasn't such a dump, but unfortunately SEPTA doesn't put money into stations in urban neighborhoods.
North Broad was destroyed by SEPTA. It barely has any platforms left, very few trains stop there, and is a pain to get to the outbound platform. North Broad really needs an engineering makeover, or somehow moved to intersect better with the PRR North Philly station. No trains stop there, so SEPTA says no one uses it, so then they plan to close it = self fulfilling prophecy.

BNT:

I agree with Sarge here and think that a new Girard Avenue station would not attract enough ridership to make
it worth while...SEPTA already has the Temple University Station in the area and CTD transit service competing to
some extent here...

You are obviously too young to remember that the Reading trunk line once had stations at Spring Garden Street
along with Nicetown and Tioga which were between North Broad Street and Wayne Junction...There was once the
Logan and Tabor stations between WJ and Fern Rock...All of these stations were closed in the 70s and 80s...

The prime reason for stations like North Broad Street to remain open is to serve reverse commuters from inner
city North Philadelphia going to jobs in the suburbs...NBS was downgraded in the Railworks program in 1992-93
and I believe the reason for the small station that was built there is because there was thought of closing it...

North Broad Street can not be moved because of the location of the cut and interlocking at and just north of
Broad Street and I agree that the northbound platform can be a hassle to access and the southbound side is
not much better - a transfer between NB and the North Philadelphia station on the Trenton and CHW lines is
a interesting proposal but would probably see minimal use...

MACTRAXX

bikentransit wrote: Allegheny might get better use if it wasn't such a dump, but unfortunately SEPTA doesn't put money into stations in urban neighborhoods.

Stations with flowers, doilies, and crappers with 24/7 access for all would be awesome, but do you seriously believe the low ridership #'s for allegheny are because the station is a dump?

MACTRAXX wrote:BNT:

I agree with Sarge here and think that a new Girard Avenue station would not attract enough ridership to make
it worth while...SEPTA already has the Temple University Station in the area and CTD transit service competing to
some extent here...

You are obviously too young to remember that the Reading trunk line once had stations at Spring Garden Street
along with Nicetown and Tioga which were between North Broad Street and Wayne Junction...There was once the
Logan and Tabor stations between WJ and Fern Rock...All of these stations were closed in the 70s and 80s...

The prime reason for stations like North Broad Street to remain open is to serve reverse commuters from inner
city North Philadelphia going to jobs in the suburbs...NBS was downgraded in the Railworks program in 1992-93
and I believe the reason for the small station that was built there is because there was thought of closing it...

North Broad Street can not be moved because of the location of the cut and interlocking at and just north of
Broad Street and I agree that the northbound platform can be a hassle to access and the southbound side is
not much better - a transfer between NB and the North Philadelphia station on the Trenton and CHW lines is
a interesting proposal but would probably see minimal use...

MACTRAXX

Wasn't there at one a time a concourse connection between the Reading North Philly station and the BSL?

Glenn: Yes-there was one - I don't know when it was closed - it was at some point before Railworks - and I
remember this being described as a "security nightmare" or something along those lines...

MACTRAXX

The subway station mezzanine level had underground connections to North Broad station (South side - Lehigh) and the PRR's North Philly station (North side -Glenwood).

the sarge wrote:The subway station mezzanine level had underground connections to North Broad station (South side - Lehigh) and the PRR's North Philly station (North side -Glenwood).

MACTRAXX and sarge, thank you. I vaguely remember being down there at some point and agree that it was far eerier than the Center City / south Broad concourse.

glennk419 wrote:

the sarge wrote:The subway station mezzanine level had underground connections to North Broad station (South side - Lehigh) and the PRR's North Philly station (North side -Glenwood).

MACTRAXX and sarge, thank you. I vaguely remember being down there at some point and agree that it was far eerier than the Center City / south Broad concourse.

i was in there about three years ago, and even taking away the thirty plus years of deferred maintenance i wouldn't want to be your average commuter in there.

Let's remember Logan, Nicetown, Tioga and Spring Garden were all dumpy stations in really bad neighborhoods in the 80s. I've seen photos during their last years of service and they looked like something out of Beruit. It's not surprising they were low ridership.

Spring Garden in the 80s was also a desolate area. Perhaps not much better today. Girard Avenue on the other hand is on a rebound. And while the subway is close by, it sure would be convenient for those who need to hit UCity, Trenton, Airport, etc, to get a one seat ride after hopping off the 15. It makes sense since it has direct cross service with a CTD route. If you're looking at CTD as competition, you're looking at it the wrong way. Regional rail is complimentary to CTD. It's a pain in the neck on east Girard trying to get a train. Hop the 15, transfer to the El or BSS, then walk to the station. It works, but when you're heading to Glenside or Langhorne, it's frustrating to have to waste 30 minutes to go into town, only to go out again a few blocks next to the path you were just on.

If SEPTA were to provide better transit connections to Temple, that would be a great alternative. Move the 3 bus over a few blocks, or start some kind of circular route that hits Front & Girard.

If Allegheny had better accommodations and service, ridership could go up. Conversely, close Allegheny where it is and build a new station slightly northeast that served both the Norristown line and Chestnut Hill line. Kill 2 birds with 1 stone.

Why not just take the 47 to Temple (ok, 2 blocks from Temple)? One seat ride from 8th and Girard.

bikentransit wrote:Let's remember Logan, Nicetown, Tioga and Spring Garden were all dumpy stations in really bad neighborhoods in the 80s. I've seen photos during their last years of service and they looked like something out of Beruit. It's not surprising they were low ridership.

Spring Garden in the 80s was also a desolate area. Perhaps not much better today. Girard Avenue on the other hand is on a rebound. And while the subway is close by, it sure would be convenient for those who need to hit UCity, Trenton, Airport, etc, to get a one seat ride after hopping off the 15. It makes sense since it has direct cross service with a CTD route. If you're looking at CTD as competition, you're looking at it the wrong way. Regional rail is complimentary to CTD. It's a pain in the neck on east Girard trying to get a train. Hop the 15, transfer to the El or BSS, then walk to the station. It works, but when you're heading to Glenside or Langhorne, it's frustrating to have to waste 30 minutes to go into town, only to go out again a few blocks next to the path you were just on.

If SEPTA were to provide better transit connections to Temple, that would be a great alternative. Move the 3 bus over a few blocks, or start some kind of circular route that hits Front & Girard.

If Allegheny had better accommodations and service, ridership could go up. Conversely, close Allegheny where it is and build a new station slightly northeast that served both the Norristown line and Chestnut Hill line. Kill 2 birds with 1 stone.

but how frustrating would it be to be on your way to work from the suburbs in the morning and have yet another stop just before you reach your destination? you have to remember, regional rail exists to get people from out of the city in to the city, transit division exists to get people around inside said city. the only thing reopening all the old stations that used to exist inside the city limits on regional rail would accomplish is to chase away riders. people won't pay regional rail fare when they can pay ( or not pay) bus or subway fare which is a lot cheaper.

trackwelder wrote:only thing reopening all the old stations that used to exist inside the city limits on regional rail would accomplish is to chase away riders. people won't pay regional rail fare when they can pay ( or not pay) bus or subway fare which is a lot cheaper.

Regional Rail passes (TrailPasses) include city transit and the city transit pass offers unlimited travel "anywhere" on weekends and selected holidays. MBTA zoned commuter passes also include local bus and subway. However MNCR or LIRR passes do not include NYCT bus/subway (although passes can be ordered as a joint combination ticket at extra charge with MetroCard on reverse).

R36 Combine Coach wrote:[ MBTA zoned commuter passes also include local bus and subway. However MNCR or LIRR passes do not include NYCT bus/subway (although passes can be ordered as a joint combination ticket at extra charge with MetroCard on reverse).

And this has what to do with SEPTA?