Holmesburg Junction Branch

Can anyone tell me about the branch that extends from the North East Corridor from Holmesburg Junction? Where does it go?

This sounds like the old PRR Bustleton Branch. There was indeed a lot of good info on where it went, but I fear that all of that was destroyed when this new version of the site was created. I'm sorry that I can't help much with your request. Hopefully one of the original posters will see this thread and re-post.

That is indeed the Bustleton Branch (meaning the branch off the NEC which heads North East) - it continues to meander North East through Pennypack Park, then through some residental areas till it arrives in the neighborhood of Northeast Airport. One branch heads toward Grant and Roosevelt Blvd (the tracks used to continue on across Roosevelt Blvd at this point - it was cut back in the 1960s, and I'm not sure if the bakery off Grant Ave gets service nowadays). Another, more active, branch heads East across Grant Ave to service several large industries (I can only remember another large Bakery, but there was one or two other industries), and continues on East just South of Roosevelt Blvd, across Red Lion Rd to service a few more industries (mainly a steel fabrication plant - I've seen covered steel flats by the Red Lion Road crossing several times). After that, this branch heads East and continues on to a medium sized industrial park that lines Caroline Rd (not sure if any industries here use rail service - several buildings are capable of it, though) - and finally this branch terminates a little West of Comly Road.

That line is used just about every weekday. The train leaves Frankford Jct between 8and 10 Am and heads east ( North) to Holmsburg Tower where it may sit for a while to get clearence to cross the NEC. From there it goes to drill the industries up to Roosevelt Blvd returning between 2 and 4 PM. Good pix can be had from the Septa station across from the tower in the Am and on the tower side in the PM. Trains run on occasion on Saturdays but never on Sunday.

Has there ever been any talk of running passenger service on this branch, or something like a NJT Princeton shuttle to HOLME? Would it make any sense?[/img]

jfrey40535 wrote:Has there ever been any talk of running passenger service on this branch, or something like a NJT Princeton shuttle to HOLME? Would it make any sense?[/img]

Only on my past and future model layouts, where Septa runs this service much like Chestnut Hill...

Seriously, while it looks like a cool idea, I think buses probably are more efficent for that area (except, of course, the Roosevelt Blvd subway would be even better). While there is room for Park n' Rides at, say, the airport, suburban people might think it close enough to just keep driving into Center City, and people from the area probably use buses for Public Transport (is there a large ridership from Holmesburgs Junction into the City? - the parking lot there is quite small) - How about Ryers?

jfrey40535 wrote:Has there ever been any talk of running passenger service on this branch

Not since the 1970s.

BTW, there was at one time passenger service on the Bustleton Branch, but it ended early in 1926. Apparently the last 3 years of service used a gasoline railcar (I have found no pictures of this yet).

I'd sure like to see a picture of those gasoline railcars. I remember my grandfather had a map at one time that showed some of the stations on that line. I remember being a student at Swenson Skills Center and seeing a train cross Red Lion Road almost everyday. Now I hardly see any rail service up there. I think you could make a case for passenger rail service there since the bus routes there running east and west have such infrequent service like Route 19 on Grant Avenue.

The one thing I like about the Bustleton Branch is that it goes through the middle of the Northeast, which has really no rail service. I think the whole line is grade-seperated, too, except for the crossing at Grant Ave. I remember somewhere seeing a pic of the Bustleton station. Haven't been able to find too much info on this, though I believe it did cross what is now the Blvd where the power lines are, and terminated near the intersection of Welsh/Bustleton/Old Bustleton.

The problem with turning the Bustleton Branch into an active passenger railroad branch is the Boulevard Subway. The subway would parallel the branch the whole way, would be cheaper to ride, and is more needed. Not to mention the fact that I've heard people complain about the redundant service to Chestnut Hill, where the lines are at least .5 miles apart the entire way... this would be repeating that problem, only worse!

If the Bustleton Branch is considered a redundency, would it still be capable of attracting a large number of passengers, such as through building a park-n-ignore near Red Lion & the Blvd? I'm sure it would be much cheaper to build, although I'm sure NS would have some issues with it.

The Blvd. Subway already had park & rides planned (an interesting concept, IMUO -- the first important transit [not railroad] park & rides for SEPTA), so the Bustleton Branch wouldn't really be able to draw people away just on that possibility. If the trains could go farther, that might be different since you'd have other markets, but otherwise it would be doomed to fail next to its powerhouse neighbor.

At least three other grade crossings exist(ed).
One is on Ashton (i believe), and Red Lion Road near Swenson, opposite the old Penn Maid plant.
Blue Grass Road. (when it still crossed the Blvd)

Here's a picture of the Bustleton Station from Dan West's site.


If I recall correctly, from the "old railroad.net", it crossed the Blvd where the wires are now, on a deck girder bridge. Again, IIRC the station was were the tire place is on Bustleton just south of Grant.

It's on this map too.
Warning! Big download (1.5mb)

Nice old map. Does that line that merges w/ the Newtown Branch and runs through Feltonville still exist? Appears as though a connection could be made to have Newtown service go to the Pennsy side via R-7.