Which closed Septa Station should be reopened?

Never going to happen, but Shawmont, just so we can continue its living age.

I wouldn't expect a 52nd Street station to be attracting white collar workers--its primary market (as someone mentioned earlier) is West Philadelphia residents going to jobs on the outer Main Line. The area around there is revitalizing, though not gentrifying. There are some new retailers there, and a growing industrial park to the north along Parkside, which would be adjacent to the station. The latter has been enough of a success that several bus routes have been relocated to serve it, but most of the travel to and from there is from the immediate neighborhood. The bus routes can feed reverse commute riders to the train though.

glennk419 wrote:Bryn Athyn, Woodmont, Southampton, Churchville, Holland, Village Shires, Newtown.

Hatfield, Souderton, Telford, Sellersville, Perkasie, Quakertown, Shelly.

Sorry, I couldnt't resist.

Schuylkill Haven, or nothing!

tgolanos wrote:

glennk419 wrote:Bryn Athyn, Woodmont, Southampton, Churchville, Holland, Village Shires, Newtown.

Hatfield, Souderton, Telford, Sellersville, Perkasie, Quakertown, Shelly.

Sorry, I couldnt't resist.

You forgot Walnut Hill. You know how much they've been clamoring for a train...

Believe it or not, I know of two households on Moredon Rd. that would welcome a return of service there.

I'll put my two cents in for Rockledge. Granted it was gone ages before SEPTA, but it's a realistic distance and we don't have to worry about replacing that culvert. ADA compliance would be a nightmare though.

limejuice wrote:Believe it or not, I know of two households on Moredon Rd. that would welcome a return of service there.

I'll put my two cents in for Rockledge. Granted it was gone ages before SEPTA, but it's a realistic distance and we don't have to worry about replacing that culvert. ADA compliance would be a nightmare though.

All cynicism aside, I also know a few people in that part of Abington, including up to Shady Lane and Pine Road in Rockledge, who would absolutely take the train. Unfortunately, any reactivation will require strong-willed county and local commissioners, as well as a good GM, to remind the NIMBYs that the trail isn't their own personal property.

I'll also say I've thought of the possibility of re-opening a Rockledge station instead of Walnut Hill. Possibly a better candidate because Rockledge is more populated than the area around Walnut Hill. Easier to access, too, I would bet. Unfortunately, one of Rockledge's commissioners is just as opposed to the train as Bobby Wachter in Abington...

I do wonder if opening a station in Rockledge would help clear up that traffic nightmare on Huntington Pike through the borough.

Matthew Mitchell wrote:I wouldn't expect a 52nd Street station to be attracting white collar workers--its primary market (as someone mentioned earlier) is West Philadelphia residents going to jobs on the outer Main Line. The area around there is revitalizing, though not gentrifying. There are some new retailers there, and a growing industrial park to the north along Parkside, which would be adjacent to the station. The latter has been enough of a success that several bus routes have been relocated to serve it, but most of the travel to and from there is from the immediate neighborhood. The bus routes can feed reverse commute riders to the train though.

you must not have read what I wrote. yeah, it's not "gentrifying" now, but given the housing stock, and the addition of a train station and renovated park, the obvious goal would be to move parkside's demographics upmarket a bit. a growing industrial park? ha! unless you mean an old industrial building leased to a jazz club and charter school. and let's face it, there isn't a worse place for an industrial park than on parkside avenue across from a park. this is a mixed income neighborhood that has trended down for decades but one would be foolish to assume that past trends define future trends. there are some signs of revitalization (gentrification is another term entirely) already but they are weak and need someone to fan the flames. this is why the city needs it's own plan, for better or worse, since DVARP is so suburban minded.

Tritransit Area wrote:I do wonder if opening a station in Rockledge would help clear up that traffic nightmare on Huntington Pike through the borough.

It all depends on which quadrant of the railroad-Shady Lane intersection the "Rockledge" station would be built. The old northwest-quadrant site, where the rail-trail starts, is surrounded by Abington Township development and not easily accessible to either Shady Lane or Huntingdon Pike. The residents would not want outsiders traipsing through to a station that could not have much parking, anyway. In the northeast quadrant is a Montgomery County park, off limits. Similarly, the southwest quadrant is Rockledge Park, with no space for parking either.

What's in the southeast quadrant? Apparently, it is a large institutional property of some kind located basically at track level above Shady Lane and the brook; its availability is unknown. Its potential access from Shady Lane or Pine Road would seem to favor a likely Far Northeast ridership base.

Located less than a mile north of Fox Chase station, it would be a supplement for that overcrowded terminal. As noted, only track, catenary, station, and parking would be needed, no bridge across the creek gap.

However, getting traffic off Huntingdon Pike would require a station or stations farther out than Rockledge or Walnut Hill, or even Bryn Athyn. Let's start the consideration with the Woodmont/Byberry Road crossing area.

Shawmont. Its closure made it very difficult for those in the vicinity of the station to use public transport. The logical option of using Miquon won't work as River Road was blocked off per an agreement between the City and Montco/Whitemarsh officials. Down the line at Ivy Ridge, while there is parking, getting there in the Winter can be treacherous. This also resulted, I believe, in this are becoming unserved per Septa's definition of being served by any means of public transport.

How does one access Shawmont Station? It seems to serve such a nice little Riverside Community. Does that road hit Ridge Pike at all?

Tritransit Area wrote:How does one access Shawmont Station? It seems to serve such a nice little Riverside Community. Does that road hit Ridge Pike at all?

Shawmont Avenue crosses Ridge Avenue north of the Roxborough business district as you head toward Andorra. If you follow the road down the hill toward the river, bear to the right at the split before reaching Umbria Street and it will lead you under the ex-PRR ROW bridge and directly to the crossing and station. An alternate route is Port Royal Avenue which joins Nixon Road just north of the station. As stated above, there is no longer access from further north and Miquon.

The line from Sellersville to Philadelphia would be amazing, people around here commute to Doylestown or the city almost daily, I know I would like to be able to take a train and bike instead of a car to work, all the towns on that line have quite a substantial amount of commuters.

While not a Septa station (or station in this case), how viable would a restoration of passenger service on the Bustleton Branch be? Granted many former station locations have been obliterated and the branch no longer crosses Roosevelt Boulevard, but the population of Northeast Philadelphia is certainly much larger than when there was last passenger service on the line.

BoxallsAccommodation wrote:While not a Septa station (or station in this case), how viable would a restoration of passenger service on the Bustleton Branch be? Granted many former station locations have been obliterated and the branch no longer crosses Roosevelt Boulevard, but the population of Northeast Philadelphia is certainly much larger than when there was last passenger service on the line.

I always thought, in the grand futuristic dreamland, it would function as a dinky route. Shuttles from Bustleton/Grant Ave to Holmesburg Junction.

scotty269 wrote:I always thought, in the grand futuristic dreamland, it would function as a dinky route. Shuttles from Bustleton/Grant Ave to Holmesburg Junction.

I had the same thought too but perhaps running through trains during peak hours.