SEPTA Train Numbering

Being from the NYC area, I don't really understand SEPTA's train numbering system. As an example on the Wilmington Line, weekday train 9229 goes from Center City to Wilmington and then "spins" in the station and returns to Center City as Train 238. The return trip used to be called 9238 but was changed a while back. What is the meaning of the 9 being there or not? It seems like the same train to me.

when the train number starts with 9, it originates/ends at Roberts Yard, if the train number starts with 6 it originates/ends at Poweltown Yard
Usually PRR side trains start with 9 and the Reading side trains start with 6

Head-end View wrote:Being from the NYC area, I don't really understand SEPTA's train numbering system. As an example on the Wilmington Line, weekday train 9229 goes from Center City to Wilmington and then "spins" in the station and returns to Center City as Train 238. The return trip used to be called 9238 but was changed a while back. What is the meaning of the 9 being there or not? It seems like the same train to me.

Using this example:
9229 is a train which originates in Roberts Yard and operates to Wilmington.
238 is a train which originates in Wilmington and operates through to Norristown (The complimentary 2xx sequence on the Reading side)
9238 was a train which originated in Wilmington and operated to Roberts Yard.
As mentioned, 6XXX and 9XXX prefixes reference trains which originate or terminate at a yard in Center City, with 1XXX for trains ending at Suburban or Market East.
A four digit number not starting with 1, 6, or 9 indicates a train which starts on one line but does not operate through to the "complimentary" destination. (such as a train traveling from Wilmington to Warminster or CHE to CHW.)

CNJGeep wrote:

Head-end View wrote:Being from the NYC area, I don't really understand SEPTA's train numbering system. As an example on the Wilmington Line, weekday train 9229 goes from Center City to Wilmington and then "spins" in the station and returns to Center City as Train 238. The return trip used to be called 9238 but was changed a while back. What is the meaning of the 9 being there or not? It seems like the same train to me.

Using this example:
9229 is a train which originates in Roberts Yard and operates to Wilmington.
238 is a train which originates in Wilmington and operates through to Norristown (The complimentary 2xx sequence on the Reading side)
9238 was a train which originated in Wilmington and operated to Roberts Yard.
As mentioned, 6XXX and 9XXX prefixes reference trains which originate or terminate at a yard in Center City, with 1XXX for trains ending at Suburban or Market East.
A four digit number not starting with 1, 6, or 9 indicates a train which starts on one line but does not operate through to the "complimentary" destination. (such as a train traveling from Wilmington to Warminster or CHE to CHW.)

To elaborate on CNJGeep's post, here is the current route numberings:
2xx: Wilmington/Newark and Norristown
3xx: Media/Elwyn and West Trenton (Neshaminy Line)
4xx: Airport and Glenside/Warminster
5xx: Paoli/Thorndale and Lansdale/Doylestown
7xx: Trenton (NEC) and Chestnut Hill East
8xx: Chestnut HIll West and Fox Chase
10xx: Cynwyd

1xx and 6xx is not used by SEPTA in order to minimize conflicts with similarly numbered Amtrak Regionals and Keystone Service trains.

We have a topic for this: New Regional Rail Train Numbering System
The full scheme shown there still seems to be valid.

Thanks guys. I see that the train numbering actually corresponds to the "R" route numbers that were discontinued a while back. Now it all sort of makes sense.