Old NHSL Norristown Terminal

[jackintosh11]

Does anyone have pictures of the old norristown high speed line terminal? Why did they replace it?

[CarterB]

They just two tracked it and moved entrance a bit further south.
became the High Speed line and bus terminal.
Photo of old terminal here http://ktransit.com/transit/NAmerica/us ... istown.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[JeffK]

After LVT shut down and its tracks were removed, the P&W "terminal" was a single-track stub stranded in mid-air above a store. There were no amenities, just a stairway to street level. I recall it as being pretty primitive.

Cutting the line back by 2 blocks as part of the NTC allowed a direct pedestrian connection to the RRD station, plus the second track provides storage for cars that would otherwise have to deadhead to 69th Street.

[Patrick Boylan]

And the new station has such amenities as a locked restroom.

[ExCon90]

That's to keep it clean; if they let people use it it might get dirty, and who likes a dirty restroom?

[Patrick Boylan]

then they should have windows so the people who need to use the rest room can at least see how clean it is.
I do have to be honest, I haven't been to Norristown very often, those few times have been on weekends, and I have not needed to use the restroom, but none of the several times I've checked has the restroom been unlocked.

[ExCon90]

Then they'd have to pay someone to clean the window ... (actually, I think I saw a sign at one time saying that the key could be obtained from the agent in the ticket office, but of course that only works when the office is open -- I don't know whether it's one of those that close at noon).

[jackintosh11]

Who wants to use a bathroom with windows?

[Tritransit Area]

Recently the rest room (upstairs) has been unlocked though. I remember the last time I used it a year or 2 ago I marveled at the fact that it was actually open after being locked for some years. Too bad it is only a 1 person bathroom, though.

Speaking of the old terminal and structure, in the sidewalk, there are markers that note where each support pillar for the old "El" structure was placed within Norristown. I think only 2 remain, though.

Has anyone seen any construction work going on at Norristown Transportation Center with the installation of gates? The work at 69th Street is astounding and I wonder if something similar is being done at Norristown.

[SCB2525]

Does anyone have any idea of how late the ramp to the LVT existed?

I recall reading on the forum that Red Arrow considered purchasing the route as far as Lansdale after its abrupt discontinuance. Seeing how blessed the western suburbs are with the 100, 101 and 102, I really wish that came to pass.

[Patrick Boylan]

According to my memory of Ron Degraw's The Red Arrow, the ramp to the LVT existed until LVT service stopped in 1952
They could have removed it when LVT cut back to Norristown in 1948 if they wanted to.
Unless there was any freight business left I don't see why they needed any physical connection between the 69th St to Norristown and Norristown to Allentown lines.

[SCB2525]

According to my memory of Ron Degraw's The Red Arrow, the ramp to the LVT existed until LVT service stopped in 1952
They could have removed it when LVT cut back to Norristown in 1948 if they wanted to.
Unless there was any freight business left I don't see why they needed any physical connection between the 69th St to Norristown and Norristown to Allentown lines.

I know they stopped through-service in '48 but LVT didn't use Red Arrrow's Norristown terminal to allow transfers? If not, where was LVT's southernmost terminus after '48?

[Patrick Boylan]

Darn you. Couldn't you just believe what I said and shut up
You're right, now that I think of it, either my dim memory of the book, or discussing with my older and more knowing brother, I think LVT probably pulled into the elevated Norristown station for a same platform transfer after 1948. So please ignore previous message.

[JeffK]

Patrick, SCB: Passenger service between Allentown and Upper Darby was cut back to Norristown in 1949, but freight motors continued to run into 69th Street after that. Passenger service abruptly ended in September 1951 when the PUC gave permission for a "trial" suspension of service with replacement by buses (where have we heard that before??). Crews were sent out almost immediately to remove rails and wires, handing the PUC a fait accompli dooming resumption of interurban service. Some local routes in the A-B-E region continued until 1952 which could account for references to 2 different years.

And yes, cars did pull into the same elevated terminal for transfers. Because it was all single-tracked, any single-ended cars had to be reversed to a loop track at Markley and Airy Streets as shown in this map posted on the Philadelphia Trolley Tracks site. It must have been real inconvenient for the operators!

[HGN2001]

P&WAllentownContinuationBW.JPG

An old black & white picture I've found of the connection to street level from the Norristown terminal. Must have been taken in the 40s or very early 50s.

Harry