When was SEPTA Wilmington/Newark service started

When did SEPTA start running trains into delaware?

Inherited from PRR commuter service, passed onto SEPTA and PC. If you want to be technical, SEPTA Rail Division operations began 1/1/83.

SEPTA was not running to Delaware when I moved here in late 1986. Maybe it had run earlier as Pennsylvania Railroad, Conrail, or even SEPTA, but if it had, it had been stopped by late 1986. Also, it had not yet started (or resumed) by the timeframe of March-April 1988, when I had to commute to Wilmington for four weeks. However, I believe it started to Wilmington not long after that, with Newark added later and the two intermediate stations whose names start with C coming even later.

All of SEPTA's Wilmington & Newark service (then still contracted to Conrail) was cut back to Marcus Hook, concurrent with the same 1981 funding crisis that also annihilated the Reading-side diesel services.

SEPTA resumed service past Marcus Hook in January 1989. This included stops at Claymont and Wilmington.

SEPTA resumed service past Wilmington in September 1997. This included stops at Churchman's Crossing and Newark.

Franklin, this is off topic, but you started it. I don't believe there was just one reason why SEPTA annihilated Reading side diesel service. I don't remember exactly when, but I'm pretty sure it was AFTER 1981. !984, around when the center city commuter tunnel opened sounds more likely to me.

Patrick Boylan wrote:I don't believe there was just one reason why SEPTA annihilated Reading side diesel service. I don't remember exactly when, but I'm pretty sure it was AFTER 1981. !984, around when the center city commuter tunnel opened sounds more likely to me.

The Commuter Rail Tunnel, Market East, and Suburban Station were never designed for diesel service.

The issues include (at least) removal of diesel exhaust and increased ventilation to compensate. That would make both stations in the tunnel uncomfortable because of the accelerated ejection of cooled air in the summer and warm air in the winter.

Back towards the topic... this thread makes me wish my copy of Trains, Trolleys and Transit by Gerry Williams were close at hand. Or did Mr. Gowen glean his info about SEPTA Delaware service from said book?

Also close to the topic, I remember growing up in Boothwyn, PA and bicycling down to the shack that was the Claymont station (and the shack that was the Naaman station where Philadelphia Pike [U.S. 13] dives under the NEC) in the late '70s (not to catch a train, just to sightsee).

When was service to Naaman and Edgemoor discontinued?

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