Which abandoned Septa line would you want back?

Pacobell73 wrote:All of the lines cut under SEPTA's tenure should be restored from the city out:

1) Fox Chase-Newtown, first and foremost
2) Elwyn-West Chester
3) Cynwyd-Ivy Ridge
4) Thorndale-Atglen

Then:
5) Norristown-Pottstown
6) Lansdale-Quakertown

Finally:
7) Pottstown-Reading-Pottsville
8) Quakertown-Bethlehem/Allentown

9) New Hope?

I guess these pre-dates SEPTA, but I'd love to have the Liberty Bell over the P&W and beyond back...although it would probably take 5 hours just to get to Allentown.

Tritransit Area wrote:I guess these pre-dates SEPTA, but I'd love to have the Liberty Bell over the P&W and beyond back...although it would probably take 5 hours just to get to Allentown.

Lehigh Valley Transit's hourly limiteds used to make the Upper Darby--Allentown run in as little as 1:58. Yes, that far predates SEPTA.....LVT's Liberty Bell Route service quit in 1951; 60 years ago.

SilentCal wrote:9) New Hope?

Just as an FYI to the forum, the upper half of the New Hope Branch was sold in 1966 by the Reading Company. That transaction had nothing to do with SEPTA.

Franklin Gowen wrote:

SilentCal wrote:9) New Hope?

Just as an FYI to the forum, the upper half of the New Hope Branch was sold in 1966 by the Reading Company. That transaction had nothing to do with SEPTA.

Ah, well. It would be nice to take the train there, anyway.

that would be kinda cool. how's this for a fantasy, then? subsidize a 6 times daily run by nh&i new hope to warminster on the weekends, with #40 doing the work on the weekends.

First
1)Bethlehem/Allentown
2) West Chester
3) Pottstown-Reading-Pottsville
.....(distance 4th and 5th)
4)Cynwyd-Ivy Ridge
5) Fox Chase-Newtown

SilentCal wrote:

Franklin Gowen wrote: Just as an FYI to the forum, the upper half of the New Hope Branch was sold in 1966 by the Reading Company. That transaction had nothing to do with SEPTA.

Ah, well. It would be nice to take the train there, anyway.

I'll happily agree with that, though it's slow. As of 1957, track speed north of Hatboro was only 25mph.

Franklin Gowen wrote:

SilentCal wrote:

Franklin Gowen wrote: Just as an FYI to the forum, the upper half of the New Hope Branch was sold in 1966 by the Reading Company. That transaction had nothing to do with SEPTA.

Ah, well. It would be nice to take the train there, anyway.

I'll happily agree with that, though it's slow. As of 1957, track speed north of Hatboro was only 25mph.

There would only be what, 4 new stations between Warminster and New Hope? (Ivyland, Wycombe, maybe a station at Durham Road/Traffic Route 413 and New Hope). $10 New Hope would oppose.

Roadgeek Adam wrote:There would only be what, 4 new stations between Warminster and New Hope? (Ivyland, Wycombe, maybe a station at Durham Road/Traffic Route 413 and New Hope). $10 New Hope would oppose.

Heck, New Hope's gonna have to get in line to screech and complain, because I bet that at least half of all the cultured and well-to-do McMansion owners in Buckingham and Solebury Townships would oppose!

Anyhow, getting back on topic.....my top choice concerning resurrecting a former SEPTA branch from the dead? Quakertown-Bethlehem.

Franklin Gowen wrote:

Tritransit Area wrote:I guess these pre-dates SEPTA, but I'd love to have the Liberty Bell over the P&W and beyond back...although it would probably take 5 hours just to get to Allentown.

Lehigh Valley Transit's hourly limiteds used to make the Upper Darby--Allentown run in as little as 1:58. Yes, that far predates SEPTA.....LVT's Liberty Bell Route service quit in 1951; 60 years ago.

Elaped travel time between 69th Street & Allentown wouldn't be as big a problem as would be the certain opposition of Norristown authorities to rebuilding the bridge over Main Street and the Swede Street incline that carried the tracks from the elevated structure to ground level at that location. When LVT quit, P&W entertained the idea of taking over and operating some of that trackage, north of Norristown, possibly as far as Lansdale, but Norristown Officials would have no part of retaining the bridge.After 60 years, there is no way that Norristown would ever agree to have that bridge, or street trackage restored.

BuddCar711 wrote:Wouldn't that make things confusing having 2 stations named "Newark" (especially that would also be a teminus)?

SEPTA, which evidently doesn't care whether station names reflect their location if enough money is waved at them, could sell naming rights to the Delaware station to Dupont. Problem solved!

For those of you who propose SEPTA runs to Newark, NJ: halt. The odds that CSX would let one of the tracks on their busy freight line be tied up by electric commuter trains between TRENT and CP-BOUND BROOK is laughable, to say the least. CSX avoids passenger trains like the plague. Also, once they get to Bound Brook, and onto NJT? Same thing. Plus, you have Conrail in the mix once Aldene is reached. They also would not be fond of cantenary. So, what do you propose SEPTA does then?

CNJGeep wrote:For those of you who propose SEPTA runs to Newark, NJ: halt. The odds that CSX would let one of the tracks on their busy freight line be tied up by electric commuter trains between TRENT and CP-BOUND BROOK is laughable, to say the least. CSX avoids passenger trains like the plague. Also, once they get to Bound Brook, and onto NJT? Same thing. Plus, you have Conrail in the mix once Aldene is reached. They also would not be fond of cantenary. So, what do you propose SEPTA does then?

Why would CR not like catenary? Doublestacks can clear catenary.

I hear that Rotem is going to build Dual-Mode Locos like the ones NJT is buying once the SLV contract is complete.

Of course, trains may be levitating by then......