Atlantic City & North Broad Street Train Stations

In the late 1940's and early 1950's, as a very young kid, I made many trips with my Grandmother from Atlantic City to/from Philadelphia. I remember watching the steam engines behind the Atlantic City Train Station on Arkansas Ave and distinctly remember features of the A/C station terminal and Broad Street elevated platform. I remember the exhaust gasses from the engine frequently blowing by the passanger car windows sometimes making it difficult to see out. I also have memories of the industrial landscape surrounding the rail line just outside Philadelphia including, what I then assumed to be "Hobos", huddled over burning barrels by the tracks. I have many memories of these trips.

Are there any references to pictures of the Atlantic City and North Broad Street stations including both the terminals and associated rail yards? It would be very pleasant to see these pictures and bring back almost sixty year old memories.

I have an idea that you are not remembering the Reading's North Broad St. Station at Huntingdon St., but rather the PRR's Broad St. Station, next to City Hall, used by P-RSL trains. The reference to "Broad Street elevated platform" is a confusing. 30th St. and North Philadelphia, the next 2 stops, had high level platforms. I think that Camden's Broadway Station, above the P.T.C. subway station, had high level, coach height, platforms. Broad St. Station had low level platforms, and the whole station was elevated above the streets. If you rode a subway train across the outside of the Ben Franklin Bridge, you went to Broadway Station. If you took a ferry boat to Camden, I forget what the platforms were, but Broadway would have been the 1st stop after the train left the Camden terminal.
The "Atlantic City Railroad" book has information about the Reading's station at Arkansas and Atlantic Aves., which you used between 1934 and 1963.

Thanks for the reply. I am familiar with the PRR Broad Street station adjacent to City Hall and the associated Chinese Wall but this is not what I am referring to. I lived in Center City for seven years (circa early 1970's) and had a great view from a tenth floor window at 22nd & the Parkway of some of the right of way into Suburban Station. I used to periodically see the old and beautiful GG1's a few years before they were retired.

The "North Broad Street" station I am referring to was an elevated mutitrack platform that crossed over Broad Street. I just called my Dad and he said it was called the "North Philadelphia Station" and was (is?) located at Broad & Lehigh. I have confidence in the accuracy of his memory as he was very familiar with this area when he attended Dental School at Temple Univ. just before the WWII. I just took a look at MS Streets & Trips and there is a track indicated crossing at this intersection. It also seems to be in the approximately correct area based on my memories of a relatively short drive north on Broad after leaving the station to head towards our relative's home on Wyoming Ave.

Do you have a reference such as an ISDN number or author for the "Atlantic City Railroad" book? If so, it would be much appreciated.

Thanks again for your response.

P-RSL trains stopped at the PRR's high level platform North Philadelphia station at Glenwood Ave., Broad and Cambia Streets, 18 blocks South of Wyoming Ave., 2 blocks North of Lehigh Ave., and 3 blocks North of the Reading's North Broad St. Station at Broad and Huntingdon Sts. The tracks under the intersection of Broad St. and Lehigh Ave. are the Reading, the PRR is at right angles to them, and crosses Broad St. just North of Glenwood Ave. and Cambria St. Your train next stopped at Frankford Jct., then crossed the Delair Bridge to New Jersey.

AC RR book only had a L/C #, no ISBN. Authors W.George Cook and Wm Coxey.

RhoXS:Another good reference which may help you is:"The Trains to America's Playground"by Wm.J.Coxey,Frank Kozemple & James Kranfield".This is a 48 page soft cover,1988 publicationof the West Jersey Chapter of the National Railway Historical Soceity.It is well illustrated with many B&W photos including Phila.'s Broad st., N.Phila. stations and the former,i.e.,pre- NJT,AC station.
VJH

Thanks for the references.

clamdigger wrote:RhoXS:Another good reference which may help you is:"The Trains to America's Playground"by Wm.J.Coxey,Frank Kozemple & James Kranfield".This is a 48 page soft cover,1988 publicationof the West Jersey Chapter of the National Railway Historical Soceity.It is well illustrated with many B&W photos including Phila.'s Broad st., N.Phila. stations and the former,i.e.,pre- NJT,AC station.
VJH

http://www.nelliebly.com/westjersey/wjbooks.htm