Mystery RRs Near Wawa, Under I-83 Near DE Border, and KOP

Seen some lines in my recent travels, looking to know more if possible- thanks for any help guys-

Overpass over Rt. 1-, and paralleling a river South of Glen Riddle- Mapquest shows tracks there (PC!)- and I think I may have seen rails on the right of way, but doesn't look to be in service. History? Owners?

Branch that leaves ex RDG trackage in King of Prussia near Abrams yard- into industrial area. Looks like a new construction but alas heavily overgrown and a few crossing paved over.

Also another mystery RR passing under I-83 south of exit 4. Near Keeney. Rails and ties in- but no looking too pretty. History? Owners?

Thanks very much!

NYSW3614 wrote:Seen some lines in my recent travels, looking to know more if possible- thanks for any help guys-

Overpass over Rt. 1-, and paralleling a river South of Glen Riddle- Mapquest shows tracks there (PC!)- and I think I may have seen rails on the right of way, but doesn't look to be in service. History? Owners?

That could be one of two lines. Could be the ex-PRR now out of service SEPTA R3 West Chester Line. It is leased out to the borough of West Chester and subletted out to a local excusion RR called the West Chester RR. The line closed for revenue passenger service in 1986. The line is still in use for the most part by the WCRR and SEPTA movement to their Regional Rail training facility in Lenni Mills. SEPTA has been talking about bring the branch back Wawa but with SEPTA who knows.

Now this line could also be the ex-PRR Octoraro Branch to Kennett Square, Oxford, and the Maryland town namesake to the line. This line is very interesting as well. It branches off the aformention West Chester Line after Wawa station and heads west from there. After a wash out of the bridge over the Brandywine Creek (?) in the early 70s, the line was pretty much severed from the rest of the system. Local operations continue even today on the line through a local operator (I think it's either EPRY or M&H) and the line is own by SEPTA but they have been as of late trying to pawn it off on someone else.

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If south of Glen Riddle means south of the Hospital of the same name and south of Lima, PA then SEPTALRV9072 is right on the money.

The confusing thing is that you may be seeing two of the three different lines that converged just to the east of the overpass at Wawa where a station once proudly stood. The aforementioned West Chester route is the overpass, the lines that "parallel the river", (Chester Creek and the West Branch of Chester Creek), are more than likely the Octoraro Branch as mentioned. There was also a Chester Creek Branch that headed southward along the Chester Creek but it was torn up many moons ago.

An excellent sourse of info for these former PRR lines is the Philadelphia Chapter of the PRR Technical & Historical Society, PRRT&HS.

http://www.prrths.com/Phila_New_Index.htm

Many years ago they published several issues of their magazine, "The High Line" about all of these lines. Some may still be available as reprints directly from the chapter.

If you decide to check out the overpass look for the remains of the turntable pit which is just on the east side of the trestle over Route 1. Pretty cool!

Branch that leaves ex RDG trackage in King of Prussia near Abrams yard- into industrial area. Looks like a new construction but alas heavily overgrown and a few crossing paved over.

That would be the North Abrams Industrial track. It served the industries that were based in what is now the King of Prussia Business Park. It's not used, but I think it's part of the "Schuylkill Valley Metro" plan as a way to somehow connect to the mall.

SEPTALRV9072 wrote:

NYSW3614 wrote:
Now this line could also be the ex-PRR Octoraro Branch to Kennett Square, Oxford, and the Maryland town namesake to the line. This line is very interesting as well. It branches off the aformention West Chester Line after Wawa station and heads west from there. After a wash out of the bridge over the Brandywine Creek (?) in the early 70s, the line was pretty much severed from the rest of the system. Local operations continue even today on the line through a local operator (I think it's either EPRY or M&H) and the line is own by SEPTA but they have been as of late trying to pawn it off on someone else.

The EPRY or PRL, wich are almost the same railroad, Run the line now. SEPTA acctully sold the line to them sevral months ago for $30,000 ( if I remember right). But it still does see action about 2-3 times a week. Not a bad line to walk. I've done it at few spots.

The line you was underneith I-83 is the Stewartstown Railroad. It was a local shortline that used to connect to the Northern Central Railroad (latter the PRR) at New Freedom. I believe at least as of a few years ago there wtill was a kind of part time excursion railroad running on the branch but that has probobly folded like the dinner train that used to run on the old Northern Central tracks. The northern central Railroad is now single tracked through parts and a rail trail from york to ashland in Maryland. Some of the old stations along the line have been referbished. The junction still exists at new freedom with the stewartstown railroad.

Sean@Temple