SEPTA Lansdale station added to National Register of Historic Places

A local SEPTA station is now recognized as part of a National Park Service index.

Lansdale Station in Montgomery County was one of just nine properties chosen to be added to the National Register of Historic Places.


Lansdale Historical Society began its effort to place the station on the list more than two years ago, a process which involved extensive documentation of the building's history and explanation of its importance to the community.

Would this prevent any possible future upgrades to the station?

No, but it can make it harder to do. Expansions and remodeling are allowed as long as they conform to the historic nature of the station. Frequently what you would see in MNRR territory where there were historic stations that needed a high platform is that they would create a new platform further from the historic station. The station itself gets preserved, but may only end up acting as the waiting room.

alewifebp wrote: ↑Mon Sep 05, 2022 11:55 pm Frequently what you would see in MNRR territory where there were historic stations that needed a high platform is that they would create a new platform further from the historic station. The station itself gets preserved, but may only end up acting as the waiting room.

When New Canaan was rebuilt to high level the station remained, with the floor raised to meet the high level
platform. The new station is at grade level with the street and is full ADA.

When NJT did ADA upgrades to the elevated Lackawanna stations on the M&E line (Morristown, Madison, South
Orange, East Orange), mini highs were added at the east end, as full high platforms might have compromised the
integrity of the historic viaducts.

ZS and Everyone:
The Lansdale Station Building was constructed by the Philadelphia and Reading Railway and opened in 1902.
Note "P&R Ry. Co. 1902" above the south end of the building facing West Main Street near the roofline...

The Borough of Lansdale has sought to get some sort of landmark status for the building which is now owned
by SEPTA for a number of years along with interested groups such as the LHS that has finally been granted...

Lansdale Station was extensively renovated by SEPTA in the late 1990s/early 2000s - the building exterior was
cleaned along with the stone work and a new roof was installed on the building and the Plug Track canopy.

The interior waiting room which is in the south half of the building was modified with improved lighting, an
updated SEPTA ticket office and space for a concession - for a few years there was a breakfast/lunch cafe in
the south end of the waiting room that in recent years has become vacant. The building heating system and
the waiting room floor was changed removing two stand-up circular heating coils/grids and some inlaid tile
that were on the perimeter of the waiting room floor were not retained during the renovation process.

The north end of the Lansdale Station Building contains offices and crew facilities for SEPTA, CSX and PNRR.
During the renovation all of the concrete platforms and walkways outside the building were updated.

There may be a problem if SEPTA decides to install high-level platforms at Lansdale with the canopy that is
over the Plug Track...with the track layout on the west side of the building constructing a new high-level
platform with sufficient length of 4-6 cars north of this canopy would not be possible. Building a new high
island platform may solve this problem by shifting the three tracks or removing one track on the W side.
Leaving the Plug Track platform low as it always has been can solve what may be an expensive problem.

Lansdale Station has always been a personal favorite of mine...I first visited Lansdale in 1980 and lived
there for a few years during the 1990s remembering as example the station renovation project - which
was sorely needed for a building that was then approaching 100 years old...The project was completed
by 2002 in time for the 100th Anniversary of the building's opening...It took 20 added years for Lansdale
Station's building to finally get the historical designation that it rightfully deserves...MACTRAXX

A recent video (by "Retired Railfan" on YouTube) shows a train from Doylestown curving around the north side of the station and platforming on the west side where trains from Bethlehem used to stop (is that the plug track?) instead of on the branch. When was that change made?

EC90 - The change to have the option running southbound through the Plug Track was instituted along with
the Lansdale Station renovation project from the Doylestown Branch. Northbound trains to Doylestown and
trains going to the MU yard enter at the official beginning of the 10 mile Doylestown Branch at Dale...
MACTRAXX

I'd like to see this designation move down the line to Doylestown.