Chestnut Hill East Line


The Chestnut Hill East Line is a route of the SEPTA Regional Rail system. The route serves the northwestern section of Philadelphia with service to Germantown, Mount Airy, and Chestnut Hill. It is one of two lines that serve Chestnut Hill, the other one being the Chestnut Hill West Line. The line is fully grade-separated.

History

The Chestnut Hill East Line uses the Reading Company right-of-way, which was originally constructed by the Philadelphia, Germantown, and Norristown railroad before the American Civil War. The PG&N intended to build a railroad from Philadelphia to Norristown but stopped when construction reached Germantown due to the hilly nature of the terrain west of Germantown and along the Wissahickon Creek, which they would have had to cross to reach Norristown. The PG&N decided to change course and build another railroad line close to the Schuylkill River. This line would become SEPTA's Manayunk/Norristown Line. The original railroad line that ended in Germantown was then extended north with a sharp right hand turn and then northwest to its present terminus in Chestnut Hill.
The Chestnut Hill Railroad Company was incorporated in Pennsylvania on July 11, 1851 to own the railroad planned for Chestnut Hill. An eastern and western route were surveyed to Chestnut Hill in 1848 by William E. Morris, and the eastern route was chosen for the line. The railroad was opened to traffic on December 1, 1854. It was operated by the Philadelphia, Germantown and Norristown Railroad Company from December 1, 1854 until November 30, 1870, under a lease dated March 17, 1852. By agreement dated November 10, 1870, the lease was assigned by the PG&N to The Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Company. By indenture dated November 30, 1870, a new lease was made by the Chestnut Hill Railroad Company to The Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Company for 999 years from December 1, 1870. The obligation of The Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Company was assumed by the Philadelphia and Reading Railway Company on December 1, 1896, and the lease was amended in certain respects by Agreement dated January 27, 1897.
The Reading RR station building from the late 1800s, of stone construction, was located on the east side of the Bethlehem Pike, slightly north of its intersection with East Chestnut Hill Avenue. The station had two platforms serving three short tracks, long enough for three passenger coaches. Adjacent to the station on its north side was a small, five-stall roundhouse with its back wall facing the Bethlehem Pike. There was also a short turntable and water tank to service the small steam locomotives used in that era. The double-track line from downtown Philadelphia approached the Chestnut Hill Terminal through a cut, passing under East Summit Avenue then turning left into the terminal. Six photographs of the old buildings and a track plan were published in the book MODEL TAILROADS by Edwin P. Alexander, originally published in 1940 by W. W. Norton & Company of New York. All the buildings were demolished circa 1932 prior to the electrification of the Chestnut Hill Branch Line.
The line was elevated in 1930. Electrified service to Chestnut Hill was opened on February 5, 1933. By order dated March 23, 1940, in Finance Docket No. 12749, the Interstate Commerce Commission authorized Reading Company to acquire control of the Chestnut Hill Railroad Company by purchase of additional shares of capital stock. On December 31, 1948, the Chestnut Hill Railroad Company was merged into Reading Company. The line continued to be operated as part of the Reading Company's passenger lines up until April 1, 1976, when the Reading's passenger lines were conveyed to SEPTA as part of the company's bankruptcy reorganization.
Until 1984 Chestnut Hill East trains used the Reading Viaduct to reach Spring Garden Street and the Reading Terminal; this ended with the opening of the Center City Commuter Connection which routed the trains through the city center and on the ex-Pennsylvania Railroad part of the system. From this point the route was designated R7 Chestnut Hill East as part of SEPTA's diametrical reorganization of its lines; trains continued on to the Trenton Line. The R-number naming system was dropped on July 25, 2010., most Chestnut Hill East Line trains continue through Center City to the Trenton Line.
SEPTA activated positive train control on the Chestnut Hill East Line on July 25, 2016.
On April 9, 2020, service on the line was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, though and stations were still being served by other rail services. Service resumed on June 28, 2020.

Stations

The Chestnut Hill East line makes the following station stops after leaving the Center City Commuter Connection; stations indicated with a gray background are closed.
ZoneLocationStationMiles
from Center City		Connections / notes
CTemple University SEPTA Regional Rail: all lines
CNicetown–Tioga, Philadelphia---
CNicetown–Tioga, PhiladelphiaClosed 1989
CNicetown–Tioga, PhiladelphiaClosed November 14, 1988 due to fire damage
1Nicetown–Tioga, Philadelphia SEPTA Regional Rail: Fox Chase, Lansdale/Doylestown, Warminster, and West Trenton lines
SEPTA City Bus:
1Wister, Philadelphia---
1Wister, PhiladelphiaClosed October 4, 1992
1Wister, PhiladelphiaSEPTA City Bus:
1East Germantown, Philadelphia---
1East Germantown, PhiladelphiaWingohocking
1East Germantown, PhiladelphiaSEPTA City Bus:
2East Germantown, Philadelphia
2East Germantown, PhiladelphiaSEPTA City Bus:
2East Mount AirySEPTA City Bus:
2East Mount AiryGorgas
2East Mount AirySEPTA City Bus:
2East Mount Airy
2Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia---
2Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia
2Chestnut Hill, PhiladelphiaSEPTA City Bus:
2Chestnut Hill, PhiladelphiaSEPTA City Bus:
2Chestnut Hill, PhiladelphiaSEPTA City Bus:
SEPTA Suburban Bus:
Chestnut Hill West station is two blocks west.

Ridership

Yearly ridership on the Chestnut Hill East Line between FY 2008–FY 2018 has remained steady around 1.5–1.6 million, save for dips in FY 2011 and FY 2018: