Norristown High Speed Line

The Norristown High Speed Line (NHSL, also called the Purple Line, the P&W, or the Route 100[4]) is a 13.4-mile (21.6 km)[3] interurban light rapid transit line operated by SEPTA, running between the 69th Street Transportation Center in Upper Darby and the Norristown Transportation Center in Norristown, Pennsylvania, United States. The rail line runs entirely on its own right-of-way, inherited from the original Philadelphia and Western Railroad line (still referred to by locals as the "old P&W" or as Route 100). In 2018, the Norristown High Speed Line had an average weekday ridership of over 10,000 passengers.[5]

Norristown High Speed Line
SEPTA N-5 train #144 of the Norristown High Speed Line as it enters the Gulph Mills station in Upper Merion, Pennsylvania.
Overview
Status	Operational
Locale	Delaware and Montgomery Counties, Pennsylvania
Termini	69th Street Transportation Center (south) Norristown Transportation Center (north)
Stations	22
Website	Norristown High Speed Line
Service
Type	Interurban/Light rapid transit
System	SEPTA Suburban Division
Services	Local Express (suspended) Limited (suspended)
Route number	100 (former)
Operator(s)	SEPTA
Rolling stock	26[1] ASEA (Asea Brown Boveri) Type N-5 MU
Daily ridership	10,895 (2018)[2]
History
Opened	1907
Technical
Line length	13.4 mi (21.6 km)[3]
Number of tracks	1–3
Character	Surface (grade separated)
Track gauge	4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Electrification	(?) V DC Third rail
Operating speed	55 mph (89 km/h)
Route map NOR to Norristown-Elm Street and Penn Medicine 13.4 mi 21.6 km Norristown T.C. Liberty Bell Line to Allentown Schuylkill River 12.8 mi 20.6 km Bridgeport 12.3 mi 19.8 km DeKalb Street I-276 / Penna Turnpike King of Prussia extension proposed Valley Forge Casino 1st Avenue Plaza Court Henderson Road Trenton Cutoff 11.0 mi 17.7 km Hughes Park 10.3 mi 16.6 km Gulph Mills I-76 (Schuylkill Expwy.) 9.4 mi 15.1 km Matsonford 8.6 mi 13.8 km County Line Keystone Corridor (Main Line) 7.9 mi 12.7 km Radnor I-476 US 30 PA 320 Strafford Branch to Strafford Strafford Lancaster Avenue Sugartown Avenue South Devon Avenue West Wayne Maplewood Road Wayne-St. Davids Ithan Radnor Willowburn 7.0 mi 11.3 km Villanova 6.8 mi 10.9 km Stadium–Ithan Avenue 6.4 mi 10.3 km Garrett Hill 5.9 mi 9.5 km Roberts Road 5.4 mi 8.7 km Bryn Mawr 4.5 mi 7.2 km Haverford 3.9 mi 6.3 km Ardmore Avenue 3.4 mi 5.5 km Ardmore Junction  103  to Ardmore 3.1 mi 5 km Wynnewood Road 2.5 mi 4 km Beechwood–Brookline 1.9 mi 3.1 km Penfield 1.4 mi 2.3 km Township Line Road 0.7 mi 1.1 km Parkview NHSL Maintenance Facility 0 mi 0 km 69th Street T.C.  101   102  to Media & Sharon Hill MFL to Frankford

The Norristown High Speed Line is unique in its combination of transportation technologies. Originally chartered as a Class I (steam) railroad, the line is fully grade separated, collects power from a third rail, and has high-level platforms common to rapid transit systems or commuter rail systems such as New York City's Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad, but has onboard fare collection, mostly single-car operation, and frequent stops more common to light rail systems. Previously, the Norristown High Speed Line was considered to be a heavy rail line, according to a 2008 SEPTA budget report;[6] however, the line is currently considered an interurban heavy rail line, according to a 2009 SEPTA business plan, and subsequent capital budgets.[7][8] It has also been categorized by the American Public Transportation Association as "Intermodal High Speed rapid rail transit".[9]

The purple color-coded line was formerly known simply as Route 100, but was officially changed to its current name in September 2009 as part of a customer service initiative by SEPTA.[10] The line has been subject to multiple accidents in recent years. In August 2017, there was a crash involving an unoccupied railcar at 69th Street Terminal that injured more than 40 people. As a result, the maximum operating speed on the line was decreased to 55 mph.[11] Another crash occurred near an Ardmore stop on January 26, 1987 injuring 19.[12] The operator tested positive for drugs and was convicted on reckless endangerment.[13] Another crash occurred on July 6, 2012 between Beachwood-Brookline and Penfield stations when the cars detached and came back together injuring 2.[14]

History

The long trestle of the Norristown High Speed Line with Norristown, PA in the background. September 28, 1969

The Norristown High Speed Line began service in 1907 as the Philadelphia and Western Railroad (P&W), which ran from the present 69th Street Terminal in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania to a converted farmhouse station in Strafford, Pennsylvania. In 1911, the line was extended 0.47 miles (0.76 km) west to a new Strafford P&W station adjacent to the Pennsylvania Railroad's Strafford station, allowing easy interchange between the two lines. In 1912, a 6.2-mile (10 km) branch was constructed from Villanova Junction, 0.33 miles (0.53 km) west of the existing Villanova station, to Norristown.[15] When the newly built branch quickly attracted more ridership than the Strafford main line, the Norristown section became the main line and the Strafford stretch was demoted to branch status; in the mid-1930s, the Strafford spur was narrowed to a single track for its last 1.74 miles (2.8 km) between the Wayne-St. Davids and Strafford stations, while the Norristown line received a sleek new art deco terminus at Main and Swede Streets.[15]

Lehigh Valley connection

From Norristown, the P&W RR connected its tracks with the Lehigh Valley Transit Liberty Bell Route to provide direct electric train service from 69th St. Terminal to Allentown, Pennsylvania. However, in 1951, the Lehigh Valley Transit Company ended its service on the Liberty Bell Route, and in 1953 the company ended all its remaining rail service. Two years later, the P&W RR was taken over by the Philadelphia Suburban Transportation Company (PSTC), which was more popularly known as the Red Arrow Lines. In 1956, the PSTC abandoned the original branch between Villanova and Strafford, leaving only electric MU train service between 69th Street and Norristown, as it is today.[16] Part of the Strafford branch right of way has been converted into the Radnor Trail. The PSTC was absorbed into SEPTA in 1970,[3] eliminating the original railroad charter and immediately becoming the "Norristown High-Speed Line Trolley", officially known as Route 100.

Ridership

Ridership on the Norristown Line peaked in 2015 at 3,429,300. The previous peak came in 2014 with 3,147,209 trips. Prior to this modern escalation in ridership the line's ridership was highest in 1973 at 2.86 million annual linked trips, and again in 1980 with 2.579 million annual linked trips. Ridership statistics for fiscal years 2000 and later are from SEPTA annual service plans. Data for years 1972 to 1997 are from the SEPTA 1997 ridership census. There may be some discrepancy in how the ridership is reported since the annual service plans report total unlinked trips, while the ridership census uses linked trips, which may exclude passengers transferring from other lines.

Fiscal year	Average weekday	Annual passengers
FY 2019	10,893
FY 2018	10,525
FY 2017	11,080	3,106,320
FY 2016		3,429,300
FY 2015		3,147,209
FY 2005	8,801	2,512,690
FY 2004	8,428	2,463,500
FY 2003	7,925	2,491,074
FY 2000	9,250	3,046,927

Fiscal year	Annual linked trips		Fiscal year	Annual linked trips
1997	1,754,000		1984	2,338,000
1996	1,696,000		1983	2,484,000
1995	1,926,000		1982	2,089,000
1994	2,079,000		1981	1,899,000
1993	2,251,000		1980	2,579,000
1992	2,222,000		1979	2,133,000
1991	2,234,000		1978	1,992,000
1990	2,162,000		1977	1,832,000
1989	2,295,000		1976	2,218,000
1988	2,185,000		1975	2,162,000
1987	1,888,000		1974	2,425,000
1986	1,915,000		1973	2,860,000
1985	2,255,000		1972	2,496,000

Station names

Effective June 14, 2010, SEPTA changed the names of four stations to reflect the streets on which they were located. Township Line Road (formerly West Overbrook Station), Roberts Road (formerly Rosemont Station), Stadium – Ithan Avenue (formerly Stadium Station) and DeKalb Street (formerly King Manor Station).

Closure of Schuylkill River bridge for repairs

In summer 2013, SEPTA closed the bridge (the Bridgeport Viaduct) carrying the Norristown High Speed Line over the Schuylkill River for four months.[17][18] The bridge, which was built in 1911, had been deteriorating and needed to be rebuilt at a cost upwards of $30 million, though this repair project was budgeted at $7.5 million.[18] As a result of closing the bridge, buses were used to transport passengers between the Bridgeport station and the Norristown Transportation Center.[19] The bridge was reopened in November 2013.[17][20] The remaining $30 million renovation of the entire bridge structure is currently unscheduled.[20]

Service

The NHSL ran two-car trains and played a pivotal role in the infrastructure of the 2013 U.S. Open at Merion Golf Club.

Route 100 map from 1974

The fare for a single ride as of January 2020 is $2.50 using cash or $2.00 using the Travel Wallet feature on a SEPTA Key card.[21] Until September 1, 2014, the line used a "pay-as-you-exit" fare collection system on trains towards 69th Street Transportation Center. As part of a general change on several routes approaching 69th Street, passengers now pay onboard upon entering the train.[22] Starting January 7, 2019, fares at 69th Street Transportation Center and Norristown Transportation Center are collected from station turnstiles from 5:30 am to 9:00 pm on weekdays.[23]

The service runs seven days a week, from about 5:00 am to 1:00 am. Local trains from 69th Street to Norristown stop at all 22 stations, and the trip lasts approximately 32 minutes. Occasionally, local trains may run only between 69th Street and Bryn Mawr, stopping at ten stations, or 69th Street and Hughes Park, stopping at 18 stations.

During weekday peak periods (6:00–9:00 AM, 2:15–6:45 PM), the Norristown High Speed Line features express and limited services, which stop only at select stations, therefore decreasing travel time between 69th Street and Norristown. Norristown Express service, denoted by red destination signs, travels between 69th Street and Norristown in approximately 26 minutes, and stops at 17 stations. Norristown Limited service, denoted by blue destination signs, travels between 69th Street and Norristown in approximately 22 minutes, stopping at only eight stations. All trains share the same two tracks, so a limited leaving Norristown, for example, will be immediately followed by a local, which stops at more stations, and therefore is spaced farther from the previous train. The next limited will catch up with it. Similarly, a local may leave Bryn Mawr right after an express stops there, and gets to 69th Street just before the next express or limited catches up with it.

A former Hughes Park Express service, was denoted by green destination signs, traveled nonstop from 69th Street to Beechwood–Brookline, and made all stops from there to Hughes Park in approximately 22 minutes.

Station list

Most stations (except terminals) are request stops. Passengers wishing to board must push a button at the station, which activates a light visible to the engineer. If the train is scheduled to stop at the station (see below), it will stop. Detraining passengers must press a button on board to request the train to stop.

Location	Miles (km)	Station	Notes/Connections	Weekday Ridership (2018)[24]
Upper Darby	0.0 (0.0)	69th Street Transportation Center	SEPTA Rapid Transit: MFL Market–Frankford Line SEPTA Suburban Trolley: 101, 102 SEPTA City Bus: 21, 30, 65, 68 SEPTA Suburban Bus: 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 120, 123, 126	4,965
	0.7 (1.1)	Parkview		66
Haverford	1.4 (2.3)	Township Line Road	SEPTA Suburban Bus: 103	83
	1.9 (3.1)	Penfield		288
	2.5 (4.0)	Beechwood – Brookline		210
	3.1 (5.0)	Wynnewood Road		140
	3.4 (5.5)	Ardmore Junction	SEPTA Suburban Bus: 103	500
	3.9 (6.3)	Ardmore Avenue		116
	4.5 (7.2)	Haverford		145
Radnor	5.4 (8.7)	Bryn Mawr		562
	5.9 (9.5)	Roberts Road		65
	6.4 (10.3)	Garrett Hill		562
	6.8 (10.9)	Stadium – Ithan Avenue
	7.0 (11.3)	Villanova	SEPTA Suburban Bus: 106	357
	7.9 (12.7)	Radnor	SEPTA Suburban Bus: 106	462
Lower Merion	8.6 (13.8)	County Line		14
	9.4 (15.1)	Matsonford		32
Upper Merion	10.3 (16.6)	Gulph Mills	SEPTA Suburban Bus: 95, 124, 125	577
	11.0 (17.7)	Hughes Park		339
Bridgeport	12.3 (19.8)	DeKalb Street	SEPTA Suburban Bus: 99	314
	12.8 (20.6)	Bridgeport		106
Norristown	13.4 (21.6)	Norristown Transportation Center	SEPTA Regional Rail:      Manayunk/​Norristown Line SEPTA Suburban Bus: 90, 91, 93, 96, 97, 98, 99, 131	1,441

King of Prussia Spur

Map of the Red Arrow Lines showing the current Norristown High Speed Line (blue); the former branch to Strafford is dashed, as well as former trolley Routes 101–104 (red, still in use, and orange, disbanded)

In 2013, it was proposed to create a branch off the Norristown High Speed Line to serve the King of Prussia mall, Valley Forge office parks, and the Valley Forge Casino Resort.[25] Many possible routes were planned for this extension, including one following US 202 from Norristown to King of Prussia, another following a utility right-of-way paralleling US 202 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike, and another following the utility right-of-way and Gulph Road.[26] In 2014, SEPTA estimated that the expansion would cost between $500 million to $650 million, and was at least eight years away.[27]

On February 29, 2016, SEPTA announced which of those routes it would prefer as being most cost-efficient and environmentally friendly.[28] The route will branch off from the main route between Hughes Park and DeKalb Street, and will follow a PECO transmission line right-of-way from the wye junction to the Pennsylvania Turnpike. From there, it will run parallel to the Pennsylvania Turnpike until it reaches the King of Prussia mall. It will then follow Mall Boulevard, before crossing the Turnpike and following First Avenue. Stations will be located at Henderson Road, Allendale Road, Mall Boulevard, at the intersection of First and Clark avenues in the King of Prussia Business Park, and on First Avenue near the Valley Forge Casino Resort.[29]

On January 25, 2018, the SEPTA board approved a final route alignment, selecting the locally preferred routing from among the options studied in the project's draft environmental impact statement (EIS).[30] The 7.2-kilometer (4.5 mi) line was estimated to cost between $1 billion and $1.2 billion, with ridership estimated at 9,500 daily by 2040.[30] In January, 2019, SEPTA engaged the engineering firm HNTB to design Phase I of the project.[31] On December 1, 2020, SEPTA held a meeting to update the proposed alignment. The final environmental impact statement is planned to be submitted to the Federal Transit Administration in early 2021. Construction on the spur to King of Prussia is projected to cost $2 billion and service is expected to begin between 2025 and 2027.[32]

Five new stations will be added to the line as follows:[29]

• Henderson Road station
• Allendale Road station
• Mall Boulevard station
• First & American Forge station
• First & Moore/Valley Forge station (terminus)

See also

• Electroliner
• Medium-capacity rail transport system

Notes

1. "SEPTA Operating Facts Fiscal Year 2013" (PDF). SEPTA. 2013. p. 3. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
2. "Fiscal Year 2020 Annual Service Plan" (PDF). SEPTA. July 2019. p. 38. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
3. "SEPTA - Media Guide" (PDF). Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority. 2013. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
4. "How to Ride - Norristown High Speed Line". I SEPTA Philly. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
5. "Fiscal Year 2020 Annual Service Plan" (PDF). SEPTA. July 2019. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
6. "Fiscal 2008 Operating Budget" (PDF). SEPTA. 2008. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 25, 2008. Retrieved June 1, 2009.
7. "SEPTA Five-Year Strategic Business Plan" (PDF). SEPTA. p. 4. Retrieved June 1, 2009.
8. "SEPTA Fiscal Year 2016 Capital Budget" (PDF).
9. "American Public Transportation Association - A MULTIMODAL TOUR OF THE DELAWARE VALLEY" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association (APTA). June 1, 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 11, 2013. Retrieved November 10, 2013.
10. Nussbaum, Paul (July 22, 2009). "SEPTA seeks input on Regional Rail name changes". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on July 25, 2009. Retrieved January 10, 2010.
11. Laughlin, Jason (September 29, 2017). "Speed reduced on Norristown High-Speed Line in wake of crash". Philly.com. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
12. . The Philadelphia Inquirer https://www.inquirer.com/philly/news/notable-septa-train-accidents-20170822.html. Retrieved September 15, 2020. Missing or empty |title= (help)
13. . The Philadelphia Inquirer https://www.inquirer.com/philly/news/notable-septa-train-accidents-20170822.html. Retrieved September 15, 2020. Missing or empty |title= (help)
14. . The Philadelphia Inquirer https://www.inquirer.com/philly/news/homepage/20120706_HED_TOO_LONG___At_least_two_people_were_injured_when_two_train_cars_on_the_SEP.html. Retrieved September 15, 2020. Missing or empty |title= (help)
15. DeGraw, Ronald (2007). Pig & Whistle: The Story of the Philadelphia & Western Railway. Chicago: Central Electric Railfans' Association. ISBN 978-0-915348-40-4
16. Bell, Jon (March 22, 2006). "Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Norristown High Speed Line". Presbyterian College. Archived from the original on July 8, 2007. Retrieved August 1, 2007.
17. "Bridgeport Viaduct Improvement Project Recap". SEPTA. November 14, 2013. Retrieved December 8, 2013.
18. Adkins, Lynne (July 8, 2013). "Four-Month Construction Project Gets Underway On The Norristown High Speed Line". CBS Philly (CBS 3). Retrieved November 12, 2013.
19. Nussbaum, Paul (December 14, 2012). "SEPTA to close Norristown line's rail bridge over Schuylkill". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Interstate General Media, LLC. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
20. "Bridgeport Viaduct to reopen for Norristown high-speed line". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Interstate General Media, LLC. November 4, 2013. Retrieved November 12, 2013.
21. "Fares". SEPTA. Retrieved November 30, 2017.
22. "Pay As You Enter". SEPTA. Retrieved December 13, 2014.
23. "Norristown High Speed Line: SEPTA Key Turnstiles Going Into Service At 69th Street & Norristown Transportation Centers Effective January 7, 2019". SEPTA. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
24. "Fiscal Year 2020 Annual Service Plan" (PDF). SEPTA. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
25. Geringer, Dan (July 16, 2013). "SEPTA mulls rail service to King of Prussia, Valley Forge". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
26. Parks, Jessica (July 17, 2013). "SEPTA studies high-speed rail extension to King of Prussia". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved July 17, 2013.
27. Shelly, Jared (January 30, 2014). "SEPTA's new plans for $500M King of Prussia Rail project". Philadelphia Business Journal. Retrieved October 7, 2014.
28. Smith, Sandy (February 29, 2016). "SEPTA Picks a King of Prussia Rail Route". Philadelphia Magazine. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
29. "King of Prussia Rail Project Interactive Map". King of Prussia Rail. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
30. "Septa moves forward with King of Prussia Rail Project". International Rail Journal. January 26, 2018. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
31. Anna Merriman (January 28, 2019). "SEPTA awards $7M contract for first part of KOP rail design". Curbed Philadelphia. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
32. Madej, Patricia (December 2, 2020). "SEPTA doubles down on commitment to $2B King of Prussia Rail project". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved December 2, 2020.

References

• "U.S. Urban Rail Transit Lines Opened From 1980" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on November 4, 2013.
• "Transportation Planning Capacity Building Program - Peer Exchange Report". Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. June 16, 2004. Archived from the original on July 20, 2009.
• "Norristown Extension of Philadelphia & Western Railway". Electric Railway Journal. Vol. XL no. 16. McGraw Publishing Co. October 26, 1912. p. 906.

External links

• Official website
• "Norristown High Speed Line schedule" (PDF). (164 KB)
• "The Modernization of SEPTA Norristown High Speed Line (Includes ABB N-5 Specifications)" (PDF). Archived from the original on January 24, 2016.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) (6.03 MB)