Cynwyd Line

The Cynwyd Line runs from Suburban Station to the 52nd Street Junction, where it diverges from Amtrak's Philadelphia-to-Harrisburg line. It makes station stops at Wynnefield Avenue, Bala, and Cynwyd before stopping just short of the Schuylkill River.

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The Cynwyd Line is the truncated remnant of the Pennsylvania Railroad's Schuylkill Branch, which ran from Philadelphia to Pottsville, Pennsylvania.{{cite web | url=http://www.multimodalways.org/docs/railroads/companies/PRR/PRR%20Maps/PRR%20Schuylkill%20Branch%20Map%201950.pdf | title=Eastern Region, Philadelphia Terminal Division, Schuylkill Branch Map Showing Switching Districts As Shown On General Notice No. 503 2-14-1950 | date=1950 | accessdate=August 14, 2016}} Electrified service was opened between Philadelphia and Norristown (Haws Avenue) on June 20, 1930. Plans for electrification beyond Norristown, to Phoenixville, were not carried out. Passenger service ended between Manayunk and Norristown on October 29, 1960 and the line beyond Manayunk was de-electrified, although the pylons remain.{{citation needed|date=August 2016}}

In 1980 SEPTA extended service from Manayunk to a new park-and-ride station at Ivy Ridge.{{Citation needed|date=August 2016}}{{Williams-Philadelphia | pages=84–86}}

Service beyond Cynwyd was suspended on May 27, 1986, because of poor track conditions{{cite web |title=A GENERAL CHRONOLOGY OF THE SUCCESSORS OF THE PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD COMPANY AND THEIR HISTORICAL CONTEXT: 1980-1989 |url=http://www.prrths.com/newprr_files/Hagley/PRR1980.pdf |publisher=Pennsylvania Railroad Technical and Historical Society |first=Christopher T. |last=Baer |date=April 2015|accessdate=October 29, 2017}} and concerns about the Manayunk Bridge over the Schuylkill River.{{citation needed|date=August 2016}}{{Cite web|url=https://hiddencityphila.org/2014/07/starting-the-second-life-of-manayunk-icon/|title=Starting the Second Life of a Manayunk Icon|date=16 July 2014 }}

Between 1984–2010, the route was designated R6 Ivy Ridge (later R6 Cynwyd) as part of SEPTA's diametrical reorganization of its lines. Ivy Ridge Line trains operated through the city center to the Manayunk/Norristown Line on the ex-Reading side of the system.{{cite book | last1=Vuchic | first1=Vukan | authorlink1=Vukan Vuchic | last2=Kikuchi | first2=Shinya | year=1984 | title=General Operations Plan for the SEPTA Regional High Speed System | location=Philadelphia | publisher=SEPTA|pages=2–8}} The R-number naming system was dropped on July 25, 2010.{{cite journal|last=Lustig|first=David|title=SEPTA makeover|journal=Trains Magazine|date=November 2010|pages=26|publisher=Kalmbach Publishing}}

In the late 1990s and up to 2003, SEPTA funded a study called the Schuylkill Valley Metro which included plans to extend both sides of the R6 line to Pottstown, Reading and Wyomissing, Pennsylvania. The project suffered a major setback when it was rejected by the FTA New Starts program, which cited doubts about the ridership projections and financing assumptions used by the study.{{Cite web |url=http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/PA_Philadelphia_Schuylkill_Valley_Metro_(1).doc |title=fta.dot.gov |access-date=2010-07-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528022119/http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/PA_Philadelphia_Schuylkill_Valley_Metro_(1).doc |archive-date=2010-05-28 |url-status=dead }}

Though there have been repeated calls to restore the "temporarily" discontinued service between Cynwyd and Ivy Ridge, SEPTA permanently dropped plans for restoration in 2008 when all trackage north of Cynwyd to Ivy Ridge was removed between 2008 and June 2010 to make way for the Cynwyd Heritage Trail[http://www.cynwydtrail.org/ cynwydtrail.org/] and Ivy Ridge Trail.{{Cite web |url=http://www.ivyridgegreen.org/2010/06/ |title=Ivy Ridge Green |access-date=2010-10-21 |archive-date=2011-07-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726200654/http://www.ivyridgegreen.org/2010/06/ |url-status=dead }}

On October 29, 2010, the Cynwyd Line was where the Silverliner V rail cars made their first run in revenue service,{{cite news |title=Mass appeal for SEPTA's new Silverliner V train |first=Dan |last=Geringer |newspaper=Philadelphia Daily News |date=October 30, 2010 |url=http://www.philly.com/philly/news/pennsylvania/20101030_Mass_appeal_for_SEPTA_s_new_Silverliner_V_train.html |accessdate=November 1, 2010}} and, on June 29, 2012, where the final Silverliner IIs and IIIs ran in revenue service before being fully retired.{{citation needed|date=August 2016}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.inquirer.com/philly/living/20120629_SEPTA_to_scrap_the_last__Silverliner_II_.html|title=SEPTA to scrap the last 'Silverliner II'|date=29 June 2012 }}

SEPTA activated positive train control on the Cynwyd Line on November 21, 2016.{{cite web|title=Positive Train Control Update|publisher=SEPTA|date=May 1, 2017|url=http://www.septa.org/service/rail/ptc/2017-04-update.html|accessdate=May 17, 2017}}

On April 9, 2020, the line was suspended indefinitely due to a staff shortage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite web |url=http://www.septa.org/covid-19/service-information.html |title=Service Information |publisher=SEPTA |accessdate=April 14, 2020}} Limited service resumed on September 7, 2021.{{cite web|url=https://www.septa.org/schedules/upcoming-rail.html|title=Regional Rail Select Schedule Changes|publisher=SEPTA|accessdate=August 19, 2021}}

Following the Interstate 95 bridge collapse on June 11, 2023, SEPTA used vehicles and human resources from Cynwyd Line to operate additional services on Trenton Line, West Trenton Line, and Fox Chase Line starting June 12. Rail services on Cynwyd Line were replaced by buses running to Overbrook station and connecting to Paoli/Thorndale Line trains.{{cite news|title=I-95 Philadelphia collapse: SEPTA adds, modifies lines and service to ease commuting troubles|url=https://www.fox29.com/news/i-95-philadelphia-collapse-septa-adds-modifies-lines-and-service-to-ease-commuting-troubles|publisher=Fox 29 Philadelphia|date=2023-06-11}}{{cite web|title=Until Further Notice: SEPTA Is Adding Extra Capacity And Service Due To I-95 Bridge Collapse|work=Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority |date=6 June 2023 |publisher=SEPTA|url=https://www5.septa.org/bulletins/until-further-notice-septa-is-adding-extra-capacity-and-service-due-to-i-95-bridge-collapse/|access-date=June 11, 2023}} Train service on the Cynwyd Line resumed on June 26, 2023.{{cite web|title=Beginning Monday, June 26: SEPTA Is Adjusting Capacity And Service Due To I-95 Reopening|work=Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority |date=6 June 2023 |publisher=SEPTA|url=https://www5.septa.org/bulletins/until-further-notice-septa-is-adding-extra-capacity-and-service-due-to-i-95-bridge-collapse/|access-date=June 23, 2023}}

On November 14, 2013, a New York-bound Amtrak Keystone Service train, which carried 130 riders, accidentally reversed onto the Cynwyd Line from 30th Street Station.{{cite news |last1=Hur |first1=Elizabeth |title=Amtrak Investigates How Train Headed To NYC Ends Up In Bala Cynwyd - CBS Philadelphia |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/amtrak-investigates-how-train-headed-to-nyc-ends-up-in-bala-cynwyd/ |access-date=2 December 2024 |work=CBS News |date=19 November 2013}}{{cite news |last1=Moran |first1=Lee |title=Amtrak train from Philadelphia to NYC ends up in Philly suburb after wrong turn |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/2013/11/21/amtrak-train-from-philadelphia-to-nyc-ends-up-in-philly-suburb-after-wrong-turn/ |access-date=2 December 2024 |work=New York Daily News |date=21 November 2013}}{{cite news |title=Amtrak wants to know how NYC-bound train got lost in Philadelphia suburb |url=https://news.yahoo.com/amtrak-lost-philadelphia-152444487.html |access-date=2 December 2024 |work=Yahoo News |date=20 November 2013}}{{cite news |last1=Frassinelli |first1=Mike |title=Riders on Amtrak train from Philly to NYC get an unexpected detour |url=https://www.nj.com/news/2013/11/riders_on_amtrak_train_to_nyc_get_an_unexpected_detour.html |access-date=2 December 2024 |work=NJ.com |date=20 November 2013 |language=en}}

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The Cynwyd Line includes the following stations north of 30th Street Station; stations indicated with gray background are closed.{{cite web|url=https://schedules.septa.org/current/CYN.pdf|title=Cynwyd Line schedule|date=January 7, 2024|publisher=Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority|accessdate=June 18, 2024|location=Philadelphia, Pennsylvania}}

Between {{abbr|FY|fiscal year}} 2013–FY 2019, yearly ridership on the Cynwyd Line ranged from 120,000 to 180,000, peaking at 184,138 in FY 2014. Ridership collapsed during the COVID-19 pandemic.{{refn|group=note|Data for individual lines is not available for FY 2020. Service did not resume until FY 2022.{{cite web | url=https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/septa.data.group/viz/shared/2MCKQPPKN | title=Route Operating Statistics | last=SEPTA Data Group | accessdate=February 22, 2024}}}}{{Cite web |title=SEPTA Route Statistics |url=https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/septa.data.group/viz/shared/2PGM374D9 |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=SEPTA}}

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| x legends = FY 2013:FY 2014:FY 2015:FY 2016:FY 2017:FY 2018:FY 2019:FY 2020:FY 2021:FY 2022:FY 2023

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• [https://schedules.septa.org/current/CYN.pdf SEPTA – Cynwyd Line schedule]

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{{Delaware Valley transit}}

Category:SEPTA Regional Rail

Category:Pennsylvania Railroad lines