Media/Wawa Line

File:Elwyn Station.JPG

Media/Wawa Line trains use the West Chester Branch, a former Pennsylvania Railroad line, which diverges from the SEPTA Main Line at 30th Street Station. At Arsenal Interlocking, just south of Penn Medicine Station, there is a junction with Amtrak's Northeast Corridor where Airport and Wilmington/Newark trains diverge. The West Chester branch turns west, curves around the Woodlands Cemetery, and heads west towards Elwyn. From University City to Fernwood–Yeadon, the line is grade-separated;{{Cite web|url=http://www.multimodalways.org/docs/govts/transportation%20authorities/SEPTA/SEPTA%20ETT%20Railroad%20Division%20%231%201-17-2000.pdf|title=Railroad Division: Timetable #1|date=January 17, 2000|publisher=SEPTA|pages=99–102}} immediately west of Fernwood/Yeadon station, the abandoned Newtown Square Branch diverges north.{{Cite web|url=http://mapmaker.rutgers.edu/HISTORICALMAPS/RAILROADS/Pennsylvania_RR_1899.jpg|title=Pennsylvania Railroad Company's Lines (East of Pittsburgh and Erie)|date=1 July 1899|website=Rutgers Mapmakers|format=JPEG|access-date=23 March 2017}}

The line has four high steel trestle river valley crossings, built between 1891 and 1896 to replace earlier structures. From west to east, the first of these is over Ridley Creek between Elwyn and Media, and is {{Convert|641|ft}} long and {{Convert|103|ft}} high. The second, over Crum Creek between Wallingford and Swarthmore, is the longest of the four, and measures {{Convert|915|ft}} long and {{Convert|97|ft}} tall. The third, {{Convert|274|ft}} long, crosses Darby Creek immediately west of Gladstone. The last, {{Convert|377|ft}} long, crosses Cobbs Creek between Fernwood–Yeadon and Angora at a height of {{Convert|56|ft}}.{{cite journal|last=Lynch|first=James J. D. Jr.|title=The West Chester Branch|journal=The High Line|year=1988|volume=8|issue=2–3|pages=29, 31–32|publisher=Philadelphia Chapter of the Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society}} The Crum Creek Viaduct, which required extensive rebuilding and complete repainting (with a lengthy shutdown of service beyond Swarthmore) by SEPTA in 1983 after decades of deferred maintenance, was completely replaced in 2016.{{cite web|last1=SEPTA|title=Rebuilding for the Future: Media/Elwyn Regional Rail Line Crum Creek Viaduct (M.P 11.87)|url=http://septa.org/rebuilding/bridge-rehab/crum-creek.html|publisher=Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority|access-date=29 January 2015}} The other three trestles, received attention similar to Crum Creek in the 1980s, have undergone comprehensive structural and substructural renewal.{{cite web|last1=SEPTA|title=Rebuilding for the Future: Media/Elwyn Regional Rail Line Bridge Repairs|url=http://septa.org/rebuilding/bridge-rehab/media-elwyn.html|publisher=Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority|access-date=29 January 2015|archive-date=29 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150129104134/http://septa.org/rebuilding/bridge-rehab/media-elwyn.html|url-status=dead}}

The line is double-tracked from Arsenal Interlocking to Elwyn and single-tracked beyond, with passing sidings at or near Glen Riddle, Lenni, Glen Mills, Cheyney, Westtown and West Chester. The sidings once allowed multiple commuter trains to operate on the single-track section.{{citation needed|date=November 2016}} Passing sidings were marked by the PRR's trademark bowtie catenary poles,{{clarify|date=November 2016}} while single-track areas used single-pole catenary supports.{{citation needed|date=May 2014}} After regular service ended beyond Elwyn in 1986, vandals gradually stole the copper catenary wire, prompting SEPTA to remove the rest in summer 2005.{{citation needed|date=November 2016}} SEPTA has been aggressively replacing its older catenary equipment; it replaced the remaining 1928 catenary from University City to Lenni between 2014 and 2017.{{cite web|url=http://septa.org/strategic-plan/reports/capbudget14.pdf|title=Fiscal Year 2014 Capital Budget Proposal: Fiscal Years 2014 - 2025 Capital Program Including Unfunded Capital Needs|publisher=Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority|access-date=22 May 2013|author=SEPTA}}

The line was originally built by the West Chester and Philadelphia Railroad (WC&P), which opened the Philadelphia-to-Burmont section on November 15, 1853. The WC&P extended service to Media on October 19, 1854, and to West Chester on November 11, 1858.{{cite book |title=History of the Railroads and Canals of the United States of America |last=Poor |first=Henry V. |year=1860 |volume= 1 |publisher=John H. Schultz & Co |location=New York |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BO8cAAAAIAAJ&q=History%20of%20the%20Railroads%20and%20Canals&pg=PA477 }}{{rp|513}} {{cite book |title=History of Delaware County, Pennsylvania |last=Ashmead |first=Henry G. |year=1884 |publisher=L.H. Everts |location=Philadelphia |chapter=XX. Traveling and Transportation |page=199 |url=http://www.delcohistory.org/ashmead/ashmead_pg199.htm |access-date=2010-12-31 |archive-date=2010-12-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101205021908/http://www.delcohistory.org/ashmead/ashmead_pg199.htm |url-status=usurped }}

In the early 1880s, the Pennsylvania Railroad gained control of the line, which it renamed its West Chester Branch. One early station, Pennellton, located along a passing siding between the stations of Darlington and Wawa, was removed from service by 1911.{{citation needed|date=June 2013}} Electrified service along the line began on December 2, 1928.

The line passed to Penn Central in 1968 and was later absorbed into Conrail in 1976.

On October 16, 1979, at 8:19 a.m., an inbound commuter train collided with two others plus cars from a fourth train between Angora and 49th Street stations. The accident killed one person and injured 525 others.{{Cite report |date=May 12, 1980 |title=Railroad Accident Report: Collision of Conrail Commuter Trains, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, October 16, 1979 |url=https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/45215 |publisher = National Transportation Safety Board |location = Washington, D.C. |docket = NTSB-RAR-80-5 }}

Earlier, Train #712, a nine-car train of former PRR MP54E6 cars, had left behind the rear two cars (a coupler between the seventh and eighth car had broken), then continued on to Suburban Station. Train #716, consisting of nine ex-Reading "Blueliner" heavyweight cars, was detailed to push the empty defective cars out of the way, and slowed to a stop in order to couple with them. Train #0714, two Silverliner IVs, then stopped short of #716, in accordance with signal rules.

The next train, #1718, a four-car consist of three Silverliner IIs and one Silverliner III, neither stopped at the nearest signal nor slowed adequately at the previous signal, nor did the engineer apply the air brake correctly once the rear of #0714 was seen around a curve. Traveling at an estimated 28 mph, #1718 rear-ended #0714, shoving it forward to collide in succession with all the other stopped equipment. Both cars of #0714 derailed, as did some of the other cars.

A total of 525 passengers were injured, including a conductor who died a few days later from his injuries. Many cars were damaged, including the lead car of #1718 (Silverliner II #265) which was later written off and scrapped.

In addition to speed and signal rules violations, other causative factors in the accident cited by the National Transportation Safety Board included: inoperative onboard radios in the Silverliners, and no radios at all in the heavyweight MUs; an inoperative speedometer on Train 1718; improper operation of the air brake (a full-service brake application rather than an emergency "dumping the air" application) by #1718's engineer once he realized a collision was imminent; and the possible distraction caused by the presence of three other employees in #1718's operating cab. Also, the branch's 50-year-old automatic block signal system was criticized as being inadequate in such a situation; although it worked correctly, the system was not equipped to display cab signal indications or stop the train in event of a speed violation, nor could it allow trains to operate against the current of traffic on either track.

SEPTA subsequently resignaled the line to all of these standards using color light wayside signals, first between Arsenal and Secane interlockings in the late 1980s, and then from Secane to Elwyn in the mid-1990s during restoration of double track between Media and Elwyn.{{Citation needed|date=August 2023}}

File:R3 West Chester.gif

File:R3 Elwyn.gif

SEPTA took over operations in 1983, running commuter service on the line to West Chester. Beginning in 1984 the route was designated R3 West Chester and R3 Elwyn as part of SEPTA's diametrical reorganization of its lines. Shuttles operated between West Chester and Elwyn; Elwyn trains operated through the city center to North Broad station but did not continue on to the ex-Reading side of the system. Plans had called for the line to be paired with the Chestnut Hill West Line but this depended on a never-built connection from the Chestnut Hill West Line to the ex-Reading near Wayne Junction.{{cite book | last1=Vuchic | first1=Vukan | author-link1=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}} In later years the line was paired with the West Trenton Line.{{Cite journal| issue = 1433| page = 108| last = DeGraw| first = Ronald| title = Regional Rail: The Philadelphia Story| journal = Transportation Research Record| date = 1994 | url=http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1994/1433/1433-014.pdf}} The R-number naming system was dropped on July 25, 2010, and the service became known as the Media/Elwyn Line.{{cite journal|last=Lustig|first=David|title=SEPTA makeover|journal=Trains Magazine|date=November 2010|pages=26|publisher=Kalmbach Publishing}} {{As of|2022}}, most weekday trains terminate at Temple University or continue to Elm Street in Norristown on the Manayunk/Norristown Line, while most weekend trains continue to Fox Chase on the Fox Chase Line.

On September 19, 1986, SEPTA ended service west of Elwyn. Ridership on that segment had dwindled, a process accelerated by bustitution used while the deteriorating tracks were closed for repair. In addition, Chester County officials preferred to expand Exton Station on SEPTA's Paoli/Thorndale Line. SEPTA only had funds for one of the two projects, so service to West Chester was terminated.{{citation needed|date=November 2016}} SEPTA did not officially place the line out of service until late 1991. At the time, Delaware County officials were pushing to restore service at least as far as Wawa, but Chester County officials were unenthusiastic and SEPTA General Manager Louis Gambaccini said service restoration between Wawa and West Chester was "not cost-effective."{{cite news|first=John |last=Pawson |title=Cheyney-West Chester: Out of Service |work=Delaware Valley Rail Passenger |date=January 6, 1992 |url=http://www.dvarp.org/dvrpA/dvrp9201.txt |archive-date=15 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120315072130/http://www.dvarp.org/dvrpA/dvrp9201.txt |url-status=dead }} Nonetheless, SEPTA studied the possibility of restoring service on the 3 miles from Elwyn to Wawa later in the decade.{{citation needed|date=November 2016}}

SEPTA activated positive train control on the Media/Elwyn Line on September 26, 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|access-date=May 17, 2017}}

SEPTA is undertaking the Southwest Connection Improvement Program to rebuild the section of the Media/Elwyn Line between 30th Street Station and Arsenal Interlocking; this section also carries trains from the Airport Line and Wilmington/Newark Line. The Southwest Connection Improvement Program involves replacing Arsenal Interlocking, removing Walnut Interlocking and realigning rail, constructing a new interlocking and turn back track near Penn Medicine Station, replacing the catenary system, repairing and upgrading the Walnut Street Tunnel, and repairing drainage structures. During construction periods, service has been modified along the Airport, Media/Elwyn, and Wilmington/Newark lines.{{cite web|title=Southwest Connection Improvement Program|publisher=SEPTA|url=http://septa.org/southwestconnection/|access-date=May 1, 2020}}

{{main|Wawa Station}}

File:Wawa SEPTA station platform August 2022.jpg

In June 2005, SEPTA hired URS Corporation for design and engineering services for a project to restore rail service between Elwyn station and Wawa Station. The engineering design phase began the following month, and includes preliminary engineering, environmental impact analysis, and final engineering.{{Cite web |url=http://www.delcotimes.com/articles/2006/04/06/community%20news/16437786.txt |title=R3 extension expected to ease Elwyn parking, Delco Times, April 6, 2006 |access-date=July 29, 2010 |archive-date=February 17, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217142432/http://www.delcotimes.com/articles/2006/04/06/community%20news/16437786.txt |url-status=dead }} Shortfalls in funding delayed completion of the phase to 2010,{{Cite web |url=http://www.septa.org/inside/reports/CB09_Budget_Approved_Internet.pdf |title=SEPTA Fiscal Year 2009 Capital Budget and Fiscal Years 2009–2020 Capital Program, p. 45 |access-date=2010-07-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090107020239/http://septa.org/inside/reports/CB09_Budget_Approved_Internet.pdf |archive-date=2009-01-07 |url-status=dead }}[http://www.septa.org/inside/reports/CB10_Budget_Proposed_Internet.pdf SEPTA proposed Capital Budget 2010]{{Dead link|date=March 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} and construction was expected to take 24 to 36 months to complete.{{citation needed|date=August 2011}} {{As of|November 2016}}, the project's completion date slipped to the Summer of 2020. {{as of|August 2018}}, the completion date was further delayed to the end of 2021.{{cite web |url=http://septa.org/rebuilding/station/elwyn-wawa.html |title=Elwyn to Wawa |author= |website=Rebuilding the System |publisher=Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) |location=Philadelphia, PA |access-date=2018-08-11|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180808202632/http://septa.org/rebuilding/station/elwyn-wawa.html|archive-date=2018-08-08}} {{As of|January 2022}}, service to Wawa was expected to resume in July 2022.{{cite web |title=Service Restoration Update – January 2022 |url=https://middletowndelcopa.gov/vertical/sites/%7BE08CD8FE-6BF2-4104-AF8F-C16770381A63%7D/uploads/Elwyn_to_Wawa_Service_Restoration_Project_Update_-_January_2022.pdf |website=Middletown Township |publisher=SEPTA |access-date=28 February 2022}} On May 23, 2022, it was announced that the start of passenger service to Wawa would be delayed until August 21, 2022.{{cite news|last=Bannan|first=Pete|title=SEPTA announces delay to start of service on Wawa extension|work=Delaware County Daily Times|date=May 23, 2022|url=https://www.delcotimes.com/2022/05/24/septa-announces-delay-to-start-of-service-on-wawa-extension/|access-date=May 25, 2022}}

The project included new track, catenary, signals, and communications equipment; and new structures, including a new station at Wawa with a large park and ride facility. SEPTA initially estimated that the cost would be $51.327 million,{{citation needed|date=November 2016}} but in SEPTA's 2014 Capital Budget, the estimate had risen to $91.387 million. The extension of service to Wawa was expected to reduce traffic congestion through Middletown Township.[http://www.co.delaware.pa.us/planning/sidebarpages/newsletters/Newsletter10.pdf Planning Matters, Newsletter of the Delaware County Planning Department, Winter 2009, p.2] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608163024/http://www.co.delaware.pa.us/planning/sidebarpages/newsletters/Newsletter10.pdf |date=2011-06-08 }} A new train storage yard at Lenni was also constructed.[https://www.burns-group.com/project/southeastern-pennsylvania-transportation-authority-septa-elwyn-to-wawa-service-restoration/]

Wawa Station is ADA-compliant with high platforms, a ticket office, ticket vending machines, and a waiting room, as well as a 600-car parking garage. The station is expected to see 500 commuters on a typical weekday, as it will sit next to US Route 1 and serve the nearby corporate headquarters of convenience store chain Wawa."R3 rail line extension on track." Delaware County Times. 2004-10-18. Bus service will connect the station to Painters Crossing and Concordville, Pennsylvania.

On July 27, 2022, SEPTA announced that Wawa had acquired naming rights to Wawa Station for $5.4 million in a 10-year deal. Once Wawa Station opened, the Media/Elwyn Line was renamed to the Media/Wawa Line.{{cite news|author=Staff|title=SEPTA Inks $5M Deal to Name Regional Rail Station After Wawa|publisher=WCAU-TV|location=Philadelphia, PA|date=July 27, 2022|url=https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/septa-inks-5-million-deal-to-name-regional-rail-station-after-wawa/3317706/|access-date=July 27, 2022}}

The Delaware County Planning Department is working with SEPTA and Friends of the Chester Creek Branch to build a hiking trail within SEPTA's right-of-way from the new Wawa Station to Lenni Road. This will be the northern end of the Chester Creek Trail.

In July 2022, SEPTA began restoration of track between the former Darlington and Glen Mills stations, in anticipation of future freight rail service to the nearby quarry and the possibility of the West Chester Railroad running future excursions past Glen Mills Station.

Wawa Station opened for service on August 21, 2022.{{cite news|author1=Staff|last2=Davis|first2=Corey|title=Service begins at SEPTA's new Wawa Station|publisher=WPVI-TV|location=Philadelphia, PA|date=August 22, 2022|url=https://6abc.com/wawa-station-middletown-township-delaware-philadelphia-septa-train/12150743/|access-date=August 22, 2022}}

West Chester and Chester County officials have been pushing SEPTA to restore service to West Chester since 2011. The request would give commuters an alternative to driving to the Paoli/Thorndale Line stations in Exton or Paoli, and reduce congestion on U.S. Route 202 between U.S. Route 1 and West Chester.

Since 1997, the heritage railway West Chester Railroad has operated on the tracks between Glen Mills and West Chester, where SEPTA no longer runs trains; this is the only such operation on a SEPTA-owned line.{{Cite web |url=http://www.westchesterrr.net/route.html |title=West Chester Railroad website |access-date=2014-05-10 |archive-date=2013-12-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131207194346/http://westchesterrr.net/route.html |url-status=dead }} Amtrak maintenance trains formerly collected track ballast from a quarry near Glen Mills station.

In 2014, the borough council of West Chester voted to establish a group known as the Committee to Reestablish Rail Service to West Chester.{{cite news|last1=Gerrard|first1=Jeremy|title=Bring back trains, some in West Chester urge|url=http://www.dailylocal.com/general-news/20140227/bring-back-trains-some-in-west-chester-urge|access-date=7 October 2014|publisher=Daily Local News|date=27 February 2014}} Shortly thereafter, SEPTA official Byron Comati argued that West Chester lacks ridership demand needed to support expansion of the Media/Elwyn Line, in part due to competition from the Paoli/Thorndale Line. Additionally, according to Comati, the "circuitous alignment" of the Media/Elwyn Line would mean that a trip from West Chester into Philadelphia would take two hours, whereas the Paoli line offers a 45-minute trip from the Exton station. SEPTA timetables from 1986 show local trains making all stops from West Chester to 30th Street Station with scheduled travel times ranging between 59 minutes and 69 minutes,{{cite web |title=The Potential of Rail Service to West Chester Borough |url=https://west-chester.com/DocumentCenter/View/2333/WCRR-Potential-of-Rail-Service-to-West-Chester-FINAL-REPORT?bidId= |website=Borough of West Chester |publisher=page 28 |access-date=11 April 2021 |archive-date=14 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514203440/https://www.west-chester.com/DocumentCenter/View/2333/WCRR-Potential-of-Rail-Service-to-West-Chester-FINAL-REPORT?bidId= |url-status=dead }} far less time than the two hours suggested by current SEPTA officials.

In March 2018, SEPTA completed the West Chester Line Restoration Feasibility Study, which showed that a restoration of train service to West Chester would improve connectivity, provide a commuter alternative, increase transit ridership, encourage economic development, and not have negative environmental effects.{{cite news|last=Rettew|first=Bill|title=The push is on to re-establish rail service in West Chester|work=Daily Local News|location=West Chester, PA|date=April 11, 2021|url=https://www.dailylocal.com/news/local/the-push-is-on-to-re-establish-rail-service-in-west-chester/article_317b3f20-9954-11eb-90d0-2f8d6f2a670d.html|access-date=April 11, 2021|archive-date=April 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411131840/https://www.dailylocal.com/news/local/the-push-is-on-to-re-establish-rail-service-in-west-chester/article_317b3f20-9954-11eb-90d0-2f8d6f2a670d.html|url-status=dead}}

In 2022, the borough council of West Chester voted to seek funding for a plan called the Metro Concept that would establish train service using battery-operated cars between West Chester and Wawa, where riders would transfer to regular SEPTA trains to Philadelphia. The proposed extension would have two stops in West Chester, a stop in Westtown Township, and a stop near Cheyney University. The extension would cost $16.4 million and is planned as a two-year pilot project to show the service can attract riders.{{cite news|last=Cooper|first=Kenny|title=West Chester Borough Council supports effort to restore SEPTA passenger rail service|publisher=WHYY|location=Philadelphia, PA|date=July 26, 2022|url=https://whyy.org/articles/west-chester-borough-council-septa-passenger-rail-service/|access-date=July 27, 2022}}

Unused or demolished stations are in gray.

Between FY 2013–FY 2019 yearly ridership on the Media/Wawa Line ranged from 2.9 to 3.1 million before collapsing during the COVID-19 pandemic.{{refn|group=note|Data for individual lines is not available for FY 2020.{{cite web | url=https://public.tableau.com/shared/6HDH53ZSW | title=Route Operating Statistics | last=SEPTA Data Group | accessdate=February 29, 2024}}}}

{{ #invoke:Chart | bar chart

| group 1 = 2990632:3067857:2890268:3131111:3049367:3054214:3016230:0:608624:986723:1082233

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| group names = Annual ridership

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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

| colors = #{{rcr|SEPTA|Media/Elwyn}}

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{{Category commons}}

• [https://www.septa.org/schedules/MED SEPTA – Media/Wawa Line]

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{{Delaware Valley transit}}

{{Upper Darby}}

Category:SEPTA Regional Rail

Category:Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington Railroad lines

Category:Railway lines opened in 1858

Category:2022 in rail transport