railroad.wikisort.org - Station

West Chester station, formerly Market Street Station, is a train station in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Located at Market Street, it currently serves as a stop on the West Chester Railroad heritage railroad. The location was previously used as a stop on the Pennsylvania Railroad's (PRR) West Chester Branch, and later became a part of SEPTA's R3 West Chester Line.

West Chester
West Chester Railroad tourist train station
West Chester station in 2018
General information
Location	230 East Market Street West Chester, Pennsylvania
Coordinates	39.9609°N 75.6004°W / 39.9609; -75.6004
Owned by	West Chester Railroad
Line(s)	West Chester Line
Platforms	1 side platform
Tracks	1
History
Opened	1875, 1997 (as heritage railway)
Closed	September 19, 1986[1]
Rebuilt	1885
Electrified	December 2, 1928[2]
Previous names	Market Street
Services
Preceding station West Chester Railroad Following station Terminus Main Line Westtown toward Glen Mills
Former services Preceding station SEPTA Following station Terminus West Chester Line West Chester University toward Suburban Station Preceding station Pennsylvania Railroad Following station Terminus West Chester Line Oakbourne toward Suburban Station Maple Avenue toward Frazer Frazer – West Chester Terminus

SEPTA discontinued regular passenger service in September 1986, due to deteriorating track conditions, Chester County's desire to expand facilities at Exton station on SEPTA's Paoli/Thorndale Line, and the existence of faster and more frequent bus service on SEPTA Route 104 along West Chester Pike to 69th Street Terminal. Heritage service was restored by the West Chester Railroad in 1997, a privately owned and operated tourist railroad that operates between Glen Mills and West Chester.

Station history

The West Chester & Philadelphia Railroad opened Market Street station in 1875.[3] It was rebuilt following a major fire in 1885.[4] The main building was razed in 1968.[3]

SEPTA later used the stop for the R3 West Chester Line. In 1986, SEPTA discontinued service due to deteriorating track conditions, the expansion of Exton station, and the improvement of bus service on SEPTA Route 104. The frame building erected in place of the older station was closed and razed.[5]

In 1997, the West Chester Railroad (WCRR) constructed a new station for its heritage line running to Glen Mills. Except for the concrete platform, nothing remains of the former station; however, the foundation outline from the former building is visible. WCRR erected a one-room station on site that serves as a ticket office and gift shop.

Service restoration efforts

In 2014, the Chester County Planning Commission's long-term public transportation plan envisioned the return of SEPTA service to West Chester.[6] In 2018 a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation report estimated rebuilding to cost $380M USD. In July 2022 the West Chester Borough Council formed a Railroad Retoration Committe to explore the use of battery-operated rail cars as a lower cost alternative to a full rebuilding of an electrified line.[7]

References

Further reading

• Advisory Ad Hoc Committee to Reestablish Rail Service to West Chester (September 22, 2015). "The Potential of Rail Service to West Chester Borough". Archived from the original on 2016-06-20.

External links

• West Chester Railroad Restoration Committee | Borough of West Chester, Pennsylvania

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