Chester Creek Branch
Encyclopedia
The Chester Creek Branch railroad line ran from Lamokin Street
in Chester, Pennsylvania
to Lenni
in Middletown Township
, until 1972. It was operated by the Pennsylvania Railroad
(PRR), and later by Penn Central. The branch diverged from the Northeast Corridor
main line near the now-defunct SEPTA Lamokin Street Station. For most of its length, the branch paralleled Chester Creek
. At Lenni, the branch merged with the West Chester Branch
.
and service began in 1869. Trains were operated by the Philadelphia and Baltimore Central Railroad
. The PRR acquired control through its subsidiary, the Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington Railroad
, in 1916. In 1972, Hurricane Agnes
crippled many bankrupt railways in the northeast, with the Chester Creek Branch sustaining severe damage. As the Penn Central was financially in no position to repair the lightly used line, it was taken out of service. Following the PC bankruptcy
in 1970, the line was acquired by Conrail
in 1976, and finally SEPTA in 1978.
between the dormant Lenni
Station and the town of Upland
. As of 2010, government grants have been awarded for the first phase of the trail project, and engineering design work is underway.
SEPTA still retains ownership and has the right to restore rail service if need be, but the odds of this happening are doubtful. Byron Comati, SEPTA’s director of strategic planning and analysis, said SEPTA has never sought reclamation and a rail trail’s growing popularity could preclude this.
“To the best of our knowledge after our discussions with SEPTA, there are no plans in the future to restore rail service to the Chester Creek Branch,” said Mike Fusco, president of The Friends of the Chester Creek Branch. Comati concurred that "SEPTA has no plans, long-range or otherwise, to reclaim the Chester Creek Line right-of-way for public transit use. Rails-to-trails success stories exist in Delaware County, and there are several other examples of former right-of-way that have the potential to become trails in the future."
Lamokin Street (SEPTA station)
The Lamokin Street SEPTA Station is a former SEPTA Regional Rail station located on SEPTA's Wilmington/Newark Line at Lamokin Street in Chester, Pennsylvania, adjacent to an electrical substation that provides power to both Amtrak's Northeast Corridor and SEPTA's Media/Elwyn lines. The station also...
in Chester, Pennsylvania
Chester, Pennsylvania
Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States, with a population of 33,972 at the 2010 census. Chester is situated on the Delaware River, between the cities of Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware.- History :...
to Lenni
Lenni (SEPTA station)
Lenni is a derelict train station located on the corner of Station Lane and Lenni Road in Middletown Township, Pennsylvania. The station was a stop on the Pennsylvania Railroad's West Chester Line...
in Middletown Township
Middletown Township, Pennsylvania
Middletown Township is the name of some places in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania:*Middletown Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania*Middletown Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania*Middletown Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania...
, until 1972. It was operated by the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
(PRR), and later by Penn Central. The branch diverged from the Northeast Corridor
Northeast Corridor
The Northeast Corridor is a fully electrified railway line owned primarily by Amtrak serving the Northeast megalopolis of the United States from Boston in the north, via New York to Washington, D.C. in the south, with branches serving other cities...
main line near the now-defunct SEPTA Lamokin Street Station. For most of its length, the branch paralleled Chester Creek
Chester Creek
thumb|upright=1.45|Chester Creek near [[Upland, Pennsylvania]]Chester Creek is a tributary of the Delaware River in Delaware County, Pennsylvania in the United States.-East Branch:...
. At Lenni, the branch merged with the West Chester Branch
West Chester Branch
The West Chester Branch was a local passenger and freight railroad line owned by the Pennsylvania Railroad and later Penn Central. The line connected with the Philadelphia-Washington Main Line at Arsenal Junction near the University of Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia-Chicago Main Line near...
.
History
The rail line was built by the Chester Creek RailroadChester Creek Railroad
The Chester Creek Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area in the 19th century. It operated of track between Lamokin Street in Chester, and Lenni in Middletown Township, where it connected with the West Chester and Philadelphia Railroad...
and service began in 1869. Trains were operated by the Philadelphia and Baltimore Central Railroad
Philadelphia and Baltimore Central Railroad
The Philadelphia and Baltimore Central Railroad was a railroad that operated in Pennsylvania and Maryland in the 19th and early 20th centuries...
. The PRR acquired control through its subsidiary, the Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington Railroad
Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington Railroad
The Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington Railroad was a railroad that operated in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and the District of Columbia in the 20th century was a key component of the Pennsylvania Railroad system. Its 131 mile main line ran from Philadelphia to Washington...
, in 1916. In 1972, Hurricane Agnes
Hurricane Agnes
Hurricane Agnes was the first tropical storm and first hurricane of the 1972 Atlantic hurricane season. A rare June hurricane, it made landfall on the Florida Panhandle before moving northeastward and ravaging the Mid-Atlantic region as a tropical storm...
crippled many bankrupt railways in the northeast, with the Chester Creek Branch sustaining severe damage. As the Penn Central was financially in no position to repair the lightly used line, it was taken out of service. Following the PC bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
in 1970, the line was acquired by Conrail
Consolidated Rail Corporation
The Consolidated Rail Corporation, commonly known as Conrail , was the primary Class I railroad in the Northeast U.S. between 1976 and 1999. The federal government created it to take over the potentially profitable lines of bankrupt carriers, including the Penn Central Transportation Company and...
in 1976, and finally SEPTA in 1978.
Rail trail
The rail line has not been repaired since the damage and termination of service in the 1972, although 90 percent of the line remains intact as of 2009. In 2005, SEPTA provided a 30-year lease to a local group called Friends of the Chester Creek Branch, who have proposed converting the line into a rail trailRail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
between the dormant Lenni
Lenni (SEPTA station)
Lenni is a derelict train station located on the corner of Station Lane and Lenni Road in Middletown Township, Pennsylvania. The station was a stop on the Pennsylvania Railroad's West Chester Line...
Station and the town of Upland
Upland, Pennsylvania
Upland is a borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. Upland is governed by an elected seven member borough council. The population was 2,977 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Upland is located at ....
. As of 2010, government grants have been awarded for the first phase of the trail project, and engineering design work is underway.
SEPTA still retains ownership and has the right to restore rail service if need be, but the odds of this happening are doubtful. Byron Comati, SEPTA’s director of strategic planning and analysis, said SEPTA has never sought reclamation and a rail trail’s growing popularity could preclude this.
“To the best of our knowledge after our discussions with SEPTA, there are no plans in the future to restore rail service to the Chester Creek Branch,” said Mike Fusco, president of The Friends of the Chester Creek Branch. Comati concurred that "SEPTA has no plans, long-range or otherwise, to reclaim the Chester Creek Line right-of-way for public transit use. Rails-to-trails success stories exist in Delaware County, and there are several other examples of former right-of-way that have the potential to become trails in the future."