User:Choess/Chestnut Hill Branch (Pennsylvania Railroad)

Chestnut Hill Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad.

Construction
Motivation: "spite line", compete with Reading. Intended to capture commuter traffic?

On January 2, 1883, the Philadelphia, Germantown and Chestnut Hill Railroad was incorporated, to construct a line from Germantown Junction (now North Philadelphia) and Chestnut Hill. This project was directed by Henry H. Houston. This line of 6.75 miles was built between 1883 and 1884, closely paralleling the Chestnut Hill Railroad (controlled by the Reading); service opened on 11 June 1884. Between 1892 and 1893, two additional branches were built: the Midvale Branch, running 0.85 miles from Midvale to the Midvale Steel Company plant, and the Fort Washington Branch or Cresheim Branch, running 6.27 miles from Allen Lane to Fort Hill, where it connected with the Trenton Cut-Off. On 1 January 1902, this railroad was consolidated into The Connecting Railway, which owned the line until the formation of Conrail in 1976.

Stations

 * North Philadelphia
 * Westmoreland
 * Queen Lane
 * Chelten Avenue
 * Tulpehocken
 * Upsal
 * Carpenter
 * Allen Lane
 * St Martins
 * Highland
 * Chestnut Hill

Interlockings

 * NORTH PHILADELPHIA
 * ALLEN LANE
 * CHESTNUT HILL

Branches

 * Midvale Branch
 * Fort Washington Branch
 * Allen Lane
 * Germantown Road
 * East Lane
 * Asbestos (Wyndmoor)
 * Hill Crest
 * Laverock
 * Sandy Hill
 * Enfield
 * Sunnybrook
 * Fort Hill

Electrification
Electrified from North Philadelphia to Chestnut Hill on 30 March 1918, Allen Lane to Fort Hill in 1924. Fort Washington Branch de-electrified 1952.

Passenger
Regular commuter service on Chestnut Hill Branch, then Fort Washington Branch. Passenger service ended on Fort Washington Branch in 1952.

Freight
Little freight on upper end of branch (north of Allen Lane): a few coal dealers, etc. Mostly concentrated in southern part of branch, around Midvale Yard. Midvale Steel (Midvale Branch), Philco, and others.

Post-PRR fate
The branch was among the lines sold to Conrail in 1976. In 1983, it was sold to SEPTA, and became the R8 Chestnut Hill West line. Conrail retained ownership of the sidings along the line, and continued to serve the few remaining freight customers. Midvale Branch removed in 1980s.