Frankford Junction (PRR station)

Frankford Junction
Former: SEPTA regional rail[1]
PRR inter-city rail
Location Frankford Avenue and East Butler Street
Coordinates 40°00′00″N 75°05′35″W / 40.00°N 75.093°W / 40.00; -75.093Coordinates: 40°00′00″N 75°05′35″W / 40.00°N 75.093°W / 40.00; -75.093
Line(s)

Former:

  Trenton Line
Platforms 1 side platform
Tracks 4, 2, 2 (junction)
Connections
  Market–Frankford Line at Erie–Torresdale or Tioga
Construction
Structure type demolished (2008)[2]
Platform levels 2
Other information
Fare zone 1
History
Closed 1990s
Electrified 1935
Previous names Conrail (1976—1999)
Penn Central (1968—1976)
Pennsylvania Railroad (1871—1968)
Philadelphia and Trenton Railroad (1832—1871)
Services
  Former services  
Preceding station   SEPTA   Following station
(also closed in 1990s)
toward Trenton
Trenton Line
Pennsylvania Railroad
toward Chicago
Main Line
Trenton Line
toward Trenton

Frankford Junction is a railroad junction, and former junction station,[3] located on the border between the Kensington and Port Richmond neighborhoods of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States. At the junction, the 4-track Northeast Corridor line from Trenton connects with the 2-track Atlantic City Line from Atlantic City in the northeastern portion of Philadelphia about 2.9 miles (4.7 km) northeast of North Philadelphia station.[4] It lies near the intersection of Frankford Avenue and Butler Street, to the west of where New Jersey Route 90 meets Interstate 95 after crossing the Betsy Ross Bridge. It has been used for rail transportation since 1832 but has not served as a station since the 1990s.

Overview

The junction has seen a mass of freight and passenger service throughout its existence. In 1832 the Philadelphia and Trenton Railroad (P&T) was formed and started service with a small yard. The line extended southwest of the junction and on to destinations north. In 1871 the railroad was leased by the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR). During this time a new branch was formed, namely the Tioga Street Branch, consisting of trackage running down the middle of Tioga Street. The branch was later sold to the Kensington and Tacony Railroad. The Pennsylvania Railroad operated the Connecting Railway (part of today's Northeast Corridor) that carried trains to the south.

Through time the junction passed from the Pennsylvania Railroad to the Penn Central and finally to Amtrak. During the era of the PRR they operated the Congressional, which passed through the junction. Amtrak now operates the Acela Express and Northeast Regional through the junction, although the 4° turn through it imposes the lowest speed limit along the Northeast Corridor line of 50 miles per hour (80 km/h).[4]

The junction started to dwindle as a station in its older years, with the last service coming from Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) in the 1990s along the Trenton Line (formerly known as the R7 Line). The junction still sees many trains, both freight and passenger, none of which serve the station platforms that still exist. Today the original P&T line still stretches for a few city blocks, terminating abruptly at Ann Street. It is still used for local freight service. A Conrail freight line splits from the Northeast Corridor at this location and continues to New Jersey via the Delair Bridge. NJ Transit maintains the Atlantic City Line through the junction that serves 30th Street Station to Atlantic City Rail Terminal with local service daily. Amtrak and SEPTA pass through on the Northeast Corridor. There is an abandoned track that used to be for local freight on the north side of the junction. The switching yard is still maintained with continuously decreasing service.

Accidents

On September 6, 1943, a deadly accident occurred when an axle detached from a train as the result of an undiscovered hot box, causing it to derail.[5] 79 people were killed and more were injured.[5]

On May 12, 2015, Amtrak Northeast Regional #188 from Washington DC to New York derailed as it was traversing Frankford Junction. Eight people were killed.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "R 7 Trenton". Retrieved 2010-08-20. courtesy of www.stationreporter.net
  2. ↑ Almeida, John P. (24 November 2008). "Philly NRHS – Railfan Pictures of the Week". Retrieved 2010-08-20.
  3. ↑ "RailroadForums.com Photo Gallery – Frankford Junction: Long Gone – Powered by PhotoPost". Retrieved 2010-08-20.
  4. 1 2 Brotzman, Chris. "Shore tower". Retrieved 2010-08-19.
  5. 1 2 "The Wreck of the Congressional Limited; Philadelphia, Pa.; Sept. 6, 1943". 7 September 2005. Retrieved 2010-08-20.
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