Lenni (SEPTA station)
Lenni | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Former SEPTA regional rail station | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Former Lenni Station site in January 2013. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location |
Station Lane and Lenni Road Middletown Township, Pennsylvania. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 39°53′39″N 75°26′55″W / 39.8942°N 75.4486°WCoordinates: 39°53′39″N 75°26′55″W / 39.8942°N 75.4486°W | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Owned by | SEPTA | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Platforms | 1 side platform | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tracks | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| History | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Closed | 1986 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Electrified | 1928 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Services | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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No services
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Lenni (pronounced "Len-EYE") 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 (PRR) West Chester Line. It later became a part of SEPTA's R3 West Chester line.
The station, and all of those west of Elwyn, was closed in September 1986, due to deteriorating track conditions and Chester County's desire to expand facilities at Exton Station on SEPTA's Paoli/Thorndale Line. Service was suspended that time, with substitute bus service provided. Lenni station still appears in publicly posted tariffs.
The station shed itself was demolished in 1990s; the asphalt platform, station signage and maps survive.
Since passenger service ended in 1986, vandals began stealing the copper catenary wire. As Lenni is currently used by SEPTA to train new railroad division engineers, and a live SEPTA substation exists nearby with transmission lines connecting to Amtrak's Lamokin converter station, the line remains electrified as far west as Lenni. Wire was removed for the remainder of the line out to West Chester over the summer of 2005 to prevent further theft.
Chester Creek branch
The PRR's former Chester Creek Branch branches off at Lenni. The line sustained heavy flash flood damage in September 1971 (not due to the later Hurricane Agnes as is sometimes claimed), and was taken out of service at that time. The railway was never officially abandoned, and has since been deeded to SEPTA via PennDOT.[1]
