@@damiancooper3063not 100%, but Reading Co started daylighting some of their tunnels on their commuter routes beginning in 1930s, when they electrified the line. It was easier to remove the roofs and put in catenary that way, if the ceilings would’ve been to thin after expansion.
Thanks for posting and the good narration. I am old enough to have been able to ride all of the Reading Lines to Bethlehem, Newtown, Pottsville and Newark, NJ. The most scenic of them all was Newtown. I was fortunate enough to be able to ride up there when they were coach trains pulled by EMD GP-7s. As you pointed out, Doylestown is a nice ride.
Your are soooo awesome. I'm downloading these vids so that I can watch them in total length once my life becomes less of a financial hurdle. I will get more cab view time when I become more solvent. Until then, you are one of my heroes !! Aarre Peltomaa😉
Retired Railfan, I thoroughly enjoy your videos, especially the commentary......makes me wish there was such a thing as time travel so I could go back in time to when the Reading Railroad was running trains out of Philly so I could travel on them on the various routes.
I really enjoyed your video! In my earlier years, I was a Norristown train rider (Wissahickon to Center City). But as I now live in the greater Lansdale area, its great to see the Philly - Doylestown journey.
At 30:06 that's the Pennsylvania Turnpike the train passes under. This train runs faster than they did on the Media/Elwyn line. I think the Reading spaced their starions further apart than the PRR.
Enjoying your video. You should give a seminar on narrating railfan videos. I recently saw a video where an Amtrak train was doing a pretty intricate move from one track to another and he's showing us his GPS. OMG lol. Had to pause your wonderful video while I spend Movie Night with the Missus but trust, I will be getting back to it asap!
I have ridden this line many times to /from Oreland where my parents resided after a move from Philly. It was Reading Railroad then. Thanks Retired Rail fan for the memories.
Funny thing: I've been in Ft. Washington, No. Wales and Lansdale a thousand times, and I hardly recognized any landmarks from the train. I enjoyed the ride though.
at about 14:11 was Tabor Junction in which Freight Trains would go down the " Richmond Branch. Many Iron ore drags would come from and go to Port Richmond
at 7:36, the concrete on the ground, slab, was once Nicetown Station stop which was discontinued. It served for passengers that worked at the old Budd Plant
I think the lady who makes the station announcements for SEPTA is the same lady who makes them on the MARTA subways here in Atlanta! I wonder how many other transit systems she's recorded announcements for.
I remember in the late 80’s when I learned about some of the rolling stock in Chicago (Cta)the St. Louis 6000’s were actually bought by Septa for routes like Norristown until they received their own new cars in the early 90’s. While some of the PCC’s retained their original color schemes most often of them were of course repainted and re numbered as the 400’s. At the same time that the Cta were also still ordering new cars of their own the Budd 2600’s some of the 6000’s were sold to Philly while most of the others were either retired and scrapped while others were sent to the railway museums.
Is it my imagination or were there dozens of rail workers just milling around doing absolutely nothing? I realize they may have been waiting for the train to pass, but apart from a few holding signs with a "W" on it, they didn't look like they were in the middle of anything.
There's very little sense of urgency or efficiency generally with American railroading. It's probably written in some bureaucracy somewhere that 12 zombies have to stand around while one person works under some unreasonable, overdone "safety rules". No wonder so many American rail systems struggle to even stay in business.
I remember the Budd RDC’s running to Bethlehem. I rode from Lansdale to Quakertown as a young boy, and didn’t realize there was a tunnel in Perkasie. Almost 1/2 a mile long under the Ridge.
We lived in Perkasie back in 79-82, our son was 10 years old and would go to the station and watch for trains. I was with him one time when a GG-1 passed through. I remember that tunnel.
The train I take all the time into the city. I used to get on at Chalfont until I learned the hard way that most of the outbound trains end in Lansdale late at night. Now I only leave from Lansdale
You mentioned the NJ Transit Gladstone Branch - there are also the Metro-North Port Jervis Branch and MARC's Brunswick Line This is the only one with caternaries.
during one PHL vacation I had a day trip doylestown. what are those sidings slightly before north broad? sept should reextend the fox chase line to newtown.
While I had been to Temple's campus (same with those of Penn, Bryn Mawr, and Haverford), I only passed through by rail - and that was to all EXCEPT Temple and Penn. (Bryn Mawr and Haverford have their own stations on the Paoli/Thorndale line, of course.) The rather cute part of Wayne Junction is that it is rather far from Wayne station (again - Paoli/Thorndale Line) - and it takes Google Maps to whack you with that piece of history.
@@chrishowell4845 the Wayne Junction station in Philadelphia is named after the nearby street (Wayne Avenue), while Wayne Station in Radnor Township, Delaware County, was originally opened as Cleaver's Landing, but was renamed Wayne a short time later; the Village of Wayne that surrounds the station was originally named "Louella", but was renamed to match the station stop. Wayne Avenue, Wayne Junction, and both Wayne Station, and the Village of Wayne is named after Revolutionary War General "Mad Anthony" Wayne.
Hi; watched this video on my TV. Is there a reason for the slow running over most of the route? because when I rode S-IVs on here between Lansdale and Center City a number of years ago, it seems they ran a lot faster. BTW: in the late 1800s, the B&O used what is referred to here as the “Bethlehem Branch” as part of their route between Washington and Boston (North Station), going over the bridge in Poughkeepsie that has now been turned into a trail of sorts. IIRC, there also used to be trains between Philly and Toronto using this route.
If you get the chance around the holidays git a model rr schedule for this area try and git to the chelton hills model rr witch is in the old elkins park station just a little walk from the newer station check it out
I noticed that you said that you wouldn't have to take the siding just north of Link Belt. Just for a groaner pun based on where you're from, SEPTA had to make a LIRR out of you!
Septa is preferring the IV's over the V's currently because the IV's have 3 different compartments. (passenger, emergency section, passenger). Which makes social distancing easier (the cars also hold more people), where as the V's are 1 whole compartment (2 counting the engineer's cab), and they also hold less people. Hope this helps! :)
@@TheBestTrainsAreReal Planning to visit and want to get some railfan window head end rides on YT. They are a little hard to find but Septa site helps.
Similar to Chicago’s Metra Electric and South Shore Lines serving its suburbs and northwest to Indiana. When I think about how consolidated Septa is, I sometimes imagine what would happen if every network in my city like Cta, Metra, and Pace* all merged. *A suburban bus division.
While MARC is not merged in the sense that SEPTA is, the MTA bus service in Baltimore, the MARC rail service, and the light rail *all* come under the state Department of Transportation (MDOT) - it is why I was unsurprised to see an HHP-8 in MDOT livery (not MARC livery) at Ivy City the first time I ever took the Penn Line to Baltimore Penn Station; I wonder where it is now. (The commuter bus service is run by contractors for MTA - two of them are MARTZ and Keller Transportation.)
@@PGHammer21A ,I`ve heard a rumor that MARC may extend the Penn Line all the way to Wilmington, Delaware......would make it easy for folks in DC and Maryland to catch a SEPTA train to Philly. And you could even travel by train from Washington, DC to New York City and not take AMTRAK.
@@MidnightAspec on the Northeast Corridor and portions of the Keystone Corridor between Paoli and Thorndale, the speed can be up to 110 mph, as stations there are more spread out. The average speed on most of a SEPTA express train on the Reading side, depending on conditions, is 45-50 mph. Bear in mind that the Reading side of the SEPTA Regional Rail System has the lion's share of the grade crossings; the ex-PRR/PC side is mostly grade-separated; the only exception being the Media/Elwyn Line.
Yes a little. I love those K3’s but I like the D’town Branch. The most scenic line of SEPTA. That honor used to go to West Chester Branch west of Elwyn discontinued in 1980’s
@@hornshowrailfan2554 the extension will not see service at the Williamson School, Glen Riddle, or Lenni Stations. Trains will go from Elwyn straight to Middletown (old Wawa) Station.
Under SEPTOID, a train ride from Center City Philly takes longer to go to Doylestown, because they make every station stop as opposed to 35 years ago. SEPTA ISN'T THE WAY TO GO
@@OldsVistaCruiser & Joe during weekday rush there's a few trains: ones express to north Wales local to Doylestown another is express to ft Washington local to Lansdale early and probably Doylestown during the 5-6p hour.
The crossing s of north Wales is walnut st/ North Wales Rd. The one north if the station is beaver st which where the post office is and was regraded recently.
@@robertgambling502 - Adjust whatever you like. These trains are still SLOW. I grew up in Philly. Lumbering along between stations is a way of life for SEPTA trains.
I love how the engineer just completely ignores the big W that guy is holding. Wayne Junction was completed in 1881. It has been said that during the height of rail travel more trains stopped at Wayne Junction then anywhere in the country. Broken doors one a car thats not even 5yrs old yet? wow SEPTA is cheap. stop buying cars from Korea and Japan and having them finished here just build the damn cars here.
do they really need all of these electric wires, not only are they ugly, but all that electro magnetic power is not good for health and add to that how much it cost to maintain them. technology makes it plausible and more efficient to use diesel or super battery trains that do not need to operate with external electrical wirings. storms and floods can knock out the system in a matter of minutes. not to mention a hacker
If that's the case, then why don't we just ABOLISH ALL FORMS OF ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION, both 60 Hz AC and 25 Hz AC. BTW, as you call for abolishing overhead 60 Hz AC transmission lines, how the Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo are you going to charge the batteries on a train. (Oh, and just FYI, the materials needed for the batteries are produced by Communist-occupied Mainland China using SLAVE LABOR.)
Thank you for a classic "head-end" train ride. Your "locale" commentary made the trip that much more interesting. Excellent!
Thank you for all that you do in aiding us to become Great Conductors and Engineers.
My pleasure. I yearn to make Septa the best commuter railroad in the USA. 😀😀. That was an old one I shot just before the lockdown
That cut approaching North Wales used to be a tunnel until they daylighted it. Great video and love the narration.
I forgot how many years ago was that?
@@damiancooper3063not 100%, but Reading Co started daylighting some of their tunnels on their commuter routes beginning in 1930s, when they electrified the line. It was easier to remove the roofs and put in catenary that way, if the ceilings would’ve been to thin after expansion.
Thanks for posting and the good narration.
I am old enough to have been able to ride all of the Reading Lines to Bethlehem, Newtown, Pottsville and Newark, NJ.
The most scenic of them all was Newtown.
I was fortunate enough to be able to ride up there when they were coach trains pulled
by EMD GP-7s.
As you pointed out, Doylestown is a nice ride.
I’ve ridden all the old RDC lines too but I never did Newtown. Pity!!!! They had a diamond over the West Trenton Line
Your are soooo awesome. I'm downloading these vids so that I can watch them in total length once my life becomes less of a financial hurdle. I will get more cab view time when I become more solvent. Until then, you are one of my heroes !! Aarre Peltomaa😉
Retired Railfan, I thoroughly enjoy your videos, especially the commentary......makes me wish there was such a thing as time travel so I could go back in time to when the Reading Railroad was running trains out of Philly so I could travel on them on the various routes.
I really enjoyed your video! In my earlier years, I was a Norristown train rider (Wissahickon to Center City). But as I now live in the greater Lansdale area, its great to see the Philly - Doylestown journey.
Nice. Beautiful scenery. Narrations and all.
At 30:06 that's the Pennsylvania Turnpike the train passes under. This train runs faster than they did on the Media/Elwyn line. I think the Reading spaced their starions further apart than the PRR.
I love this type of video. I barely get to ride the regional rail but it's nice to learn about it
I wish to do more of these
Enjoying your video. You should give a seminar on narrating railfan videos. I recently saw a video where an Amtrak train was doing a pretty intricate move from one track to another and he's showing us his GPS. OMG lol. Had to pause your wonderful video while I spend Movie Night with the Missus but trust, I will be getting back to it asap!
Excellent videography and narration.
I have ridden this line many times to /from Oreland where my parents resided after a move from Philly. It was Reading Railroad then. Thanks Retired Rail fan for the memories.
Funny thing: I've been in Ft. Washington, No. Wales and Lansdale a thousand times, and I hardly recognized any landmarks from the train. I enjoyed the ride though.
at about 14:11 was Tabor Junction in which Freight Trains would go down the " Richmond Branch. Many Iron ore drags would come from and go to Port Richmond
at 7:36, the concrete on the ground, slab, was once Nicetown Station stop which was discontinued. It served for passengers that worked at the old Budd Plant
Thanks for the rail ride
I think the lady who makes the station announcements for SEPTA is the same lady who makes them on the MARTA subways here in Atlanta! I wonder how many other transit systems she's recorded announcements for.
Interesting
That double bridge was not US 202 but PA 611. Still, I enjoyed the narration. Some interesting facts were shared.
Yes. I realized later it was 611. I know 202 goes thru town. I did mention it in the subscript.
I remember in the late 80’s when I learned about some of the rolling stock in Chicago (Cta)the St. Louis 6000’s were actually bought by Septa for routes like Norristown until they received their own new cars in the early 90’s. While some of the PCC’s retained their original color schemes most often of them were of course repainted and re numbered as the 400’s. At the same time that the Cta were also still ordering new cars of their own the Budd 2600’s some of the 6000’s were sold to Philly while most of the others were either retired and scrapped while others were sent to the railway museums.
On those GRS "tri-light" signals, this is the first time I've seen green on the left and yellow on the right.
Is it my imagination or were there dozens of rail workers just milling around doing absolutely nothing? I realize they may have been waiting for the train to pass, but apart from a few holding signs with a "W" on it, they didn't look like they were in the middle of anything.
There's very little sense of urgency or efficiency generally with American railroading. It's probably written in some bureaucracy somewhere that 12 zombies have to stand around while one person works under some unreasonable, overdone "safety rules".
No wonder so many American rail systems struggle to even stay in business.
I remember the Budd RDC’s running to Bethlehem. I rode from Lansdale to Quakertown as a young boy, and didn’t realize there was a tunnel in Perkasie. Almost 1/2 a mile long under the Ridge.
We lived in Perkasie back in 79-82, our son was 10 years old and would go to the station and watch for trains. I was with him one time when a GG-1 passed through. I remember that tunnel.
@@rvnmedic1968 - Not possible. The GG1 was an electric locomotive. The Bethlehem branch is unelectrified north of Lansdale.
@@OldsVistaCruiser My mistake, thanks for clearing that up. Cheers.
The train I take all the time into the city. I used to get on at Chalfont until I learned the hard way that most of the outbound trains end in Lansdale late at night. Now I only leave from Lansdale
No longer true. The latest two trains go to Doylestown (12:08 & 12:57 at Doylestown)
Who da thunk we would get to the day when urban Philly has less graffiti than ANYWHERE in Europe! Nice job
The day they painted the walls
Ha! Europe has plenty more Graffiti than Philly does! Ya don’t see until you’ve actually been there.
At 7:01 there are two lights on top of each other (green and red)...what does that mean???
Not sure myself however these are reading lines. Assuming they kept the light configuration I would start looking at Reading signals
You mentioned the NJ Transit Gladstone Branch - there are also the Metro-North Port Jervis Branch and MARC's Brunswick Line This is the only one with caternaries.
Gladstone Branch has catenary.
@@3985uprr Your videos of the branch - the only ones I have seen - do not show it.
Nice smooth ride
during one PHL vacation I had a day trip doylestown. what are those sidings slightly before north broad? sept should reextend the fox chase line to newtown.
I noticed that. Not sure what they use it for. There’s no wire over the tracks. Maybe they store maintenance of way equipment on it sometimes
AT 5:27 seconds, you hitting 16th Street Interlocking, thus hitting the beginning of what was called the Bethlehem Branch
While I had been to Temple's campus (same with those of Penn, Bryn Mawr, and Haverford), I only passed through by rail - and that was to all EXCEPT Temple and Penn. (Bryn Mawr and Haverford have their own stations on the Paoli/Thorndale line, of course.) The rather cute part of Wayne Junction is that it is rather far from Wayne station (again - Paoli/Thorndale Line) - and it takes Google Maps to whack you with that piece of history.
That is kind of strange that Wayne Junction and the station are far apart , but my goodness, there`s a lot of track in that area, plus the yard!
@@chrishowell4845 the Wayne Junction station in Philadelphia is named after the nearby street (Wayne Avenue), while Wayne Station in Radnor Township, Delaware County, was originally opened as Cleaver's Landing, but was renamed Wayne a short time later; the Village of Wayne that surrounds the station was originally named "Louella", but was renamed to match the station stop. Wayne Avenue, Wayne Junction, and both Wayne Station, and the Village of Wayne is named after Revolutionary War General "Mad Anthony" Wayne.
Hi; watched this video on my TV. Is there a reason for the slow running over most of the route? because when I rode S-IVs on here between Lansdale and Center City a number of years ago, it seems they ran a lot faster.
BTW: in the late 1800s, the B&O used what is referred to here as the “Bethlehem Branch” as part of their route between Washington and Boston (North Station), going over the bridge in Poughkeepsie that has now been turned into a trail of sorts. IIRC, there also used to be trains between Philly and Toronto using this route.
How would ther B&O go all the way to Boston...? North Station? thats cut off from the National network.
If you get the chance around the holidays git a model rr schedule for this area try and git to the chelton hills model rr witch is in the old elkins park station just a little walk from the newer station check it out
Love this route - I know it's not your blame but the bugs, etc. on the windows are annoying - however, I really enjoy your comments along the route
The bug splat looks more like a precision pigeon bomb.
at 12:37 , was the Tabor Train station
I noticed that you said that you wouldn't have to take the siding just north of Link Belt. Just for a groaner pun based on where you're from, SEPTA had to make a LIRR out of you!
why switching to the left track, when both tracks become one track after the station, ,makes no sense to slow down
Why are so few SL5’s running lately. They have over 100 of these cars and it seems like only five or six train sets are running each weekday.
Septa is preferring the IV's over the V's currently because the IV's have 3 different compartments. (passenger, emergency section, passenger). Which makes social distancing easier (the cars also hold more people), where as the V's are 1 whole compartment (2 counting the engineer's cab), and they also hold less people. Hope this helps! :)
@@TheBestTrainsAreReal Planning to visit and want to get some railfan window head end rides on YT. They are a little hard to find but Septa site helps.
Do you prefer the IVs or the Vs?
V’s hands down
@@3985uprr FUN FACT: Pop singer, Pink (real name "Alicia Moore") was born and raised in Doylestown
Fortuna is off of cowpath Rd pa 463.
Similar to Chicago’s Metra Electric and South Shore Lines serving its suburbs and northwest to Indiana. When I think about how consolidated Septa is, I sometimes imagine what would happen if every network in my city like Cta, Metra, and Pace* all merged. *A suburban bus division.
While MARC is not merged in the sense that SEPTA is, the MTA bus service in Baltimore, the MARC rail service, and the light rail *all* come under the state Department of Transportation (MDOT) - it is why I was unsurprised to see an HHP-8 in MDOT livery (not MARC livery) at Ivy City the first time I ever took the Penn Line to Baltimore Penn Station; I wonder where it is now. (The commuter bus service is run by contractors for MTA - two of them are MARTZ and Keller Transportation.)
@@PGHammer21A Interesting.
@@PGHammer21A ,I`ve heard a rumor that MARC may extend the Penn Line all the way to Wilmington, Delaware......would make it easy for folks in DC and Maryland to catch a SEPTA train to Philly. And you could even travel by train from Washington, DC to New York City and not take AMTRAK.
Never been on that but the el trolley bus and orange train i been on
Why is that train going so slow?
Does it always go like this?
Train seems slow because the lens was in a partial telephoto position which compresses the scene. Adjust your playback speed to 2X for a faster ride.
Are you in a Silver Liner V, Or the IV?
SL5.
Retired Railfan I should have known by the sound of the brakes! 👍😎
at 14:24 was the original Fern Rock Station
some landscaping will make this ride look much better, who wants to ride through a dump every day
The old Elkins park station has a model railroad club in it called chelton hills rr club it's on RUclips check it out
That's actually the old Ogontz station.
Enjoyable video shame that they run the trains on this line apparently at a snail’s pace…
Train seems slow because the lens was in a partial telephoto position which compresses the scene. Adjust your playback speed to 2X for a faster ride.
My Market Frankford Line Heads Toward 40th Street
This was immediately prior to Covid - sad to say that it would all change within the month.
I sure wish the train would go faster.
Agreed. All the SEPTA footage that I’ve come across seems to show them operating at a snail’s pace. What’s SEPTA’s MAS for commuter rail: 35 mph?
@@MidnightAspec on the Northeast Corridor and portions of the Keystone Corridor between Paoli and Thorndale, the speed can be up to 110 mph, as stations there are more spread out. The average speed on most of a SEPTA express train on the Reading side, depending on conditions, is 45-50 mph. Bear in mind that the Reading side of the SEPTA Regional Rail System has the lion's share of the grade crossings; the ex-PRR/PC side is mostly grade-separated; the only exception being the Media/Elwyn Line.
Generally, the Septa trains reach 65 mph between stations.
Trains seem so slow due to lens in telephoto position which compresses the scene. Adjust your playback speed to 2X for a faster ride.
It was 611 not 202
I’m aware of that. Another viewer informed me of that. I was on the right track at least
@@3985uprr - You were on the ONLY track! ;-)
(I enjoyed the video)
My Market Frankford Line Heads Toward Erie-Torresdale
Falling a little short with the horn blowing!
Yes a little. I love those K3’s but I like the D’town Branch. The most scenic line of SEPTA. That honor used to go to West Chester Branch west of Elwyn discontinued in 1980’s
Retired Railfan you should ride the Elwyn line. That is still open and is being extended to Wawa with additional stations!
@@hornshowrailfan2554 the extension will not see service at the Williamson School, Glen Riddle, or Lenni Stations. Trains will go from Elwyn straight to Middletown (old Wawa) Station.
at 11:16, that was once called the " Blue Line" .
Septa MFL Heads Toward 15th Street Subway Station
The 9ld reading line
Anywhere in Europe that same suburban distance would be covered in maybe 60% of that time...
Under SEPTOID, a train ride from Center City Philly takes longer to go to Doylestown, because they make every station stop as opposed to 35 years ago. SEPTA ISN'T THE WAY TO GO
The Doylestown line expresses through Melrose Park and Elkins Park.
@@OldsVistaCruiser & Joe during weekday rush there's a few trains: ones express to north Wales local to Doylestown another is express to ft Washington local to Lansdale early and probably Doylestown during the 5-6p hour.
611 bypass just before Doylestown.
42:36 main street/ sumneytown pk crossing
The crossing s of north Wales is walnut st/ North Wales Rd. The one north if the station is beaver st which where the post office is and was regraded recently.
Certainly not rapid transit. So slow,even on straight streches. Coast so slowly into stations and accelerate so slowly out.
Slowness is due to lens being in partial telephoto which compresses the scene. Adjust you playback speed to 2X for a faster ride.
@@robertgambling502 - Adjust whatever you like. These trains are still SLOW.
I grew up in Philly. Lumbering along between stations is a way of life for SEPTA trains.
About 37:00 a man is talking dirty, Oh Me.
A round trip is $ 14.
That's only fair.
As a Senior it’s FREE
@@3985uprr For all or PA residents only?
@@kge420 all seniors provided you go in person to the SEPTA customer service center in downtown Philadelphia to apply
I love how the engineer just completely ignores the big W that guy is holding. Wayne Junction was completed in 1881. It has been said that during the height of rail travel more trains stopped at Wayne Junction then anywhere in the country. Broken doors one a car thats not even 5yrs old yet? wow SEPTA is cheap. stop buying cars from Korea and Japan and having them finished here just build the damn cars here.
I am
the bullet hole into the glass is sad...
It's a spattered bug.
@@OldsVistaCruiser could have also been a precision pigeon bombing.
@@rwboa22 - Too small. It's a squished bug. Silverliner V cars can hit 100 mph on the Trenton line.
I think it is pigeon poop. Being winter this video was shot, I doubt there are any bugs around.
do they really need all of these electric wires, not only are they ugly, but all that electro magnetic power is not good for health and add to that how much it cost to maintain them. technology makes it plausible and more efficient to use diesel or super battery trains that do not need to operate with external electrical wirings. storms and floods can knock out the system in a matter of minutes. not to mention a hacker
If that's the case, then why don't we just ABOLISH ALL FORMS OF ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION, both 60 Hz AC and 25 Hz AC. BTW, as you call for abolishing overhead 60 Hz AC transmission lines, how the Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo are you going to charge the batteries on a train. (Oh, and just FYI, the materials needed for the batteries are produced by Communist-occupied Mainland China using SLAVE LABOR.)
SEPTA can’t use diesel equipment on the Regional Rail because there isn’t sufficient exhaust ventilation in the Center City tunnels