TRAIN-RIDING IN PHILADELPHIA AND NEW JERSEY -- SOME OBSERVATIONS AND OPINIONS

[Bapou]

The NJT M.U. cars you mention were built by GE not Bombardier, and are called Arrow III.

[fafnir242]

I've ridden NJT a couple of times when I was out visiting relatives, and I have to say it was probably one of the most fascinating experiences I've ever had.  Of course, being from the Midwest, that's not really saying much.lol  Still, though, I loved Newark Penn Station.  I practically wanted to live there, but that probably wouldn't be a good idea.  Rode the Raritan Valley line twice each way.  In fact, my first return trip was behind a GP40FH-2.  I've got no complaints about their service.

[daveklepper]

I visited Girard College once when doing some sound system work on the Bellusci designed theatre-concert-hall.   Nice place.  Was treated to an excellent lunch.   Too dumb at the time to ride the streetcar, took a taxi from 30th Street Station.   Road the streetcar line once on a fan trip.   And did get to see the Philladelphia Brilliner, but didn't ride it.

[Jack_S]

Nice post.  I grew up in Philly and went to Girard College, which was really an orphanage for grades 1 to 12.  I lived there from 1947 to 1957.  Your route on the number 15 PCC trolley took you right past the school's main entrance just west of 20th Street.  I rode that line many times to get to the Broad Street subway.

Jack

[oltmannd]

1900 vehicles per hour per lane is slightly less than 2 second spacing.

I also remember that "C" shaped curve of capacity.  It explained why, for a highway running near capacity, one day you can sail along 40-50 mph and the next day, you're stuck at 10-20 mph - with the highway carrying exactly the same traffic.  Once a jam nudges you under that "critical" speed, it's game over!

[gardendance]

The train would change direction in Penn, so Empire passengers would be riding forward.  But, there is a precedent for rear facing seating on Empire service. The Turboliners used to have 50/50 forward/rear facing seating (as the Keystone trains SHOULD have - if they don't already...)  and these trains used to go all the way to Buffalo like that. 

and the Adirondack used to go NY GCT all the way to Montreal with 50/50 forward/rear facing Turboliner seating, as did the Turboliners out of Chicago, and the Turboliners in Europe. After all Amtrak's turboliners were just copies of European equipment, or even straight European imports.

Of course let's not get stuck thinking just because we used to do it then, or just because everyone else does it, makes it right. There is probably some travel decision based on aversion to facing backwards, and there are probably some people who don't care. Notice that commercial airlines have forward facing seats, but military planes have backward facing seats, which are much safer in a collision.

[daveklepper]

I gather you are looking at Amtrak trains only when you say a lane each way.   It may thin out a bit a Jersey Avenue, but it does not really thin out at Trenton, because there the loss of NJT trrains is made up by the addition of SEPTA trains.   And we are talking about capacity, so the fact that SEPTA trains today are generally shorter should not count. 

But if Amtrak actually has three passenger trains NY to Phila during the peak hour, again not counting NJT or SEPTA. and I believe the timetable shows during the evening rush hour one Acela, one Regional Express to Washington, and one Harrisburg train, assume twelve 60-seat coaches (remember we are talking about capacity) on each train (and you can couple two Acela sets together to approximate this) 21,600 total Amtrak on their three trains only.   So, you aren't far off.

Again, if Phily-NY is the bottleneck, and NJT's plan for its own 2-track Hudosn River tunnel goes through to completion, then added capacity can be obtained by electrifying Aldene-West Trenton and upgrading the old CNJ-Reading route.   And it won't cost a billion either.

What speed is your 1,950 highway lane capacity figured at?  At Ballsbaugh's class at MIT we learned that maximum highway capacity on one lane is at about 22 mph!   As you go faster, the distance between cars (in practice, which may actually be less than the best safe distance) goes up something like the square of the relative speed, rather than linearly. 

Ballsbaugh's figure for 45 mph was something like 1,000 per hour and I believe this is the figure that should be used for comparison, giving Amtrak the equal of two lanes each way.   Unless you believe braking distance has improved remarkably in the last half century.   Has it?

 Now if you add NJT and SEPTA connecting service (which at times in the past was provided with jointly-operated Silverliner and Jersey Arrow cars running through), this would at least double to four lanes, possibly up to five with the greater capacity of the commuter cars.

[oltmannd]

Amtrak does their best to discourage Phila-NYP passengers since that tends to be the "bottleneck" on the route.  Amtrak has to move the seat all the way from WAS to NYP or Boston and can't afford to have it only occupied from Phila to NYP at a cheap rate. 

I don't have anything with Amtrak charging top dollar to NYP-Philly passengers on the basis of charging what the customers are willing to pay.  But the suggestion that this is the bottleneck on the route, that it is running at capacity, and needs to be rationed seems odd to me.  This is at least a two-track, in some places a four-track electrified and ATS'd route with strict controls over any freight traffic. 

NARP used to talk about each track having the passenger capacity of 20 lanes of freeway.  Is NY-Philly carrying anywhere near 40 freeway lanes worth of train passengers?  At peak times during commuter rush?

If you plug in some typical numbers, here's what you get.

If Block length = 2 miles.

Then typical separatation between trains with 3 aspect signalling- everybody running at track speed = 4 miles

Which give you 15 trains an hour at 60 mph.

A highway lane can carry about 1900 vehiles per hour. 

So, 20 lanes would get you 38,000 per hour.

Dividing 38,000/15 = 2,500 passengers per train.

In Amfleet terms, that's 30+ car trains. 

However, the Newark to NYP section is capable of 25 trains an hour or so, each way (shorter blocks, more aspects, higher avg speeds)

If each train was 8 cars at 125 per car (assumes some are NJT and some are Amtrak), then you get 25x8x125 = 25,000, about 13 lanes worth of vehicles.  But that thins out past the jct with the Lackawanna, then some more at Rahway, then some more at Jersey Ave and a bit more at Trenton.

I think I did the numbers on Amtrak NYP to Phila once, and it was worth about a lane each way at peak times.

[paulsafety]

I spotted a Bullet (painted in SEPTA's early '80s paint scheme) at (rather, outside in the yard of) the Electric City Trolley Museum (next to Steamtown) in Scranton when visiting both in 2003.  Couldn't board it, though.

motor

Might this be the one?

http://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/septa206.jpg

[motor]

The bullets were built in 1931.  Most were withdrawn from service around 1990 and many were preserved at museums. 

I spotted a Bullet (painted in SEPTA's early '80s paint scheme) at (rather, outside in the yard of) the Electric City Trolley Museum (next to Steamtown) in Scranton when visiting both in 2003.  Couldn't board it, though.

motor

[Paul Milenkovic]

Amtrak does their best to discourage Phila-NYP passengers since that tends to be the "bottleneck" on the route.  Amtrak has to move the seat all the way from WAS to NYP or Boston and can't afford to have it only occupied from Phila to NYP at a cheap rate. 

I don't have anything with Amtrak charging top dollar to NYP-Philly passengers on the basis of charging what the customers are willing to pay.  But the suggestion that this is the bottleneck on the route, that it is running at capacity, and needs to be rationed seems odd to me.  This is at least a two-track, in some places a four-track electrified and ATS'd route with strict controls over any freight traffic. 

NARP used to talk about each track having the passenger capacity of 20 lanes of freeway.  Is NY-Philly carrying anywhere near 40 freeway lanes worth of train passengers?  At peak times during commuter rush?

[paulsafety]

Anybody know the actual age of the Brill Bullets

The bullets were built in 1931.  Most were withdrawn from service around 1990 and many were preserved at museums.  Those that survive would be 76 yrs. old this year.  Here are some links to additional info on the line and the bullets:

http://www.phillytrolley.org/philwest.html

http://www.rockhilltrolley.org/roster/205.htm

http://world.nycsubway.org/us/phila/norristown.html

http://www.philadelphiatransitvehicles.info/interurban.php

Paul F.

 

[ndbprr]

Anybody know the actual age of the Brill Bullets on the old Red arrow line.  I rode one as a kid.  We took a bus from northeast Philly to the Frankford El termination and took the El to 69th St. where we boarded a bullet.  That was about fifty years ago and they weren't new then. I would guess they are possibly aproaching their 75th birthday.  I'd also guess they are paid for at this point!

[oltmannd]

Philadelphia-New York and New York-Albany are probably in two separate seniority districts so any through Philadelphia-Albany train would require a crew change at Penn Station or Amtrak would have to negotiate agreements with the Brotherhoods for through crews from each district to provide an equitable division of the workload.  Agreements of this nature were drawn to provide for through crews on Chicago-Decatur and Chicago-Peoria Amtrak runs in the late 1980's. 

That makes sense. 

I wouldn't think you'd want to tackle a run-thru crew, just the equipment - mate the Keystone schedules with the Empire schedules - at least the more reliable Albany schedules.  Let the crews cycle on their exiting pools.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

Philadelphia-New York and New York-Albany are probably in two separate seniority districts so any through Philadelphia-Albany train would require a crew change at Penn Station or Amtrak would have to negotiate agreements with the Brotherhoods for through crews from each district to provide an equitable division of the workload.  Agreements of this nature were drawn to provide for through crews on Chicago-Decatur and Chicago-Peoria Amtrak runs in the late 1980's. 

[oltmannd]

P70s vs Amfleet. 

The trade-off is HEP jumpers vs. a steam connection.  The steam connection is needed year-round for reheat in the HVAC system.  The steam connections are cranky things.  I think I'd rather deal with HEP jumpers.

Empire svc riding backwards.

The train would change direction in Penn, so Empire passengers would be riding forward.  But, there is a precedent for rear facing seating on Empire service. The Turboliners used to have 50/50 forward/rear facing seating (as the Keystone trains SHOULD have - if they don't already...)  and these trains used to go all the way to Buffalo like that. 

Empire serice consist is typically 4 or 5 Amfleet and a P32.  A Keystone train is typically 5 coaches and and AEM7.   What crew agreement issues would be involved?  Maybe an arbitrary for the engine swap at Penn?

[JT22CW]

The Red Arrow 103 was indeed a trolley during the time Brilliners ran the route; the mention of Brilliners on this thread brought it to my mind.  The route had a dedicated ROW for the trolleys, which was decimated (most likely needlessly) with the widening of West Chester Pike.  This low-resolution pic shows a Brilliner on the 103 route circa 1954.

 

[al-in-chgo]

Bah; was a typo.  Should have just said "Red Arrow".  The 103 should still be a trolley line to this day, too...

As for Newark Broad (former DL&W), that station's undergoing a major reconfiguration, into one that the Lackawanna should have built to begin with—with at least one island platform so that all three tracks can have a platform adjacent.  The high platforms are also new.

Here's a view of Broad Street that could be from the 80s:

 

**********************************************************

From:	"SEPTA TIC" <[e-mail]>  Add to Address Book  Add Mobile Alert
To:	"'allen smalling'" <[e-mail]>
Subject:	RE: Route 103
Date:	Sun, 21 Oct 2007 15:05:25 -0400

Reply:   SEPTA does operate the Route 103 bus route.     Sincerely,   Sheryl Carter SEPTA Customer Service 

---

From: allen smalling [mailto:[e-mail]]
Sent: Saturday, October 20, 2007 6:48 PM
To: septatic
Subject: Re: Route 103

Chicago, October 20, 2007       Dear SEPTA,   Does SEPTA operate a route no. 103?   And if so, is it bus or trolley?   Thanks for any reply, /s/ Allen Smalling

[JT22CW]

Bah; was a typo. Should have just said "Red Arrow". The 103 should still be a trolley line to this day, too...

As for Newark Broad (former DL&W), that station's undergoing a major reconfiguration, into one that the Lackawanna should have built to begin with—with at least one island platform so that all three tracks can have a platform adjacent. The high platforms are also new.

Here's a view of Broad Street that could be from the 80s:



Also, is it my perception, or are people in this forum trying to find any excuse to dump on Amtrak? There are commuter cars in far worse condition than Amfleets. Remember, Amtrak gets a tenth per route-mile what commuter railroads get, in terms of funding. One-tenth.

[paulsafety]

Regarding the Route 100 Norristown High Speed line....the former equipment is more properly referred to as "bullets" or "bullet cars" rather than "brilliners"

Brill Bullets and Brilliners are two different beasts altogether. The former was specifically for the P&W, IINM. The latter was a streetcar designed to compete with the PCC design. PTC, of course, ran double-ended Brilliners from 69th Street Terminal on its lines to West Chester, Media and Sharon Hill. (Since you indicate that you are a native of the area, you'd certainly know the details better than I would, sir.)

I also stated, (immediately following the truncated quote)

"JG Brill company (based in Philly until its end) built the bullets --- highly streamlined and tested in wind tunnels, and they also built and marketed "brilliners" as their proprietary alternative to the patented PCC design.  The Brilliners were not high speed runners, but designed to navigate city streets." 

Unfortunately, my words were not clear or precise enough to distinguish that I understand that the two models were completely different designs.

PTC = Philadelphia Transit Company which never owned ANY double ended brilliners.  Philadelphia Suburban Transit Company (a stock/shareholder company that was disctinct from PTC and remained so until SEPTAs assumption of both properties) did operate double ended brilliners.

[JT22CW]

CAMDEN, NJ TO TRENTON:

New Jersey Transit (NJT) diesel light-rail "River Line".

Pre-planning: The folks at NJT headquarters in Newark really bowled me over with their intelligently designed, useful publicity and transit materials. My first request included (without my having asked) a map of the complete NJT commuter-train system with color-coded routes on a black background; other materials offered promotions, maps and timetables for NJT's light rail lines. This route, the River Line, runs up the eastern side of the Delaware from Camden to Trenton, according to the timetable 69.7 miles. A further e-mail request for more specific timetables on some routes led to a quick first-class-mail response with everything I needed, even fares. The change from PATCO at Camden - Broadway station to NJT's light-rail is as easy as changing floors can be, but note that the Light Rail calls that station "The Walter Rand Transportation Center." (Note that the LTR doesn't originate at Broadway but several stops earlier.) I am still impressed: A-plus.

Quality of Ride: Fascinating. The LRT trainset resembles a classic "accordion" bus or tram but with a bigger middle - that's where they put the diesel-electric engines. For a weekday afternoon, the number of people riding, especially South to North Jersey, was impressive, and the passengers comprised a healthy mix of people: all races, all ages, and we all got along fine. The ride itself is fairly smooth but what really impressed me was the kick those new-generation diesel-electrics have. Only when getting up to top speed (which I would guess is about 65 - 70 mph) could we hear the diesels growling. The usual kind of whine from electric locomotion, but no diesel smell. The motorman was easily approachable and he let someone (whom he probably knew already) sit all the way up front just opposite him. Was I jealous! Since the engines are quick off the mark, and the trainset looks like LRT, nothing much reminded me it wasn't LRT. This type of design would work well in outdoor situations with stops anywhere from less than a mile apart to five or more miles apart. I feel sure that diesel-electric light rail could and should have many, many applications elsewhere, both on lines after the catenary ends and on non-electrified routes, too. If the hybrid catenary/diesel models are even more useful, IMHO that wouldn't surprise me. The ride itself was reasonably smooth with a minimum of jolt, lurch or sway. It covered its route in 67 minutes, achieving an average speed of more than 60 mph. A.

34 miles in 67 minutes is an average speed of 30 mph, not 67 mph. You're attributing Amtrak NEC speeds to the "River Line", there. (FTR, I have heard that the DLRVs have hit 67 mph top speeds on occasion, of late, but not as high as 70 mph.) As for "jolt, lurch and/or sway", there was an earlier problem of the driving wheels "grinding" while in tightly-curved track, such as just west of the Trenton terminus.

The name "Walter Rand Transportation Center" applies to the light rail and (especially) bus station instead of the PATCO station. The bus/LRT station was thus named (and opened) in 2004.

And oh yes, the River Line is most definitely light rail and not any other mode. (Don't forget; "LTR" stands for "long-term relationship", this being personal ad jargon)

This was the result of a transfer from the Camden-Trenton light-rail "River Line" to a regular m.u., New York-bound NJT commuter train at Trenton. (Note: a more direct and probably just as cheap way to do Phila - Newark would be to take the R7 SEPTA line to Trenton, then transfer to NJT for the balance of the trip, to Newark Penn Station and on to New York/Penn Station. As an earlier post noted, the transfer is usually cross-platform.)

Pre-planning: Okay, but nobody told us we'd have to cross the street to get from the LRT terminal to the regular NJT/Amtrak Trenton station. And we had to hotfoot it!

PATCO/River Line is cheaper from Philadelphia to Trenton than R7 from 30th Street. One-way fare on the R7 is $8.00; fare on PATCO from Philly to Camden Broadway is $1.15 while the one-way River Line fare is $1.35 (total of $2.50).

NJ Transit, by rebuilding the Camden-Trenton line as LRT instead of FRA DMU, eliminated a potential cross-platform (or same-platform) transfer at Trenton. They also closed the line to possible direct service to Camden from Newark or Hoboken (or even NY Penn, had NJT not developed a sudden aversion to engine changes, which they used to do on the North Jersey Coast Line until the early 90s). Perhaps the cheap $1.35 fare (for 34 miles) would not have been charged; but there's no reason for NJT to not have done that as incentive. (At least NJT offers direct weekly and monthly passes between the NEC and River Line stations.)

The PRR used to add/drop a couple P70s on the rear at Phila. I've often wondered why Amtrak doesn't try the same thing

Amtrak doesn't have any P70s. Also, it's probably more trouble to add/drop HEP cars than non-HEP.

Also wonder why Amtrak doesn't try single seat NEC to Empire Corridor rides. The Harrisburg trains could run thru to Albany, no? (with an engine change at Penn)

Engine change at NY Penn? Something that's never been done, except perhaps in PRR/New Haven days? Is the station presently set up for such maneuvers, in other than emergencies?

Recall that Empire Service to NY Penn is but sixteen years old. Through service increases unreliability by extending schedules. Empire Corridor crew and equipment allotments are most likely far different from NEC/Keystone Corridor ones, and there may be different union agreements in force. On top of all that, I would hazard a guess that passengers on the Empire Corridor would not take kindly to riding in reverse thanks to being put on a train that had just come from the former PRR; bad enough that Keystone Corridor passengers have to put up with that what with going to 30th Street instead of going through the NY-Pittsburgh Subway.

Regarding the Route 100 Norristown High Speed line....the former equipment is more properly referred to as "bullets" or "bullet cars" rather than "brilliners"

Brill Bullets and Brilliners are two di

[paulsafety]

And you are correct about the lack of direct connecting tracks from the PRSL to Reading Terminal.   But one strange thing if memory is correct, is that there was a daily Harrisburg departure from Reading Terminal that had a through sleeper to Chicago - via the PRR from Harrisburg!   (The two stations in Harrisburg were reasonably close, if I rermember correctly.)

The through sleeper probably traveled to Harrisburg via Reading, PA.  The two stations in Harrisburg were immediately adjacent to each other and had a direct connecting track between them.  The sleeper could have been pulled off of the rear of the train by a switcher and immediatly transfered to the PRR for forwarding to Chicago.  http://kc.pennsyrr.com/maps/images/rdg_hbg_1934.jpg

Reading had other sleeper run through operations via connecting railroads, too.

[daveklepper]

More on Broad Street.  As far as I recall, the closure of Broad Street was not related to the fire in any way, just to the opportunity to improve traffic and the whole city area by removing the "Chinese Wall" that was the embankment PRR approach to Broad Street.   This could not be done during WWII because of heavy rail passenger traffic.   Broad Street terminated the Clockers then running every hour to New York, about eight daily Pittsburgh trains (at least one each way with through sleepers to Chicago), and steam trains to places like Williamsport and other Pennsylvania branches terminals.  Some secondary Chicago and St. Louis trains from NY did make a reverse move into Broad Street.   You are correct about how PRSL trains were handled, and indeed the Reading Pacifics I observed were always on the north end of the 30th Street lower level tracks.   And you are correct about the lack of direct connecting tracks from the PRSL to Reading Terminal.   But one strange thing if memory is correct, is that there was a daily Harrisburg departure from Reading Terminal that had a through sleeper to Chicago - via the PRR from Harrisburg!   (The two stations in Harrisburg were reasonably close, if I rermember correctly.)

The brass players on the observation car platform of the Philadelphia Orchestra special that was the last departure from Broad Street played the tune of "Auld Lang Zyne"

Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind?  Then drink a cup of kindness dear, for the days of Auld Lang Zyne."

The event was covered by a national radio broadcast.

[al-in-chgo]

I'm a bit surprised that you missed any of NJ Transit's diesel-powered lines out of Hoboken.  Any ride on the Port Jervis line includes a terrific view of the Manhattan skyline after leaving Passaic on inbound runs when the train crosses the Jersey Meadows.

 

 

Live and learn!  I hope we can use your suggestion at a later date.  The one excursion we planned but missed due to overall fatigue was Penn Station - Syosset via the LIRR.  Believe the train has a diesel engine, or gets one at Hicksville.   - a. s.

 

[paulsafety]

Correction on the history of Broad Street Station, the station for through trains.   The fire affecting primarily the arched trainshed and not the building.  I believe the arched trainshed was replaced by butterfly platform cannopies, and the station continued in operation.   I know for a fact that the station was completely rebuilt, and indeed, service was restored immediately after the fire was put out on the remaining servicable tracks.   The station served all steam-powered trains, and at the time only electrically hauled trains were allowed on the lower level of 30th Street.   The last train out of Broad Street was a Philaelphia Orchestra special train, and they had a short concert in the station before departure, and some brass players took up a position on the open observation car platform to play something (tattoo, I think) as the train left.   The next day some people were suprised to Reading Pacific-type steam locomotives on the lower level of 30th Street on the specific Pennsylvania-Reading-Seashore trains that operated out of 30th Street.    (Seashore lines did not own its own steam locomotives and its roster was split between the Pennsy and Reading.   At the time most trains ran to the Camden ferry terminal, but some ran through Frankfort Junction to Broad Street, or then to 30th Street, and I don't remember any running to Reading Terminal.  Seashore Lines did not segregate its rented locomotives as which ran on Pennsy tracks and which did not.)

Sorry for the apparent confusion -- I didn't specify that both the first fire (1923) and the second (1943) were focused on the wooden platform planks and baggage areas under the tracks.  Indeed, the headhouse was not damaged, and the non-combustible iron/steel and glass trainshed was warped/distressed from the heat and replaced with individual canopies over each distinct platform.  The station facilities (not the head house, which was not structurally damaged) were rebuilt following both fires, but I specifically stated that the second fire ultimately doomed the property (it lasted only ten more years after the second fire).

Its my understanding that arriving PRSL steam powered trains would discharge passengers on any inbound, upper level track and then back to the yard for service.  The train would be backed into the extreme Northern end of the lower level so that the steamer would remain outside until departure time.  In actual practice, however, there may have been exceptions, changes to that plan.

Also, I'm not aware of any "direct route" connection between the NEC and Reading Terminal in Philly (without unusual movements - extensive backing, etc.) -- plus the PRSL was 2/3rds controlled by PRR and only 1/3rd by RDG.  Maybe that would have been a factor as well (idle speculation).

[oltmannd]

A Reading Pacific at 30th St?  Who'da thunk it!  I wonder if it had PRR cab signals installed......

[daveklepper]

Correction on the history of Broad Street Station, the station for through trains.   The fire affecting primarily the arched trainshed and not the building.  I believe the arched trainshed was replaced by butterfly platform cannopies, and the station continued in operation.   I know for a fact that the station was completely rebuilt, and indeed, service was restored immediately after the fire was put out on the remaining servicable tracks.   The station served all steam-powered trains, and at the time only electrically hauled trains were allowed on the lower level of 30th Street.   The last train out of Broad Street was a Philaelphia Orchestra special train, and they had a short concert in the station before departure, and some brass players took up a position on the open observation car platform to play something (tattoo, I think) as the train left.   The next day some people were suprised to Reading Pacific-type steam locomotives on the lower level of 30th Street on the specific Pennsylvania-Reading-Seashore trains that operated out of 30th Street.    (Seashore lines did not own its own steam locomotives and its roster was split between the Pennsy and Reading.   At the time most trains ran to the Camden ferry terminal, but some ran through Frankfort Junction to Broad Street, or then to 30th Street, and I don't remember any running to Reading Terminal.  Seashore Lines did not segregate its rented locomotives as which ran on Pennsy tracks and which did not.)

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

I'm a bit surprised that you missed any of NJ Transit's diesel-powered lines out of Hoboken.  Any ride on the Port Jervis line includes a terrific view of the Manhattan skyline after leaving Passaic on inbound runs when the train crosses the Jersey Meadows.

[al-in-chgo]

Al,

Thanks -- great report.

Having grown up on the Route 102 Sharon Hill trolley line (it ends at dead end with no loop like the Route 101), I just wanted to add a couple of points....

Media, PA (at the end of the Route 101 trolley) is the County Seat of Delaware County.  This made it an important cultural and market center for Delaware county when the line was originally built.  The court house is a couple blocks to the North of the end of the line.  The Pennsylvania RR also operated a line thru Media (whose station is a couple blocks South of the trolley terminus).  The ex-PRR line is currently called the R3 - Media/Elwyn line and provides a much faster, one seat (no change) ride to center city.  The suburbs between Media and Upper Darby (where the Market Frankford El and Norristown lines meet) were largely populated due to the presence of the trolley line itself (the line created the demand for suburban housing -- a good way for the line's builders to make extra money in real estate)

Suburban Station in Philadelphia got its name when the Pennsylvania RR still operated Broad Street Station, but wanted to reduce congestion and moved the commuter trains (ie. Suburban routes) out of Broad Street Station.  Broad Street was used for intercity traffic only, and was replaced by 30th Street entirely after the second great fire which doomed Broad Street to being demolished and the land sold for real estate development.

Regarding the Route 100 Norristown High Speed line....the former equipment is more properly referred to as "bullets" or "bullet cars" rather than "brilliners".  JG Brill company (based in Philly until its end) built the bullets --- highly streamlined and tested in wind tunnels, and they also built and marketed "brilliners" as their proprietary alternative to the patented PCC design.  The Brilliners were not high speed runners, but designed to navigate city streets.  Interestingly, Philadelphia, as hometown to JG Brill only bought two brilliners and rarely used them due to excessive overhang and tight clearances.

Regarding the R6 to Norristown....this is ex-Reading Railroad trackage that ultimately continues up the river valley to Valley Forge (of George Washington fame, and Boy Scout Jamborees, etc.) and then to Reading, PA.  There has been planning to restore service to Reading, PA, but the funding has not materialized as initially hoped.

Paul F.

 

Paul, thank you for the additional info!  The R6 (exx-Reading) was especially novel to me, with those huge catenary towers.  - a. s.