Norristown High Speed Line

Route 100
Norristown High-Speed Line
Route 100; Norristown High-Speed Line
Übersicht
Status	Operational
Locale	Delaware and Montgomery Counties, Pennsylvania
Termini	69th Street Terminal (south); Norristown Transportation Center (north);
Stations	22
Service
Typ	Interurban
System	SEPTA Suburban Division
Services	Local; Norristown Express; Hughes Park Express; Norristown Limited;
Operator(s)	SEPTA
History
Opened	1908
Technical
Line length	13.4 mi (21.6 km)
Character	Surface (grade separated)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8½ in)
Route map
Route map
	Legend
	NOR
	to Norristown–Elm Street and Penn Medicine
	13.4 mi
	21.6 km
	Liberty Bell Line
	to Allentown
	12.8 mi
	20.6 km
	12.3 mi
	19.8 km
	King of Prussia extension
	proposed
	11.0 mi
	17.7 km
	10.3 mi
	16.6 km
	I-76
	Schuylkill Expwy.
	9.4 mi
	15.1 km
	8.6 mi
	13.8 km
	7.9 mi
	12.7 km
	Strafford Branch
	to Strafford
	7.0 mi
	11.3 km
	6.8 mi
	10.9 km
	6.4 mi
	10.3 km
	5.9 mi
	9.5 km
	5.4 mi
	8.7 km
	4.5 mi
	7.2 km
	3.9 mi
	6.3 km
	3.4 mi
	5.5 km
	3.1 mi
	5 km
	2.5 mi
	4 km
	1.9 mi
	3.1 km
	1.4 mi
	2.3 km
	0.7 mi
	1.1 km
	0 mi
	0 km
	to Orange Street & Sharon Hill
	This diagram: view; talk; edit;

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SEPTA Route 100,^[1] also known as the Norristown High-Speed Line, is an interurban line system operating between Upper Darby and Norristown, Pennsylvania, USA. The system is operated by SEPTA, and runs entirely on its own right-of-way, inherited from the original Philadelphia and Western Railroad line. Some people still refer to the line as the P&W in reference to that carrier. The line is unique in its combination of transportation technologies. The line is fully grade separated, collects power from a third rail, and has high-level platforms common to rapid transit systems, but has small vehicles, onboard fare collection, and frequent stops more common to light rail systems.

History

Route 100 service began in 1908 as the Philadelphia and Western Railroad (P&W), which ran from the present 69th Street Terminal in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania to Strafford, Pennsylvania. In 1912, a branch was constructed from the existing Villanova station to Norristown.^[2] The newly built branch experienced more ridership than the main line to Strafford, therefore the main line was never extended past its original terminus.

From Norristown, the P&W connected its tracks with Lehigh Valley Transit to provide direct service from Norristown to Allentown, Pennsylvania. However, in 1951, Lehigh Valley Transit ended its service from Norristown to Allentown, and in 1951, the company ended all its rail service all together. Two years later, the P&W was later taken over by the Philadelphia Suburban Transportation Company (PSTC) in 1953, who referred to the trolley system as the Red Arrow Lines. In 1956, the PSTC abandoned the original branch between Villanova to Strafford, only providing service between 69th Street and Norristown, as it is today.^[2] The PSTC absorbed into SEPTA in the late 1960s, and line was later nicknamed the "Norristown High-Speed Line," but was officially known as Route 100.

Ridership on the Norristown line peaked in 1973 with 2,860,000 annual linked trips, and again in 1980 with 2,579,000 annual linked trips. Ridership statistics for fiscal years 2000 and later are from SEPTA Annual Service Plans. Data for years 1972 to 1997 are from the SEPTA 1997 Ridership Census. There may be some discrepancy in how the ridership is reported since the Annual Service Plans report total unlinked trips, while the ridership census uses linked trips, which may exclude passengers transferring from other lines.

Station list

Mileage	Station	Zone	Township	County
0.0	69th Street Terminal	1	Upper Darby	Delaware
0.7	Parkview		Upper Darby
1.4	West Overbrook		Haverford
1.9	Penfield
2.5	Beechwood–Brookline
3.1	Wynnewood Road
3.4	Ardmore Junction	1 and 2
3.9	Ardmore Avenue
4.5	Haverford
5.4	Bryn Mawr		Radnor
5.9	Rosemont	2
6.4	Garrett Hill
6.8	Stadium
7.0	Villanova
7.9	Radnor
8.6	County Line		Lower Merion	Montgomery
9.4	Matsonford		Lower Merion
10.3	Gulph Mills		Upper Merion
11.0	Hughes Park		Upper Merion
12.3	King Manor		Bridgeport
12.8	Bridgeport		Bridgeport
13.4	Norristown Transportation Center		Norristown

Service

The fare as of 2007 is $2.00 cash on board, or $1.45 using pre-purchased tokens, with an additional $0.50 zone charge when traveling in more than one zone. The service runs seven days a week, from about 5:00 AM in the morning to 1:00 AM at night.

Local trains from 69th Street to Norristown stop at all 22 stations, and the trip lasts approximately 32 minutes. Occasionally, locals trains may run only between 69th Street and Bryn Mawr, stopping at ten stations.

During weekday peak periods (6:00-9:00 AM, 2:15-6:45 PM), Route 100 features express and limited services, which stop only at select stations, therefore decreasing travel time between 69th Street and Norristown. Norristown Express service, which is noted by red destination signs, travels between 69th Street and Norristown in approximately 26 minutes, and stops at 17 stations. Hughes Park Express service, which is noted by green destination signs, travels between 69th Street and Hughes Park in approximately 22 minutes, stopping at 16 stations. Norristown Limited service, which is noted by blue destination signs, travels between 69th Street and Norristown in approximately 22 minutes, stopping at only eight stations. All trains share the same two tracks, so a limited leaving Norristown, for example, will be immediately followed by an express, which stops at more stations, and therefore is spaced farther from the previous train. The next limited will catch up with it. Similarly, a local may leave Bryn Mawr right after an express stops there, and gets to 69th St. just before the next express or limited catches up with it.

Local	Norristown Express	Hughes Park Express	Norristown Limited
69th Street Terminal	69th Street Terminal	69th Street Terminal	69th Street Terminal
Parkview	—	—	—
West Overbrook	—	—	—
Penfield	Penfield	—	—
Beechwood–Brookline	—	Beechwood–Brookline	—
Wynnewood Road	—	Wynnewood Road	—
Ardmore Junction	Ardmore Junction	Ardmore Junction	Ardmore Junction
Ardmore Avenue	Ardmore Avenue	Ardmore Avenue	—
Haverford	—	Haverford	—
Bryn Mawr	Bryn Mawr	Bryn Mawr	—
Rosemont	Rosemont	Rosemont	—
Garrett Hill	Garrett Hill	Garrett Hill	—
Stadium	Stadium	Stadium	—
Villanova	Villanova	Villanova	—
Radnor	Radnor	Radnor	Radnor
County Line	County Line	County Line	—
Matsonford	Matsonford	Matsonford	—
Gulph Mills	Gulph Mills	Gulph Mills	Gulph Mills
Hughes Park	Hughes Park	Hughes Park	Hughes Park
King Manor	King Manor	—	King Manor
Bridgeport	Bridgeport	—	Bridgeport
Norristown	Norristown	—	Norristown

Extension to King of Prussia

There is a proposal to extend Route 100 to serve the King of Prussia Mall and Valley Forge office parks. The 4.9 mile (7.9 km) extension would branch from the existing line just north of the Hughes Park station, continue westward along the Norfolk Southern Morrisville Line right-of-way, and then northward through King of Prussia to Valley Forge. This extension would include 2.2 miles (3.5 km) of elevated track.

It is projected that this extension would add an additional 3,800 daily riders. SEPTA already has enough N-5 rail vehicles to cover this extended service. It would also complement the planned Schuylkill Valley Metro line that will have a "Cross-County" segment that will also use the Norfolk Southern freight line from King of Prussia to Glenloch near Exton.

Fiscal year	Average weekday	Annual passengers
FY 2005	8,801	2,512,690
FY 2004	8,428	2,463,500
FY 2003	7,925	2,491,074
FY 2000	9,250	3,046,927

Fiscal year	Annual linked trips	Fiscal year	Annual linked trips
1997	1,754,000	1984	2,338,000
1996	1,696,000	1983	2,484,000
1995	1,926,000	1982	2,089,000
1994	2,079,000	1981	1,899,000
1993	2,251,000	1980	2,579,000
1992	2,222,000	1979	2,133,000
1991	2,234,000	1978	1,992,000
1990	2,162,000	1977	1,832,000
1989	2,295,000	1976	2,218,000
1988	2,185,000	1975	2,162,000
1987	1,888,000	1974	2,425,000
1986	1,915,000	1973	2,860,000
1985	2,255,000	1972	2,496,000

References

^ The official name of the line is simply "Route 100," as indicated by the official SEPTA map (link) and the line's official schedule (link).
^ ^a ^b Bell, Jon (2006-03-22). "Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Norristown High Speed Line". Presbyterian College. Retrieved 2007-08-01. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

[1] The official name of the line is simply "Route 100," as indicated by the official SEPTA map (link) and the line's official schedule (link).

[bell-2] Bell, Jon (2006-03-22). "Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Norristown High Speed Line". Presbyterian College. Retrieved 2007-08-01. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

[1]

[2]

History

Station list

Service

Extension to King of Prussia

See also

References