SEPTA Route 13

Route map:
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Route 13
Subway–surface trolley line
SEPTA Route 13 makes one of its few
runs to the Darby Transportation Center.
Overview
Termini
Stations8 underground stations, 1 surface level station, and 39 street-level stops
Service
SystemSubway-Surface Trolley Lines
Depot(s)Elmwood Carhouse
Daily ridership13,364 (2019 average weekday)
Technical
Line length11.4 mi (18.3 km)[citation needed]
Track gauge5 ft 2+14 in (1,581 mm) Pennsylvania trolley gauge[1][2]
ElectrificationOverhead line600 V DC
Route map

MFL
13th Street
15th Street
19th Street
22nd Street
30th Street
MFL
33rd Street
 10 
36th Street
37th Street
40th Street Portal
 34  Baltimore Avenue
Chester & Woodland
 11   36  Woodland Avenue
Chester & 41st
Chester & 42nd
Diversion tracks to 40th and Market
Chester & 43rd
Chester & 45th
Chester & 46th
Chester & 47th
Chester & 48th
Chester & 49th
Non-Revenue Track
Chester & 51st
Chester & 52nd
Chester & 53rd
Chester & 54th
Chester & 55th
Chester & 56th
Chester & 57th
Chester & 58th
Non-Revenue Track to Woodland Ave.
Chester & 59th
Chester & 60th
Kingsessing & 60th
Kingsessing & 61st
Kingsessing & 62nd
Mount Moriah
Kingsessing & 65th
65th & Chester
65th & Belmar
65th & Windsor
65th & Cobbs Creek
65th & Chester
Chester & Church
Chester & Yeadon
Chester & Duncan
Chester & Stetser
Yeadon Loop
arrow for D Limited service
Chester & Alfred
Chester & Cedar
10th │ 9th
Cedar
Mulberry
Wycombe
Summit MBFS
Summit
Ridge
Main
Main MBFS
Darby T.C. |  11 

SEPTA Route 13, also known as the Chester Avenue Line, is a trolley line operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) that connects 13th Street Station in downtown Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with Yeadon and Darby, Pennsylvania. It is one of five lines that are part of the Subway-Surface Trolley system. From 2024 onwards, Route 13 will be referred as the T3 Chester Avenue Line

Route description[edit]

Starting from its eastern end at the 13th Street, Route 13 runs in a tunnel under Market Street. It makes stops at underground stations at 15th Street, 19th Street, 22nd Street, 30th Street, and 33rd Street. From 15th to 30th Streets, it runs on the outer tracks in the same tunnel as SEPTA's Market–Frankford Line.

Passengers may transfer free of charge to the Market–Frankford Line at 13th, 15th, and 30th Streets and to the Broad Street Line at 15th Street. Connections to the SEPTA Regional Rail are also available. Underground passageways connect the 13th and 15th Street Stations to Jefferson Station and Suburban Station.

Route 13 surfaces at the 40th Street Portal near 40th Street and Baltimore Avenue (US 13), and then runs southwest along Woodland Avenue shortly before moving to Chester Avenue. An alternate trolley line existing along 42nd Street itself joins the Route 13 line for several blocks. This line is used when tunnels are closed for maintenance or other unforeseen shutdowns. The line runs on a bridge over the Media/Wawa Line at 49th Street, however, it does not serve as an official stop for the trolley. The alternate trolley line for tunnel closings turns along 49th Street itself before Route 13 crosses the 49th Street Station railroad bridge, although some Route 11 trolleys use these tracks.

Mt. Moriah Cemetery cuts off Chester Avenue, so the line makes a left turn at 60th Street then returns to the southwest at Kingsessing Avenue. At the southwest corner of the cemetery, the Route 13 line stops at the Mt. Moriah Loop, and some use the loop for trolleys that do not go to either Yeadon or Darby. For those that do, the trolleys continue west on Kingsessing Avenue until it reaches 65th Street, where it turns north, and later northwest as it approaches a bridge over the Cobbs Creek Parkway, and immediately turns on another section of Chester Avenue, on its way to the Yeadon Loop. Fernwood-Yeadon (SEPTA station) is further north of this terminus and has no connection. However the SEPTA Suburban Bus Routes 68 and 108, which do lead to Fernwood-Yeadon cross the line east of Yeadon Loop at the Church Lane intersection.

West of Yeadon Loop, some trolleys continue along the Chester Avenue line until it reaches Cedar Avenue, where westbound and eastbound trolley lines split along 10th Street and 9th Street respectively. The tracks on 10th Street run straight, while those on 9th Street briefly run along Summit Street. As the westbound tracks turn left at the terminus of the 10th and Main Streets intersection, it runs south to the next block at Darby Transportation Center, which is primarily served by the SEPTA Route 11 line, as well as numerous buses.

History[edit]

Trolley service on Route 13 originally operated from Yeadon to Front & Chestnut Streets via Chestnut and Walnut Streets. Service was rerouted into the Subway-Surface Tunnel on September 9, 1956.[citation needed]

Service to was extended to Darby following the discontinuation of the Route 62 Darby–Yeadon shuttle trolley on January 24, 1971.[citation needed]

In 2021, SEPTA proposed rebranding their rail transit service as "SEPTA Metro", in order to make the system easier to navigate. Under this proposal, the subway–surface lines will be rebranded as the "T" lines with a green color and numeric suffixes for each service, and Route 13 would be renamed "T3 Chester Avenue."[3][4] SEPTA described that "most comments were positive" in the public comment period for this rebranding project.[5]

Stations and stops[edit]

All are in the City of Philadelphia or the boroughs of Yeadon or Darby.

Neighborhood /
location
Images Station or stop Connections Notes
Market East 13th Street SEPTA#Rapid transit MFL Market–Frankford Line
SEPTA subway–surface trolley lines 10, 11, 13, 34, 36
SEPTA City Transit Division surface routes 27, 31, 32
Closed between 12:30–5:00am
Penn Center 15th Street SEPTA Regional Rail all lines (at Suburban)
SEPTA#Rapid transit MFL Market–Frankford Line, BSL Broad Street Line (at City Hall)
SEPTA subway–surface trolley lines 10, 11, 13, 34, 36
SEPTA City Transit Division surface routes 4, 16, 17, 27, 31, 32, 33, 38, 44, 48
SEPTA Suburban Division bus routes 124, 125
Late night terminus
19th Street SEPTA subway–surface trolley lines 10, 11, 13, 34, 36
SEPTA City Transit Division surface routes 17, 31, 38, 44, 48, 62, 78
SEPTA Suburban Division bus routes 124
Center City West 22nd Street SEPTA subway–surface trolley lines 10, 11, 13, 34, 36
SEPTA City Transit Division surface routes 7, 31, 44, 62
SEPTA Suburban Division bus routes 124, 125
Replaced 24th Street station
University City 30th Street Amtrak Amtrak (at 30th Street)
NJ Transit NJ Transit: ACL Atlantic City Line (at 30th Street)
SEPTA Regional Rail all lines (at 30th Street)
SEPTA#Rapid transit MFL Market–Frankford Line
SEPTA subway–surface trolley lines 10, 11, 13, 34, 36
SEPTA City Transit Division surface routes 31, 49, LUCY
No direct passage to 30th Street Station
33rd Street SEPTA subway–surface trolley lines 10, 11, 13, 34, 36
SEPTA City Transit Division surface routes 30, 31, 49, LUCY
Serves Drexel University
36th Street SEPTA subway–surface trolley lines 11, 34, 36
SEPTA City Transit Division surface routes 21
Serves University of Pennsylvania
37th Street SEPTA subway–surface trolley lines 11, 34, 36
SEPTA City Transit Division surface routes 40, 42, LUCY
Serves University of Pennsylvania, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Spruce Hill 40th Street Portal SEPTA subway–surface trolley lines 11, 34, 36
SEPTA City Transit Division surface routes 30, 40, 42, LUCY
End of Route 34 concurrency
Chester & Woodland Discontinued; end of 11 & 36 concurrency
41st & Chester (EB) Discontinued
42nd & Chester SEPTA City Transit Division surface routes 30
43rd & Chester
45th & Chester
46th & Chester
Squirrel Hill 47th & Chester
48th & Chester
49th & Chester SEPTA Regional Rail      Media/Wawa Line (at 49th Street)
SEPTA City Transit Division surface routes 64
Kingsessing 51st & Chester
52nd & Chester
53rd & Chester
54th & Chester SEPTA City Transit Division surface routes 52
55th & Chester
56th & Chester
57th & Chester
58th & Chester SEPTA City Transit Division surface routes G
Mount Moriah 59th & Chester
Chester & 60th
60th & Kingsessing
61st & Kingsessing
62nd & Kingsessing
Mount Moriah
Elmwood 65th & Kingsessing
Chester & 65th
Belmar & 65th
Windsor & 65th
Cobbs Creek & 65th
Philadelphia–Yeadon line
Yeadon 65th & Chester
Church & Chester SEPTA City Transit Division surface routes 68
SEPTA Suburban Division bus routes 108
Yeadon & Chester
Duncan & Chester
Stetser & Chester
Yeadon Loop
Alfred & Chester Limited service
Cedar & Chester Limited service
Yeadon–Darby line
Darby Cedar & 9th (EB)
Mulberry & 10th (WB)
Limited service
Summit & 9th (EB)
Wycombe & 10th (WB)
Limited service
Summit & 10th (WB)
Summit & 9th (EB)
Limited service
Ridge & 10th (WB)
Ridge & 9th (EB)
Limited service
Main & 10th (WB) Limited service
Darby T.C. SEPTA subway–surface trolley lines 11
SEPTA Suburban Division bus routes 113, 114, 115
Limited service

References[edit]

  1. ^ "The history of trolley cars and routes in Philadelphia". SEPTA. 1974-06-01. p. 2. Retrieved 2014-06-11. An early city ordinance prescribed that all tracks were to have a gauge of 5' 214"
  2. ^ Hilton, George W.; Due, John Fitzgerald (2000-01-01). The Electric Interurban Railways in America. Stanford University Press. ISBN 9780804740142. Retrieved 2014-06-10.
  3. ^ Vitarelli, Alicia; Staff (September 7, 2021). "SEPTA Metro? Transit agency mulling big changes including new name, map, and signage". Philadelphia, PA: WPVI-TV. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
  4. ^ "Wayfinding Recommendations". SEPTA. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
  5. ^ "Design Concept Feedback". planning.septa.org. SEPTA. Retrieved 2023-03-19.

External links[edit]

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