Downingtown station
Downingtown  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Amtrak and SEPTA station | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Station with downtown Downingtown in the background | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| General information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location | 159 Viaduct Avenue Downingtown, Pennsylvania United States | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 40°00′09″N 75°42′37″W / 40.002545°N 75.710363°W | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Owned by | Amtrak[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Line(s) | Amtrak Keystone Corridor (Philadelphia to Harrisburg Main Line) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Platforms | 2 side platforms | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tracks | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Connections |  SEPTA Suburban Bus: 135 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Construction | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Structure type | Enclosed plexiglas shelters | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parking | 360 spaces (226 daily, 134 municipal) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bicycle facilities | 2 racks (4 spaces) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Station code | Amtrak: DOW | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fare zone | 4 (SEPTA) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| History | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Opened | 19th century | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rebuilt | 1990s | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Electrified | January 15, 1938[2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Key dates | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| February 24, 1992 | Pennsylvania Railroad depot burned[3] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Passengers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FY 2023 | 46,438 annually[4] (Amtrak) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017 | 291 boardings 312 alightings (weekday average)[5] (SEPTA) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rank | 92 of 146 (SEPTA) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Services | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Downingtown station is a commuter and intercity passenger rail station located in the western suburbs of Philadelphia at West Lancaster Avenue & Stuart Avenue in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. It is served by most Amtrak Keystone Service and SEPTA Paoli/Thorndale Line trains. Amtrak's Pennsylvanian does not stop here. In 2017, the average total SEPTA weekday boardings at this station was 291, and the average total SEPTA weekday alightings was 312.[6]
History
[edit]
The original Downingtown station was built in the 19th century by the Pennsylvania Railroad, and was destroyed by fire in the early morning of February 24, 1992.[3] The foundation from the old station can still be seen today.[7]
Planned replacement station
[edit]The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has proposed building a new train station for Downingtown "at about a quarter mile south of Lancaster Avenue on Brandywine Avenue/US 322" starting in 2025.[8]
Station layout
[edit]There is no ticket office at this station. There are 360 parking spaces for daily parking at the station–223 spaces are owned by SEPTA, and the remaining are part of an adjacent municipal lot. This is 32.8 track miles from Philadelphia's Suburban Station. Downingtown is the westernmost Amtrak station on the Keystone Corridor that is also served by SEPTA's Paoli/Thorndale service. Additionally, the SEPTA Route 135 bus serves the station.
Downingtown has two low-level side platforms. A center track is not used for passenger service.
Gallery
[edit]-
Station entrance sign -
Station platform -
Station with downtown in background -
Transfer tunnel -
Stairs to the tunnel -
Philadelphia-bound platform at Downingtown station -
Philadelphia-bound SEPTA Paoli/Thorndale Line train stops at Downingtown station in November 2018
References
[edit]- ^ "Transportation Planning for the Philadelphia–Harrisburg "Keystone" Railroad Corridor" (PDF). Federal Railroad Administration. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 21, 2011. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
- ^ "Pennsy Completes New Electric Link". The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader. January 15, 1938. p. 1. Retrieved August 22, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b McKinney, Kevin (February 25, 1992). "Blaze Destroys Historic Train Station in Downingtown". The Philadelphia Inquirera. p. B1, B7. Retrieved March 30, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2023: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania" (PDF). Amtrak. March 2024. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
- ^ "Fiscal Year 2021 Service Plan Update". SEPTA. June 2020. p. 24. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
- ^ "Fiscal Year 2020 Annual Service Plan" (PDF). SEPTA. p. 43-46.
- ^ Pennsylvania Railroad Stations Past and Present
- ^ Rettew, Bill (2022-02-01). "Start of construction for new Downingtown Train Station set for 2025". Daily Local. Retrieved 2022-02-02.
External links
[edit]
Media related to Downingtown station at Wikimedia Commons
- Downingtown, PA – Amtrak
- Downingtown, PA – Station history at Great American Stations (Amtrak)
- Downingtown Amtrak-SEPTA Station (USA RailGuide – Train Web)
- Images of the Old Downingtown station, south side c.1900 Archived 2010-12-02 at the Wayback Machine
40°00′09″N 75°42′37″W / 40.002545°N 75.710363°W
