SEPTA Route 13

SEPTA Route 13
SEPTA Route 13 makes one of its few runs to the Darby Transportation Center.
Overview
System	Subway-Surface Trolley Lines
Termini	Yeadon or Darby, Pennsylvania Center City, Philadelphia
Stations	12
Operation
Depot(s)	Elmwood Carhouse
Technical
Line length	?
Track gauge	Pennsylvania Trolley Gauge: 5 ft 2 1⁄2 in (1,588 mm)
Minimum radius	?
Electrification	overhead lines

SEPTA's Subway-Surface Trolley Route 13 (a.k.a.; the Chester Avenue Line-Subway Line) is a trolley line operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) that connects the 13th Street in downtown Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to the Yeadon Loop station in Yeadon, Pennsylvania, although limited service is available to the Darby Transportation Center in Darby, Pennsylvania. It is one of five lines that are part of the Subway-Surface Trolley system.

Route description

Starting from its eastern end at the 13th Street, Route 13 runs in a tunnel under Market Street. It 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 Market East 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 exists 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/Elwyn Line at 49th Street (SEPTA station), 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 Yeardon 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 108 and 116 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 line split along 10th Street and 9th Street respectively. The tracks on 10th Street run straight, while those on 9th Street briefly runs along Summit Street. As the westbound tracks turn left at the terminus of 10th and Main Street 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.

External links

• Official SEPTA Route 13 schedule and map
• Photos of SEPTA Route 13 Trolley line