R2 (SEPTA)

The R2 is a route of the SEPTA Regional Rail commuter rail system in the Philadelphia area. The Pennsylvania Railroad end of the route has service to Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania, Wilmington, Delaware, and Newark, Delaware via Amtrak's Northeast Corridor, while the Reading Company end has service to Warminster, Pennsylvania via Glenside and Jenkintown.

R2 Newark

The Newark Line runs on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor, making local stops along the way.

The line north of Wilmington was originally built by the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad. The original alignment was opened January 17, 1838, and on November 18, 1872 a realignment opened north of Chester (part of the old route is now used for the R1 Airport). South of Wilmington the line was built by the Wilmington and Susquehanna Railroad and opened July 31, 1837. The Pennsylvania Railroad obtained control in the early 1880s, and kept it until 1968, when it merged into Penn Central. In 1976 Conrail took over, and SEPTA took over in 1983.

Electrified service was opened between Philadelphia and Wilmington on September 30, 1928. Electrified operation was extended to Newark and beyond to Washington, DC on February 10, 1935.

As of 2005, only weekday peak trains run to Newark. About half the trains on Saturday and all on Sunday run only to Marcus Hook. Service in Delaware is funded in part by the Delaware Department of Transportation. Upon returning to downtown Philadelphia, trains may become R6 Norristown or R7 Chestnut Hill East trains or terminate at Temple University.

The R2 Newark makes the following station stops, after leaving 30th Street Station:
*University City (also R1 Airport and R3 Elwyn)
*Darby
*Curtis Park
*Sharon Hill
*Folcroft
*Glenolden
*Norwood
*Prospect Park
*Ridley Park
*Crum Lynne
*Eddystone
*Chester Transportation Center
*Lamokin Street (closed in 2003)
*Highland Avenue
*Marcus Hook
*Claymont
*Wilmington (also Amtrak Northeast Corridor services)
*Churchmans Crossing
*Newark (also Amtrak "Regional")

Ridership for the Newark line has been fairly steady from 1995 to 2005, with a peak of about 2 million passengers in 2004. From SEPTA Annual Service Plans:

R2 Warminster

The Warminster Line runs splits from the SEPTA Main Line at Glenside, where it branches off from the R5 Doylestown to Hatboro and Warminster. The tracks continue past Warminster to Ivyland and eventually to New Hope, where the New Hope & Ivyland Railroad runs steam excursion trains.

North of Glenside the line was built by the Northeast Pennsylvania Railroad, first opened November 9, 1873 from Glenside on the North Pennsylvania Railroad to Ivyland. The rest of the line to New Hope opened April 29, 1891. Since May 1, 1879 it was operated by the North Pennsylvania Railroad, which was leased by the Philadelphia and Reading Railway (later the Reading Company) on May 14. The Reading operated the line until 1976, when it merged into Conrail. In 1983 SEPTA took over operations. Electrified service was opened to Hatboro on July 26, 1931 (and also to Lansdale, Doylestown and West Trenton) and was extended to Warminster on July 29 1974. Unlike most of the ex-Reading portion of the system, which is at least double tracked, the R2 Warminster is a single-track line north of Roslyn, with a passing siding north of Willow Grove.

As of 2005, the majority of weekday and all weekend R2 Warminster trains become R1 Airport trains and provide service to University City, Eastwick, and Philadelphia Int'l Airport stations.

The R2 Warminster makes the following station stops, after leaving Market East Station:
*Temple University (all lines)
*Wayne Junction (also R3 West Trenton, R5 Doylestown, R7 Chestnut Hill East and R8 Fox Chase)
*Fern Rock Transportation Center (also R3 West Trenton and R5 Doylestown)
*Melrose Park (also R3 West Trenton and R5 Doylestown)
*Elkins Park (also R3 West Trenton and R5 Doylestown)
*Jenkintown-Wyncote (also R3 West Trenton and R5 Doylestown) [http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=40.093005~-75.136847&style=o&lvl=1&scene=4043732 Aerial photo]
*Glenside (also R5 Doylestown)
*Ardsley
*Roslyn
*Crestmont
*Willow Grove
*Hatboro
*Warminster

Ridership on the Warminster line has grown 17% between 1995 and 2005:

External links

* [http://www.septa.org/service/pdfs/R2Warminster.pdf SEPTA - R2 Warminster] schedule (PDF)
* [http://www.septa.org/service/pdfs/R2MHW.pdf SEPTA - R2 Wilmington and Newark] schedule (PDF)

References

* [http://www.earlpleasants.com/search_1.asp Railroad History Database]
* [http://www.prrths.com/PRR_hagley_intro.htm PRR Chronology] (Christopher T. Baer)