Broad Street Line

Infobox rail line
name = Broad Street Line
color = SEPTA color|Broad Street

---

image_width = 250px
caption = Broad Street Line train at Susquehanna–Dauphin station
type = Rapid transit
system =
status = Operational
locale = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
start = Pattison (south)
end = Fern Rock Transportation Center (north)
routes =

• Local
• Express
• Broad-Ridge Spur
• Special

ridership = 114,816
open = September 1, 1928
close =
owner = City of Philadelphia
operator = SEPTA
character = Underground and surface
stock =
linelength = mi to km|12.0|wiki=yes|precision=1|abbr=yes [ [http://web.presby.edu/~jtbell/transit/Philadelphia/Broad/ Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: The Broad Street Subway] ]
tracklength =
notrack = 4
gauge = RailGauge|sg
el = Third rail (600 volts)
speed =
elevation =

Broad Street Line|

The Broad Street Line (BSL) (also known as the Broad Street Subway (BSS) or Orange Line) is a rapid transit line operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority that runs from Fern Rock Transportation Center in northern Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Pattison Avenue in South Philadelphia, adjacent to several stadiums. It is named for Broad Street, the street under which it runs for almost its entire length. The express tracks run south only to Walnut-Locust. SEPTA also runs 'Sports Express Service' for events at the stadiums at Pattison Avenue, generally referred to as "Special" trains in SEPTA documentation; these switch to the local tracks at Walnut-Locust. The line and trains are owned by the City of Philadelphia and were leased to SEPTA in 1968 [http://student-voices.org/news/index.php?NewsID=33647 Student Voices: Phila. threatens to seize subways from SEPTA] ] after it took over operation of the city transit systems. [http://www.septa.org/inside/history.html SEPTA history] ] The trains still bear city seals mounted to the sides of the subway cars.

Broad–Ridge Spur

A spur of the Broad Street Line, known as the Broad–Ridge Spur, takes trains from the northern terminus of the BSS to 8th and Market Streets via a split from the main line at Fairmount. At its southern terminus at 8th and Market, a transfer is available to the Market-Frankford Line and the PATCO Speedline. The name comes from the street above the line, Ridge Avenue. It was originally known as the Ridge-8th Street Subway, and at one time continued south and west along the Locust Street Subway, which is now used by the PATCO Speedline. It was also used by the Delaware River Port Authority when it operated its old "Bridge Line" subway service between Camden's city hall and Philadelphia, before being phased out and replaced with the current PATCO service. The spur was originally intended to be a subway loop throughout Center City; however, city officials decided against it due to lack of funding, therefore the "loop" only runs from Broad & Fairmount to 8th & Market. [http://world.nycsubway.org/us/phila/broadstreet.html#br World.nycsubway.org: Philadelphia: SEPTA Broad Street Subway] ]

History

Service on the northern half of the Broad Street Line between City Hall and Olney Avenue opened on September 1, 1928. Service south to Snyder Avenue began on September 18, 1938. Service to Fern Rock began in 1956, and the line was extended to Pattison in 1973. [http://web.presby.edu/~jtbell/transit/Philadelphia/Broad/stations.html Stations of the Broad Street Subway] ] Although the Broad Street Line north of Walnut-Locust was built for four tracks, only the sections between Walnut-Locust and Girard, and Olney and the Fern Rock shops, were equipped with four tracks at the time of opening. The two express tracks were extended from Girard to Erie in 1959, and from Erie to Olney in 1991. Two stations that have been closed are Spring Garden St. on the Broad-Ridge Line and Franklin Square on the former Camden, now PATCO, line.

Outside of New York City, the Broad Street Line is one of two rapid transit lines in the United States to use separate local and express tracks for a significant length, the other being Chicago's Red Line.

Service

Four different types of trains run along the Broad Street Line:
*Local (L) — trains show white marker lights; stops at all stations
*Express (E) — trains show green marker lights; stops at select stations between Fern Rock and Walnut-Locust
*Broad-Ridge Spur (R) — trains show yellow marker lights; features service via Ridge Ave to 8th & Market from Monday-Saturday
*Special (S) — trains show blue marker lights; features service from all express stations to Pattison for sporting and entertainment events

Panel indicators

Instead of LED-style train indicators, each subway car has several old-fashioned light panels on both on the inside and outside of each subway car, which light up to display the route of the specific subway train. Most trains have three of the panel signs lit up to indicate its route—one for the station of origin, one for the destination, and one for the type of service (local, express, or special). Mostly all trains feature the "FERN ROCK" lit, in addition to either "PATTISON" (for local and special trains), "WALNUT" (for express trains), or "8^th-MARKET" (for Broad-Ridge Spur trains). Occasionally, Broad-Ridge Spur trains feature "OLNEY" lit up in place of "FERN ROCK."

Operation times

A local trip along the entire line takes about 35 minutes. Trains run from approximately 5:00 am to 1:00 am, and a bus service replaces the subway throughout the night, stopping at the same locations as the subway trains.

Stations

All stations are located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Stations along the Broad-Ridge Spur itself are shaded in gray.

Timeline

* September 1, 1928: Original section of subway opens from City Hall to Olney Avenue. Fare is 15 cents.
* 1930: Subway extended to South Street.
* 1938: Subway extended south to Snyder Avenue.
* 1956: Subway extended from Olney to Fern Rock (over existing tracks to Fern Rock shops).
* 1959: Express service begins following installation of second pair of tracks north to Erie.
* 1967: Roosevelt Boulevard subway station built at Adams Avenue in anticipation of extending the subway along the Roosevelt Boulevard.
* 1969: Locust St.-Camden tracks separated from BSL to form PATCO Line.
* 1973: Subway extended to Pattison Avenue sports complex.
* 1991: Express Tracks extended from Erie to Olney.

Proposed extension

Both the City of Philadelphia and SEPTA have studied extending the Broad Street Line along Roosevelt Boulevard, in order to serve a growing population in the northeast section of the city. The city government's archives contain a survey report, prepared in 1948, discussing a need for an extension of the Broad Street line from Erie Avenue to the vicinity of Pennypack Circle (see Roosevelt Boulevard) [http://www.phila.gov/phils/docs/Inventor/textonly/archser/S069.htm City archive on BSS] ] . An expansion into another part of the City could better use the capacity of the four-track trunk line. In 1964, the city proposed a nine-mile, $94 million extension of the Broad Street line along Roosevelt Blvd. in conjunction with a new Northeast Expressway to be built by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Development was limited to the building of one subway station by Sears, Roebuck and Company in 1967, at its complex on Roosevelt Boulevard at Adams Avenue, at the cost of $1 million, in anticipation of future service. This station was destroyed when the facility was demolished in October, 1994. [http://www.phillyroads.com/roads/roosevelt/ Phillyroads.com BSS article] ] [http://www.whyy.org/tv12/secrets/subway.html Secrets Beneath the Streets] ] Ultimately the Northeast Expressway was never built, due to lack of funds, and the subway extension remained a paper concept. On September 10, 1999, SEPTA filed a Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Northeast Extension with the EPA. [http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-IMPACT/1999/September/Day-10/i23615.htm Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement] ] In December 2001, the Philadelphia City Planning Commission supported extending the Broad Street Line along Roosevelt Blvd. to Bustleton Avenue, where it would be joined by the Market-Frankford Line, extended from its Frankford terminal.(now the rebuilt Frankford Transportation Center). The estimated cost had ballooned to $3.4 billion. Given the dominance of suburban legislators on SEPTA's Board, as well as the lack of dedicated capital funding, the probability of any significant extension of subway service within Philadelphia is very low.

References

* [http://www.publictransit.us/ptlibrary/specialreports/Railopenings.pdf U.S. Urban Rail Transit Lines Opened From 1980] (PDF)

External links

* [http://world.nycsubway.org/us/phila/broadstreet.html World.nycsubway.org: Philadelphia: SEPTA Broad Street Subway]