Frankford Junction (PRR station)

Frankford Junction
Former: SEPTA regional rail[1] PRR inter-city rail
Location	Frankford Avenue and East Butler Street
Coordinates	40°00′00″N 75°05′35″W / 40.00°N 75.093°W / 40.00; -75.093Coordinates: 40°00′00″N 75°05′35″W / 40.00°N 75.093°W / 40.00; -75.093
Line(s)	Former:   Trenton Line
Platforms	1 side platform
Tracks	4, 2, 2 (junction)
Connections	Market–Frankford Line at Erie–Torresdale or Tioga
Construction
Structure type	demolished (2008)[2]
Platform levels	2
Other information
Fare zone	1
History
Closed	1990s
Electrified	1935
Previous names	Conrail (1976—1999) Penn Central (1968—1976) Pennsylvania Railroad (1871—1968) Philadelphia and Trenton Railroad (1832—1871)
Services
Former services   Preceding station   SEPTA   Following station Frankford (also closed in 1990s) toward Trenton Trenton Line North Philadelphia toward Temple University Pennsylvania Railroad North Philadelphia toward Chicago Main Line Frankford toward New York City or Exchange Place Harrowgate toward Suburban Station Trenton Line Frankford toward Trenton

Frankford Junction is a railroad junction, and former junction station,^[3] located on the border between the Kensington and Port Richmond neighborhoods of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States. At the junction, the 4-track Northeast Corridor line from Trenton connects with the 2-track Atlantic City Line from Atlantic City in the northeastern portion of Philadelphia about 2.9 miles (4.7 km) northeast of North Philadelphia station.^[4] It lies near the intersection of Frankford Avenue and Butler Street, to the west of where New Jersey Route 90 meets Interstate 95 after crossing the Betsy Ross Bridge. It has been used for rail transportation since 1832 but has not served as a station since the 1990s.

Overview

The junction has seen a mass of freight and passenger service throughout its existence. In 1832 the Philadelphia and Trenton Railroad (P&T) was formed and started service with a small yard. The line extended southwest of the junction and on to destinations north. In 1871 the railroad was leased by the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR). During this time a new branch was formed, namely the Tioga Street Branch, consisting of trackage running down the middle of Tioga Street. The branch was later sold to the Kensington and Tacony Railroad. The Pennsylvania Railroad operated the Connecting Railway (part of today's Northeast Corridor) that carried trains to the south.

Through time the junction passed from the Pennsylvania Railroad to the Penn Central and finally to Amtrak. During the era of the PRR they operated the Congressional, which passed through the junction. Amtrak now operates the Acela Express and Northeast Regional through the junction, although the 4° turn through it imposes the lowest speed limit along the Northeast Corridor line of 50 miles per hour (80 km/h).^[4]

The junction started to dwindle as a station in its older years, with the last service coming from Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) in the 1990s along the Trenton Line (formerly known as the R7 Line). The junction still sees many trains, both freight and passenger, none of which serve the station platforms that still exist. Today the original P&T line still stretches for a few city blocks, terminating abruptly at Ann Street. It is still used for local freight service. A Conrail freight line splits from the Northeast Corridor at this location and continues to New Jersey via the Delair Bridge. NJ Transit maintains the Atlantic City Line through the junction that serves 30th Street Station to Atlantic City Rail Terminal with local service daily. Amtrak and SEPTA pass through on the Northeast Corridor. There is an abandoned track that used to be for local freight on the north side of the junction. The switching yard is still maintained with continuously decreasing service.

Accidents

On September 6, 1943, a deadly accident occurred when an axle detached from a train as the result of an undiscovered hot box, causing it to derail.^[5] 79 people were killed and more were injured.^[5]

On May 12, 2015, Amtrak Northeast Regional #188 from Washington DC to New York derailed as it was traversing Frankford Junction. Eight people were killed.

See also

• Delair Bridge along the Atlantic City Line is just southeast of Frankford Junction
• Frankford Arsenal was 1.4 miles (2.3 km) east-northeast of the junction starting in 1816
• Frankford Junction train wreck details the September 6, 1943 accident
• Philadelphia train derailment describes the May 12, 2015 incident
• Lists of rail accidents

References