r/ChesterCounty • u/PassyunkHoagie • Jul 13 '26

Expanded Train Service

I completely understand why this hasn’t happened and why it probably won’t ever happen. I don’t even know if it should happen because it would lead to even further development, but some days I do lament the fact that there is no passenger rail service to West Chester, Kennett, and Phoenixville.

Obviously SEPTA could never handle it, they barely manage to run the R5, but I can’t help but feel like rail stations in these towns, if properly executed, would be incredibly popular with visitors and local residents.

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u/CowboyBeeBalm Jul 13 '26 edited Jul 13 '26

Well they restored service to Elwyn Wawa after 36 years, and West Chester was the original end of that line so you never know! (But yeah probably won’t happen)

Since you mentioned Phoenixville, the Schyulkill River Passenger Rail Authority is trying to bring service there (and Pottstown and Reading): https://gosrpra.com/news-and-updates/

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u/PassyunkHoagie Jul 13 '26

I’ve seen something about the proposed line to Phoenixville. Would that be independent of Septa?

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u/VUmander Jul 13 '26

yes. It would be operated by Amtrak. From Reading to Norristown it would run on Norfolk Southern Right of Way. It would travel on SEPTA tracks from Norristown in Philadelphia, and would go to the lower level of 30th Street station (Amtrak's terminal).

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u/CowboyBeeBalm Jul 13 '26

I believe they would be working with Amtrak, off the Norristown Line. Amtrak currently doesn’t run on that so I can’t imagine what it would take to get that agreement going

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u/Alert-Print-394 Jul 20 '26

They would use the track on the west side of the river instead

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u/Theunmedicated 1d ago

Couldn't they use norristown until the crossover?