Wayne Junction station

Wayne Junction
Wayne Junction station in September 2020 after reconstruction.
General information
Location	4481 Wayne Avenue near Windrim Avenue Nicetown–Tioga, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Owned by	SEPTA
Line(s)	Chestnut Hill East Branch Fox Chase Branch SEPTA Main Line
Platforms	2 island platforms
Tracks	5
Connections	SEPTA City Bus: 2, 23, 53 SEPTA City Bus: 75
Other information
Fare zone	1
History
Opened	1881
Rebuilt	1900
Electrified	July 26, 1931
Passengers
2017	375 boardings 291 alightings (weekday average)
Rank	72 of 146
Services
Preceding station SEPTA Following station Temple University toward Airport Airport Line Fern Rock T.C. toward Glenside Temple University toward 30th Street Station Chestnut Hill East Line Wister toward Chestnut Hill East Fox Chase Line Olney toward Fox Chase North Broad toward 30th Street Station Lansdale/​Doylestown Line Fern Rock T.C. toward Doylestown Temple University toward Penn Medicine Warminster Line Fern Rock T.C. toward Warminster
Former services Preceding station SEPTA Following station Temple University toward Chestnut Hill East Chestnut Hill East Line Fishers Closed 1992 toward 30th Street Station Preceding station Reading Railroad Following station North Broad Street toward Philadelphia Bethlehem Branch Logan toward Bethlehem Nicetown toward Philadelphia New York Branch Logan toward Bound Brook Chestnut Hill Branch Fishers toward Chestnut Hill North Broad Street toward Philadelphia Frankford Branch Olney toward Frankford Philadelphia Terminus Newtown Branch Olney toward Newtown New Hope Branch Jenkintown toward New Hope Preceding station Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Following station Philadelphia toward Chicago Main Line Plainfield toward Jersey City Main Line Until 1926 Bound Brook toward New York Philadelphia Terminus Philadelphia – Jersey City Local Jenkintown toward Jersey City Reading Terminal Terminus
Wayne Junction Station, Philadelphia and Reading Railroad
U.S. Historic district Contributing property
Coordinates	40°1′22.8″N 75°9′34.2″W
Architect	Wilson Brothers and Company
Architectural style	Renaissance Revival style
Part of	Wayne Junction Historic District (ID12000223)
Added to NRHP	April 16, 2012
U.S. Historic district Contributing property
Part of	Colonial Germantown Historic District (ID66000678)
Added to NRHP	October 15, 1966

Wayne Junction station is a SEPTA Regional Rail junction station located at 4481 Wayne Avenue, extending along Windrim Avenue to Germantown Avenue. The station is located in the Nicetown neighborhood of Philadelphia. Wayne Junction serves as a multi-modal transfer point between six of SEPTA's regional rail lines as well as three major transit routes – the Route 75 Trackless Trolley and the Route 23 and 53 bus lines. The station served more than 321,000 riders annually in 2018.

Service

The Chestnut Hill East Line joins the SEPTA Main Line at Wayne Junction. Wayne Junction is the last station before the Fox Chase Line splits off the SEPTA Main Line, at Newtown Junction. Additionally, Wayne Junction is served by the Warminster Line, West Trenton Line, and Lansdale/Doylestown Line on the SEPTA Main Line.

Station

Frank Furness Wayne Junction Station in 1914

The original station building was designed by architect Frank Furness and constructed in 1881. The current station building was designed in 1900 by architects Wilson Brothers & Company. An old post card once boasted that "more trains stop here than at any other station in the world."

The station, located in fare zone one, does have a sales office but lacks any dedicated parking spaces. Wayne Junction recently underwent a $11,165,600 renovation that included a new low level railway platform, an additional high-level platform in the inbound side, two new elevators, and new canopies and windscreens.

In FY 2013, Wayne Junction station had a weekday average of 527 boardings and 521 alightings.

The SEPTA's Roberts Yard and Midvale District Bus Garage are nearby to this station.

History

Detail of station sign at Wayne Junction station before reconstruction

For most of the first half of the 20th century, Wayne Junction served as the Reading Railroad's counterpart to the Pennsylvania Railroad's North Philadelphia station, 2 miles (3.2 km) away. It served a very busy and prosperous business and residential area, drawing from North Philadelphia, Nicetown, Tioga, Logan, Germantown and other points. In addition to the extensive commuter network, service was provided by the Reading Railroad on a regular basis to New York via the Jersey Central and to Bethlehem and beyond on the Lehigh Valley Railroad to Upstate New York and Toronto. Beginning in the 1890s, Baltimore and Ohio Railroad passenger trains between Washington and New York City, including its famed Royal Blue, also stopped at Wayne Junction, using Reading and Jersey Central rails north of Philadelphia. The station was useful for transfers between Reading trains and B&O trains. This was more advantageous than changing between the Reading Terminal and the B&O's 24th & Chestnut Station as those Philadelphia stations were several blocks apart.

Until the B&O discontinued passenger service on the line in April, 1958, it provided regular service to Washington with through sleepers to the West, including Chicago, St. Louis, and Los Angeles on such trains as the Capitol Limited and National Limited. Reading Railroad long distance trains included the Interstate Express and the Scranton Flyer. The station provided a baggage room and lunch room, as well as the usual telegraph office. On October 25, 1959, Wayne Junction was the starting point for the first of the Reading's Iron Horse Rambles excursions featuring their T-1 class steam locomotives. The surrounding neighborhood was a busy shopping area and provided additional services.

The station has been a contributing property in the Colonial Germantown Historic District since 1966, and the Wayne Junction Historic District since 2012.

Redevelopment

In September 2017, developer Ken Weinstein outlined a $12 million proposal to redevelop properties in the immediate vicinity of the Station including 32 apartment units at the Max Levy Autograph Co. building, a pocket park on a vacant lot across the street, a 1950s diner, an office building, an artisanal manufacturing site, and a barbecue and brewery. Most of the development is taking place in a restored factory and warehouse structures, making use of the federal Historic Tax Credit program.

In July 2018, the Pennsylvania state Historic Preservation Review Board approved the Philadelphia Historical Commission's request to create the Wayne Junction National Historical District, a collection of eight large-scale industrial buildings built between the late-19th and mid-20th century surrounding the Station. The eight properties include the Train Station at 4481 Wayne Avenue, New Glen Echo Mills at 130 W Berkley Street, Brown Instrument Company at 4433 Wayne Avenue, the Max Levy Autograph at 212-220 Roberts Avenue, Arguto Oilless Bearing Company at 149 W Berkley Street, Blaisdell Paper Pencil Company at 137-45 Berkley Street, The Keystone Dry Plate & Film Works / Moore Push Pin building at 113-29 Berkley Street, and 200-10 Roberts Avenue.

See also

• Baltimore & Ohio Railroad station (Philadelphia)
• North Philadelphia station
• Reading Terminal

External links

Media related to Wayne Junction (SEPTA station) at Wikimedia Commons

• SEPTA – Wayne Junction station
• Gateway to Germantown: Wayne Junction Construction Project
• Newer and Older Photos of Wayne Junction
• Wayne Avenue entrance from Google Maps Street View
• Windrim Avenue entrance from Google Maps Street View
• Germantown Avenue entrance from Google Maps Street View