Chestnut Hill West Line

The Chestnut Hill West Line branches off from Amtrak's Northeast Corridor at North Philadelphia station and runs entirely within the City of Philadelphia. Its terminal is named Chestnut Hill West to distinguish it from the end of the Chestnut Hill East Line (a competing line of the Reading Company until 1976, when SEPTA assumed operations). Some stations are less than half a mile apart, a characteristic more commonly seen in an urban rapid transit system rather than a commuter rail line. The line runs roughly parallel to the Chestnut Hill East, and the two terminals are rather close. The line is fully grade-separated.

The line was originally opened June 11, 1884 by the Philadelphia, Germantown and Chestnut Hill Railroad, and was operated by the Pennsylvania Railroad until 1968. Electrified service began on March 30, 1918.[4] The Penn Central operated it until 1976, turning operations over to Conrail until 1983, when SEPTA took over.

Between 1984–2010 the route was designated R8 Chestnut Hill West as part of SEPTA's diametrical reorganization of its lines. Chestnut Hill West trains operated through the city center to the Fox Chase Line.[5] Plans had called for the line to be paired with West Chester/Elwyn Line and designated R3, but this depended on a never-built connection from the Chestnut Hill West Line to the ex-Reading near Wayne Junction.[6] As of 2018, most Chestnut Hill West Line trains continue through Center City to the Fox Chase Line.[7]

Between June 26, 1987–December 17, 1989 service terminated at Allen Lane with shuttle buses serving St. Martin's, Highland and Chestnut Hill West because of unsafe conditions on the Cresheim Valley bridge. The original iron bridge dated to 1884 and was replaced with a $7.6 million steel structure financed by the Urban Mass Transportation Administration.[8]

SEPTA activated positive train control on the Chestnut Hill West Line on August 22, 2016.[9]

The Pennsylvania Railroad opened St. Martins in 1883

Queen Lane station

The Chestnut Hill West makes the following station stops after leaving 30th Street Station; stations indicated with gray background are closed.

Zone[10]	Location	Station	Miles (km) from Center City	Date opened	Connections / notes
C	Mantua, Philadelphia	Zoological Garden	1.9 miles (3.1 km)	1874	Closed November 24, 1901[11]
	Brewerytown, Philadelphia	Engleside	2.8 (4.5)		Closed April 5, 1903[12]
	Strawberry Mansion, Philadelphia	Ridge Avenue	3.2 (5.1)		Closed April 5, 1903.[12]
		22nd Street	3.9 miles (6.3 km)
1	Glenwood, Philadelphia	North Philadelphia	4.5 (7.2)		Amtrak: Keystone Service, Northeast Regional SEPTA Regional Rail: Trenton Line SEPTA City Transit: Broad Street Line SEPTA City Bus: 4, 16
	Nicetown–Tioga, Philadelphia	Westmoreland	5.5 (8.9)		Closed October 29, 1994[13]
	Germantown, Philadelphia	Queen Lane	6.8 (10.9)		SEPTA City Bus: K
		Chelten Avenue	7.4 (11.9)	June 11, 1884[14]	SEPTA City Bus: 26, J
2		Tulpehocken	7.9 (12.7)	June 11, 1884[14]	SEPTA City Bus: 53, 65
	Mount Airy, Philadelphia	Upsal	8.4 (13.5)		SEPTA City Bus: H
		Carpenter	9.0 (14.5)	June 11, 1884[14]
		Allen Lane	9.4 (15.1)
	Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia	St. Martins	10.2 (16.4)
		Highland	10.7 (17.2)	June 11, 1884[14]
		Chestnut Hill West	11.3 (18.2)	June 11, 1884[14]	SEPTA City Bus: 23, 77, L SEPTA Suburban Bus: 94, 97

Yearly ridership on the Chestnut Hill West Line between FY 2008–FY 2018 has remained steady around 1.5–1.6 million:[note 1]

• "SEPTA – Chestnut Hill West line schedule" (PDF).