Media/Elwyn Line

On October 16, 1979, at 8:19 a.m., an inbound train collided with two others plus cars from a fourth train between Angora and 49th Street stations. The accident killed one person and injured 525 others.

Earlier, Train #712, a nine-car train of former PRR MP54E6 cars, had left behind the rear two cars (a coupler between the seventh and eighth car had broken), then continued on to Suburban Station. Train #716, consisting of nine ex-Reading "Blueliner" heavyweight cars, was detailed to push the empty defective cars out of the way, and slowed to a stop in order to couple with them. Train #0714, two Silverliner IVs, then stopped short of #716, in accordance with signal rules.

The next train, #1718, a four-car consist of three Silverliner IIs and one Silverliner III, neither stopped at the nearest signal nor slowed adequately at the previous signal, nor did the engineer apply the air brake correctly once the rear of #0714 was seen around a curve. Traveling at an estimated 28 mph, #1718 rear-ended #0714, shoving it forward to collide in succession with all the other stopped equipment. Both cars of #0714 derailed, as did some of the other cars.

A total of 525 passengers were injured, including a conductor who died a few days later from his injuries. Many cars were damaged, including the lead car of #1718 (Silverliner II #265) which was later written off and scrapped.[14]

In addition to speed and signal rules violations, other causative factors in the accident cited by the National Transportation Safety Board included: inoperative onboard radios in the Silverliners, and no radios at all in the heavyweight MUs; an inoperative speedometer on Train 1718; improper operation of the air brake (a full-service brake application rather than an emergency "dumping the air" application) by #1718's engineer once he realized a collision was imminent; and the possible distraction caused by the presence of three other employees in #1718's operating cab. Also, the branch's 50-year-old automatic block signal system was criticized as being inadequate in such a situation; although it worked correctly, the system was not equipped to display cab signal indications or stop the train in event of a speed violation, nor could it allow trains to operate against the current of traffic on either track.[14] SEPTA subsequently resignaled the line to all of these standards using color light wayside signals, first between Arsenal and Secane interlockings in the late 1980s, and then from Secane to Elwyn in the mid-1990s during restoration of double track between Media and Elwyn.

R3 signage before truncation

Signage used by SEPTA for R3 service until July 25, 2010

SEPTA took over operations in 1983, running commuter service on the line to West Chester. Beginning in 1984 the route was designated R3 West Chester and R3 Elwyn as part of SEPTA's diametrical reorganization of its lines. Shuttles operated between West Chester and Elwyn; Elwyn trains operated through the city center to North Broad station but did not continue on to the ex-Reading side of the system. Plans had called for the line to be paired with the Chestnut Hill West Line but this depended on a never-built connection from the Chestnut Hill West Line to the ex-Reading near Wayne Junction.[15] In later years the line was paired with the West Trenton Line.[16] The R-number naming system was dropped on July 25, 2010.[17] As of August 2019, roughly half of weekday Media/Elwyn trains continue to West Trenton and the rest to various other destinations, while most weekend trains continue to Elm Street in Norristown on the Manayunk/Norristown Line.[18]

On September 19, 1986, SEPTA ended service west of Elwyn. Ridership on that segment had dwindled, a process accelerated by bustitution used while the deteriorating tracks were closed for repair. In addition, Chester County officials preferred to expand Exton Station on SEPTA's Paoli/Thorndale Line. SEPTA only had funds for one of the two projects, so service to West Chester was terminated. SEPTA did not officially place the line out of service until late 1991. At the time, Delaware County officials were pushing to restore service at least as far as Wawa, but Chester County officials were unenthusiastic and SEPTA General Manager Louis Gambaccini said service restoration between Wawa and West Chester was "not cost-effective." [19] Nonetheless, SEPTA studied the possibility of restoring service on the 3 miles from Elwyn to Wawa later in the decade.

SEPTA activated positive train control on the Media/Elwyn Line on September 26, 2016.[20]

SEPTA is undertaking the Southwest Connection Improvement Program to rebuild the section of the Media/Elwyn Line between 30th Street Station and Arsenal Interlocking; this section also carries trains from the Airport Line and Wilmington/Newark Line. The Southwest Connection Improvement Program involves replacing Arsenal Interlocking, removing Walnut Interlocking and realigning rail, constructing a new interlocking and turn back track near Penn Medicine station, replacing the catenary system, repairing and upgrading the Walnut Street Tunnel, and repairing drainage structures. During construction periods, service has been modified along the Airport, Media/Elwyn, and Wilmington/Newark lines.[21]

In June 2005, SEPTA hired URS Corporation for design and engineering services for a project to restore rail service between Elwyn and Wawa stations. The engineering design phase began the following month, and includes preliminary engineering, environmental impact analysis, and final engineering.[22] Shortfalls in funding delayed completion of the phase to 2010,[23][24] and construction was expected to take 24 to 36 months to complete. As of November 2016, the project's completion date has slipped to the Summer of 2020. As of November 2018, the completion date has been further delayed to the end of 2021.[4]

The project will lay new track; install new catenary, signals, and communications equipment; and build new structures, including a new station at Wawa with a large park-and-ride facility.[25] SEPTA initially estimated that the cost would be $51.327 million, but in SEPTA's 2014 Capital Budget, the estimate had risen to $91.387 million.[11] The extension is expected to reduce traffic congestion through Middletown Township.[25] A new train storage facility at Lenni will also be constructed.

The Wawa Station will be ADA-compliant with high platforms, a sales office, ticket vending machines, and a waiting room. Plans for a parking lot at Wawa were abandoned to avoid flooding from Chester Creek.[25] Nonetheless, the station is expected to see 500 commuters on a typical weekday, as it will sit next to US Route 1 and serve the nearby corporate headquarters of Wawa Food Markets.[26] Bus service will connect the station to Painters Crossing and Concordville, Pennsylvania.

The Delaware County Planning Department is working with SEPTA and Friends of the Chester Creek Branch to build a hiking trail within SEPTA's right-of-way from the new Wawa station to Lenni Road. This will be the northern end of the Chester Creek Trail.[25]

SEPTA has also been urged to restore service to West Chester by Chester County officials, who originally allowed SEPTA to end service at Elwyn in 1986. The request would give commuters an alternative to driving to the Paoli/Thorndale Line stations in Exton or Paoli, and reduce congestion on U.S. Route 202 between Route 1 and West Chester. West Chester University President Madeleine Wing Adler wrote a letter in support of an extension to West Chester, saying students needed reliable and fast transportation to Media and Philadelphia. In 2014, the borough council of West Chester voted to establish a Committee to Reestablish Rail Service to West Chester.[27] However, in 2014, SEPTA official Byron Comati argued that West Chester lacks ridership demand needed to support expansion of the Media/Elwyn Line, in part due to competition from the Paoli/Thorndale Line.[27] Additionally, according to Comati, the "circuitous alignment" of the Media/Elwyn Line would mean that a trip from West Chester into Philadelphia would take two hours, whereas the Paoli line offers a 45-minute trip from the Exton station.[27]