The third of the options from Lehigh Valley Passenger Rail Analysis is Allentown to Philadelphia via Lansdale. This ought to be the closest thing to “chalk”, to borrow a term from the sporting world. This route was the primary link between Bethlehem and Philadelphia for over a century. If you’ve been reading along with this series you can probably guess it’s not so simple as that in 2024.
Allentown-Bethlehem
As with the other alternatives, the study plans to use the Reading Line (“Corridor L”) between Allentown and Bethlehem. Unlike the New York alternatives, we’re not continuing to Easton. To reach the Philadelphia area from the Lehigh Valley requires turning south and following Saucon Creek where it pierces South Mountain (part of the Appalachians).[1]
Bethlehem-Lansdale
The North Pennsylvania Railroad’s main line ran from Bethlehem to Philadelphia via Lansdale. The Reading leased the company in 1879, and the two remained linked until the Reading’s bankruptcy in the 1970s. The Reading electrified the line to Lansdale and Doylestown in 1931. Direct service between Bethlehem and Philadelphia continued until it was discontinued by SEPTA in 1981.
The reasons for that discontinuance are complex and have been relitigated endlessly over the years. To keep matters simple:
- SEPTA had financial problems as it assumed full control of commuter service in the Philadelphia area.
- The route beyond Lansdale is beyond SEPTA’s five-county service area.
- The diesel equipment that operated to Bethlehem (and to several other far-flung routes) was aging and in need of replacement.
- The forthcoming completion of the Center City Commuter Tunnel would have greatly complicated the operation of diesel routes (more on that soon).
The first challenge with the Bethlehem branch (“Corridor B”) is that the original connecting track within South Bethlehem is now the South Bethlehem Greenway. Reaching Saucon Creek will require some slow movements through yard trackage.
The next issue is that while SEPTA still owns the right-of-way, about 12 miles between Hellertown and Quakertown are now a rail trail. A stated reason for rail trails is preservation of the right-of-way to permit a future reconversion to railroad use; in practice such conversions are rare. South of Quakertown the line exists and is used for freight, but needs rebuilding.[2]
Lansdale-Philadelphia
Historically, two railroads operated overlapping commuter rail systems in Philadelphia: the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Reading Company. These systems were not connected. Pennsylvania trains radiated from 30th Street and Suburban Station; Reading trains terminated at the Reading Terminal. Both systems were electrified. The arrangement was inefficient and lead to trains piling up at the terminals.
Philadelphia, with support from the state and federal governments, addressed this by building the Center City Commuter Connection, which opened in 1984. This four-track railroad tunnel connected the ex-Pennsylvania and ex-Reading systems, allow trains to flow from one “side” to the other, dramatically improving the efficiency of the system. Reading Terminal closed, replaced by Jefferson Station (formerly Market East).
Lansdale is on the Reading side, and trains operating there must pass through the tunnel to reach 30th Street Station. Diesel locomotives cannot operate through the tunnel. As with the various New York alternatives, though operation to Philadelphia would require the use of a dual-mode locomotive that switches to electric operation once it enters electric territory. Unlike NJ Transit, SEPTA has no experience with that type of operation.[3]
SEPTA calls this part of the former Bethlehem branch the Main Line. It’s double-tracked and electrified. Freight service is limited.
Scheduling
The study estimates 1 hour 46 minutes from Allentown to Philadelphia. It’s not a direct comparison, but the Allentown-Philadelphia services that SEPTA ran in 1978 could do it in 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the number of intermediate stops. Scheduled commuter services, making all stops, need about an hour to get from Lansdale to 30th Street.[4]
This is competitive with driving on I-476 between the two cities, especially considering the vagaries of traffic on the Schuylkill Expressway. Martz buses, making no intermediate stops at all, need an hour and a half as well.
Costs
Capital costs are estimated at $635 million. The lion’s share of this is $443 million to rebuild the Bethlehem branch. That works out at $11 million/mile. Again, this is 12 miles of rail trail and 17 miles of freight track that have to be completely rebuilt. New stations are required as well. Rolling stock is estimated at $102 million, less than the New York alternatives. As both would use dual-modes, I’m attributing that to the shorter trip times.[5]
Thoughts
If you’re doing Philadelphia instead of or in addition to New York, this is the natural route. That it was ever abandoned at all is unfortunate. Aside from about 7-8 miles between Allentown and Bethlehem, the entire route is primarily a passenger route. Bypassing Easton is unfortunate but dictated by the geography of the region.