Chestnut Hill Railroad
| Company type | Rail corridor |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Predecessor | Philadelphia, Germantown and Norristown Railroad |
| Founded | 1832 |
| Fate | Ownership transferred to SEPTA |
| Headquarters | Philadelphia , United States |
Area served | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Owner | SEPTA |
The Chestnut Hill East Branch is a rail corridor located in Pennsylvania, extending roughly from a connection with the SEPTA Main Line at Nicetown–Tioga, Philadelphia, to the neighborhood of Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia. Constructed initially in 1832 by the Philadelphia, Germantown and Norristown Railroad, the line was incorporated into the Reading Company network from 1870 until 1976. Presently under the ownership of SEPTA, it accommodates the Chestnut Hill East Line commuter rail service and runs nearly parallel to the Chestnut Hill West Branch, which was once operated by the Pennsylvania Railroad.
History
The first segment of track by the Philadelphia, Germantown and Norristown Railroad commenced operations on June 6, 1832, connecting Ninth and Green Streets in Philadelphia to Germantown. Initial intentions to extend the line northward to Norristown were superseded by an alternative alignment branching off at what is currently known as 16th Street Junction. Germantown served as the terminus until 1854 when an extension, leased from the Chestnut Hill Railroad, reached Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia and opened on December 1 of that year.
On December 1, 1870, the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, which later became the Reading Company, leased control of the Philadelphia, Germantown and Norristown Railroad. In 1879, the Reading Company constructed the Tabor Branch, connecting the former PG&N line with the main line of the North Pennsylvania Railroad. This development designated the PG&N section south of Wayne Junction as Reading's principal passenger route into Philadelphia.
The Reading Company operated scheduled commuter trains along this corridor under various designations such as the Germantown and Chestnut Hill Branch or simply Chestnut Hill Branch. Electrification of this branch was completed on February 5, 1933. Although ownership of the track between Wayne and Germantown remained with the Philadelphia, Germantown and Norristown Railroad as a paper company, the Chestnut Hill Railroad was merged into Reading in 1948. Following Reading's bankruptcy in 1976, control passed to Conrail and later to SEPTA. SEPTA introduced positive train control technology on this branch on July 25, 2016.