A Brief History of the Newtown Branch Operated by the Reading Railroad Long after the Reading had Railroads.Initially the line was operated by completed their electrification project in the the Pennsylvania, with trains operating via early 1930's the Newtown Branch remained the New York Main Line to the West as the only steam operated commuter line in Philadelphia Station at 32nd and Market the Philadelphia area. It was one of the last Streets. This arrangement was short lived rail lines built in the 19th Century and it had and the PN&NY was soon under lease to the a very rural atmosphere. Another 30 years P&R by 1879. Under control of the would pass before the Reading would install Philadelphia & Reading, Newtown Branch catenary on the Newtown Branch to Fox trains began using the station at Third & Chase, electrifying all passenger service Berks Streets for their Philadelphia terminus. within the City of Philadelphia. The opening of the Reading Terminal and In the days just prior to the American the desire to consolidate his passenger Civil War, a group of investors had received operations led Archibald McLeod to to permission by special act of the General construct the Philadelphia & Newtown Assembly of the Commonwealth of Connecting Railroad. Incorporated March 1, Pennsylvania to incorporate the Philadelphia 1892, the line was built, opened and merged & Montgomery County Railroad. It was with the P&R system all within the time hoped that the line would be built from period of several months. This allowed Philadelphia to Newtown. The financial Newtown trains to be routed from the instability of the times and a depression PN&NY at Olney, travel over the new following the end of the Civil War had branch to Newtown Junction on the Tabor delayed the start of construction until 1872. Branch and then onto the Ninth Street During 1873 the road was renamed the Branch to reach downtown. Philadelphia and Newtown Railroad In the early part of the 20th Century, Company. It wasn't until October of 1876 the P&R was was looking for a short cut for that the first train had operated from Second their New York traffic to avoid the route Street and Erie Avenue to Fox Chase. through Jenkintown. Laying out a route Following a foreclosure sale on October 4, cross country, they would connect the 1876 and a reorganization on November Newtown Branch at Cheltenham, with 28th, the company was named "The Nesharniny Falls on the New York Branch. Philadelphia, Newtown and New York Organized May 6, 1903, the New York Railroad Company". It would take another Short Line Railroad would give Reading a two years for the rails to reach Newtown, faster route to New York. Construction with service opening February 2, 1878. proceeded through 1904-1905, with the line In its early years of operation, the opening for traffic May 27, 1906. While Newtown Branch would have the distinction building the new cutoff, part of the branch of being one of the few rail lines that could was extensively rebuilt and double tracked claim operation by both Philadelphia & between Newtown Jct. and Cheltenham Jct. Reading and the Pennsylvania The Philadelphia & Newtown Connecting and a section of the Newtown Branch from 1959, under "Operation Northeast" the PSIC Olney to Cheltenham became the New York began to subsidize service to Fox Chase. Short Line. Saving 1.9 miles, the 9.38 mile The resurgence in riders led the PSIC line was operated by trackage rights until it to propose, in 1960, to electrify the could be formally leased by the P&R on Newtown Branch to the city line at Fox February 1, 1907. Chase. Funding was approved on January Mr. McLeod used the Newtown 23, 1963 for the project at a price tag of two Branch to reach yet another part of the City million dollars_ The cost of the project of Philadelphia. Being incorporated March would be recovered by leasing the use of the 22, 1892, the Philadelphia & Frankford catenary system to the Reading Co., and Railroad left the Newtown Branch west of using annual lease fees to retire the city's Crescentville. The line ended 2.5 miles to construction bonds. At a brief ceremony the south at bumping block in Frankford October 5, 1965 at Crescentville, work Station. From the opening of the branch on finally started as officials from the City and July 1, 1894, until July 1, 1907, the line was the Reading watched the first of 136 operated under the agreement with the P&R, catenary structures being erected on the 5.2 with the branch being leased on February mile extension. Almost a year later, after 19, 1908. After the completion of the which the trackwork was also rebuilt, the Frankford Elevated by the City and the catenary system was ready for service in late Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company in September 1966. On Sunday September November of 1922, service dwindled on the 25th, passengers along the branch were line. In later years the line was used surprised to see the electric in service. To primarily for mail and express cars going to allow for a shakedown period, the Reading the large Sears, Roebuck and Company had started service four days early, before warehouses adjacent to the line_ Finally, the the official opening later in the week. The trackage of the Philadelphia & Frankford inaugural train left Reading Terminal for was abandoned back to Arrot Street. Fox Chase at 9:10 am on September 29, Long after the other lines had been 1966 with Philadelphia's Mayor Tate and electrified and diesel locomotives had Reading Company President Betrand aboard arrived on the scene, steam engines still to autograph souvenir tickets issued for the pulled their trains along the Newtown occasion. A few days later, on October 3, Branch. It was the last Reading suburbun 1966, the Reading revamped service along line to use steam, with the last engine being the branch. On the average weekday, the withdrawn from service May 6, 1952. By the number of trains increased substantially to late 1950's, increasing auto traffic was Fox Chase, from 18 to 22, and to Reading causing the City of Philadelphia to explore Terminal, from 12 to 24. Saturdays it had alternatives to the highways. Under Mayor risen to 15 round trips from a previous 8 and Richardson Dilworth, the Passenger Service Sundays from 3 to 4 round trips. The Improvement Corporation was organized to completion of the electrification to Fox help commuter rail lines within the city. As Chase left only the remaining 15 miles to part of the program, starting in September Newtown in diesel operation..