PHILADELPHIA – The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority has issued a request for proposals regarding the final-design stage of its Norristown High-Speed Line expansion. The project will add a 4-mile branch extending to King of Prussia, Pa.
The grade-separated line extends 13.4 miles southeast from Norristown, Pa., to 69th Street Terminal, with connections there to Center City Philadelphia via SEPTA’s Market Street Subway-Elevated Line. Using 630-volt DC third-rail power, the system employs mostly double track except for its final approach to Norristown over a 3,800-foot-long single-track trestle spanning Norfolk Southern’s Harrisburg Line, a SEPTA commuter-rail line, and the Schuylkill River.
“KOP (King of Prussia) Rail will connect the three largest employment hubs in the region – Center City, University City, and King of Prussia – increasing equity by increasing access to jobs and opportunities with frequent and reliable transit service,” says Leslie Richards, SEPTA general manager and CEO.
Over the last 50 years, residential and commercial growth around King of Prussia has expanded explosively with the construction of office parks and the 2.7-million-square-foot, 450-store King of Prussia Mall. KOP Rail would serve both. In theory, it would relieve pressure on the only highway linking Philadelphia with King of Prussia, the notoriously congested Schuylkill Expressway, I-76.
Last fall, the Federal Transit Administration admitted the King of Prussia Rail Project into the Capital Investment Grant Program. SEPTA touts the project as benefiting office workers, shoppers, students, and tourists.
The project is one of five identified in SEPTA’s 2021-2026 strategic plan, along with electrified commuter-rail (which SEPTA terms “Regional Rail”) capacity improvements, trolley modernization, Market-Frankford Line capacity improvements, and bus network redesign. In its Fiscal Year 2023-2024 budget, SEPTA proposes to commit $390 million to KOP Rail.
The Norristown High-Speed Line is a former interurban carrier, the Philadelphia & Western Railroad, which was nicknamed “Pig & Whistle.” P&W’s surviving Norristown route opened in 1912. Until 1951, it provided the southern end of a link with Lehigh Valley Transit Co, often known as the Liberty Bell Route, another interurban that extended to Allentown, Pa. LVT cars ran from Allentown to 69th Street, using overhead wire on LVT and third-rail shoes while on P&W.
The Philadelphia Suburban Transportation Co. took over the line in stages between 1948 and 1953, operating the former P&W under the Red Arrow Lines brand. SEPTA acquired PST in 1970, identifying the operation as its Route 100 and adding the Norristown High-Speed Line name.
Several distinctive types of high-speed rolling stock have run on the line, including a fleet of 10 streamlined 80-mph Brill Bullets, dating from 1931, and the two former Chicago, North Shore & Milwaukee articulated Electroliners, dubbed Liberty Liners on PSTS/SEPTA.
SEPTA currently serves 22 stations on the route with 26 high-speed (70 mph) ABB Traction N-5 cars, built in 1991 and 1993.
King of Prussia is the name of an inn that hosted Gen. Washington in 1777. The area took the name but there is no incorporated township, borough or city named “King of Prussia.” It is the name of a post office since 1837 and a huge mall that has a SEPTA Transportation Center that hosts 6 bus lines.
The Norristown High Speed Line (Philadelphia and Western interurban) was extended to Norristown in 1912, passing near the King of Prussia Inn, but never had a station by that name. NHSL operates between Norristown and 69th St. Terminal in Upper Darby, where it connects with the Market-Frankford Line. Through operation has never been possible because the NHSL/P&W is RR Gauge (4′ 8 1/2″) and the Elevated is Trolley Gauge (5′ 2 1/4″)
Red Arrow Lines later owned the P&W and were talking about an extension West in the 1960’s about when they bought the Electroliners.
Valley Forge National Historical Park is about a mile beyond the proposed end of the line. In 2013, a Park report estimated 1,962,889 visitors. Did I mention the Park is about a mile beyond the proposed end of the line.
There is no comma in the CNS&M title as depicted in the article. The correct corporate title is “Chicago North Shore & Milwaukee.” Many continue to make the mistake.
Having ridden the Norristown line, I was curious as to where K o P was and how it would connect. The article tells about the Lehigh Valley but K o P is west, not North of Norristown. So I found this:
https://www.railwayage.com/passenger/commuterregional/septa-issues-rfp-for-king-of-prussia-rail/
which shows a WYE between Hughes Park & Dekalb St stations.
Wonder what new cars they will procure.