SEPTA Route 56

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Route 56
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
Began service1907 (first) TBD (second)
Ended service1992 (as a streetcar line)
Route
Locale
Tacony
StartVenango Loop
ViaErie Avenue, Torresdale Avenue
EndTorresdale-Cottman Loop
Length7.9 miles (12.7 km)
Service
Journey time45 minutes
Ridership3,008,278 (FY19)
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SEPTA's Trolley Route 56, the Erie and Torresdale Avenues Line, is a former

Tacony neighborhoods primarily along Erie Avenue and Torresdale Avenue. Route 56 was one of three "suspended" by the SEPTA board effective June 12, 1992. The two others, Routes 15 and 23
, were then also operated by buses as of the same year; however, the Route 15 Trolley has since been restored back to trolley as of September 5, 2005.

Route description

Route 56 begins at

Trenton Line on the line's north side. The east corners of the intersection of Front Street, contain sites such as St. Christopher's Hospital
and a local ball park known as Lighthouse Field.

When Route 56 meets

Tacony Creek
for Torresdale and Frankford Avenues. While most of Erie Avenue and Torresdale Avenue between Kensington and Frankford Avenues contain visible signs of the former streetcar line within the pavement, east of this loop few remnants of the former trolley line remain.

South of the line, Bridge Street and Harbison Avenue both lead to

Tacony (SEPTA station). Prior to the line's eastern terminus, Torresdale Avenue becomes part of eastbound PA 73
, which turns onto southbound Princeton Avenue on its way to I-95 and the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge. The line finally ends at the Torresdale-Cottman Loop, on the corner of Torresdale and Cottman Avenues, where the eastbound and westbound sections of PA 73 merge.

History

Route 56 was established in 1907 and originally ran from the intersection of West Hunting Park Avenue and Pulaski Avenue then down Pulaski to Erie where it ended at 2nd Street. As with all trolleys in Philadelphia, its rail gauge was

5 ft 2+1⁄4 in (1,581 mm).[1][2]
In 1926, the western terminus was moved to its present location; in 1928, the eastern terminus was moved northeast to the Torresdale-Cottman Loop.

In March 1941, the line was re-equipped with PCC cars, which provided all trolley service until 1992.[3]

Southbound Route 56 PCC car on Torresdale Avenue in July, 1968

Route 56 was suspended as a trolley in 1992, and replaced by bus service, along with Route 23. During 1994, fan trips were provided by Brill Built #8534 & Kawasaki LRV #9111 trolleys, revealing dedicated lanes on Erie, such as the right-of-way on Toronto's

Subway-Surface Trolley replacement project will include studying the possibility of restoring route 56 as well as routes 23 and 45 to light rail.[6]

References

  1. ^ "The history of trolley cars and routes in Philadelphia". SEPTA. June 1, 1974. p. 2. Retrieved 2014-06-11. An early city ordinance prescribed that all tracks were to have a gauge of 5' 21⁄4"
  2. ISBN 9780804740142
    . Retrieved 2014-06-10.
  3. ^ "New Luxurious Streamlined Street Cars On Route 56 (transcription of 1941 PTC riders' brochure)". Retrieved 2012-02-15.
  4. ^ SEPTA Route 56 official map and schedule
  5. ^ "Ask SEPTA: GM Joe Casey answers your questions on communications systems, infrastructure, paint jobs". metro.us. February 9, 2014. Retrieved 2014-08-16.
  6. ^ http://septa.org/strategic-plan/reports/FY-2018-Capital-Budget-and%20FY-2018-2029%20Capital-Program.pdf [bare URL PDF]

External links

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