Train bridge at Solly and Frankford Ave

[Joeolney]

Just wondering what line runs or used to run on the track that has a bridge crossing Frankford Ave at Solly ave. Anyone know?

Thanks,

Joe

[CHIOSSO]

Pennsylvania Rail Road,


www.philageohistory.org

INTERACTIVE MAPS VIEWER

[hammersklavier]

It's still in use--it's a spur to the Northeast Philadelphia Airport and associated industries, and merges with the NEC at Holmesburg Jct. I think NS uses it nowadays.

[Joeolney]

Thanks. I used the awesome Greater Philadelphia GeoHistory Network site to see it's layout. I wonder if it ever carried passenger trains? Can't seem to find out much about it

[Sailaway]

Just wondering what line runs or used to run on the track that has a bridge crossing Frankford Ave at Solly ave. Anyone know?

It's actually called the Bustleton Branch of the former PRR. AFAIK, it never carried passenger trains, but here's a little info on it currently:

Philly NRHS - Railfan Pictures of the Week

[Scoats]

Thanks. I used the awesome Greater Philadelphia GeoHistory Network site to see it's layout. I wonder if it ever carried passenger trains? Can't seem to find out much about it

I remember as a kid, the fire house on Frankford Ave had a huge map on the wall. There was an Ashton train station marketed on it right near Pollack School. That was right where we lived at the time so it surprised me since I had never seen any evidence of a station there.

I know that line goes down to Solly Ave, so it must have had passenger service at some time.

[qguy]

This line at one time actually crossed Roosevelt Blvd. and ended just shy of Bustleton Ave. It crossed the Boulevard where between Welsh Rd. and Grant Ave., where the power lines currently (current-ly, get it?, I slay me!) cross overhead, through what is now the parking lot for the Olive Garden.

A quick look at the Historical Aerials website:

www.historicalaerials.com

shows that sometime between 1958 and 1965 the Boulevard was widened to its present configuration at that location. Prior to that, only what is now the inner lanes existed (above Pennypack Circle), three lanes in each direction. The six lanes were located where the southbound lanes currently are. The railroad crossed the Boulevard on a bridge. The six lanes narrowed to four (two in each direction) under the bridge.

Sometime between 1958 and 1965 the Boulevard was widened to 12 lanes, with its present configuration of 3 inner and 3 outer lanes in each direction, and the bridge was removed and the railroad severed to terminate east of the Boulevard.

When not in use, the locomotive used on this line is typically parked just east of the grade crossing across Blue Grass Rd. (north of Grant Ave.), catercorner from the back of the Wal-mart.

[Joeolney]

I was thinking the same think regarding passenger service because the 1895 bromley map i was looking at on Greater Philadelphia GeoHistory Network showed the Ashton st, a Rowland station and a Blue Grass station. so, the tracks that run over Blue Grass road today are that line but what about the tracks the run over Grant Ave by the Clement building? Is that a spur from this line? If so, it's not there as of the latest map on that site, which is 1962. Also, on the 1962 map, only the Ashton station is shown.

[hammersklavier]

I was thinking the same think regarding passenger service because the 1895 bromley map i was looking at on Greater Philadelphia GeoHistory Network showed the Ashton st, a Rowland station and a Blue Grass station. so, the tracks that run over Blue Grass road today are that line but what about the tracks the run over Grant Ave by the Clement building? Is that a spur from this line? If so, it's not there as of the latest map on that site, which is 1962. Also, on the 1962 map, only the Ashton station is shown.

Remember, industry spurs are always getting built or abandoned. None of the industrial structures around NE Airport really existed prior to the mid-'60s, and so there would not have been a reason to build a spur then.

Actually, given the declining finances of the railroad in that timeframe, I wonder how that freight spur extension was built?

[qguy]

…what about the tracks the run over Grant Ave by the Clement building? Is that a spur from this line?

Here, have a looksee yourself. Here's a link to an aerial from Bing. The line over Grant isn't shown on the map view, only on the aerial and birdseye views.

Bing Maps - Driving Directions, Traffic and Road Conditions