History and architecture North Philadelphia station

1 history , architecture

1.1 germantown junction
1.2 new station needed
1.3 architecture
1.4 north philadelphia
1.5 decline
1.6 new station , reuse

history , architecture
germantown junction

germantown junction station before 1896

the pennsylvania railroad (prr) built connecting railway in 1867 connect main line philadelphia , trenton railroad. 1870s, new york junction station established connecting railway crossed on philadelphia , reading railroad mainline in north philadelphia. signal tower, still extant, constructed around time.

by 1880s, prr station known germantown junction, while reading had 16th street station block northwest (and after 1890, huntingdon street station southeast). germantown junction station two-story queen anne style building located between diverging lines; large gables acted shelters passengers.

a new station needed

by mid 1890s, station overcrowded , north philadelphia , northern suburbs grew in population. completion of delair bridge in 1896 allowed passengers ride trains directly summer resorts of southern new jersey (rather taking ferry camden) further increased traffic on line. george b. roberts, president of railroad, used social connections hire theophilus parsons chandler, jr. construct new station. new station constructed on former freight yard on south side of tracks (across previous station), there more space station. site provided better connections passengers using newly electrified streetcars on glenwood avenue , north broad street reach station.

foundation construction began in may 1896. however, work stopped when roberts took ill in august; died next january. panic of 1896 led roberts successor, frank thomson, not continue work. when thomson died in 1899, alexander cassatt recalled prr serve president. cassatt began major capital improvement program, included both adding capacity mainlines , constructing large stations including washington union station , new york penn station. work resumed in 1900 enlarged floor plan, , new station complete in april 1901.

architecture

previous prr stations in picturesque eclectic style common among 19th century railroads stations, victorian eclectic overbrook station , furness-style broad street station. germantown junction first station along northeast corridor constructed in châteauesque style, , ushered in beaux arts style used pennsylvania , other railroads during 20th century.

as constructed, main facade of station faced glenwood avenue. two-story entrance loggia consisted of 7 arched bays, three-bay wing northeast , two-bay wing southwest, , acted transition point between street , station interior. first floor (at track level) featured large waiting room occupying entire center block, vault lights providing natural illumination , fountain set western wall. restrooms, kitchen, , cafe occupied wings.

the basement housed boiler room, smaller waiting room, kitchen storerooms, , baggage rooms. station appears have had 2 side platforms serving 4 tracks, accessed through basement-level tunnel reached main waiting room staircase. steep roof on center block had several dormers, of later removed. covered ramp west wing, had direct access south platform, led small trolley station on glenwood avenue.

north philadelphia

north philadelphia station in 1915 after completion of alterations including adaptation of original basement new entrance level

after construction, station served prr s sole philadelphia stop long-distance east-west main line traffic avoid reverse move broad street station (and later 30th street station). served local trains fort washington, chestnut hill, bustleton, , trenton, variety of services prr-owned west jersey , seashore railroad system. within decade of completion, station overcrowded. on june 22, 1912, prr signed million-dollar contract massive renovations station. designed prr architect william h. cookman, modifications reflected latest in passenger station design.

the ground lowered full story on south , east sides of station, exposing had formerly been basement improve access taxis , private automobiles. marquee shelter arriving , departing passengers spanned 7 central bays of lower level, more ornate version on north end of pedestrian tunnel. lower waiting room expanded, ticket office constructed, , larger staircase main waiting room built. floor covered terrazzo , green marble, white marble wainscoting on walls. 3 bays added west wing additional functional space, removing direct track access ramp. cast iron streetlights prr keystone motif in base located around driveway , grounds.

aerial view of north philadelphia station , surrounding areas in 1929

the original side platforms replaced high-level island platforms, long enough permit level boarding twelve-car trains. platforms , platform supports constructed of cast-in-place concrete. line widened 8 tracks through station, platforms between 2nd , 3rd tracks , 6th , 7th tracks. center non-platform tracks reserved through freights, outside non-platform tracks used local freights. each platform had 10-foot (3.0 m)-wide waiting room, 60 feet (18 m) long on eastbound (south) platform , 80 feet (24 m) long on westbound platform. waiting rooms covered in copper sheathing , had large skylights. railroad constructed full-length steel platform canopies in own shops. separate baggage tunnel, west of main passenger tunnel, connected freight elevators platforms. when renovations complete in 1915, station renamed north philadelphia.

decline

a prr train arrives @ station in 1943

north philadelphia continued grow during 20th century popular residential area nouveau riche rejected old money society. 2 ballparks (the baker bowl , shibe park) located nearby, new cultural institutions , automotive industry buildings. in 1928, broad street subway opened station @ north philadelphia, offering more frequent service center city. northern entrances located @ intersection of glenwood avenue , north broad street, underground passage offering easy connection prr station. reading company replaced huntingdon avenue station north broad street station, massive classical revival structure rivaling prr station in grandeur. 30th street station opened in 1933, reducing north philadelphia s importance north-south services. however, north philadelphia continued serve heavy commuter traffic , east-west long-distance trains.

the lower level ticket counter in 1978

an interior rearrangement completed around 1942. women s room main waiting room moved east side west side, 1 bay added west wing. new dining area constructed, occupying one-third of waiting room, kitchen occupying former bathroom space. lunch cafe , staircases modified.

after world war ii, north philadelphia suffered failure of industries, , prr reduced both local , long-distance service due competition private autos, further reducing importance of station. escalators , new drop ceiling added around 1955, former due insistence of city council. surrounding parking lots , ground rearranged in 1968.

in 1977, after fire in march 1976, amtrak undertook $314,000 rehabilitation of station. roof , portico rebuilt, 2 of 3 dormers removed, new restrooms added, , platform , waiting room repaired. loggia, windows, , other openings covered cinderblocks , brick.

new station , reuse

the 1991-constructed station building in 2014

in 1980s, city , amtrak attempted fund second renovation private partner, plans fell through. in 1991, amtrak constructed rectangular concrete , glass station building on north side of tracks, in front of passenger tunnel. access south blocked off. in 1999, original station building renovated @ cost of $7 million use commercial space. front parking lot expanded on slope west; covered of ground level (similar station before 1915). mechanical building , covered ramp trolley station removed. strip mall built east, balustrades , archways referencing historic station. passageway subway station, long closed, buried @ time. 1901-built station building listed on national register of historic places on july 8, 1999.

the amtrak ticket office closed in april 2001 part of austerity measures. vandalism forced closure of elevators. same year, septa proposed closing station because served few inbound commuters. however, advocacy delaware valley association of rail passengers, showed station more heavily used commuters chestnut hill west line changing septa trenton line trains , amtrak clockers trenton , new york, succeeded in persuading septa keep station open time being. 2005, no official decision had been made permanently keep station, septa planned repairs deteriorated platforms.

in 2010, renovation of north philadelphia subway station completed. included restoring glenwood avenue headhouses, closed decades before, improved connections mainline station.