Commuter Rail

The Philadelphia region played a vital role in the development of commuter rail systems in the United States. One of the earliest passenger train services was operated in 1832 by the Philadelphia, Germantown and Norristown Railroad, which later became part of the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Company, known by many as simply the Reading Railroad. Several other railroad companies formed during the mid-1800s, including the Pennsylvania Railroad — which would eventually become Reading Railroad’s biggest competitor in Philadelphia.

In 1881, the Pennsylvania Railroad completed the construction of Broad Street Station (located at 15th and Market Streets), and Reading opened a Center City terminal at 12th & Market Streets in 1893.

In the 1920s, Pennsylvania Railroad began plans to replace Broad Street Station and its West Philadelphia Station (at 32nd & Market Streets) with new facilities as part of the Philadelphia Improvements project. On Sept. 28, 1930, commuter service began at 30th Street and Suburban Stations, although construction continued on 30th Street’s main terminal building until 1933.

Congress established Conrail in 1976 to take over the operations of several Northeast commuter railroads, including Pennsylvania (then known as Penn Central after a merger with New York Central in 1968) and Reading Railroads.

In 1983, SEPTA took over commuter railroad in the Philadelphia region and began operating the Regional Rail system. SEPTA and the City began construction on the long-awaited underground tunnel to connect Suburban Station with Reading Terminal, as well as a new station to replace the aging Reading facility. The Center City Commuter Tunnel and Market East Station opened in November 1984. The Reading Terminal was later incorporated into the Pennsylvania Convention Center.