21-09-04 PHOTOS: Demolition Targets

To be interested in railroad or any sort of industrial history is to face the constant threat of demolition. The summer of 2022 was no different with the northbound headhouse of the former Reading Spring Garden St station approved for demolition and the former PRR SHORE interlocking tower suffering a fire making demolition likely. In late August I finally had some free time to head over to Philly and try to get my photos in before the hammer tropped. You can find the full set of photos here ( mirror ).

I started my morning with PATCO rebuild car #1012 at Haddonfield.

The Reading Viaduct is part of the disused approach to Reading Terminal built in 1893 and used for rail operations until 1984 when the stub end terminal was closed in favor of the Center City Commuter Connection tunnel that linked the PRR and Reading commuter rail networks. Although closed for rail operations in 1984, the viaduct remained in use until 2012 as a right of way for overhead catenary feeders and transmission lines to the Callowhill substation that supported SEPTA's 25hz traction power system. The result of this slow motion closure was that almost all of the infrastructure including signals, catenary supports and rails, was left in place including the southbound outer signal bridge shown below including the 14R and 16R high signals.

The abandoned portion of the viaduct runs between Fairmont Ave and Vine Street and has been largely taken over by nature over the previous decade.

The section of the viaduct includes portions of the former Spring Garden St station that was replaced in form and substance by SEPTA's current Temple University station a mile to the north. Spring Garden Street was once a prosperous major thoroughfare as evidenced by the triple concrete arch bridge used by the Reading Viaduct to span it.

Based on the success of linear urban parks in New York and Chicago, the City of Philadelphia is eager to redevelop the viaduct and reap the resulting real estate bonanza in the adjacent neighborhoods. The fact that trendy apartment buildings like Aspect 281 are already appearing validates the City's enthusiasm.

Getting in the way of this dream is the Reading Entertainment Company, corporate successor to the Reading Railroad where all of the leftover assets were shoveled after the 1976 bankruptcy and rail asset transfer to Conrail. in the case of the former Reading Railroad viaduct, Reading Entertainment retained ownership, but either SEPTA or the City retained a permanent easement for its use as a rail/power corridor. The reason for the name Reading Entertainment Company is because until recently its most worthwhile asset was a chain of movie theatres previously owned by the Reading RR with most locations being in California apart from a single one in Manville, NJ. Anyway. Reading Entertainment sees a payday in selling the City a previously worthless asset. However due to the easement precluding any other use, the City is confident it can force a better deal.

Throwing a wrench in the works of the standoff between the City and Reading Entertainment was the presence of the passenger headhouse and platform area for the former Spring Garden Street station. Long abandoned and serving as both a eyesore and hub for illicit activity, in 2021 a local preservation group filed a lawsuit hoping to force Reading Entertainment to cleanup/stabilize the historic structure using a local anti-blight ordinance. Instead, Reading Entertainment chose the other option available to them in the law, demolition of the problematic property and after a period of legal wrangling, Reading Entertainment was granted a demolition permit in August of 2022. 

 

 
Unfortunately my plan to get out and take better photos of the property was pretty much a day late and a dollar short as Reading Entertainment had wasted no time and demolition was just wrapping up by the time I got out there.

All that was left of the northbound headhouse was the foundation.

Removal of the platform did expose some replacement viaduct supports of unknown vintage.

It's important to note that the Reading Spring Garden Street station building was not demolished, only the northbound headhouse and platform. The main building was redeveloped into apartments, businesses and a brewery some time ago.

Well with Phase 1 of my mission a bust, I walked back downtown and caught the MFL out to the Tioga station that was immediately adjacent to SHORE tower. On my outbound journey I would be riding in car #1172 seen here at 11th St.

The route out took me under the Ben Franklin Bridge and past #1192 at Berks and #1144 on the Port Richmond viaduct.

Speaking of station headhouses, Tioga has one that isn't demolished, but unfortunately is exit only.

Built in 1896 for the Delair Bridge project at the existing Frankford Junction location, the former PRR SHORE tower wound up controlling the now defunct FORD interlocking on the other side of the sharp curve where the Philadelphia Connecting Railroad branched off the PRR predecessor Philadelphia and Trenton which ran to a terminal in the Kensington section of the city. Eventually fitted with a panel type interlocking machine, SHORE was closed around 1992 as towers between Philadelphia and New York were placed under central control by Amtrak. Since its closure the wooden structure has rapidly deteriorated and has always been a fire risk due to the degree of homelessness and drug use in the area.

The fire caused visible damage to the second floor and roof.

In this rear view An Acela Express trainset with power cars #2021 and #2022 passes by. Note the quality construction of the roof, which helped keep the elements out for over 120 years.

Same location with ACS'-86 #667 and #660.

The double bridge with the Market Frankford El over the NEC over Kensington Ave.

SEPTA's MFL "tunnel" eastbound and westbound at the NEC.

On the return trip I caught M-IV car #1172, #1199 and #1164 at Allegheny.

MFL Railfan window video from Allegheny to 8th St.



Returning to South Jersey via PATCO I encountered NS AC44C6M #4408, SD70Ace #1187, C44-9W #9866 and SD70Ace #1096 at CP-MILL.

PATCO was also wrong railing between Broadway and Ferry Ave and I got this video of the reverse crossover at Ferry Ave.



What's all from my Philly excursion, but here is a bonus photo taken from the Weverton Cliffs in Maryland of CSX ES44AC #743 and AC4400 #501 sandwiching SD40-3 #4231 down on the former B&O Main Line below. Their train had been stuck in a traffic jam for some time.

I hope you enjoyed all that. Next week I'll begin a multi-part special covering a round trip on Amtrak's Vermonter to White River Junction along with some additional New England sights.