Bryn Athyn is a derelict station located along SEPTA's Fox Chase/Newtown Line, located on Fetters Mill Road in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, near the Pennypack Creek.
History
Bryn Athyn Station, built in 1902, was a stop on the Reading Railroad's Newtown Line. On December 5, 1921, the stretch of single track between Bryn Athyn and Southampton stations was the site of the Reading Railroad's deadliest accident at that time. Two trains met in a head-on collision, killing 27 and injuring 70.[1] The route later became a part of SEPTA's Fox Chase Rapid Transit Line. The station, and all of those north of Fox Chase, was closed on January 14, 1983,[2] due to failing diesel train equipment which SEPTA had no desire to repair.[citation needed]
In addition, a labor dispute began within the SEPTA organization when the transit operator inherited 1,700 displaced employees from Conrail. SEPTA insisted on utilizing transit operators from the Broad Street Subway to operate Fox Chase-Newtown diesel trains, while Conrail requested that railroad motormen run the service. When a federal court ruled that SEPTA had to use Conrail employees in order to offer job assurance, SEPTA cancelled Fox Chase-Newtown trains.[3] Service in the diesel-only territory north of Fox Chase was cancelled at that time, and Bryn Athyn Station still appears in publicly posted tariffs.[4]
Though rail service was initially replaced with a Fox Chase-Newtown shuttle bus, patronage remained light, and service was later canceled.[citation needed]
Plans call for surviving trackage to be removed by Montgomery County in summer 1984 for construction of the Pennypack Trail extension.[5][6]
Station building
The building is now used as a post office and a community building. The former station canopy retains SEPTA signage installed in 1984—one year after train service had ended.
