Elm Street station

Elm Street station is a SEPTA Regional Rail station in Norristown, Pennsylvania. Located at Elm and Markley Streets, it is the last stop on the Norristown section of the Manayunk/Norristown Line. It includes a 219-space parking lot. In FY 2013, Elm Street station had a weekday average of 300 boardings and 257 alightings.[1]

Elm Street
The Elm Street station seen from the lone platform in September 2013. The yard at Elm Street is visible in the distance.
Location	Elm & Markley Streets Norristown, Pennsylvania
Coordinates	40.1227°N 75.3450°W / 40.1227; -75.3450
Owned by	SEPTA
Platforms	1 side platform
Tracks	2
Construction
Parking	246 spaces
Disabled access	Yes
Other information
Fare zone	3
Electrified	Yes
Services
Preceding station SEPTA Following station Norristown-Main Street toward Penn Medicine Manayunk/​Norristown Line Terminus
Former services Preceding station Lehigh Valley Transit Company Following station Lansdale via Washington Square, Acorn, and Broad Street stations toward Allentown Liberty Bell High Speed Line Until 1951 Main Street toward 69th Street Preceding station Reading Railroad Following station Main Street toward North Broad Norristown Branch Terminus Terminus Stony Creek Branch Hartranft toward Lansdale

This article stated that the station was originally built by the Lehigh Valley Transit Company as part of its Liberty Bell Limited service between Allentown and 60th St Terminal in Upper Darby. This is incorrect. The station was built by the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad as the terminal of its Norristown to Philadelphia service. Prior to electrification there was a locomotive service facility located between Main St Station and Elm St Station. Since the platform at the station is much closer to Marshall St than Elm St one can question the name of the station. However there seems to be good evidence on the ground for the name. I only remember two tracks at this location, the station track and a yard track to the west. With electrification I-beams were installed at end of track to tie off the overhead wire. While there were two tracks there were three I-beams. When Septa added a third track recently they installed new I-beams but left the old ones there. The three tracks now have an even spacing whereas the old third track was further west than the present third track. Thus it is clear that Elm St Station originally was a three track station. There was a platform were the existing platform is, then two tracks, then another platform, and then the third track. It seems reasonable to believe that a small station building occupied the present parking lot and fronted on Elm St, thus the name for the station. The Reading's Stoney Creek Branch continues northwest from here until it meets the old Bethlehem line just south of Lansdale Station. The Lehigh Valley Transit trolleys ran in the middle of Markley St past the station but never used it.

Station layout

P Platform level
	Storage track	← No passenger service →
	All trains	←      Manayunk/​Norristown Line toward 30th Street or Penn Medicine (Main Street – Norristown) ←      Manayunk/​Norristown Line alighting passengers only →
	Side platform, doors will open on the left or right
	Street level	Exit/entrance and parking

References

1. "SEPTA (May 2014). Fiscal Year 2015 Annual Service Plan. p. 62" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-08-12. (539 KB)

Old Norristown station configuration. The Lehigh Valley Transit Company's Liberty Bell High Speed Line was a continuation of the existing Norristown High Speed Line along Swede Road and then E. Airy Street before turning onto Markley Street where it meets up with the existing Manayunk/Norristown Line. The current Manayunk/Norristown Line continued to Valley Forge instead of going to Main Street along Lafayette Street.

External links

• SEPTA – Norristown Elm Street Station
• Station from Google Maps Street View