Philadelphia Rail Transit A comprehensive guide to Philadelphia's rail system.

The R2 service to Newark, DE runs on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor as well as SEPTA's R1 Airport and R3 Media/Elwyn routes through ARSENAL and occasionally north to Warminster.

After leaving University City, R3 Media/Elwyn trains split at ARSENAL and R1 trains split at Brill, leaving the R2 service on the outer tracks
and Amtrak trains on the inner tracks of the Northeast Corridor. The first stops outside of the city, Darby, Curtis Park, Sharon Hill, Folcroft, Glenolden, Norwood, Prospect Park and Ridley Park are small platform stations in heavy residential areas. Prospect and Ridley Park are more substantial older stone-built structures, while many other stations are simple shelter structures.

Grade separation is in play here and there are many small (some too small) bridges or underpasses for highway traffic. Shortly after Crum Lynne, Interstate 95 passes above. As we continue south, the Baldwin Locomotive manufacturing facility's territory comes into view before Eddystone. The factory has been closed for some time now, SEPTA has been evaluating opening a station in this area.

Chester Transportation Center as well as Lamokin and Highland Avenue are the next stations, part of the town of Chester, PA. These are small stations serving Chester, Chester being an older brick building and Lamokin and Highland Avenue being small platform stations.

Marcus Hook is the termination of shorter runs on the R2, trains cross over to the inbound track here and head north to Philadelphia. Trains to Newark and Wilmington continue on past the Delaware border and alongside Interstate 495 and the Delaware River until reaching the small station of Claymont.

Short run trains which don't terminate at Marcus Hook often end at Wilmington or Newark. A Pennsylvania Railroad style fly-over line serves to allow freight traffic to bypass the Wilmington station shortly before the passenger platforms appear. When heading south into Wilmington, Amtrak's shops can be seen to the left, as well as the tracks serving them. Once in the Wilmington station, the higher platforms in the middle are often used by Amtrak while the outer platforms are usually utilized by SEPTA. The small Newark station is last for all R2 trains.

The northern half of the R2 is the small ex-Reading branch at Glenside. Ardsley is the first stop. The renovated station of Roslyn is the reduction point into a single track for the trip to Warminster. After this reduction, there are several sidings for trains to wait in. There are many grade crossings in this area as a result of an at-grade right-of-way and many busy roads. Crestmont is the next station before Willow Grove. If you remember the amusement park named Willow Grove, it was mere blocks from the station before being replaced by a mall. Before Hatboro used to be the small station of Fulmar, which closed some years ago. Check for this station in the abandoned facilities section of this website. Hatboro used to be the terminus for the R2 until the line was extended to Warminster in the 1970's. The modern station of Warminster is currently the line's terminus.