{{Short description|Railway station in Philadelphia}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Use American English|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox station | name = North Broad | style = SEPTA | style2 = SEPTA Regional Rail | symbol_location = septa | symbol = septa | image = NORTH BROAD STREET STATION, PHILADELPHIA, PA.jpg | image_caption = North Broad station house on Broad Street, built by the former Reading Railroad | address = 2601 [[Broad Street (Philadelphia)|North Broad Street]] | borough = [[Philadelphia]], Pennsylvania | coordinates = {{coord|39|59|32.5|N|75|9|16|W|region:US-PA_type:railwaystation|display=inline,title}} | line = {{Unbulleted list|[[Norristown Branch]]|[[SEPTA Main Line]]}} | owned = [[City of Philadelphia]] | operator = [[SEPTA]] | platform = 2 [[side platform]]s | tracks = 4 | connections = {{Unbulleted list | {{ric|SEPTA Metro}} [[SEPTA Metro]]: {{rint|philadelphia|B}}<br/>({{stl|SEPTA Metro|North Philadelphia}}) | {{rint|rail}} {{rint|US|Amtrak}} {{rint|philadelphia|SEPTA}} ({{stl|SEPTA|North Philadelphia}}) | {{bus icon|12px|City Bus}} [[SEPTA City Bus]]: {{SEPTA bus link|4|16|54}} }} | structure = At-grade | parking = Street-side | accessible = Yes | opened = 1929 | electrified = 1931 | services = {{Adjacent stations|system=SEPTA |line1=Lansdale/Doylestown|left1=Temple University|right1=Wayne Junction |line2=Manayunk/Norristown|left2=Temple University|right2=Allegheny|to-left2=Penn Medicine|to-right2=Elm Street |line3=Airport|nonstop3=yes |line5=Fox Chase|nonstop4=yes |line4=Chestnut Hill East|nonstop5=yes |line6=Warminster|nonstop6=yes |line7=West Trenton|nonstop7=yes }} | other_services_header = Former services | other_services_collapsible = yes | other_services = {{Adjacent stations |system1=SEPTA |line1=Pottsville|left1=Reading Terminal|right1=Norristown|to-left1=Reading Terminal|to-right1=Pottsville |system2=Reading Company |line2=Main Line|left2=Columbia Avenue|right2=22nd Street|to-left2=Philadelphia|to-right2=Pottsville |line3=Bethlehem Branch|left3=Columbia Avenue|right3=Wayne Junction |line4=Chestnut Hill Branch|left4=Columbia Avenue|right4=Tioga|to-left4=Philadelphia|to-right4=Chestnut Hill East |line5=New York Branch|left5=Columbia Avenue|right5=Tioga |line6=Norristown Branch|left6=Columbia Avenue|right6=22nd Street|to-left6=Philadelphia|to-right6=Elm Street |line7=Frankford Branch|left7=Philadelphia|right7=Wayne Junction }} | nrhp= {{Infobox NRHP | embed = yes | name = North Broad Street Station, Reading Company | architect = [[Horace Trumbauer]]; Irwin & Leighton | architecture = Classical Revival | added = March 28, 1996<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|2007a}}</ref> | refnum = 96000325 | mapframe = yes | mapframe-custom = {{Infobox mapframe |shape=none |line=none |marker=rail |marker-color=#000 |zoom=14 }} }} }}
'''North Broad station''', known as '''North Broad Street''' until 1992, is a [[SEPTA Regional Rail]] station in [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]]. It is located at 2601 [[Broad Street (Philadelphia)|North Broad Street]] ([[Pennsylvania Route 611|PA 611]]) in the [[Cecil B. Moore, Philadelphia|Cecil B. Moore]] section of [[Lower North Philadelphia]], and serves the [[Lansdale/Doylestown Line]] and the [[Manayunk/Norristown Line]]. The station has low-level [[railway platform|platforms]] on the outside tracks, with "mini-high" platforms for wheelchair and [[Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990|accessible]] accessibility.
North Broad station is within a few blocks of the [[North Philadelphia station|North Philadelphia SEPTA-Amtrak station]] (formerly belonging to the [[Pennsylvania Railroad]]), which serves Amtrak's ''[[Keystone Service]]'' and SEPTA's [[Trenton Line (SEPTA)|Trenton Line]] and [[Chestnut Hill West Line]], and the [[North Philadelphia station (Broad Street Line)|North Philadelphia subway station]] on SEPTA's [[Broad Street Line]]. The station is in the [[Center City, Philadelphia|Center City]] fare zone, although the station itself is located in North Philadelphia.
== History == === Huntingdon Street station === [[File:Baker Bowl and Huntingdon Street station, 1928.jpg|thumb|left|The Baker Bowl in 1928, with the soon-to-be demolished Huntingdon Street station at right]] The [[Pennsylvania Railroad]] (PRR) built the [[Connecting Railway]] in 1867 to connect its main line to the [[Philadelphia and Trenton Railroad]]. By the early 1870s, '''New York Junction''' station was established where the Connecting Railway crossed over the [[Philadelphia and Reading Railroad]] mainline in North Philadelphia.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wardmaps.com/viewasset.php?aid=12844 |title=Johnson's Philadelphia |publisher=Alvin J. Johnson & Co. |date=1872 |via=Ward Maps |work=Johnson's New Illustrated Family Atlas of the World}}</ref> By the early 1880s, the Reading established '''16th Street''' station a block to the northwest.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wardmaps.com/viewasset.php?aid=17730 |title=Outline Maps of the County and City of Philadelphia and Vicinity |year=1882 |publisher=O. W. Gray and Son |via=Ward Maps}}</ref><ref name=nrhpdoc>{{cite report|type=none|url=https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71997558 |title=National Register of Historic Places Registration: Pennsylvania SP North Broad Street Station, Reading Company|publisher=National Archives and Records Administration |author= Caroline L. Gavin| date = November 1995| access-date=January 5, 2026 }} ({{NationalArchivesNote}})</ref>
In 1888, the Reading announced plans to add local stations on the line, including one next to the [[Baker Bowl]], which had opened as the home of the [[Philadelphia Phillies]] in 1887.<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SC9CAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA376 |title=Railway Projects |journal=Railway World |volume=14 |issue=16 |date=21 April 1888 |page=376}}</ref> By 1891, the company offered service to '''Huntingdon Street''' station as well as 16th Street.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wardmaps.com/viewasset.php?aid=9557 |title=Map of Philadelphia |year=1891 |work=Rand, McNally & Co's Indexed Atlas of the World |publisher=Rand, McNally & Co |via=Ward Maps}}</ref> The station had two [[side platforms]] serving the line's four tracks, with a small station building facing Broad Street and Huntingdon Street.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wardmaps.com/viewasset.php?aid=1902 |title=Plan 28 |year=1895 |work=Baist's Property Atlas of the City and County of Philadelphia, Penna. |publisher=G. William Baist |via=Ward Maps}}</ref> 16th Street station was closed in the early 20th century.<!--between 1903 and 1916--><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wardmaps.com/viewasset.php?aid=11803 |title=Rand, McNally & Co's Philadelphia |year=1903 |work=Rand, McNally & Co's Business Atlas and Shipper's Guide |publisher=Rand, McNally & Co. |via=Ward Maps}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wardmaps.com/viewasset.php?aid=17001 |title=The Rand-McNally Commercial Atlas Map of Philadelphia |year=1916 |work=Rand McNally & Co's Commercial Atlas of America |publisher=Rand McNally & Co. |via=Ward Maps}}</ref>
=== North Broad Street station === [[File:Commuters at North Broad Street station, November 1960.jpg|thumb|left|Passengers at North Broad Street in November 1960. Reading Terminal was closed due to fire, forcing passengers to use the Broad Street Line and North Broad Street station.]] In 1928, facing competition from the impending completion of the [[Broad Street Line]], the Reading decided to replace Huntingdon Street station with a larger station to rival the PRR's nearby [[North Philadelphia station]]. Groundbreaking for '''Broad Street''' station was held on July 31, 1928 and demolition of Huntingdon Street station began immediately.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1955&dat=19280801&id=WbYhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OJ0FAAAAIBAJ&pg=2996,56232&hl=en |title=Break Ground for Reading Company's New Station |newspaper=[[Reading Eagle]] |date=1 August 1928 |via=Google Newspapers}}</ref> The classical revival station, designed by [[Horace Trumbauer]], opened as '''North Broad Street''' in 1929.<ref name=philly /> The station featured two island platforms which served all four tracks, connected by an underground walkway to the station, street, and the [[Broad Street Line]]'s [[North Philadelphia (SEPTA Broad Street Line station)|North Philadelphia station]].<ref name=nyc>{{cite web |url=http://www.nycsubway.org/wiki/SEPTA_Broad_Street_Subway |title=SEPTA Broad Street Subway |first1=Peggy |last1=Darlington |first2=John |last2=Jones |first3=George |last3=Metz |first4=Bob |last4=Wright |publisher=NYCSubway.org }}</ref> Its grand design reflected pre-Great Depression optimism and plans for redevelopment of the surrounding neighborhood.<ref name=philly />
However, the Great Depression took away passengers and prevented the planned development, and the collapse of local industry after World War II further damaged the neighborhood. Ridership at the station dwindled as passengers opted for private cars or the more frequent subway. The station building was closed and sold for use as a motel in the 1960s; passengers continued to access the platforms through the pedestrian tunnel.<ref name=philly>{{cite news |url=http://articles.philly.com/1997-08-16/news/25569058_1_affordable-housing-historic-building-homeless-people |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150405190918/http://articles.philly.com/1997-08-16/news/25569058_1_affordable-housing-historic-building-homeless-people |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 5, 2015 |title=Ornate Station To House Homeless: Long Neglected, The Historic Building On N. Broad Is Being Remodeled. Next Month, It Will Become Apartments For 108 Men And Women. |date=16 August 1997 |newspaper=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]] |first=Deise |last=Leobet |accessdate=13 June 2016}}</ref> In 1981, the station was heavily damaged by fire.<ref name=philly />
=== Railworks === [[File:North Broad station northbound platform (3), September 2013.jpg|thumb|left|North Broad station in September 2013]] On April 5, 1992, SEPTA began their 18-month-long [[SEPTA Regional Rail#RailWorks|RailWorks]] project, which included two multi-month shutdowns of the Reading mainline from Wayne Junction to Market East for emergency bridge repairs. As part of the project, North Broad Street and [[Temple University (SEPTA station)|Temple University]] stations were completely rebuilt.<ref name=anew>{{cite news |url=http://articles.philly.com/1993-09-05/news/25986552_1_wayne-junction-railworks-project-chestnut-hill-east |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150919134908/http://articles.philly.com/1993-09-05/news/25986552_1_wayne-junction-railworks-project-chestnut-hill-east |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 19, 2015 |title=Septa Is Wooing Riders Anew: Railworks Worked. Trains Are Back. |first=Larry |last=Fish |date=5 September 1993 |newspaper=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]] |accessdate=13 June 2016}}</ref> Within two weeks of the closure, demolition of the old platforms was under way.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://dvarp.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/dvrp9205.txt |title=RailWorks Roundup |journal=The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger |date=5 May 1992 |publisher=Delaware Valley Association of Rail Passengers |volume=10 |issue=5}}</ref> The rebuilt station has two [[side platform]]s serving only the outer tracks, which were chosen to straighten the curved tracks around the former island platforms and thus allow higher speeds through the station for express trains. The pedestrian tunnel was closed and filled; access to the platforms is via ramps from North Broad Street.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://dvarp.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/dvrp9207.txt |title=Railworks Roundup |journal=The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger |date=8 July 1992 |page=3 |publisher=Delaware Valley Association of Rail Passengers |volume=10 |issue=7}}</ref> The station, renamed as '''North Broad''', reopened at the end of Railworks on September 5, 1993.<ref name=flag />
Before RailWorks, North Broad Street served 1,200 riders per day, many of whom were transferring to the Broad Street Line or changing for one of the few trains that stopped at Temple.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://dvarp.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/dvrp9209.txt |title=Rethink North Philadelphia Rail Stops |first=Matthew |last=Mitchell |journal=The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger |date=8 September 1992 |page=13 |publisher=Delaware Valley Association of Rail Passengers |volume=10 |issue=9}}</ref> With the addition of Regional Rail platforms at [[Fern Rock Transportation Center]] for RailWorks, substantially more service to Temple through the Center City tunnel after the conclusion of the project, and sharply reduced service due to only having two platform tracks rather than the previous four, the importance of North Broad declined significantly after RailWorks.<ref name=flag>{{cite news |url=https://www.mcall.com/1993/09/03/five-septa-stations-to-be-flag-stops/ |title=Five Septa Stations To Be 'Flag Stops' |newspaper=[[The Morning Call]] |date=3 September 1993 |access-date=13 June 2016}}</ref> By 2001, under 300 riders used the station daily.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://dvarp.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/dvrp0209.pdf |title=SEPTA Rider Census Full of Lessons, Trivia |journal=The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger |date=September 2002 |page=5 |publisher=Delaware Valley Association of Rail Passengers |volume=20 |issue=9 |archive-date=2017-05-10 |access-date=2016-06-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170510110517/http://dvarp.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/dvrp0209.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>
=== Station building reuse === In March 1996, the station building was added to the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref name=nris /><ref name=philly /> That September, Volunteers of America began a $8.3 million renovation to convert the structure into 108 housing units for people transitioning out of homeless shelters. The organization previously had used part of the first floor for adult rehabilitation and counseling programs, but the structure was so deteriorated that only 18% of the floor space was usable. The first residents moved into Station House Apartments in August 1997.<ref name=philly />
== References == {{Reflist|30em}}
== External links == {{Commons category|North Broad (SEPTA station)}} *{{SEPTA links}} * [https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=39.993315,-75.154595&spn=0.003863,0.010986&z=17&layer=c&cbll=39.993574,-75.154541&panoid=Jmk-iV5I3XLgg6wK_b-uhQ&cbp=12,108.62,,0,7.72 Broad Street entrance from Google Maps Street View] {{SEPTA Regional Rail stations}}{{National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania}}
[[Category:SEPTA Regional Rail stations]] [[Category:Railway stations on the National Register of Historic Places in Philadelphia]] [[Category:Former Reading Company stations]] [[Category:Railway stations in the United States opened in 1929]] [[Category:Templetown, Philadelphia]] [[Category:Stations on the SEPTA Main Line]] [[Category:Horace Trumbauer buildings]]