City Line Loop & Torresdale (SEPTA)
December 3, 2022
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The Torresdale neighborhood, in the Far Northeast of Philadelphia, is an area steeped in history. It is bisected by the former Boston Post Road, and it has the oldest surviving bridge in the US on its border. It also is a shockingly suburban and stroady area for a city as large, dense, and urban as Philadelphia. Despite this, it still has decent transit connections. Two bus routes, one hourly and the other every 20-30 minutes, pass through the area, as well as three bus routes out to the suburbs. In addition, the Trenton Line has a station here. However, the piece de resistance is the 66 route. This is a super frequent route, and, it is a trolleybus! This review will focus on the bus loop here as well as the regional rail station, but if you'd like to know more about the trolleybuses, check out my YouTube video here. So, without any further adieu, let's head to City Line Loop.
The main waiting area of the loop is rather small, and has a few shelters, maps for each of the four routes that come here, and some benches. It is rather small, but weirdly has four seperate rows of seating...I can't see more than 5 people using this loop at once, but good job SEPTA for thinking ahead, I guess?
The main waiting area
A trolleybus pulling in
However, the main function of the loop is to have a place for trolleybuses to turn around, and for diesel buses to lay over. There is also a restroom for operators here. With that brief review of the loop done, let's walk over to Torresdale Station to review that! (Or, rather, you'll teleport there, I'll walk!)
Two trolleybuses in the loop
The operator restroom
Torresdale station is the northernmost station in Philadelphia on the Trenton Line. It is on the Northeast Corridor, but in classic SEPTA fashion, the southbound platform is literally just a bunch of concrete and wood. There's a Key Card reader and a peak-only station building, but aside from that, it's pretty nothing-y
The station sign
The southbound platform
After heading under the underpass, we reach the northbound platform, which is...more of the same. Just a Key Card reader, a concrete platform, wooden steps, and the shocking addition of...a trash can! Yeah, this station is pretty nothing-y.
The northbound platform (ft. Amtrak)
My train arriving
Station: City Line Loop & Torresdale
Ridership: Torresdale got 2060 riders per weekday in 2017, and I couldn't find any data on City Line Loop
Pros: LE TROLLEYBUS! Also, the fact that this area has good transit is amazing!
Cons: Both stations are pretty barebones
Nearby and Noteworthy: Suburban hell. Oh, also the Holy Family University
Final Verdict: Torresdale gets a 5/10, City Line Loop gets a 3/10
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