SEPTA Route 15

Route 15
Girard Avenue Trolley (G)
Route 15; Girard Avenue Trolley (G)
	SEPTA PCC II operating on the Route 15
Overview
Status	Limited service, bus shuttle
Locale	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Termini	63rd Street and Girard Avenue; Richmond and Westmoreland Streets;
Stations	64 stops
Service
Type	Light rail
Operator(s)	SEPTA
Depot(s)	Callowhill
Rolling stock	SEPTA PCC III
Daily ridership	9,032 (ave. weekday, FY 2019)
History
Opened	1859; 2005; 2024
Closed	1992–2005; 2020–2024
Technical
Line length	8.4 miles (13.5 km)
Track gauge	5 ft 2+1⁄4 in (1,581 mm) Pennsylvania trolley gauge
Electrification	Overhead line, 600 V DC
Route map
Route map
	Legend
	Richmond & Westmoreland
	Loop
	Allegheny Avenue
	to 35th / Allegheny
	Frankford & Delaware
	(Northern Liberties Loop)
	to Knorr Loop
	(Rising Sun / Knorr)
	to Godfrey Loop
	(5th / Godfrey)
	to Bethlehem
	Loop
	US 30
	Schuylkill Expressway
	to Subway-
	Surface lines
	Lancaster Avenue
	to 13th Street (Subway)
	Lancaster Avenue
	to 63rd / Malvern
	South to Callowhill Depot
	North to Lansdowne Avenue
	Haddington
	Loop
	Passing Siding
	63rd to Felton
	non-revenue track
	to 63rd & Lansdowne
	This diagram: view; talk; edit;

Route 15, also known as the Girard Avenue Trolley, is a trolley line operated by SEPTA along Girard Avenue through North and West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. As of 2007^[update], it is the only surface trolley line in the City Transit Division that is not part of the Subway–Surface Trolley Lines (although it is designated as such on SEPTA's rail maps). SEPTA PCC III vehicles are used on the line.

The line was first opened in 1859 as a horse car line operated by the Richmond and Schuylkill River Passenger Railway, and electrified in 1895, with extensions in 1902 and 1903.^[7] Service was "bustituted" in 1992, along with Route 23 (Germantown Avenue-11th and 12th Streets) and Route 56 (Torresdale-Erie Avenues). On September 4, 2005, trolley service was restored.

On April 29, 2012, east of Frankford Avenue, the line started being operated by buses due to major reconstruction. West of Frankford Avenue, the line was still run by PCC II cars. Trolleys terminated at Frankford and Delaware Avenues (Northern Liberties Loop) while buses terminated at Girard Station under the Market-Frankford Line. As of January 2020^[update], the full line is being substituted by a bus bridge to allow for rolling stock maintenance, track repairs, and a nearby highway expansion. Trolley service was originally anticipated to return in late 2021.^[8] As of August 2023, six of the 18 cars were restored but still not enough to resume trolley service.^[9] SEPTA expected trolleys would be in service in late 2023.^[10] However, that goal was also not met. Trolleys finally returned to service on June 16, 2024.^[11]^[2]

^ "Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Service Plan" (PDF). SEPTA. May 2013. p. 40. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 22, 2013. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
^ ^a ^b Myers, Michelle (June 16, 2024). "'The Tesla of trolleys': Behold the return of SEPTA's cream-and-green 1947 trolleys". www.inquirer.com. The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
^ Cite error: The named reference SEPTA-Stats was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference SEPTA-Media was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ "The history of trolley cars and routes in Philadelphia". SEPTA. June 1, 1974. p. 2. Retrieved June 11, 2014. An early city ordinance prescribed that all tracks were to have a gauge of 5' 2¹⁄₄".
^ Hilton, George W.; Due, John Fitzgerald (January 1, 2000). The Electric Interurban Railways in America. Stanford University Press. ISBN 9780804740142. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
^ "1974 SEPTA Trolley History Brochure". Philadelphia Trolley Tracks (PhillyTrolleys.org). Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority. 1974. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
^ Sasko, Claire (January 22, 2020). "SEPTA Says the Historic Route 15 Trolleys Will Return Late Next Year". PhiladelphiaMagazine.com. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
^ Sharber, Cory (August 16, 2023). "SEPTA's Route 15 historic trolleys to return Sept. 10". WHYY. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
^ Saunders, Brian (September 7, 2023). "Return of SEPTA's classic trolleys delayed until later this fall". PhillyVoice. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
^ Fitzgerald, Thomas (June 11, 2024). "Restored 1947 trolleys will return to Girard Avenue's Route 15 next week. SEPTA says it's not a rumor this time". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on June 11, 2024. Retrieved June 11, 2024.

[1] "Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Service Plan" (PDF). SEPTA. May 2013. p. 40. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 22, 2013. Retrieved June 19, 2014.

[Myers-2] Myers, Michelle (June 16, 2024). "'The Tesla of trolleys': Behold the return of SEPTA's cream-and-green 1947 trolleys". www.inquirer.com. The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved June 17, 2024.

[SEPTA-Stats-3] Cite error: The named reference SEPTA-Stats was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[SEPTA-Media-4] Cite error: The named reference SEPTA-Media was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[5] "The history of trolley cars and routes in Philadelphia". SEPTA. June 1, 1974. p. 2. Retrieved June 11, 2014. An early city ordinance prescribed that all tracks were to have a gauge of 5' 2¹⁄₄".

[6] Hilton, George W.; Due, John Fitzgerald (January 1, 2000). The Electric Interurban Railways in America. Stanford University Press. ISBN 9780804740142. Retrieved June 10, 2014.

[Route15-history-7] "1974 SEPTA Trolley History Brochure". Philadelphia Trolley Tracks (PhillyTrolleys.org). Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority. 1974. Retrieved August 28, 2013.

[8] Sasko, Claire (January 22, 2020). "SEPTA Says the Historic Route 15 Trolleys Will Return Late Next Year". PhiladelphiaMagazine.com. Retrieved April 28, 2023.

[PCC-Return-Date-9] Sharber, Cory (August 16, 2023). "SEPTA's Route 15 historic trolleys to return Sept. 10". WHYY. Retrieved August 25, 2023.

[PCC-Fall2023-Return-10] Saunders, Brian (September 7, 2023). "Return of SEPTA's classic trolleys delayed until later this fall". PhillyVoice. Retrieved September 7, 2023.

[Trolleys-Restored-New-Date-11] Fitzgerald, Thomas (June 11, 2024). "Restored 1947 trolleys will return to Girard Avenue's Route 15 next week. SEPTA says it's not a rumor this time". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on June 11, 2024. Retrieved June 11, 2024.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]