I've been in Philadelphia for a few days and wonder about the status of Route 23 trackage on 11th and 12th streets in Center City. There is overhead wire in place. I recall the line has been "suspended for about 10 years(?). Is the route still intact all the way through from end to end?

Thanks!

Wesley

Based on recent visits to my daughter in South Philly, there are numerous places where the track has been covered with asphalt and a handful of spots where rail is missing, as well as a few places where the wire has been removed for short distances. Up in Germantown, a lengthy section of Germantown Avenue was totally rebuilt with new rail, wire and support structures. It's my understanding SEPTA essentially cannot reinstate trolley service on Route 23 because they simply do not have enough cars, but they also cannot abandon it -- but I don't know why.

In 1992, SEPTA announced that the remaining three streetcar routes which did not utilize the Center City subway, routes 15, 23, and 56, would be switched to buses. Route 23 was switched on February 27th, and routes 15 and 56 were switched on September 13th. Streetcars returned to route 15 on September 4th, 2005.

The restoration of streetcars to 23 and 56 has been pushed back, the current timeframe for route 23 is to begin utilizing new cars by 2023.

wow, at least they have a plan, we might land on mars by then...

SEPTA would need a new carbarn somewhere in north Phila. to reopen routes 23 & 56. Both carbarns that these lines used to operate from have been closed. One, and possibly both, have been demolished, and SEPTA may no longer own either property.