Memory Stream
The Market-Frankford Line opened 105 years ago this month, in 1907, with the Norristown High-Speed Line (then called the Philadelphia & Western Railroad) starting a few months later. The Broad Street Line opened along its northern portion in 1928, and PATCO started service in 1969. Underground rapid transit, "the subway," is a transportation model that began in London in 1863. New York City and Boston developed their own systems in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with New York's first line opening in 1904.
The Market-Frankford Line opened 105 years ago this month, in 1907, with the Norristown High-Speed Line (then called the Philadelphia & Western Railroad) starting a few months later. The Broad Street Line opened along its northern portion in 1928, and PATCO started service in 1969.
Underground rapid transit, "the subway," is a transportation model that began in London in 1863. New York City and Boston developed their own systems in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with New York's first line opening in 1904.
Urban transportation in the United States changed rapidly during the late 1800s. Cars drawn by horses, which were prone to disease and injury - not to mention the smell and noise - were replaced by steam locomotives and steam-powered underground cables. Steam power, in turn, became obsolete due to the efficiency and speed of electric-powered rail systems.
Since its founding, the Market-Frankford Line has undergone some changes. The western segment of the elevated line was demolished and replaced by a subway, and revitalization projects have transformed the Frankford side of the line. Today it is the busiest subway line in Philadelphia.
Content and images provided by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. For more stories, visit www.hsp.org.