Station Review #98: 49th Street (SEPTA)


49th Street is a station on SEPTA's Media/Wawa line. The station is located at 49th and Chester in Philadelphia's Kingsessing neighborhood. 49th Street is a Zone 1 station. 

History

The old 49th Street station 

It's relatively unknown when there started being a train station in the location where 49th Street station is today. The station was known to have existed by 1886, and the line it was on started construction in 1852. The station did not originally exist at the time and most likely was added as an infill station in the 1860s or 1870s. 

Any old station house in the area was most likely demolished in the 1950s-1960s, replaced by a few small shelters. Years later, some ramps and mini-high platforms were added to make the station accessible. Not much else has changed since then.

Tour

Path to the station 

The shelter for the outbound platform

For some reason, the shelter at the outbound platform is very far away from the tracks. Both of the shelters look almost pitiful. 

Bench inside the shelter

Stairs and ramp for the outbound shelter

The rest of the outbound shelter

There really is enough space to put the shelter on the platform, I do not understand why it's so far away. 

Stairs for the inbound platform

The inbound platform

Vandalized Key Card validator

Inbound shelter

Inbound bench

Inbound train

Transit Connections

There are two main transit connections at 49th Street station: 

• T3: 13th Street Station to Yeadon Loop or Darby Transportation Center. This trolley goes via Chester Avenue. The T3 is inaccessible. 

• 64: Pier 70 to 54th and Parkside. This bus is both the Crosstown bus for Washington Avenue and 49th Street. The 64 is famously known for being unreliable. 

Points of Interest in Kingsessing

Besides Kingsessing Recreation Center and the Kingsessing Library, there's not much near 49th Street station. Woodland avenue does have a commercial corridor, but there's nothing much of note along it until after you leave Kingsessing. Much of the area around this station is dense residential. Bartram's Garden is also nearby, which is an actual attraction that people would be willing to visit the area for. Nearby in Squirrel Hill is Clark Park, a popular park where many events are held. 

Statistics

Name: 49th Street 
Agency: SEPTA
Line(s): Media-Wawa
Locality: Kingsessing 
Municipality: Philadelphia 
County: Philadelphia 
State: Pennsylvania 
Ridership: 91 (2017)

Amenity Checklist

Accessible: ✓
Bathrooms: ×
Bicycle parking: ×
Clean Station: ×
Connections to other transit routes: ✓
Easy passage for each side: ×
Fare Payment Kiosks (if applicable): ✓
Good Wayfinding: ✓
Indoor Shelters: ×
Maps: ✓
Multiple entrances/exits: ✓
Adequate Parking: ×
Seating: ✓
Shelters: ✓
Station In Good Condition: ×
TVMs: ×
Ticket Offices: ×
TOD: ✓
Train Departure/Arrival Info (countdown clocks): ×
Updated/Useful Signage: ✓

Final Verdict: 3/10. This station is the exact definition of the bare minimum.
 

Station Directory


--------Philadelphia County--------
''''''''Center City Zone''''''''
Jefferson (Market East)
Suburban
30th Street
Penn Medicine
''''''''Zone 1''''''''
49th Street
--------Delaware County--------
''''''''Zone 2''''''''
Fernwood - Yeadon
Lansdowne
Gladstone
Clifton - Aldan
Primos 
Secane
Morton
''''''''Zone 3''''''''
Swarthmore
Wallingford
Moylan - Rose Valley
Media
Elwyn
Wawa
 
 

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