Transitioning Philadelphia’s former railways into a 3-mile Greenway, known as the Rail Park, is an ambitious project headed by Parks & Recreation and Friends of the Rail Park. To appreciate its scope, we looked into the history of these long-abandoned train tracks, as well as a vision for the future.

History

In the late 19th century, trains helped make Philly “The Workshop of the World.” They transported just about everything, from anthracite, iron, and steel to grain and textiles. One of the City’s most important products was the trains themselves, produced by the Baldwin Locomotive Company starting in 1825. The company occupied 8 square city blocks to the west of Broad & Spring Garden, producing 70,000 locomotives for every rail line in America.

 One of the first railroads in the United States, the Philadelphia and Reading Rail Road (P&R) was constructed in the 1850s to haul coal from the mines of Northeastern Pennsylvania. In 1889, the P&R erected the Reading Terminal at 12th & Market in 1889 in the Italian Renaissance style. At the time, its train shed was one of the largest single-span arched-roof structures in the world. All of its tracks were constructed one story above street level, with trains entering and exiting the station via the Reading Viaduct from 1893 to 1984. Trains used to run under North Broad Street, between Callowhill and Noble, before ramping up on the Viaduct and heading into Reading Terminal. 

In the 1940s, Reading Terminal served 45,000 passengers a day. But by the 1950s, the number of commuters started to decline due to an increase in car ownership. All the train stations the P&R serviced were taken over, first by Conrail, then by SEPTA. After the last P&R train traveled in 1984, the tracks leading into Reading Terminal were left behind. 

Phase One

Inspired by efforts in other cities, such as New York’s High Line, a group of neighbors got together a few years ago to turn the unused train tracks into a park that everyone could enjoy. Friends of the Rail Park was formed to create the vision for the park, and along with many partners and neighbors, took on the task of turning the space into a safe and beautiful place for the entire community. 

“The Rail Park started with Phase One, a quarter-mile section of the historic elevated Reading Viaduct in Philadelphia,” said Rebecca Cordes Chan, Executive Director of The Rail Park. The viaduct, which originally ran north from Reading Terminal, is a section of train tracks that cuts through the street grid at a diagonal angle.  It starts at Broad & Noble St., the entrance to the Rail Park (across from the Inquirer Bldg.) and currently runs to 11th & Callowhill. After years of planning and fundraising, this first completed section opened to the public in 2018. 

The Center City District completed construction of Phase One, and Philadelphia Parks & Rec maintains the Rail Park and has planted trees, flowers, and other foliage.  Friends of the Rail Park volunteers do weeding and help keep the Park looking its best. The elevated Rail Park has views of art murals, the city skyline, and the streets below, plus plenty of space to move around. People visit the park every day to relax, exercise, walk dogs, study, see the flowers, swing on the swings, and simply enjoy the outdoors. Its benches, nooks, and play installations make it a fun place for adults and kids.

Art is an important part of the Rail Park experience. At the entrance to the Rail Park, an 80-foot-long laser-cut steel wall, designed by Kate Otte and created at Cloud Gehshan, reveals the industrial history of Philadelphia and its legacy as the “Workshop of the World. Based on a 1895 city atlas, the wall maps the city as it existed at the time, including logos, slogans, advertisements, and photographs of building facades. “Visitors have recognized ads featuring businesses owned by their ancestors,” said Chan.

Free and open daily from 7 am to 10 pm, this first phase of the project is already attracting 15,000 people year-round. Since its opening seven years ago, Philly’s Rail Park has hosted live concerts, birthday parties, walking tours, 

“It’s one of the only green spaces in the area, and it’s stitching together communities that were cut off from one another,” said Chan. “Our full vision for the Rail Park is to create a 3-mile Greenway Rail Park, connecting over 10 neighborhoods from Northern Liberties to Fairmount Park with three sections: The Viaduct, The Cut, and The Tunnel.”  When complete, in approximately ten years, the Rail Park will be the length of almost 53 football fields – twice the size of New York’s High Line!

Support the Rail Park

• Take a Tour: Choose from a Phase One Tour, a 3-Mile Vision Tour, a Private Tour, and a one-hour Environmental Justice Tour. 

• Volunteer: Happy Hour Volunteers are invited to help with weeding and keeping the Rail Park inviting and welcoming.

• Make a Donation: When you buy a Rail Park gift card, t-shirt, hoodie, baseball cap, tote bag, bandana, or an infant onesie, you are supporting this community-wide environmental effort.

• Become a Friend of the Rail Park: Whether you become a member at the $5 or $100 per month level, your contribution strengthens the fabric of our community.

For more information, contact Friends of the Rail Park.