INTERURBAN TRIUMPH : SEPTA'S SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA ELECTRIC LINES CAPTURE THE SPIRIT OF THE 19TH CENTURY INTERURBAN WITH A 21ST CENTURY MISSION

Electric-powered interurban street railroads reached their heyday in the U.S. during World War I. Covering more than 18,000 route miles, the interurbans succumbed to the emergence of automobiles and improved highways. By 1930, most had fallen out of service, but some survived, such as the service run by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA). Originally operated as three routes by the Philadelphia Suburban Transportation Co., also known as Red Arrow Lines, SEPTA's survival is attributed to innovative management and its faith it in the railroad's future. This allowed for the improvements in equipment and infrastructure that were initiated in the 1930s. The article offers both historical and current details regarding the operations of the SEPTA's three suburban rail lines and how the trolleys and infrastructure have been upgraded over the years.