Frankford Junction station facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Frankford Junction
What's left of Frankford Junction station in 2010
Location	Frankford Avenue and East Butler Street
Coordinates	40°00′00″N 75°05′35″W / 40.00°N 75.093°W / 40.00; -75.093
Line(s)	Northeast Corridor
Platforms	1 side platform
Tracks	4, 2, 2 (junction)
Connections	Market–Frankford Line at Erie–Torresdale or Tioga
Construction
Structure type	Demolished (2008)
Platform levels	2
Other information
Fare zone	1
History
Closed	October 4, 1992
Electrified	1935
Former services
Preceding station SEPTA Following station North Philadelphia toward Temple University Trenton Line Bridesburg toward Trenton Preceding station Pennsylvania Railroad Following station North Philadelphia toward Suburban Station Trenton Line Bridesburg toward Trenton North Penn Junction toward Suburban Station Frankford toward Trenton

Frankford Junction is a special spot where different railroad tracks meet. It's located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Think of it like a busy intersection for trains! Here, a four-track line called the Northeast Corridor connects with a two-track line called the Atlantic City Line. This junction has been used for trains since 1832. However, it stopped being a place where passengers could get on or off trains on October 4, 1992.

What is Frankford Junction?

This junction has always been a very busy place for both freight (cargo) and passenger trains. In 1832, the Philadelphia and Trenton Railroad (P&T) started running trains here. They even had a small train yard. Later, in 1871, the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) took over. They added new tracks, including one that ran down the middle of Tioga Street. The PRR also operated the Connecting Railway, which is part of today's busy Northeast Corridor.

Over the years, the junction was managed by different railroad companies. After the Pennsylvania Railroad, it was run by Penn Central and then finally by Amtrak. Today, Amtrak's fast Acela Express and Northeast Regional trains still zoom through Frankford Junction. Even though these are high-speed trains, they have to slow down quite a bit here. This is because the tracks make a turn, limiting speeds to about 50 miles per hour (80 km/h).

Even though the station closed in 1992, many trains still use the junction every day. You'll see freight trains, Amtrak trains, and NJ Transit trains passing through. NJ Transit's Atlantic City Line connects 30th Street Station in Philadelphia to Atlantic City Rail Terminal. There's also an old track that used to be for local freight, but it's not used anymore. The area where trains switch tracks is still kept up, even though it's not as busy as it once was.

Train Accidents at the Junction

Sadly, Frankford Junction has also been the site of serious train accidents.

On September 6, 1943, a train had a problem with one of its wheels. This caused the train to go off the tracks. Many people were hurt, and some lost their lives in this accident.

Another major accident happened on May 12, 2015. An Amtrak train was going through Frankford Junction when it derailed. This means it went off the tracks. This accident also caused injuries to many people, and some lives were lost. These events remind us how important train safety is.