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| Vol. 17, No. 1 | Sept. 4, 1997 |
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| Vol. 17, No. 1 | Sept. 4, 1997 |
It's "All aboard!" for the new SEPTA Newark-Wilmington commuter train service, which began operating Mondays through Fridays Sept. 2. Trains originate in Newark or Philadelphia, with stops in Claymont and Wilmington and other towns in southeast Pennsylvania.
Connecting bus service is available from the Wilmington train station and from Philadelphia's three center city train stations.
"Seven Times Better" is the theme of the new rail service, referring to the seven daily departures from Newark. Morning trains leave the new South College Avenue station at 6:23 a.m., 6:56 a.m. (express), 7:26 a.m. and 8:10 a.m. Afternoon/ evening trains leave Newark at 5:57 p.m., 6:33 p.m. and 7:10 p.m.
An off-peak "rail bus" express will leave the Newark rail station at noon and depart from the Wilmington station at 12:30 p.m.
From Philadelphia Suburban Station morning trains leave at 4:52 a.m., 5:25 a.m., 5:57 a.m. and 6:27 a.m.
From Philadelphia Suburban Station, afternoon/evening trains leave at 4:13 p.m., 5:11 p.m. (express) and 5:33 p.m.
From Wilmington, morning trains leave at 5:45 a.m., 6:16 a.m., 6:48 a.m. and 7:22 a.m. Afternoon/ evening trains leave from Wilmington at 5:18 p.m., 5:55 p.m. and 6:26 p.m.
For the University community, the UD yellow bus line will leave passengers off at the entrance road to the station on South College Avenue by request only. Train passengers may catch the bus at the same place, or use the pedestrian crossing to the Worrilow (stop sign) bus stop on the east side of South College Avenue.
In addition, DART First State Route 33 service via South College Avenue and two new DART First State bus shuttles will provide connecting service. Route 57 will operate from the northeast Newark Park & Ride and Route 58 will provide service to the Milford Crossroads area. The fare is 50 cents or 25 cents with a valid SEPTA pass.
The approximately 15-minute train ride to Wilmington costs $2.25 for an adult, one-way fare. A monthly "Intermediate Pass" for commuters between Newark and Wilmington is $49.
Newark to Philadelphia takes under 90 minutes and costs $5 for an adult one-way fare. The SEPTA monthly "Trail Pass" is $142.
Tickets may be purchased on the train in Newark or at the Wilmington and Philadelphia stations. Monthly passes may be purchased at the Wilmington and Philadelphia stations or by mail from DART First State, Transportation Stores Specialist, 400 South Madison St., Wilmington, DE 19801. Passes should be ordered no later than the 20th of the month for delivery by the end of the month.
Parking will be free at the station for the month of September. Beginning in October, the cost is $2 per day or $20 per month with a valid SEPTA pass.
Interestingly, the new station and rail service are living proof that history repeats itself.
The first Newark train station was built at the new commuter site in the 1830s, beside the then newly formed Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad (PW&B). As Newark and the railroad grew, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad established a line just to the north of the town center.
The Victorian-style station, on the north side of the tracks, and current home to the Newark Historical Society, was built in 1877. Eventually, the PW&B became part of the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) , which became the Penn Central Railroad and later was known as Conrail (freight) and Amtrak (passenger).
Commuter rail service was discontinued in 1981, but two intercity trains a day, operating on Amtrak's high-speed Northeast Corridor, still serve the area's passengers.
The new service will be reinforced by the "7Xs Better than Driving" marketing campaign, and the new commuter station has parking for more than 285 vehicles.
-Sue Swyers Moncure
