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Wawa Station

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Wawa Station
Wawa Station platform in August 2022.
General information
Location1490 West Baltimore Pike
Media, Pennsylvania
Coordinates39°54.041′N 75°27.514′W / 39.900683°N 75.458567°W / 39.900683; -75.458567
OwnerSEPTA
LineWest Chester Line
Platforms1 island platform
Tracks2
ConnectionsSuburban Bus SEPTA Suburban Bus: 111, 114
Construction
AccessibleYes
Other information
Fare zone3
History
OpenedApril 13, 1857[1]
ClosedSeptember 19, 1986[2]
RebuiltAugust 21, 2022[3][4]
ElectrifiedDecember 2, 1928[5]
Former namesBaltimore Central Junction
Services
Preceding station SEPTA Following station
Terminus Media/Wawa Line Elwyn
toward Temple University
Former services
Preceding station SEPTA Following station
Glen Mills
toward West Chester
 West Chester Line Lenni
toward Suburban Station
Darlington
(closed 1981)
toward West Chester
Preceding station Pennsylvania Railroad Following station
Darlington
toward West Chester
 West Chester Line Lenni
toward Suburban Station
Chester Heights
toward Octoraro
 Octoraro Branch Terminus
Location
Map

Wawa Station is a commuter rail station on the SEPTA Regional Rail Media/Wawa Line, located adjacent to U.S. Route 1 in Middletown Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. The original station was built by the West Chester and Philadelphia Railroad and later served the Pennsylvania Railroad's West Chester Branch, which finally became SEPTA's R3 line (later renamed to the "Media/Elwyn Line"). The outer section of the line, running from Elwyn to West Chester including the old Wawa station, was closed in 1986.

SEPTA restored service on the Media/Wawa Line from its prior terminus at Elwyn station to Wawa on August 21, 2022.

History

[edit]
Former Wawa station site in March 2017. The left track formerly diverged to become the Octoraro Branch.

The West Chester and Philadelphia Railroad (WC&P) began constructing its rail line from Philadelphia in 1852 and reached Wawa on April 13, 1857.[1] The remainder of the line to West Chester was completed in 1858.[6]: 25  The WC&P merged with the Philadelphia and Baltimore Central Railroad (P&BC) in 1881, and both were controlled by the Pennsylvania Railroad.

Wawa station was originally known as the Baltimore Central Junction Station, being the northern terminus of the P&BC, later called the Octoraro Branch. This line was built by the P&BC between 1855 and 1868, and originally connected with the Columbia & Port Deposit Railroad in Maryland. Tourist operator Wawa & Concordville Railroad leased the Concordville-Wawa segment in 1967 and 1968 to operate passenger trains. Damage caused by Hurricane Agnes 1972 rendered the line unusable.

The station was closed in September 1986,[7][6]: 9  along with all of those west of Elwyn station, due to deteriorating track conditions[6]: 9, 20  and Chester County's desire to expand facilities at Exton station on SEPTA's Paoli/Thorndale Line. Service was "temporarily suspended" at that time, with substitute bus service provided. Prior to the end of service, trains had not been through-routed to Philadelphia for many years, instead operating as a shuttle between Elwyn and West Chester. Wawa station still appeared in publicly posted tariffs while unused.

Wawa station was demolished shortly after service ended. Some concrete foundations remained, as did the concrete curb for the platform edge, and the pedestrian tunnel under the track. The pedestrian tunnel was sealed off with sheets of metal. All structures remaining on site were demolished in 2020 in order to construct the new station.

Service restoration

[edit]
Wawa Station building in August 2022

In the early 1990s, SEPTA began discussing the prospect of restoring commuter rail service between Elwyn and Wawa. Little was done until June 2005, when engineering and design for the resumption of rail service finally began. SEPTA initially estimated that the cost for the 3-mile extension of service would be $51 million; the estimate cited in SEPTA's 2009 Capital Budget was $80 million. The construction project included new track, catenary, signals, communications equipment, and crew facilities. A new station at Wawa with a large park and ride facility will also have been built.

Wawa was chosen as the new terminal due to its proximity to the heavily travelled U.S. Route 1, in addition to the headquarters of convenience store chain Wawa. In 2006, the Wawa chain sold a 4.7-acre plot of land for the station.[8] The new Wawa Station, which was briefly referred to as "Middletown" for its location in Middletown Township, was under construction in late 2020. The accessible-compliant station has high level platforms, ticket machines, a waiting area, a parking garage,[9] and bike racks. The station was built with a connection to a future trail and a pedestrian culvert was built for an extension of the Chester Creek Trail.[10] The waiting area is open only on weekdays from 4:30am to 11:30am.[9] While some earlier reporting stated that the station would include a ticket office and food service,[11] the final build did not include those.[12] SEPTA also constructed a new railcar storage facility and crew bunker at the former Lenni station site.

When in the planning stage, Wawa Station was estimated to be used by about 950 commuters on a typical weekday.[9] The engineering phase of the terminal project began in July 2005.[13] This included preliminary engineering, environmental impact analysis, and final engineering. Shortfalls in funding delayed completion of this phase due to the failing economy in 2008. SEPTA announced in 2015 in their "Rebuilding for the Future" project that service is expected to return to Wawa Station by, at the latest, 2020.[14][15] Construction will take 24 to 36 months to complete. As of May 2018, the total budget has been revised to $177,900,000 with construction being complete in 2021.[16] As of January 2022, passenger service was expected to start in July 2022.[17]

In an update published on Middletown Township's website, it was originally planned for all construction to be completed by June 2022, with passenger service beginning on July 1, 2022.[18] On May 23, 2022, it was announced that the start of passenger service would be delayed until August 21, 2022, due to supply chain issues. Training and qualifying runs along the new portion of the branch were conducted throughout June and July 2022.[19]

On July 27, 2022, SEPTA announced that convenience store chain Wawa acquired naming rights to the station for $5.4 million in a 10-year deal.[20] A ribbon-cutting ceremony for Wawa Station was held on August 18, 2022, with SEPTA and Wawa leadership in attendance including Wawa President and CEO Chris Gheysens. Following the ceremony, a train with a Wawa advertising wrap took a trip on the extension from Wawa to Elwyn.[21] Regular service began on Sunday, August 21, 2022.[22] On August 22, Wawa provided free celebratory coffee, pretzels, and drinks to commuters. With the opening of the station, the Media/Elwyn Line was renamed the Media/Wawa Line.[23]

On August 29, 2022, SEPTA Suburban Bus routes 111 and 114 began onsite service to Wawa Station.[24]

Transit-oriented development

[edit]

In 2007, transit-oriented development was studied for Wawa station,[6] with Delaware Valley, Delaware County, and Middletown Township in support for development at the station.[6]: 29  The area was low-density at the time of the study, with the land's zoning unfavorable for dense development.[6]: 32  A private development group proposed to construct a 153-acre "mixed-use town center" on The Franklin Mint site, east of the station in 2006.[6]: 9, 14  This includes 1,300 housing units made up of townhouses and loft apartments. Separate proposals included office space, retail, and hotel space.[6]: 16  In December 2006, survey work was done on the land which found it feasible to build housing and office on the site.[6]: 18  Some residents disagreed with the plan as they perceived that the development would bring higher traffic and put pressure on the school system.[6]: 17 

In 2018, the station's surroundings was established as a "Transit Revitalization Investment District."[25]: 1–2  By July 2023, the Franklin Mint development project, known as "Franklin station," planned to have 267 housing units, with 85% completed and sold. The Ponds Edge development added another 197 units, with 40% completed and sold at that time. These projects were projected to cost $410.8 million[25]: 3  and were planned to be completed in 2025.[25]: 7  This development increased the investment district's taxable value[25]: 5  and the program is funded until 2033.[25]: 9  A trail was completed between the station and the development on December 5, 2024.[26] As of 2026, Franklin station is open as townhomes and single-family homes.[27]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 Baer, Christopher T. (June 2015). "A General Chronology of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, Its Predecessors and Successors and Its Historical Context: 1857" (PDF). Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society. p. 18. Retrieved September 20, 2026.
  2. ↑ "The Potential of Rail Service to West Chester Borough: A Report of the Advisory Ad Hoc Committee to Reestablish Rail Service to West Chester". Borough of West Chester. September 22, 2015. p. 24. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
  3. ↑ "SEPTA Elwyn to Wawa Service Restoration" (PDF). Middletown Township. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
  4. ↑ "SEPTA Elwyn to Wawa Service Restoration" (PDF). Middletown Township. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Electric Trains to Start Sunday". Chester Times. November 30, 1928. p. 1. Retrieved August 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Transitioning to TOD" (PDF). dvrpc.org. July 15, 2007. Retrieved September 8, 2026.
  7. ↑ Cynthia Mayer (June 15, 1989). "Pay a visit to Wawa, the place". The Philadelphia Inquirer. ISSN 0885-6613. Wikidata Q130719869. Archived from the original on July 28, 2013.
  8. ↑ Ravitch, Lizzy McLellan (July 29, 2022). "Everything we know about the new Wawa Station in Wawa on the Wawa Line". Billy Penn at WHYY. Retrieved September 8, 2026.
  9. 1 2 3 "Wawa". Septa. Retrieved October 20, 2025.
  10. ↑ "SEPTA Celebrates Wawa Station Opening with Ribbon Cutting Ceremony". SEPTA. August 18, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2026.
  11. ↑ LeStourgeon, Colin (September 12, 2020). "Construction Progresses on SEPTA's Regional Rail Expansion in Middletown, Pennsylvania". Philadelphia YIMBY. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  12. ↑ "SEPTA and Wawa Announce Station Naming Rights Agreement". SEPTA Blog. August 27, 2022. Retrieved October 20, 2025.
  13. ↑ Bender, William (April 6, 2006). "R3 extension expected to ease Elwyn parking". Delaware County Times. London. Archived from the original on February 17, 2012. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  14. ↑ SEPTA. "SEPTA Fiscal Year 2009 Capital Budget and Fiscal Years 2009-2020 Capital Program." Archived 2009-01-07 at the Wayback Machine p. 45.
  15. ↑ "SEPTA proposed Capital Budget 2010" (PDF). SEPTA.[permanent dead link]
  16. ↑ "Elwyn to Wawa". Rebuilding the System. Philadelphia, PA: Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA). Archived from the original on August 8, 2018. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
  17. ↑ "Service Restoration Update – January 2022" (PDF). Middletown Township. January 2021. Retrieved February 28, 2022.
  18. ↑ "SEPTA Elwyn to Wawa Service Restoration" (PDF). Middletown Township. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
  19. ↑ Bannan, Pete (May 24, 2022). "SEPTA announces delay to start of service on Wawa extension". DELCO Times. Archived from the original on June 2, 2022. Retrieved June 17, 2022.
  20. ↑ Staff (July 27, 2022). "SEPTA Inks $5M Deal to Name Regional Rail Station After Wawa". Philadelphia, PA: WCAU-TV. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  21. ↑ Stamm, Dan (August 18, 2022). "'Hoagie-Wrapped' Train Makes 1st Trip on Extension of SEPTA Line to Wawa Station". Philadelphia, PA: WCAU-TV. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  22. ↑ Staff; Davis, Corey (August 22, 2022). "Service begins at SEPTA's new Wawa Station". Philadelphia, PA: WPVI-TV. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
  23. ↑ Lutz, Chandler (August 22, 2022). "Wawa celebrating opening of Wawa Station with free coffee, pretzels, and cold drinks for commuters". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
  24. ↑ "Attention Bus Route 111 and 114 Riders - New Service to Wawa Regional Rail Station Effective Monday, August 29, 2022" (PDF). SEPTA. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 29, 2022. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
  25. 1 2 3 4 5 "Middletown Township Transit Revitalization Investment District Project Plan Update--2023" (PDF). middletowndelcopa.gov. 2023. Retrieved September 8, 2026.
  26. ↑ Bannan, Pete (December 5, 2024). "Middletown to open new trail near Wawa station". Delco Times. Retrieved September 9, 2026.
  27. ↑ "Franklin Station". thecyrteam.com. Retrieved September 9, 2026.
[edit]
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