CHESTER  COUNTY

Berwyn (PRR) - This station is completely different than the other old stations along the "Main Line" between Paoli and Philadelphia in that it is built entirely of red brick, with yellow window and door arches. It is very well maintained and is two stories high. Now a picture frame shop.

Coatesville (PRR) - First story is at street level (below track level), 2nd story on track level, former 3rd story gable in center of building now gown. When built, the station was set back from tracks to allow for track expansion from 2 to 4 and for track realignments. Eastbound and westbound platform shelters were added in 1909. Level of tracks, platforms and shelters were raised in relationship to the station in the early 1940s during track grade reduction program.

Cossart (RDG) - This was the de facto "summit" between Coatesville and Wilmington.  In the W&N days it had a small yard and turntable.  Trains would be helped from Wilmington to Cossart, then run down grade to Coatesville.  The turntable was retired sometime after the W&N was acquired by the P&R.  By the diesel era all there was the stone depot on the South/west side of the tracks, a siding and a spur to a coal trestle just north/west of the depot. The coal trestle was about 6 ft high and about 1 or 2 cars long.  The depot was a unique design for the Reading. -- Dave Husman

Devon (PRR) - This station is built in English Tudor style of wood, stucco, brick, stone and terra cotta.

Glenloch (PRR) - For more info see Tom Young's page about this station.

Kennett Square (PRR) - This station has been purchased by East Penn Railways. Grants are in process to revamp the building for continued use as a local museum of railroad and other history.

Lincoln University (PB&C) - The railroad was the Philadelphia & Baltimore Central. Burgess and Kennedy's "Centennial History of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company" states that "...the road (P&BC) was completed from Wawa to the Susquehanna River....in 1867..." It is my guess that the railroad was being built past what was to become the village of Lincoln University in 1866, the same year that the school was renamed. The ramshackle remains have been bought by a couple that have the hobby of restoring older structures. --Ed Thornton

Mill Lane (PG&N) - Greek-Revival Architecture with roof, center hall and stairway classic of that era (pre-1840), made of stone and stucco, typical of "country house" stations built by the owner; Philadelphia Germantown & Norristown Railroad (but named Norristown Valley Railroad and later changed to Chester Valley Railroad). Windows upgraded later by Philadelphia & Reading RR. The only station left, similar to Shawmont, also built by the PG&N.

Modena (R&N) - This station is pictured on page 85-86 of Reading RR Station Pictorial, Vol. 4 by Benjamin Bernhart.

Morstein (West Chester & Frazer) - Station is located in Exton Station (W. Whiteland Twp.). There is no town called Morstein currently, but the station was given this name, possibly because of a farm nearby. This is one of the earliest surviving railroad stations. It is built of brick and wood and has been renovated in the past few years. The West Chester and Frazer RR opened in the 1840s and was in use until the 1950s or '60s.

Northbrook (W&N) - This station is built like a clapboard farmhouse, complete with a front porch. At first glance it does not look like a train station, but has served well over 100 years. It currently serves as a house and is located by the Northbrook Canoe Company on the Western Branch of Brandywine Creek. The Brandywine Valley Scenic RR uses the tracks. This location was also known as Marshall's Station in the early years of the railroad (see 1873 county map).

Parkesburg (PRR) - This was the furthest westward reach of the SEPTA commuter rail line until 1995 (R5 Paoli/Parkesburg). The town was founded around a repair shop for the Philadelphia and Columbia RR in the 1830's and 40's, and there is a brick railroad structure on the north side about 200 yards east of the station. The station was abandoned for some time but is under renovation.

Phoenixville (RDG) - This is a beautiful and substantial red stone station which has high hopes as Phoenixville renews itself. Passenger traffic ceased about 1980 on this formerly four-track Reading line; now there are only two tracks.

Pocopson (W&N) - This station is built of local green serpentine fieldstone and wood shingle. It is superbly maintained as "Pocopson Veterinary Station" and the Brandywine Scenic Railway runs past it. The interior woodwork is preserved and the ticket office is now the examining room.

Strafford (PRR) - Station was built as the Catalogue Building for the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. After the exposition the station was bought at auction by the PRR and  moved to Wayne in 1885 and then moved to Strafford in 1887. When the station was moved to Strafford in 1887 some of the ornamentation was removed due to placing the station on a sloping piece of land.

Valley Forge (RDG) - This station was built in 1912 to allow visitors to stop at Washington's Headquarters. It is built of fieldstone in colonial revival style, with a gorgeous waiting room, complete with fireplace. The platform roof was held up by doric columns and originally the stairways were ornamented with pyramids of cannonballs! The station has been out of use since the 1970s, and the platform concrete is is poor condition. The two outer tracks have been removed, and the two inner tracks are used for freight. Now owned by the National Park Service and serves as George Washington-centric museum.

Whitford (PRR) - The station building is plain clapboard and is presently boarded up but in fair condition. The freight shed is cut gray "rubble" stone and is probably older than the station; it is now part of a business. Most remarkable is that the station is located under a huge "flyover" girder bridge built in 1902, part of the old "Trenton Cutoff" system. The "high line" is now abandoned, but the main line tracks are still in heavy use.