Richard Allen Lane station (formerly Allen Lane station) is a SEPTA Regional Rail station in Philadelphia. It is located at 200 West Allens Lane in the Mount Airy neighborhood and serves the Chestnut Hill West Line. The station building was built circa 1880.[3] Like many in Philadelphia, it retains much of its Victorian/Edwardian appearance.
The former station building now houses a coffee shop, the High Point Cafe.
The station is in zone 2 on the Chestnut Hill West Line, on former Pennsylvania Railroad tracks, and is 10.1 track miles from Suburban Station. In fiscal 2012, this station saw 307 boardings on an average weekday.
Naming
Allen Lane station got its name from the adjoining street, Allens Lane, which was named for William Allen, a prominent man of the colonial-era Province of Pennsylvania. His estate, Mount Airy, is the source of the surrounding neighborhood's name, was at the top of the hill where Allens Lane meets Germantown Avenue. The site is now the campus of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia.
Since at least the 19th century, there has been variation in the lane's name between "Allen", "Allen's", and "Allens". Today, through maps and signage, the names have reached a level of written codification that leaves the lane's name written consistently as "Allens" and the station's name written consistently as "Allen". Colloquially, the Allen/Allen's/Allens variation persists in local speech, such as when train conductors sometimes announce the stop as "Allen's Lane". The "Allen Lane" variation that became the codified station name may have been reinforced by a timetable printer's error—the Pennsylvania Railroad's timetables were printed by the firm of Allen, Lane & Scott.[citation needed]
On February 14, 2022, Allens Lane was re-attributed to Richard Allen, (1760-1831, a minister, educator, writer, and one of America's most active and influential Black leaders) by resolution of the Philadelphia city council, facilitated by the efforts of State Rep. Chris Rabb (PA House 200th). The station was renamed to Richard Allen Lane station.[4]
Restoration and renovation
Allen Lane station underwent a two-phase restoration and renovation project in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The first phase of work on the historic station building and shelters was completed in September 1999. The second phase, which included the construction of high level platforms, a rebuilt pedestrian overpass, and accessible ramp, was completed in 2011.
In popular culture
Allen Lane station was featured as a filming location for the 1988 film The In Crowd.
References
- ^ "Electric Train Has Trial Trip". The Harrisburg Telegraph. March 23, 1918. p. 10. Retrieved August 1, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Fiscal Year 2021 Service Plan Update". SEPTA. June 2020. p. 24. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
- ^ Allens Lane Station data from the Philadelphia Architects and Buildings (PAB) project of the Athenaeum of Philadelphia
- ^ "Allen Lane Station Renaming".
External links
Media related to Allen Lane (SEPTA station) at Wikimedia Commons
- SEPTA – Richard Allen Lane station
- Existing Railroad Stations in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
- Allens Lane entrance from Google Maps Street View
- Station House from Google Maps Street View
