Nostalgia & History > Frankford Jxn (Philadelphia NEC) question

Hi folks - can someone help me with a question about the junction?
(This is where the recent Amtrak derailment occurred, but my question has nothing to do with that)

Rail lines diverge in four directions - the NEC from New York comes in from the Northeast, connecting to the NEC line heading to the west which proceeds down to Zoo junction.  The another line heads southeast into New Jersey - presumably for passenger/freight trains to Atlantic City.  

My question is about the fourth line, that heads southwest from the junction for about 1/2 mile before terminating.  Looking at old maps, this line appears to have headed further southwest into the city decades ago. 

Does anybody have any history on this line?  Did it used to be a main line many years ago ?  It looks like the part of the NEC connecting Frankford Jxn to Zoo junction was built at a later date.

Many thanks.

-j

 

Line west and northeast is mainline (PRR)
Line east is PRR-PRSL to New Jersey via Delair bridge
Line southwest is former connection to Port Richmond yard (RDG) - Reading freight moves used this line between Port Richmond and Camden (Pavonia) yard.

Rich

this was referred to as the Trenton Ave Branch that before being truncated, it bridged the Reading's yard at Lehigh Ave curved eastward and rode a high concrete RofW that ran along Lehigh Ave and went downgrade to track level at Richmond Ave ...

after the Port Richmond car ferries to the P-RSL ferry docks at Bulson St and Linden Ave were eliminated this track was used by Reading Transfer trains from Port Richmond to Bulson St ... the trains using the Trenton Ave branch had to first reverse backing out Lehigh yard southward onto Delaware Ave to clear the switch which was right on the bridge over Richmond Ave ... PRR transfer trains to/from FJ also used the track ... trains would go a pretty good distance south along Delaware Ave to make a run for the grade to get over the yard ,.,

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The line SW from Frankford Jct is the original RR to Philadelphia
from Trenton-- the present line opened in 1867 or 1870
or some such.