Eastern Railroad Discussion > PRR Frazer Branch

Where is / was the PRR Frazer Branch and between what points does it operate? I saw a cover page for a PRR timetable and it listed the "Frazer Branch" as one of the lines. I thought the only thing at Frazer was a small yard where SEPTA / PRR store MU's for commuter serivce along the R5 between Downingtown and Phila.

The PRR Frazer branch extended from Frazer on the mainline, where there was a station at one time to West Chester. It had passenger service until the 30's, I believe my father said it was a gas/electric car. In the 50's they ran freight from Frazer over the hills through the villages of Morstein, Green Hill, Fern Hill, etc. to the north end of West Chester, where it served several industries there. There was a connection to the passenger line which came in from the south from Media and Philadelphia, where the West Chester RR now runs. In the early 50's I went to high school at the West Chester HS and got to watch H9s steam locomotives switching cars right across the street from the school. (distracting to say the least!) The freight business gradually dried up in the 60's and I'm not sure when it was finally abandoned.

FullService Wrote:
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> Where is / was the PRR Frazer Branch and between
> what points does it operate? I saw a cover page

You can still see the grade of the Frazer Branch almost the entire way into West Chester if you drive the route, and from the R5 can even see some rails on the grade as you roll through Frazer.

Its a shame it was abandoned, as this branch would have been a much faster way to get to West Chester, and goes through much more populated part of Chester county than does the Media-Wawa-Glen Mills-West Chester alignment.