Newtown Square Branch Trail: South of Baltimore Avenue
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The Newtown Square Branch trackbed forks off from the SEPTA R3 Media/Elwyn between the Fernwood/Yeadon station and the Lansdowne station. If you're riding the R3, you can easily see the branch thru the windows on the north side of the train; the branch splits off from the westbound track and curves to the north, rising on an elevated earthwork fill, and flanked by tall square electrical poles.
The fork is about a block south of Baltimore Avenue, and about two blocks east of Union Avenue. The raised earthwork forces a triangular shape on the parking lot of the new Giant Supermarket on Baltimore Avenue, which opened in June 2004. The gas station in the Giant parking lot is in the triangular area.
This Google Satellite Map shows the fork. The R3 Media/Elwyn line runs roughly east/west; the Newtown Square Branch curves northward. As of this writing, the satellite map is out of date in at least two respects: the industrial buildings just west of the fork have been replaced by the Giant Supermarket, and the rail bridge across Baltimore Avenue has been torn down.
Looking west from the S. Church Lane Bridge, directly above the Fernwood/Yeadon station.
The SEPTA R3 Media/Elwyn line is the main double track in the picture; Railroad Avenue runs to its right. Off in the far distance, you can see pairs of electrical poles heading off to the right. Those poles are on the Newtown Square Branch right-of-way.
Standing in the beginning of the branch. This is the only place I have found on the entire branch where the tracks are still in place. This section of the track is heavily overgrown with brush.
A little further away from the R3 line. This section of the track is heavily overgrown with brush. The Giant Supermarket is barely visible.
Looking backwards (southeast) toward the R3 line.
A little further to the north. The Giant is better visible. There are no tracks from this point onward, altho the wooden ties are still visible in many spots. The undergrowth is very heavy here.
It's not obvious from this picture that the trackbed is high up. There's a sharp bank down on both the right and left of the trackbed, because the track had to be high enough to cross over Baltimore Avenue.
Looking up at the earthwork. This is in a little alley on the east side of the trackbed, away from the Giant.
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