View source for SEPTA Route 50 (trolley)

{{Infobox bus line
|number=Route 50
|logo=
|logo_width=
|bgcolor=
|box_color=
|image=SEPTA 2275 5th and Market May 1976xRP - Flickr - drewj1946.jpg
|image_width=
|caption=The former Route 50 Trolley at 5th and Market Streets in May 1976.
|system=
|status=Operational (as bus line)
|operator=[[Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority]]
|garage= Luzerne Depot
|vehicle=
|pvr=
|open=1858
|close=1980 (as a streetcar line)
|predecessors=
|locale=[[Philadelphia]]
|communities=[[Fox Chase, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Fox Chase]], [[Lawndale, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Lawndale]], [[Logan, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Logan]], [[Center City, Philadelphia|Center City]], [[South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|South Philadelphia]]
|landmarks=
|start=6th & Oregon
|via= Fifth Street, Oxford Avenue, Rising Sun Avenue
|end=Rising Sun & Knorr
|length=
|frequency=
|time=
|ridership= 643,720 (FY19)
|map={{SEPTA Route 50}}
|map_name=
}}
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'''Route 50''' is a former [[tram|streetcar]] line that was operated by [[SEPTA]] in [[Philadelphia]], Pennsylvania.

The route ran from the [[Northeast Philadelphia]] neighborhood of [[Fox Chase, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Fox Chase]] on Oxford Avenue and then through [[Lawndale, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Lawndale]] along Rising Sun Avenue, and for a brief period it also shared tracks with SEPTA Trolley Route 47, which was abandoned by the SEPTA Board on June 14, 1969. The Route 50 line then ran southbound down 6th Street in [[North Philadelphia]] and then onto 4th and northbound 5th streets in [[South Philadelphia]] to and from its southern terminus of 6th Street and Oregon Avenue. A grade-separated subway tunnel was constructed for Route 50 to use while running north under [[Vine Street (Philadelphia)|Vine Street]]. Vine Street Station was the only stop underground, and still exists today, albeit boarded up. The tunnel is still used today by vehicle traffic, and its [[Philadelphia Transportation Company]] heritage is evident in its design.

In 1976, this line saw and used the 1934 Blackpool England "Boat Car" trolley during the Bicentennial of the [[United States Declaration of Independence|Declaration of Independence]]. SEPTA stopped running trolleys on October 11, 1980,<ref>[http://www.phillytrolley.org/routes.html Philadelphia Trolley Routes: By The Numbers (Philadelphia Trolley Tracks)]</ref> claiming the closure was temporary, however the tracks & overhead wires remained in place. In 1983 despite denials by SEPTA management that the closure was intended to be permanent, SEPTA track crews tore up the Route 50 trolley tracks on 5th Street south of Girard Avenue.

Route 50 cars were stored at the former Luzerne Carhouse, which was located on the southwest corner of 10th and Luzerne streets. Luzerne Carhouse was shared by the [[SEPTA Route 53|Route 53]] and [[SEPTA Route 56|56]] trolleys, before it was converted into an all bus garage. Today it survives as a cardboard [[recycling]] plant.<ref>[http://www.phillytrolley.org/SIAcarbarns/luzernedepot200701.html Luzerne Depot; SIA Philadelphia Car Barn Tour (PhillyTrolley.org)]</ref><ref>[http://www.phillytrolley.org/luzerne.html Luzerne Depot (PhillyTrolley.org)]</ref>

==Decline and revival in name only==
Despite public criticism by community and transit advocates, SEPTA voted to close the Route 50 trolley line permanently on October 23, 1985. Additionally, the plan involved the closing of the [[SEPTA Route 6]] trolley line along Ogontz Avenue, which was not eliminated and replaced with a bus line until January 11, 1986.<ref>SEPTA DERAILS 2 TROLLEY LINES, by Frank Dougherty; Daily News Staff Writer (Philadelphia Daily News (PA) - Thursday, October 24, 1985)</ref>  Earlier the same year, the [[SEPTA Route 53|Route 53]] (Wayne Avenue) trolley was also closed, on May 16, 1985.<ref>[http://www.chicagorailfan.com/phldatec.html Philadelphia Transit Routes (Chicago Transit & Railfan Web Site)]</ref>

==Current service==
[[SEPTA Route 50]] is a [[SEPTA]] bus line in [[Northeast Philadelphia]], which runs from the [[Frankford Transportation Center]] to [[Parx Casino and Racing]] in [[Bensalem Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania|Bensalem]]. All buses along this route are [[Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990|ADA]]-compliant, and contain bicycle racks.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.septa.org/schedules/bus/pdf/050.pdf SEPTA Route 50 Bus Schedule]
*[http://world.nycsubway.org/us/phila/rt50risingsun.html SEPTA former Route 50 Trolley (WorldNYCSubway.org)]
*[http://www.phillytrolley.org/1974history/14-15.html 1974 SEPTA Trolley History Brochure]

{{SEPTA|state=autocollapse}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Bus transportation in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:SEPTA|50]]
[[Category:SEPTA Light Rail|50]]
[[Category:Tram routes in Philadelphia]]
[[Category:Transportation in Philadelphia]]