History
The Chicago architectural firm of Graham, Anderson, Probst and White designed the structure, originally known as Pennsylvania Station–30th Street (as with other Pennsylvania Stations). The station is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Its design was influenced by the Northeast Corridor electrification that allowed trains to pass beneath the station without exposing passengers to soot as steam engines of earlier times had.
The station had a number of innovative features, including a pneumatic tube system, an electronic intercom, and a reinforced roof with space for small aircraft to land.
The station opened in 1933, shortly after the peak of expansion by the former Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR), which was headquartered in Philadelphia. It replaced Broad Street Station as the latter became too small to handle Philadelphia's passenger-rail traffic. The PRR sought a location on its main line between New York and Washington.
Broad St. Station was a stub-end terminal in Center City and through trains had to back in and out. As Broad St. Station handled a large commuter operation, an underground Suburban Station was built as part of the 30th St. Station project to handle it. Because of the Depression and World War II, Broad St. Station continued to operate until 1952.
The opening scenes of the 1985 motion picture Witness were filmed inside the station. It is across from the United States Post Office-Main Branch.
Read more about this topic: 30th Street Station
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