Radnor Train Station

What is now known as the town of Radnor was once called Morgan’s Corner. The area included little except farms, some buildings, and of course a railroad. The Philadelphia & Columbia Railroad and Main Line of Public Works established this rail line in 1829, and the original station in Morgan's Corner stood only a few hundred feet from the existing structure. The grounds of the original station included a frame horse barn, watering facilities, and a passenger shelter. The Pennsylvania Railroad bought the line in 1847, and therefore the station at Morgan’s Corner.

The new brick station building was designed by Joseph Miller Wilson in 1872 upon the relocation of the railroad. Its design was fairly typical on the line, resembling Haverford College Station and Wynnewood, only with a tower-shaped section on its front and a brick exterior.

On October 24, 1920 a freight train wrecked at Radnor. According to accounts of the accident, the station building was heavily damaged. The wreck covered much territory. The load from several cars, including the cars themselves, spilled off the bridge over King of Prussia Rd. near the station. The accident was quite dramatic, as the pictures below show.

Over time the station fell into disrepair. Some time in the 1960’s, a station agent died there, and his personal belongings stayed inside the building for about 30 years. The eastbound waiting shed fell into such despair that in 2000 it was demolished by SEPTA and a modern shed was built in its place, made with green metal beams and glass walls. This was part of SEPTA's restoration of the station, which repaired brickwork and made the structure more historically accurate. It is unfortunate, however, that the waiting shed had to fall victim to a "restoration" effort.

The only known pictures of Morgan’s Corner, photos by Purviance from 1856. They might have been taken from the same bridge looking different ways.
Radnor Historical Society Collection

Two vintage photos: L; the station's west side. R; the station in 1925.
Internet Source; GP Collection

The original PRR sign which hung at Radnor, now in the hands of a private railroad collector.
Internet Source

These photos show the dramatic train wreck of 1920. The cars are spilling over the edges of the much-travelled King of Prussia Rd. bridge.
Internet Source; Radnor Historical Society Collection

The newly restored station today, as taken from an eastbound SEPTA train.
Photo by GP

RADNOR SIGNAL TOWER "R"

The Pennsylvania Railroad had several signal towers throughout its various lines. On Philadelphia's Main Line, such towers stood at Paoli, Bryn Mawr, Overbrook, St. Davids and Radnor. The towers at St. Davids and Radnor, although just about a mile apart, were of an identical design, which was also used frequently in other places along the railroad in the state. The design is quite interesting; a square first floor with an octagonal second floor with ample windows. Each of the Railroad's towers were assigned a different letter, and Radnor's was called "R." The tower was built around 1890 and was demolished some time later.

Signal Tower "R" at Radnor. Note the signal protruding from the tower in the right photograph.
Click on the images to see larger versions.
Radnor Historical Society Collection; "On the Main Line"

The tower with a steam train in front of it.
Radnor Historical Society Collection