You know, I wasn’t gonna do this, but I had already reviewed the other two Cynwyd Line stations…figured I might as well hop the one midday train once more to complete the trifecta with Wynnefield Ave. Plus, this’ll mean I’ll have done every station on the Cynwyd Line!

Like Bala, Wynnefield Ave is fully high-level, and it has the exact same features on the platform – a single shelter with a single bench, some more seating and wastebaskets outside, a departure screen, and two sets of stairs and a ramp that lead to ground level. Parking here is free (as per usual for the Cynwyd Line), but while SEPTA claims to supply 71 spaces, I could only find about 20. There was another lot on the other side of the tracks, which you can only get to by walking down Wynnefield Ave; I thought it was for the big apartment building next to it, but it could be SEPTA parking? At any rate, there was plenty of space, with even a few spaces open in the smaller lot. The “official” bus connection here is at Wynnefield and Bryn Mawr Aves, but since the new station is on the other side of the tracks from the old low-level platform that has since been removed, it’s easier to walk to the leafy stop at 50th Street. The bus that serves this station is the 40, and it very conveniently took me back to Penn.

Station: Wynnewood Avenue

Ridership: SEPTA’s “economic threshold” for Regional Rail station performance is 75 boardings per day; anything below that is subject to review. Wynnefield Ave gets 76 boardings per day. Wow – it barely escaped! This is the 11th least-used station on Regional Rail.

Pros: Same as Bala, really – high level platform and plenty of parking.

Cons: Despite being the most urban station on the Cynwyd Line, there’s no bike parking here! Come on! And geez, that ridership. I think part of why it’s so low is that Wynnefield Ave has a fraction of the average income of Bala and Cynwyd, as well as a frequent and relatively quick bus connection with a one-seat ride to University City and a two-seat ride to Center City – the economical choice is probably not to take the $5.25, ten-times-a-day train.

Nearby and Noteworthy: Just a few convenience stores and the like to serve the surrounding neighborhood. WPHL is headquartered across the street!

Final Verdict: 4/10
It’s basically the same thing as Bala (i.e. a good station on the surface), minus the bike parking and overall usefulness to the community. Barely anyone uses this place, and the 40 takes a pretty direct route to 40th with good weekday service. People around here are less likely to be working 9-to-5 jobs in Center City, making the Cynwyd Line schedule that much less useful. I’m glad they gave it a high-level platform, but for 76 riders per day? There were way better ways to spend that money.

Latest SEPTA News: Service Updates