Parkesburg (SEPTA station)

Parkesburg
Parkesburg Amtrak station on the eastbound track 1.
Location	West First Avenue and South Culvert Street Parkesburg, PA 19365
Coordinates	39°57′33″N 75°55′20″W / 39.95917°N 75.92222°W / 39.95917; -75.92222
Line(s)	Keystone Corridor (Main Line)
Platforms	2 side platforms
Tracks	3
Other information
Station code	PAR
Traffic
Passengers (2016)	46,950  3.3%
Services
Preceding station   Amtrak   Following station Lancaster toward Harrisburg Keystone Service Coatesville toward New York City   Former services   Pennsylvania Railroad Atglen toward Chicago Main Line Pomeroy toward New York City or Exchange Place Preceding station   SEPTA   Following station Terminus Paoli/Parkesburg Line Coatesville toward Suburban Station Amtrak Lancaster toward Pittsburgh Pennsylvanian Coatesville toward New York City

Parkesburg is an Amtrak train station located between Lancaster and Philadelphia at West First Avenue and South Culvert Street in Parkesburg, Pennsylvania. It is served by most Amtrak Keystone Service trains. A station building exists at the stop, but is not currently used as a ticket office. The distance between Parkesburg and the next westbound station (Lancaster) is the longest distance between stations (23 miles) anywhere within the Pennsylvania section of the Keystone Service.

From circa 1914 through 1972, Parkesburg Tower was located near the Atlantic Avenue bridge. The tower served as a communication/signalling point for westbound (to Lancaster and beyond) trains, and a routing location for eastbound trains entering the Main Line of the Pennsylvania Rail Road. A small service yard was also located nearby for both track service and to assist with sideling switching. Parkesburg Station once was the western-most stop for the SEPTA R5 commuter line (now the Paoli/Thorndale Line). It was truncated to Downingtown in November 1996 because of the need for trains to deadhead to Lancaster to turn around. It has since been re-extended to Thorndale, a few miles west of Downingtown.

In 1984, the station appeared in the movie Witness. Filming took place over a three-day period, and devout fans of the film make annual pilgrimages to the station and other select stops each year.