Philadelphia Main Line
The Philadelphia Main Line, known simply as the Main Line, is an informally delineated historical and social region of suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Lying along the former Pennsylvania Railroad's once prestigious Main Line, it runs northwest from Center City Philadelphia parallel to Lancaster Avenue, also known as U.S. Route 30.
Main Line of Philadelphia
Main Line, Philadelphia Main Line | |
|---|---|
Collection of suburban communities | |
Map of the historic Main Line, c. 1895 | |
Location of Pennsylvania in the United States | |
| Coordinates: 40.019°N 75.313°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Primarily Montgomery and Chester counties; certain northern parts of Delaware County |
| Named for | The Pennsylvania Railroad's Main Line |
| Demonym | Main Liner |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| Area codes | 215, 267, 445, 610, and 484 |
The railroad first connected the Main Line towns in the 19th century. They became home to sprawling country estates belonging to Philadelphia's wealthiest families, and over the decades became a bastion of "old money". The Main Line includes some of the wealthiest communities in the country, including Gladwyne, Villanova, Radnor, Haverford, Merion. Today, the railroad is Amtrak's Keystone Corridor, along which SEPTA's Paoli/Thorndale Line operates.