The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority’s (SEPTA) recently rebuilt Fox Chase Regional Rail Station has earned a LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Fox Chase Station is the nation's first train station to receive LEED Silver.
LEED certification levels are Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum. Fox Chase Station was awarded LEED Silver using the LEED for New Construction rating system.
To achieve the LEED Silver status, SEPTA implemented numerous eco-friendly processes throughout planning, design and building phases, including recycling construction waste materials such as drywall; using low-pollutant emitting building materials; and purchasing energy from a local green energy supplier. The completed station has energy efficient Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) and lighting systems; is entirely smoke-free; features receptacles for recycling papers, cans and bottles; and has 15 parking spots designated specifically for energy efficient vehicles, like hybrids.
Fox Chase Station was designed by HNTB and built by Shared Systems Technology. The Sheward Partnership, LLC, provided LEED project oversight. The station project cost $1.1 million and was funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
SEPTA train station receives LEED Silver status
Awarded to the recently rebuilt Fox Chase Regional Rail Station, the first train station in the U.S. to receive the designation. In rebuilding, SEPTA implemented numerous eco-friendly practices, including recycling construction waste materials and using low-pollutant emitting building materials.
More Rail

Amtrak Announces Community Grants for Projects Near Baltimore’s New Frederick Douglass Tunnel
Amtrak will open grant applications March 23 for community projects near the Frederick Douglass Tunnel alignment in Baltimore as part of a $50 million investment tied to the B&P Tunnel Replacement Program.
Read More →
Amtrak Marks Restoration of Two South Carolina Stations
The Denmark Station $2.3 million construction investment project includes a new 280-foot concrete boarding platform, built eight inches above the top of rail, for improved accessibility for passengers with disabilities and families with small children and much more.
Read More →
NJ Transit, Amtrak Prepare to Open First Track on New Portal North Bridge
The new bridge will begin carrying passenger trains on March 16, replacing a 116-year-old swing bridge that has long caused delays.
Read More →
Caltrain Adopts Corridor-Wide Right-of-Way Safety Strategy
Caltrain and its partners have implemented safety improvements at specific locations in response to known risk conditions, operational needs, and available funding since the agency’s founding.
Read More →
Building a National Framework for Transit Safety and Consistency
On a recent episode of METROspectives, METRO Magazine’s Executive Editor Alex Roman sat down with Ana-Maria Tomlinson, Director of Strategic & Cross-Sector Programs at the CSA Group, to explore a bold initiative aimed at addressing those challenges: the development of a National Code for Transit and Passenger Rail Systems in Canada.
Read More →
FTA Invests $686M to Modernize Aging Rail Stations
Competitive FTA grants will support accessibility upgrades, family-friendly improvements, and cost-efficient capital projects at some of the nation’s oldest and busiest transit hubs.
Read More →
MBTA Updates Rail Modernization Plan to Expand Reliability and Accessibility
The strategy outlines near- and long-term upgrades to ease congestion, support housing growth, and advance statewide climate goals.
Read More →
LA Metro Sets D Line Subway Extension Launch Date
The 3.92-mile addition will soon take riders west beyond its current Wilshire and Western station in Koreatown, continuing under Wilshire Boulevard through neighborhoods and communities including Hancock Park, Windsor Square, the Fairfax District, and Carthay Circle into Beverly Hills.
Read More →
Boston's MBTA Marks Progress in Regional Rail Modernization
The procurement advances the agency's broader efforts to modernize its rail fleet and position Regional Rail for long-term improvement.
Read More →
Amtrak Sets New Course for Long-Distance Fleet Renewal
Under the plan, all long-distance routes will transition to a universal single-level fleet, replacing today’s mix of bi-level and single-level equipment.
Read More →
