Between the CHOP blight-wall, the CSX derailment(s), and the many other development proposals along the Schuylkill - It's probably time to make some bigger picture planning decisions about the various modes of transport along the river here, and how to design for a future with them in mind. The 2012(?) Ed Bacon Competition even evoked this challenge, however most submissions seemed to take a myopic approach to just the 30th St station area and/or I-76.
At the crux of all this is the CSX/Conrail and Amtrak lines coming in and out of a compact area, using bridges that are in need of maintenance, and ROWs that Amtrak would like to improve, relocate, realign, or widen for higher speed and high capacity travel.
Looking out
http://www.dvrpc.org/webmaps/phillyfreightfinder/# there are basically 4 main routes in/out of the city (Delair, Trenton, Harrisburg, and Wilmington), but there are redundant lines for freight on either side of the Schuylkill. the El through UCity, and the CSX on the eastern banks (next to proposed CHOP).
Im thinking if the City mediated the benefits to each Rail companies and got other fed/state funds they could build these three connections in Yellow and allow for the removal of freight use from all of the lines in Red.
Tell me if Im missing something, but I think all the areas that use freight still have access, Amtrak and SEPTA could get some additional space in NE Philly, 25th St El could be razed or retrofitted for transit, and the eastern banks of the Schuylkill could be cleared for Much improved open space access or re-purposed for trolleys or other transit, but either way opening things up for the new CHOP design, Riverwalk, Penn's expansion area. There would also be three old rail bridges that could be tied into the trail system.
Let me know what you think.
Note the lines only indicate freight use. Obviously there are lots of other rail lines in the area, some of which overlap with these ROWs