A woman in the car, identified as Susan Lonker, suffered minor injuries, but no one on the train was hurt.
Police say the accident happened when the car got stuck between the gates at a crossing in the city's East Falls section around 7 p.m. Thursday.
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority had to shut down service on the Norristown-bound R6 line as police investigated.
The R6 line connects Philadelphia with its northwestern suburbs. A SEPTA spokesman says service was restored shortly before 9 p.m.
The car was sitting upside-down after the crash and appeared to have suffered significant damage.
Lonker was in the ICU at Temple University Hospital on Friday in serious condition.
