Welcome to the Colebrookdale Railroad!

RESPONDING TO A REGIONAL NEED. The Colebrookdale Railroad responds to an opportunity gap for marketing and tourism development identified by a recent study by the Schuylkill Highlands Conservation Landscape Initiative.

CAPITALIZING ON A NATIONALLY-SIGNIFICANT STORY The Railroad connects the earliest ironmaking sites in Pennsylvania and among the earliest in the nation. The Colebrookdale is a core corrdor within the only region in the United States where visitors can explore iron industry vestiges from its 18th century infancy, observe 19th century technological innovations and industrial expansion, and learn about 20th century international steel markets - all within a radius of 35 miles from the Pottstown and Boyertown stations. Unspoiled by time, the Colebrookdale's Secret Valley looks much the same today as it would to the iron-willed pioneers of three centuries ago. Learn more about the Iron Heritage of the Secret Valley Line.

GET INVOLVED. Check out photos and Like us on our Facebook page. Read more about the project on the About Us page and send us a note if you'd like to volunteer! Send in a letter of support and we'll post it on this site.

HISTORY AND PROMISE--FUTHER EXPLORATION. A Virtual Tour of the Colebrookdale: Watch a short video on the history of the Colebrookdale Railroad here. Preliminary Prospectus: Find out more about the proposal for a tourist railroad on the Colebrookdale Line here. Colebrookdale Railroad Preservation Trust Brochure: Download a preliminary draft here. Highway Tour of the Colebrookdale Railroad: Find a guide to seeing selected bridges and crossings by automobile here. The Trust assumes no responsibility for you nor is this document meant to induce you to take a tour of the line. Never, ever trespass on railroad property.

LETTERS OF SUPPORT. The following organizations have expressed their support of this project: the Borough of Pottstown; the Borough of Boyertown; the Pottstown School District; the Pottstown Metropolitan Regional Planning Commission; the Schuylkill River National and State Heritage Area; the Schuylkill Highlands Conservation Landscape Initiative; the Boyertown Musuem of Historic Vehicles; the Reading Company Technical and Historical Society; the Valley Forge Convention and Visitors Bureau; Pottstown Downtown Improvement District ; Cole's Tobacco; the Greater Reading Convention and Visitors Bureau, TriCounty Area Chamber of Commerce, Robert Evans, LLC, Lewis Environmental, Gretchen Lea Interior Design, Durango's Saloon, and Clothes to Home.

Download and submit your own letter of support here.

This is the official website of the Colebrookdale Railroad Preservation Trust, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to establishing an on-going tourist passenger operation on the Colebrookdale Railroad. The Trust will assist the line's designated operator, the Eastern Berks Gateway Railroad, and the line's owner, Berks County, to restore and enhance this remarkable resource for the benefit of the people of Southeastern Pennsylvania now and into the future.

The heritage of the past is the seed that brings forth the harvest of the future. Post a comment below and tell us your idea for the Colebrookdale Railroad!

Colebrookdale Railroad Spur Branch Reading Company rail railroad Pottstown Boyertown tourist heritage recreational recreation history train steam train Ironstone Secret Valley line railway historic Strasburg revitalization community economic development Pennsylvania PA Carousel Manatawny Park Memorial Park Museum Schuylkill Highlands Iron and Steel

Scenes Along the Colebrookdale
Leaving Boyertown	Autumn Majesty	View to Pottsgrove Manor	Racing Home	Into the Light
Red Rocks	Green Canopy	Manatawny Run	Looking Backward	Iron Journey into the Past
A Secert Behind Every Turn	Rainy Day Rock Cut	Evening	Headed toward Pottstown	Secret Valley Splendor!
Through the Woods Near Colebrookdale Station	Colebrookdale Works Siding Junction	Deep Rock Cut	Falls at Colebrookdale Works	Climbing Toward Boyertown
Manatawny and Rock Cliff	Douglas Park Trestle	Heading toward Ironstone Creek	Rainy Day	Back in time: Boyertown Rail Yard This photo, provided by Adrianne Blank, shows the Boyertown Rail Yard adjacent to Chestnut Street in the area where the line's locomotive is currently stored.
Deep Rock Cut One of the line's many deep rock cuts lavishly carpeted with mosses of every shade of green.	Approaching Glasgow Rounding a tight curve heading toward Pottstown just before Glasgow Manor	Approaching Ironstone Creek Bridge Approaching the Phoenix Bridge Company bridge over the Ironstone Creek on a rainy April day in 2012.	Stone Slab Bridge This little bridge is constructed entirely of huge stones. To give you an idea of scale, a person can comfortably walk through the channel. Once solid lintel carries the weight of the railroad over the creek.	The Culvert in Springtime Imagine building this massive stone culvert using only horses and hand tools.
Tunnel Under the Colebrookdale This massive work of engineering rests far below the Colebrookdale Railroad. It directs a small creek under the line through a large, S-curve tunnel.	Colebrookdale Station Road These abutments once supported a bridge connecting Farmington Avenue with the Colebrookdale Station near the present day site of the Colebrookdale Iron Works. The bridge, the road, and the station are gone but their remnants can be seen from the train.	Glasgow Street Bridge Glasgow Street ducked under the Colebrookdale using this little bridge. The abutment was orginally built to support two tracks, as the passing track for Glasgow Station also crossed over Glasgow Street. The bridge connecting Glasgow Street to Manatawny Street was washed away by Hurricane Agnes and now the road is merely a driveway.	Red Shale Road Bridge The line towers over Red Shale Road on this bridge dating from the late 1860s.	Rock Cut Approaching Rattlesnake Hill The line has many deep rock cuts who presence evidences both the geology of this magic place and the tenacity of the line's builders.
A Gentle Curve in the Secret Valley	Thomas Edison--A Frequent Colebrookdale Passenger Edison rode the Colebrookdale regularly. The mines along the line were sources ore found no where else.	Into the Secret Valley Legend says the Colebrookdale Railroad was laid down along an old Indian trail into the deep woods to a secret, magical land.	Along the Manatawny	Timber Trestle 2
Timber Trestle 1

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Dennis Spohn	10/16/2012
Wonderful project. This railroad must be preserved it is part of Boyertown History. Please construct historically correct Ticket sales offices the both end of the line. Not some modern building doubling as a Fire House. This project will be of greater benefit to the town then our 500,000 lights
Charlie Seidelmann	03/08/2012
Thank you for the very educational and informative presentation on Wednesday March 7, 2012. It gave a very in depth insite into the area's heritage. Looking forward to more information and updates on the Trust's progress going forward.
Joe Loftus	12/28/2011
I suggest that you offer T-shirts and engineer hats emblazoned with that great LOGO... http//www.amazon.com/Brooklyn-Peddler-Engineer-Adult-Blue/dp/B000H70S1M/refpd_sbs_misc_1

Leaving Boyertown

Autumn Majesty

View to Pottsgrove Manor

Racing Home

Into the Light

Red Rocks

Green Canopy

Manatawny Run

Looking Backward

Iron Journey into the Past

A Secert Behind Every Turn

Rainy Day Rock Cut

Evening

Headed toward Pottstown

Secret Valley Splendor!

Through the Woods Near Colebrookdale Station

Colebrookdale Works Siding Junction

Deep Rock Cut

Falls at Colebrookdale Works

Climbing Toward Boyertown

Manatawny and Rock Cliff

Douglas Park Trestle

Heading toward Ironstone Creek

Rainy Day

Back in time: Boyertown Rail Yard

Deep Rock Cut

Approaching Glasgow

Approaching Ironstone Creek Bridge

Stone Slab Bridge

The Culvert in Springtime

Tunnel Under the Colebrookdale

Colebrookdale Station Road

Glasgow Street Bridge

Red Shale Road Bridge

Rock Cut Approaching Rattlesnake Hill

A Gentle Curve in the Secret Valley

Thomas Edison--A Frequent Colebrookdale Passenger

Into the Secret Valley

Along the Manatawny

Timber Trestle 2

Timber Trestle 1