Colebrookdale Railroad

The Colebrookdale Railroad is an active train line that was essential to the transportation of the iron ore community in the mid to late 1800s. Although it is not used for the transportation of iron anymore, it still serves as a historical marker and a staple in the small Boyertown area. The railroad was completed in 1869 and served to transport freight and people. The Colebrookdale Railroad ran successfully under the Reading Railroad, an even bigger branch that sent train lines everywhere in the area, until 1976 when a new company took over management of Colebrookdale. After a few management changes and threats of closure and abandonment, The Colebrookdale Railroad made a rally in late 2014 as a tourist railroad. The rest is history.

The Colebrookdale Railroad has a long and rich history. The land surrounding the Colebrookdale Railroad might just be as important as the railroad itself. The iron that came from the area was used to supply George Washington with weapon material during the Revolutionary War. The land was also known to be the home of two Native American tribes. These tribes ended up meeting with William Penn, a man very important in Pennsylvania history, at part of where the railroad would be. This equally important land seemed fitting to hold a railroad just as important that would help shape Pennsylvania as we know it today.

The Colebrookdale railroad, or the Secret Valley Line as it became to be known, proved to be an essential part of the surrounding area as it provided jobs and, of course, the transportation of the much important iron. This railroad paved its way through important sites in the Schuylkill Valley backdrop such as some of the earliest iron sites, blast furnaces, and refinery forges. The Colebrookdale Railroad eventually met up with the Reading Railroad which then expanded to all over PA. The Reading Railroad was the quintessential railroad back then as it was a key place to get shipments from Philadelphia and pass them along to other towns scattered throughout. The Colebrookdale Railroad being connected to the Reading Railroad was of great importance because of the proximity and because of the grand title that the Reading Railroad had. The success of Colebrookdale and other nearby railroads in the late 1800s led to Pottstown garnering the nickname "Boomtown USA".

The time period between the prime time of Colebrookdale use and the tourist days that we have now are not as pretty as the other two. Riddled with ownership changes, negligence, and threats of closure all weighed heavy over this once important railroad. All continued regularly with the railroad until 1950 when they stopped doing passenger service. After that, part of the railroad was abandoned and subsequently, the company that was in charge of the railroad, The Reading Company, filed for bankruptcy in 1976. The state of Pennsylvania bought the railroad a few years later and decided to name a new company to be in charge of it. After a few more owners throughout the 80s and 00s, East Penn Railroad bought the line but immediately decided to abandon the railroad as they thought it was not worth it. Eventually, the Colebrookdale Railroad Preservation Trust bought the railroad in 2013 and has made it into what it is today.

Since 2014, Colebrookdale Railroad has been a sought-out tourist destination for train lovers alike and has added on in recent years, with the addition of Halloween, Christmas, Easter, and more themed railroad rides. Just this year, 2022, Colebrookdale Railroad was approved for a $40 million loan that will help rebuild the line and make it accessible to transport freight once again. It seems history does repeat itself as the Colebrookdale Railroad once again will be used to transport people and important freight. Another addition to the railroad that's been added in recent times was the addition of two steam cars. The future of this long-running railroad continues to grow and has never been brighter.

Davis, Larry. "Barto Rail Line Halt Causes Little Stir." Pottstown Mercury, October 5, 1950. Accessed June 19, 2022.

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58244403/boyertown-station-october-5-1950/

Graham, Dan. "The Colebrookdale Railroad Corridor." Accessed June 19, 2022.         

https://www.colebrookdalerailroad.com/

Transforming Communities - Colebrookdale Railroad. 2021, Accessed July 24, 2022.

https://www.colebrookdalerailroad.com/site_assets/Transforming_Communities_2021_6t.pdf.