Excursion train at Boyertown in 2017.

(Montgomery County Planning Commission, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)

COLEBROOKDALE BRANCH

The Colebrookdale branch, also known as the Colebrookdale spur, Colebrookdale industrial track or Colebrookdale line, is a railway line in Pennsylvania. It runs 8.6 miles (13.8 km) from a junction with the Harrisburg Line in Pottstown to Boyertown. At its fullest extent, the line continued another 4 miles (6.4 km) to Barto. The line was built between 1868 and 1869 by the Colebrookdale Railroad (not to be confused with the heritage railway of the same name) and part of the Reading Company system until 1976. Berks County has owned the line since 2009. The Eastern Berks Gateway Railroad operates freight service; heritage passenger services are run under the Colebrookdale Railroad name.

History

The first Colebrookdale Railroad was incorporated on March 23, 1865. The company completed a line between Pottstown and Boyertown, branching off from the main line of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, on September 6, 1869. The extension from Boyertown to Barto opened on November 16. The Philadelphia and Reading leased the company on the completion of the line.

The Colebrookdale Railroad was one of twelve railroads merged into the Reading Company effective December 31, 1945. Passenger service over the branch ended in 1950. The Reading filed to abandon the last 1.6 miles (2.6 km) of the branch, between Bechtelsville and Barto, in 1965. On the Reading Company's final bankruptcy in 1976, ownership of the line remained with the reorganized Reading estate. The final system plan of the United States Railway Association classed the line as "light density" and it was not conveyed to Conrail. Conrail operated the line under subsidy.

Pennsylvania purchased the line in 1982 and designed the newly organized Anthracite Railway as the operator in 1983. The Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad replaced the Anthracite Railway as the operator in 1989. The Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad did not bid for renewal of the lease in 1995 and was succeeded by East Penn Railways, with an option to buy the line outright. Penn Eastern Rail Lines acquired East Penn Railways in 1997. Berks County purchased the line from the state in 2001. The East Penn Railroad acquired Penn Eastern Rail Lines in 2007 and purchased the line from Berks County.

Less than a year later, the East Penn Railroad successfully filed to abandon the line, on the grounds that providing service was not economically viable. In response, Berks County acquired the line again in 2009. The Eastern Berks Gateway Railroad, a subsidiary of US Rail Partners, assumed operation in 2010. Colebrookdale Railroad Preservation Trust assumed control of the Eastern Berks Gateway Railroad in 2013, and began running passenger excursions under the Colebrookdale Railroad name in 2014.

The Garden Cafe dining car on June 25, 2015.

(Montgomery County Planning Commission, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)

COLEBROOKDALE RAILROAD

The Colebrookdale Railroad (reporting mark EBGX), also known as the Secret Valley Line or colloquially as The Colebrookdale, is a tourist railroad located in Boyertown, Pennsylvania. The railroad operates between Boyertown in Berks County and Pottstown in Montgomery County.

Operations

The Colebrookdale Railroad operates a variety of excursions originating out of Boyertown with plans eventually to have trains originating from Pottstown as well. The trains operated include a fall foliage train, Haunted History train, Santa Claus train, Valentine's Day train, Easter Bunny Express, Wine Tasting and Cheese Train, and Mother's Day and Father's Day trains. The railroad also allows groups to charter the entire train, or select cars, and to rent the caboose for birthday parties.

They currently operate a consist of 5 train cars: deluxe coach, dining car, cafe car, lounge car, and parlor car. The fifth passenger car entered service in mid-November 2020 and is a cross between a parlor car and a coach car. The deluxe coach and parlor car are fully restored with their final interiors but the dining and cafe cars have yet to receive their final restoration.

They also have an open-air gondola and a PRR Cabin Car (caboose). Other cars not yet restored include a private car named Voiture Lynnewood, a baggage car that will eventually serve as a child entertainment center for the train, and an immigrant sleeper named The Beaver currently stored at their restoration shops. They are not planning on starting restoration on any of these cars for at least a few more years.

History

The original Colebrookdale Railroad started building the railroad line between Boyertown and Pottstown in 1865 to serve the iron ore industry along the Manatawny Creek and trains started running on September 6, 1869. The line, which featured both freight and passenger service, originally continued further north to Bechtelsville and Barto before service was later cut back to Boyertown. The Colebrookdale Railroad was leased by the Reading Railroad who operated the line until 1976, when it became a part of Conrail. Conrail planned to abandon the line, but the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation acquired the line and hired operators. The line was operated by the Anthracite Railway, the Blue Mountain & Reading Railroad, and Penn Eastern Rail Lines. In March 2001, Berks County acquired the line for $155,000 to keep it active; the line was soon sold to Penn Eastern Rail Lines. The Colebrookdale Spur was abandoned by the East Penn Railroad (the successor to Penn Eastern Rail Lines) in 2008.

The Berks County Redevelopment Authority reactivated the line, with the Eastern Berks Gateway Railroad appointed to operate the line beginning in October 2010. Tourist passenger operations began in early October 2014 with a series of "soft" trips, intended to work out any operational issues before the first full season in 2015. The Colebrookdale Railroad began regular tourist service on October 18, 2014.

The company's non-profit parent, the Colebrookdale Railroad Preservation Trust, was working on developing freight traffic on the line; however, business had to be turned away because tracks and bridges needed reinforcement to support the weight of modern railcars. In early 2020 the railroad operators requested $25 million from the county government for infrastructure improvements. A $40 million loan from the Federal Railroad Administration was approved starting in 2022 to completely rebuild the line and extend it to Bechtelsville.

As of 2022, the railroad has acquired two steam locomotives as part of their new steam program. In addition, the railroad is currently redeveloping their yard for more space to store their equipment, and they're transforming parts of their own parking lot into an Edwardian garden that will serve a variety of community events, as well as providing more parking space for their passengers.

Equipment

Locomotives

Former Units

See Also:

Reading Railroad

East Penn Railroad

Eastern Berks Gateway Railroad

Reading Blue Mountain & Northern Railway

Heritage Railroads

Railroads A-Z