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.[1] The railroad also allows groups to charter the entire train, or select cars, and to rent the caboose for birthday parties.[2]
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.[citation needed]
They also have an open-air gondola and a PRR caboose. Other cars not yet restored include a private car named Voiture Lynnewood[fr], 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.[3]
The original Colebrookdale Railroad started building the railroad line between Boyertown and Pottstown in 1865 to serve the ironore industry along the Manatawny Creek and trains started running on September 6, 1869.[4] 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.[5][6] The Colebrookdale Spur was abandoned by the East Penn Railroad (the successor to Penn Eastern Rail Lines) in 2008.[5][7][8]
The inaugural excursion of the Colebrookdale Railroad on October 18, 2014, led by EMD GP10 7580 in Pennsylvania Railroad colors
The Berks County Redevelopment Authority reactivated the line,[9] with the Eastern Berks Gateway Railroad appointed to operate the line beginning in October 2010.[10] 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.[citation needed] The Colebrookdale Railroad began regular tourist service on October 18, 2014.[11]
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.[12] 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.[13]
Locomotive roster
Currently rostered units
Pennsylvania RailroadGP9 No. 7236. Built by EMD in 1959. Purchased by the Colebrookdale in 2015, it currently serves as the railroad's main workhorse.
Grand Trunk Western4-6-2 J-3b No. 5030. Built by the Baldwin locomotive Works in Philadelphia in 1912, rebuilt in the GTW service shops. It had been on static display in Jackson, Michigan for several years and was acquired by Colebrookdale in February 2021. It is in need of restoration but the particular date the locomotive will be restored is unknown.[14]
Pennsylvania RailroadGP10 No. 7580. Built by EMD in 1957. It was the first locomotive to operate at the Colebrookdale, but it was on loan from a leasing company. It continued to do runs on the line until around 2015, when the railroad acquired No. 7236 for themselves. No. 7580 is currently leased to Steam into History in New Freedom, Pennsylvania.
Atchison, Topeka and Santa FeCF7 No. 2627. Built by EMD in 1946, and rebuilt by the Santa Fe in 1974, it was stored in Glasgow from 2016 to 2020 before being acquired by the Minnesota Transportation Museum, which is currently using it as a spare parts provider for their own F7A.
Rolling stock
Pennsylvania Railroadcaboose No. 477768. Built by the PRR in 1941. Formerly used by the defunct Knox and Kane Railroad before becoming the very first piece of equipment to be owned by the Colebrookdale Railroad. It now serves as a private venue.
Canadian National Passenger car M500 No. 4970 Dawn Treader. Built by Pullman in 1919.
Canadian National Pullman passenger car M500 No. 5033 Storm King.
Maine Centrallounge car. Built by Pullman in 1914. It sat hollow without wheels for several years before being completely rebuilt for use on regular service. It was purchased from the Conway Scenic Railroad, and entered service in November 2020.
Pennsylvania Railroad sleeping car No. 729 Lake Girard. Built by Pullman in 1924. It was converted to a maintenance-of-way car after being retired from passenger service. After spending several years on the Everett Railroad, the sleeping car was acquired by the Colebrookdale in 2015, and it has been in service since 2017.
The Beaver sleeping car. Built by Pullman in 1927; former railroad unknown. It was acquired by the Colebrookdale in 2019 as their first sleeping car, and it is currently awaiting a thorough restoration to be used in the railroad's regular consist.
Business car M530 No. 4714 Joseph Early Widener Lynnewood. Built by Pullman in 1917. It was previously owned by Gaspe Rail for display in Gaspé, Quebec, before it was acquired by the Colebrookdale.[19]
Wheeling and Lake Erie Palace passenger car #3 Huron. Built by Pullman in 1887. Previously owned by the defunct Indiana Transportation Museum in Noblesville, Indiana before being put at risk of getting scrapped. The Colebrookdale acquired it last minute, and it was shipped to Boyertown.
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