Spotlight: Trains keep on rollin’
In 2027, the Mauch Chunk Switchback Railway will celebrate its 200th anniversary. For almost 200 years, the railroad, in its many capacities, has been an integral part of the history of Carbon County.
From the early days when trains carried coal, or ferried passengers to the Wahnetah Hotel in Glen Onoko, to the current day train designed and painted to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary this year, the train has been the center of attention in the area.
In 1827, Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company, based in present-day Jim Thorpe, launched the Mauch Chunk Switchback Railway, the nation’s second operating railroad. The Switchback Railway connected mines west of Beaver Meadows and Weatherly to the Lehigh Canal opposite Lehighton. It’s main job was to transport coal from the mines near Summit Hill to the Lehigh Canal in Mauch Chunk.
Local pioneer George Hart was one of the area’s foremost leaders in celebrating the mighty railroad, being the first director of the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg. Since the 1930s, Hart photographed and collected photographs of railroads, especially the Reading Railroad. Hart’s Canadian Pacific 4-6-0 No. 972 steam engine was a fixture on the local tracks from the 1966 until 1986.
The Reading Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad eventually began acquiring tracks and rail cars in 1983, and has grown steadily over the years. It currently offers train rides and excursions out of Pittston, Reading, Tamaqua, Nesquehoning and Jim Thorpe, among other areas.
Freight trains still navigate through the area, as shipping products and goods by railroad remains a thriving business.
Trains continue to draw crowds, as evidenced when the specially painted the Reading Blue Mountain & Northern 1776 Engine made its maiden voyage through the area. The engine is decorated to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026. People lined up all along the train’s path to record the historic event via cellphone and camera.
Trains evoke memories of days and years gone by, and are among the most powerful modes of transportation. The love of trains will continue well into the future.