By Nancy Marchnmarch@pottsmerc.com @merceditor on Twitter
“Have you ridden the train?”That question, being asked more and more often in the Pottstown-Boyertown area, is being answered more and more often with an enthusiastic, “Yes, and I’m going to ride again!”
The train in this question is the Colebrookdale Railroad Secret Valley Line, a scenic train ride round trip from Boyertown to Pottstown through Colebrookdale, Douglass (Berks) and West Pottsgrove townships. The enthusiasm comes from an experience that combines train lore with local history and spectacular views hidden from view, even on the back roads, of this secret valley.
I’ve ridden the train three times, twice in the past three days. (This is, after all, the very peak of fall foliage.)
My first trek was part of a family reunion in August, when 41 Egolf relatives rode the train, cheering as it went past the site of the Egolf farmstead at Colebrookdale and Manatawny roads, one of the oldest farmsteads in Berks County before it was torn down a half century ago.
The Egolf homestead was a log cabin of the Revolutionary War era built by Joachim Nagle on land acquired from John Potts. The property was acquired by the Egolf family in the 1800s, and several generations and home additions later, the farm was where my grandparents raised their 12 children. And, on parts of the land, my Dad, two of his sisters and one of his nephews built homes and raised their families as well. So when the Secret Valley Line narrator called the Manatawny crossing, “Egolf corner,” the train whistle wasn’t the only noise.
But the Colebrookdale Railroad’s local significance is of course far greater than my family story.
The rail line has its own narrative, as rich in history as it is in potential.
First year proves the promise The story we most often tell in this newspaper is the one being written right now by the Colebrookdale Railroad Preservation Trust, an organization formed for the purpose of redevelopment of the rail line as a tribute to local history and a tourism attraction for Boyertown and Pottstown.
On Friday, the Trust hosted a legislative train ride marking a year of operation. A similar trip a year ago was a “sneak peak” for state, federal and local officials to eye the potential for the rail line in county redevelopment and as an economic driver for the region. This year’s event celebrated the contributions of many of the government entities, including the recent $250,000 grant from Montgomery County Redevelopment Authority, and the labor of volunteers that is keeping the project on track.
Rob Wade, president of the Trust, gave the 40-some government representatives in attendance numbers to reflect the first year of operation: 20,000 people have ridden the rail in the past year from nearly every state in the nation and other countries; 30,000 volunteer hours in the past 18 months have gone into refurbishing rail cars and conducting rides; $1.2 million has been invested in track work, and $4 million in economic benefits are already being realized in both Berks and Montgomery counties.
The group applauded when Wade said that the elegant rail car in which they were seated was completely restored by volunteers, turning a $100,000 investment into a coach valued at more than $500,000. That investment return because of local “sweat equity,” inspires funding, legislators noted.
Meet the conductorsThe volunteer effort continues on board.
Meet Bonny Mallon and Frank Kremm, two of the conductors who help all get aboard (“watch your step…”) and tend to safety procedures throughout the train.
Mallon, a former bank teller from Red Hill who now works in financial planning, is one of the few female certified conductors in Pennsylvania. To become certified by the Federal Railroad Administration, conductors pass written and physical tests that demonstrate knowledge and ability to keep the train running smoothly and safely.
Kremm is a Navy veteran and worked both at the Limerick Nuclear Generating Station and as technology director for the Boyertown Area School District before retiring and getting certified as a conductor. “I’m living every 3-year-old boy’s dream,” he says.
And while they “work” as volunteers for nearly every trip scheduled – 63 trips in October alone – they never tire of the ride. “This is what I love most – the ride,” said Kremm, looking out over the Manatawny-Ironstone confluence and reminding passengers to keep an eye out for the bald eagle pair that perches and feeds there.
Success story in the making Of all the projects that have started and stopped, of all the exciting ideas that have failed to materialize, of all the steps forward and backward in an attempt to revitalize Pottstown and Boyertown, the Colebrookdale project stands out as a success.
State Rep. David Maloney, who can see the train from his downtown Boyertown office, noted Friday how quickly this project went “from point A to point B,” how the timeline of progress has exceeded predictions, rather than fallen behind.
Those involved credit railroad executive director Nathaniel Guest for that achievement. Guest, a Pottsgrove High School graduate, attorney, and preservationist, is the face and voice of the Colebrookdale Railroad. As ambassador, fundraiser, historian, organizer, leader, and chief conductor, he is the force behind the railroad’s success.
And, it is his voice that for most train rides recounts the history of the rail line and its integral part of American history.
Poole Forge, built on the Manatawny a stone’s throw from my parents’ house, was the first ironmaking forge in the colonies. It was the site of Berks County’s one and only Indian battle, and was critical to making arms and ammunition for George Washington’s army.
Those little-known historical facts are highlighted in the Secret Valley Line narrative being introduced to people from all over the world that ride this train.
The Colebrookdale Railroad recounts this history at the same time it’s writing a new story for Pottstown and Boyertown revitalized as tourist destinations.
Have you ridden the train? If not, you’re missing a good story.
