Mt. Penn Gravity Railroad
Ruins
Reading, Pa.
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The Mt. Penn Gravity Railroad is long-gone, and mostly forgotten, but some of its ruins can still be found.
If you're willing to hike back into the woods, you may find some "lost" ruins from 75 years ago.
Some of these I've found, others I'm still looking for. I will post pictures as I can.
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| Right-of-way (alongside telephone poles) coming through Egleman Park. Note crevice in foreground where bridge used to cross |
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| Bridge that Used to Carry the Railroad Across the Creek |
1. The Pendora Park station - The only thing left is a broken-up cement slab that used to be the "waiting platform" for the station. This can be found about 12 feet up the hillside across the street from the tennis courts in the back of Pendora Park. Its almost directly under the Viaduct.
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2. Egleman Park - The uphill side of "the gravity" used to run along what is now Glen Rd. It crossed what is now Hill Rd. and proceeded into Egleman Park to the north side of the Egleman Park lake. After passing the lake, it crossed the creek, circled around the area where the pavilion now stands and exited the park through the rear.
The little footbridge that spans the Egleman Park lake dam, alongside Hill Rd., is actually the bridge "the gravity" used to cross the creek. It was moved to its present location after the railroad was demolished.
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3. Keideish's - There are supposed to be ruins of the ice house left. Haven't found them yet.
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| View and Brackets from the South Turn Picnic Area |
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| Wall and Storage Room Left from the Summit House |
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| Steps to the Summit House |
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| Steigerwald's Winery |
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| Wall from "the Gravity" |
4. South Turn Picnic Area - If you go to the lookout area about one-quarter mile south of the summit, you can find in the woods the "South Turn". This is where the right-of-way came up from Angora Rd., and made a 180 degree turn onto (what is now) Skyline Drive. Climb the hill to the inside (north side) of the curve and you will find some metal brackets leftover from the picnic area.
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5. The Summit - The William Penn Memorial Tower is still standing. Of course, the tower wasn't built until 16 years after the demise of the Gravity Railroad.
If you go to the south end of the summit and stand on the cement platform with the railing around it, you are standing on a piece of the Summit Hotel. The little structure you're standing on was once a part of the hotel.
The stone stairs from Skyline Drive to the grassy area are from the Summit Hotel. The hotel actually stood on the grassy area.
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6. Kuchler's Roost - There is supposed to be ruins of the wine cellar buried deeply in the woods. I will confirm it, if I ever find it.
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7. Wildwood Park - The picnic area was just northwest of the intersection of List Rd. and Hill Rd. There are supposed to be ruins left. I haven't found them yet, but I will.
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8. Steigerwald's Winery - The house still stands on Hill Rd.
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9. School House Crossing - Just across the street from the drive leading into Stokesay Castle is a stone wall alongside a private residence. The right-of-way used to come down alongside this wall before proceeding down the Stokesay Castle driveway.
This wall is on Private Property.
Please Respect the Owner's Privacy
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10. Cemetery Curve - If you hike up the hill above Aulenbach's Cemetery, you can still see the right-of-way of the railroad.
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11. The Last Turn - A block or two up Glen Rd., from the Viaduct, on the right side is a "cut" in the hillside. This is the last turn of the railroad before it coasted back to the Pendora Park station.
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| "Gazebo" Made from a Gravity Railroad Trolley |
This is the site of the second accident.
This is also a good spot to hike up to Cemetery Curve.
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12. On one of the lawns in the area still stands a "gazebo" created from one of the Gravity Railroad trolleys.
This gazebo is on Private Property.
Please Respect the Owner's Privacy
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If you have any information
on these places, please contact me at - crc1123@voicenet.com
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Created- Mon, Mar. 1, 1999
Revised- Mon, Mar. 1, 1999
crc1123@voicenet.com
