U.S. Sen. Bob Casey takes a ride on Colebrookdale Railroad to tout $14.7 million in federal funding

Jun. 13—U.S. Sen. Bob Casey climbed out of the diesel locomotive with a smile on his face.

The ride he had just finished was a short one, clicking up and down the tracks in Boyertown on a round trip that lasted less than 20 minutes. But the tree-covered path provided for a picturesque voyage, one Casey had obviously enjoyed.

He even had an opportunity to drive the powerful engine that pulled just a caboose behind it. But he had declined, instead letting Montgomery County Commissioners Valerie Arkoosh and Kenneth Lawrence Jr. have the honor.

"I wanted to make sure that a highly skilled doctor and an executive did the work," he said with a laugh.

Casey and county commissioners from Berks and Montgomery counties gathered in Boyertown on Monday morning not just for a train ride but to celebrate funding that will keep engines rolling up and down the rails for decades to come.

The Colebrookdale Railroad was recently awarded $14.7 million in funding through a federal program that aims to improve rail infrastructure and safety.

The federal dollars will be used to rehabilitate about 9 miles of track as well as replace or repair 14 deteriorating bridges between Boyertown and Pottstown. It will also support construction of two rail yards and improve drainage issues that contribute to large pools of water on nearby roads.

The projects are required to allow continued rail service.

During a press conference at the train station in downtown Boyertown before the short train ride, officials representing the railroad and the communities it links spoke about what the federal funding will mean for the line's future.

Casey said he understands the hard work of restoring and repairing the line still lies ahead but encouraged those gathered at the event to pause and celebrate.

"What we're celebrating today is the future of so many communities in our commonwealth," he said. "We should insist on the best and that means continuing to come to elected officials for federal assistance. The people of Berks County and Montgomery County deserve this.

"People pay taxes so that we can make investments that will make their lives better — this is one of the many ways we can do that."

Nathaniel Guest, executive director of the trust that manages the railroad, agreed that the event provided supporters an opportunity to celebrate the federal dollars that will help forge a brighter path forward. He told those in the crowd that without strong partnerships with government officials and the work of volunteers the railroad would have been forever lost to history.

"Today we celebrate this catalytic injection of hope and are grateful for the opportunity to chug ahead," he said.

Keeping history alive

The Colebrookdale Railroad, a freight line that originally transported passengers and iron ore along the Manatawny Creek through woodlands and over historical bridges, was first established as a link between Boyertown and Pottstown in 1869.

Upon learning the line was going to be abandoned in 2009 and believing the history of the line was worth saving, Guest created a campaign to keep the trains running.

He formed the Colebrookdale Railroad Preservation Trust and approached Berks County for assistance.

The county bought the line in March 2009 for $1.35 million to continue service to its freight customers through an agreement with Eastern Berks Gateway Railroad.

Then, in 2014, the commissioners turned it over to the Berks County Redevelopment Authority. The redevelopment authority established a partnership with the trust with the goal of keeping the freight business moving while working to create a passenger service that would become a tourist destination.

Aging infrastructure

The need for improvements on the rail line is an issue that has been discussed for several years.

Kenneth Pick, executive director of the redevelopment authority, told the Berks commissioners in February 2020 that millions of dollars would be needed to replace the existing track and renovate some of the bridges to handle the 286,000-pound rail cars that have become the industry standard.

Pick said that while the line was safe in its current condition, the railroad was missing out on valuable freight business because the line is not up to industry standards.

Guest pointed out at that meeting that the passenger service has been a tremendous success. But, he said, the railroad has reached a ceiling on that side of the business.

Guest and Pick told the board the best way to ensure the line is financially sustainable heading into the future is to add freight customers. And they couldn't do that until infrastructure improvements are made.

Linking communities

At the press conference Monday, officials from Berks and Montgomery counties spoke of the importance of the Colebrookdale Railroad.

Christian Leinbach, chairman of the Berks commissioners, said that as far back as when he was first running for a seat on the board in 2007 he was hearing from leaders in the Boyertown region about the impact of keeping the rail line open.

"That was when I began to understand the value of this connection," he said. "And I made a commitment that I would do everything I could to preserve that. At that time the railroad was on the verge of abandonment, and if it had been abandoned it would have been gone forever."

Leinbach said the rail line connects communities, and the federal funding it has received allows that connection to continue.

Arkoosh, who serves as chairwoman of the Montgomery commissioners, said that soon after she took office in 2015 Leinbach invited her to come to the Colebrookdale Railroad to talk about the value of the connection the line creates.

"I couldn't even believe such a thing still existed," she said. "And I have been all in ever since."

Arkoosh said the improvements will strengthen the local infrastructure and economy. She said the project will create hundreds of jobs and support hundreds of existing jobs in related industries. She said it is also a win for the climate, as the project is estimated to remove more than 12,000 trucks from local highways each year.

Overall, it is expected to result in $67 million in short-term stimulus impact for the region.

"Investments in our infrastructure provides a lifeline for commerce, tourism and is a great example of local government collaborating with the federal government," she said.

Leinbach and Arkoosh commended the countless volunteers who have helped breathe new life into the railroad. They also thanked Casey for his leadership in helping to secure the federal funds to make the necessary improvements.