Pottstown PA Railroad bed

[404marc]

Hello -

On the south side of the Schuykill River by the Stowe PA exit off 422. From Google maps http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl

you can see the rail bed travel alongside the Schuykill for a mile or two East, then it disappears under 422. No bridge trestles to cross the Schuykill.

Going west it crosses over 724 at Scholl road then disappears.

Thanks.

[JimBoylan]

I think that it is the Reading Company's Schuylkill Navigation Company. Come back in the winter, and I think you'll see a lock, and part of a humpback bridge over the old canal bed. It may have been used as late as 1926, although by then, it was closed on Sundays.

[Bethlehem Jct.]

I'm with Mr. Boylan on this one. Looking at the 1923 Chester County map and the late 30's aerial photos, it appears to be the remnants of the Schuylkill Canal.

[Schuylkill Valley]

Mr. Boylan is correct . That is what's left of the Schuylkill Navigation System of June 24, 1815. That is what your seeing. The only thing is the Canal didn't go under the Route 422 bridge. From the river bridge at Stowe to the Kentelworth exit on Route 422 east/west, Route 422 is pretty much on the old canal bed. then at Kentelworth exit to Tow Path park along Route 724 , Route 724 is some what on the old Canal bed. From Tow Path Park it's back in it's bed the whole way till Anderson Road Parkerford. where it was removed for a farmers field. I can go on if you want me too. I'm a historian for the canal and I live in this area.

Take care,
Len.

[404marc]

I'm sold. Never considered a canal crossing OVER the road. Thanks.

Any one know about the Sow Belly?

[JimBoylan]

TAN: My father remembered going canoeing on that canal with his parents one Sunday about 1925. They had to carry the canoe around the lock. He remembered the lock tender being asked if there was any traffic during the week when he would be on duty, and heard the answer, "Only coal for the dredge". His parents remembered that when they were courting on Sundays, before 1918, they used tokens to pay the lockage fee. Someone else more recently suggested that they were really paper tickets, instead of metal "coins". Does anyone really know?

[Schuylkill Valley]

They were metal Tokens Worth 10 Cents , You could ride on the whole canal, all 110 miles between Port Carbon and Philadelphia.
Do you Remember which Lock were they talking about? My Late Great Uncle Harry " Jack" Millers Father was the last Lock Keeper at FricksLocks in Chester County.

Len.

[Schuylkill Valley]

The Sow Belly was really called the Delaware River and Lancaster Railroad of 1993.
I help write a book about this railroad a few years back.

Len.

[JimBoylan]

The lock was near Valley Forge, but I don't know for sure which one. The reason for dredging just before the end of the canal era was that the "silt" was mostly coal dust, and finally had commercial value, but not for burning in dredge boilers!

[CarterB]

I think that it is the Reading Company's Schuylkill Navigation Company. Come back in the winter, and I think you'll see a lock, and part of a humpback bridge over the old canal bed. It may have been used as late as 1926, although by then, it was closed on Sundays.

Jim, any map coordinates where the "humpback bridge" and lock were/are?

[Schuylkill Valley]

Going west it crosses over 724 at Scholl road then disappears.

The bridge you can see from Route 422 is the Stone aqueduct that carries the canal over Laurel Creek.
The location you're speaking of is known as Laurel Locks and Farm . Route 183 crossed over the canal on a bridge , but not a camelback bridge. just a wooden one lane bridge. The canal then goes west to Birdsboro,PA. The next farm after Laurel Locks Farm is Company Farm it was owned by the Schuylkill Navigation. Here at this farm they housed 250 mules. They would exchange out the team and replace them with a fresh team to continue the travel up or down the Canal. At Company Farm, there is a large pool of water that would dock 25 barges.

Laurel Locks Farm is owned By Charlie Marshell. Interesting note: Mr. Marshell worked as a Big boss with the Pennsylvania Railroad and then with Conrail.

Hope that helps.
Len.

This is what Laurel Locks looks like today in 2011.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcsaint/38 ... 033548374/