railtrailbiker wrote:I biked from Valley Forge to Locust Street Center City on Wednesday and am curious to know about the rail service that once occupied the right of way I used.
What railroad, when route was abandoned, and what portions of the trail are actually using the former RR ROW.
That railline started as the Pennsylvania Railroad.
It was built to compete with the Reading Railroad/Philadelphia for Coal Traffic.
I belive the Pennsylvania started with mixed coal & passenger service in the pre-civil war 1860s or about then.
The bike trail runs to Port Royal Avenue, then leaves the Pennsyl ROW for Nixon Street.
The Pennsylvania Railroad continued south to Ivy Ridge, Manayunk, across the big Spanish Arch Bridge through Bala and Cynwyd to Zoo, towards Arsenal junction, then down the 25th Street Viaduct in South Philly to the Pennsport yards.
Tthere are carbon copies of the Manyunk Bridge on the former Pennsy railroad that's now the Thun Trail just east of Reading PA
Part of that section of former Pennsylvania Railraod is a rail with trail,
but the big Spanish Arch bridges are only carrying bicycles now.
The Pennsy ran passenger service to Broad Street Station over what's now JFK blvd.
Hal