Colebrookdale Railroad #2 Best Scenic Train Rides by USA TODAY

Berks County’s Colebrookdale Railroad was recently nominated to USA Today’s 2020 10Best Readers’ Choice travel awards for Best Scenic Train Ride. With the support of the community, the Boyertown railroad made it to #2 on the list.

“The Colebrookdale offers some of the most beautiful, unspoiled scenery in Southeastern Pennsylvania and features the most beautiful passenger train cars in the country,” said Christian Leinbach, chairman of the Berks County Commissioners.

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“We are proud it is in Berks County and grateful for this recognition on a national level.”

In addition to the nomination, the Colebrookdale Railroad has recently received other major awards. In June, Berks County beat out 3,200 other counties in receiving an innovation award from the National Association of Counties for the Colebrookdale project.

Also in June, the National Endowment for Humanities recognized the Colebrookdale Railroad with a CARES Grant. The railroad was one of 317 recipients out of 2,300 candidates.

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The 9-mile freight line was built in 1869 and serves as a link between Boyertown and Pottstown. The Colebrookdale Railroad Preservation Trust was formed in 2009, when the rail was set to be abandoned, and approached Berks County officials to help preserve it.

The county purchased the line in March 2009 and then transferred it over to the Berks County Redevelopment Authority in 2014.

Today, the Colebrookdale offers a scenic route through the cliffs and valleys of eastern Berks County and includes eight different styles of bridges.

“We are proud of the Colebrookdale Railroad’s journey from historic freight line to tourist attraction and encourage our residents to support this local landmark by voting,” Commissioner Kevin S. Barnhardt said.

“This is just another way we can all take a minute out of our day to do something small that can have a much bigger impact in helping our community bounce back.”

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Berks Weekly
Berks Weekly
Berks Weekly is an independent and locally owned digital newspaper covering the City of Reading and Berks County. Subscribe today: berksweekly.com/subscribe
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