Colebrookdale RR Connect Communities & Two Major Counties thru Tourism

About the Program

Category: Arts, Culture and Historic Preservation (Best in Category)

Year: 2020

A historic rail line in Berks and Montgomery Counties was threatened with abandonment just as the market crashed in the late 2000s, posing major safety concerns, isolating the region’s businesses from the national network, and potentially wasting an irreplaceable asset. The County of Berks partnered with the County of Montgomery and the non-profit Colebrookdale Railroad Preservation Trust to build a public-private consortium, including federal, state, and local entities, private individuals and foundations, and volunteers. Together, they invested $15 M to save the line and transform it into the highest-rated heritage railroad in the state, largely without county taxpayer funds. Hauling both freight and passenger traffic, the project generates millions of dollars of economic impact annually for southeastern Pennsylvania. It received the highest recognition for a grassroots preservation project from the White House in 2015, has set new standards within the industry, and serves as a model for multi-county collaboration and public-private partnerships.