Grant Will Aid New Colebrookdale Railroad Plan

The Colebroodale Railroad's Secret Valley Line at its station in Boyertown.

The Colebrookdale Railroad Preservation Trust has received a $17,290 grant from the The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.

According to Nathaniel Guest, executive director of the trust, the grant will be used to write a new strategic plan for the railroad.

"Our first strategic plan is now five years old and has been largely implemented. While the railroad has met or exceeded the expectations set forth in that first plan, we want to lay out how the success and future growth of the railroad could further advance the quality of life in our region," he wrote in response to a query from MediaNews Group.

The restored dining car on the Colebrookdale Railroad.

"The plan funded in part by this grant will do that," he said adding that he wanted to thank state representatives Joe Ciresi, D-146th Dist.; Tim Hennessey, R-26th Dist.; Marcy Topel, R-147th Dist., David Maloney, R-158th Dist., and state Sen. Robert mensch, R-24th Dist., for their support and leadership.

"I don't know if the people of our region know how blessed they are to have these elected officials in place. I've been working at this for a while now, and I can say we need to be grateful for them. Good leadership is everything," Guest wrote.

The grant was announced by Ciresi, who said in a press release, “railroads have a rich history in Pennsylvania. As the Keystone State, transportation of goods has always been a hallmark of what we do."

He added, "I’m grateful that this money will be used to preserve this historical site. I was happy to fight for the allocation of these funds, and I’m even happier to see this money coming back to our community."

Cultural and Historical Support Grants are to provide general operating support to Pennsylvania museums and official county historical societies that are not directly supported by other state agency operating support programs. An eligible museum must have an annual operating budget exceeding $100,000 and at least one full-time professional staff person.

The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission received 153 applications. All applicants were eligible.

Fifty-six official county historical societies applied for support grants and 12 qualified in the museum category.

The railroad also recently received a $7,500 "Green Region" grant from PECO that will provide part of the 20 percent match for a $200,000 grant being sought by the Colebrookdale Railroad to improve connections with the new "Steel River Station" it is building in Memorial Park.

The new Steel River station in Pottstown's Memorial Park was part of the previous strategic plan.