Allegheny Portage Railroad
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Allegheny Portage Railroad
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Incline 6 Trail and Recreated Tracks
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| Location | Blair and Cambria counties, Pennsylvania, United States |
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| Nearest city | Altoona, Pennsylvania |
| Coordinates | 40°27′15″N 78°32′25″W / 40.45417°N 78.54028°WCoordinates: 40°27′15″N 78°32′25″W / 40.45417°N 78.54028°W |
| Area | 1,296 acres (524 ha) |
| Built | 1831-1834 |
| Architectural style | Wood, Stone, Wrought Iron |
| Visitation | 118,931 (2009) |
| Website | Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site |
| MPS | Allegheny Portage Railroad MPS |
| NRHP Reference # | 66000648 |
| Significant dates | |
| Designated NHL | December 29, 1962 |
| Designated PHMC | April 01, 1947 |
The Allegheny Portage Railroad was the first railroad constructed through the Allegheny Mountains in central Pennsylvania, United States; it operated from 1834 to 1854 as the first transportation infrastructure through the gaps of the Allegheny that connected the mid-west to the eastern seaboard across the barrier range of the Allegheny Front. Authorized as part of the Main Line of Public Works legislation in 1824, it was a series of 10 inclines connecting to a branch of the Pennsylvania Canal at either end, approximately 36 miles (58 km) long overall, and had five inclines on either side of the drainage divide running athwart the ridge line from Blair Gap through along the kinked saddle at the summit into Cresson, PA. The Portage Railroad utilized cleverly designed wheeled barges to ride a narrow-gauge rail track with steam-powered stationary engines lifting the vehicles. Except for peak moments of a severe storm, it was an all-weather, all-seasons operation. Along with the rest of the Main Works, it cut transport time from Philadelphia to the Ohio River from weeks to just 3–5 days. The roadbed of the railroad did not incline monotonically upwards, but rose in relatively long, saw-toothed stretches of slightly-sloped flat terrain suitable to animal powered towing, alternating with steep Cable railway inclined planes using static steam engine powered windlasses, similar to mechanisms of modern ski lifts.
It connected two canal 'divisions' of the Main Line of Public Works of the Pennsylvania Canal System, from Johnstown on the west through the relative flats to Hollidaysburg on the east, thus allowing continuous barge traffic between the Ohio and the Susquehanna rivers. Considered a technological marvel in its day, it played a critical role in opening the interior of the United States beyond the Appalachian Mountains to settlement and commerce. It included the first railroad tunnel in the United States, the Staple Bend Tunnel, and its inauguration was marked with great fanfare.
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Wikipedia