BOYERTOWN PA – Thousands of people annually visit the Colebrookdale Railroad to enjoy its leisurely train rides through “The Secret Valley” between Boyertown and Pottstown. Beyond its tourism appeal, though, it also operates a rail freight line known as the Eastern Berks Gateway Railroad.
Both are now preparing to grow.
The Colebrookdale Railroad Preservation Trust, in its monthly newsletter issued Tuesday (Jan. 13, 2026), reports work crews are “currently under way” with track extension projects. They represent what the trust describes as “an important step forward in expanding the railroad’s operational footprint, and creating new possibilities for future excursions.”
The projects are aimed at extending usable trackage, it says.
Photos provided by Colebrookdale Railroad Preservation Trust from its newsletter
Adding Freight Flexibility
On the freight side of the trust’s business, new tracks will allow “ freight traffic to continue to flourish.” The goal, it adds, is to “provide additional flexibility for operations in our Boyertown transload yard as the railroad continues to grow.”
A transload yard is a transfer area, used to move freight from one mode of transportation – in this instance, the train – to another, usually trucks.
The Eastern Berks Gateway Railroad is “a full-service, fully-insured, professionally-operated common carrier railroad,” a Colebrookdale website page states. It also “is a handling carrier line for Norfolk Southern” with terminals in both Pottstown and Boyertown.
The trust promotes the Eastern Berks line as serving “two of Pennsylvania’s fastest growing economies,” in its links to Montgomery and Berks counties. With its Norfolk Southern connections, freight shipped from either terminal could reach destinations across 22 states and several ports. Shippers and recipients may consider that a valuable feature.
Adding Excursion Possibilities
The Colebrookdale Railroad ended 2025 with what the newsletter calls “a record year” that included its well-received “Santa Excursions” during December. “From sipping hot chocolate, eating cookies and writing letters to Santa,” the popular attraction helped riders make “memories that will last a lifetime!,” it proudly notes.
The track extension projects play a role in its tourism future, too. “Expanding the line also helps preserve the historic rail corridor by keeping it active and maintained,” the newsletter says.
“Each new stretch of track represents a continued commitment to safeguarding this important piece of regional rail history, while preparing it for the next chapter,” it adds. The work “will enhance the experience for our passengers, and help us continue telling the story of the Secret Valley Line … one mile at a time.”
Earlier News from the Railroad
- PA Lists Boyertown Attraction Among Best Halloween Choices for Families
- Colebrookdale RR Workers Give Railcar Another ‘Life’
- Colebrookdale RR Crossings to Improve with $16 Million
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