The Roarbots’ series of NPS Adventures takes a big-picture view of one location within the National Park Service and highlights some of the best activities that site has to offer. This is usually done through a kid-friendly lens and almost always includes activities and suggestions we can recommend from personal experience. And pictures. There are lots and lots of pictures. Glad to have you aboard!

Welcome to Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site!

Stats

• Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site
• Location: Pennsylvania
• Established: 1964
• Admission: Free
• Social Sites: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram

In 1826, Pennsylvania’s legislators authorized construction of the Main Line canal system, which would connect Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. The project was ambitious, to say the least. It involved building aqueducts, tunnels, reservoirs, dams, and 276 miles of canal. Much of this was dug, built, and finished over the next five years. However, 82 miles of railroad track had to be laid down in order to cross the Allegheny Mountains. No small feat, that.

Both stretches of canal reached opposite sides of the Alleghenies in 1831. To solve the “little” problem of the mountains, it was decided to use an incline plane railroad system. Passengers and goods would travel along the canal (going in either direction) and then move to railroad cars to be towed by stationary steam engines up a series of inclined planes.

Think of it a bit like a huge staircase. In a sense, the railroad operated on pretty much the same principle as a series of locks on a canal. It lifted everything up or down over a series of manageable distances.

The portage railroad officially opened in 1834, but it wouldn’t last long. In 1854, the Pennsylvania Railroad completed a line over the Alleghenies, connecting the two ends of the state with faster, year-round service (portage railroads were slow, and canals froze in the winter).

Even though it was an engineering marvel, the Allegheny Portage Railroad was abandoned after only 23 years of service.

Visitor Center

The Summit Level Visitor Center includes a history of the railroad, a great explanation of what a portage railroad actually is and how they operated, and why this particular stretch of track (which connected the Philadelphia-to-Pittsburgh canal line over the Allegheny Mountains) was so important.

It’s not a very big visitor center, but it’s packed with information. In addition to the standard text-heavy exhibits, the museum also features a full-size steam engine and reproductions of some of the goods that would be transported along the railroad.

The 20-minute movie gives an overview of the park story and is a dramatic interpretation of what it was like to work and travel on the Portage Railroad. The film stars a fictional character, Edgar West, and is one of the most endearing NPS visitor center films I’ve seen. Seriously, if you have 20 minutes, you should watch the film. “That’s life. You grow up, you work hard, you tumble back into the earth. But by gosh, we had our day, didn’t we?!”

Trails

There’s a short, partially boardwalked trail that leads from the visitor center to the Engine House and Lemon House. Beyond that, though, there’s a much longer trail known as the 6 to 10 Trail System that follows the route of the Allegheny Portage Railroad of the 19th Century. It stretches for about 10 miles from Incline 6 (near the Engine House), eastward past the Skew Arch Bridge to Incline 10 (thus the name). The trail is multiuse (hike and bike), so keep your eyes open if you’re hoofing it.

Engine House

A quick hike away from the rear of the visitor center is Engine House No. 6. Why 6? Because this was the sixth incline along the portage railroad (from the west). The original plans for the building were never located, but remains of the foundation are preserved in the exhibit structure. Also inside are exhibits to explain the workings of an engine house. On a clear day (i.e., not what you see in these pictures), you can see Skew Arch Bridge down the stretch of track leading out of the Engine House. During the summer, the area surrounding the Engine House is used for demonstrations of period work skills.

Lemon House

The Lemon House Tavern is a brief hike from the visitor center and just up from the Engine House. Back in the day, the house was a legit tavern with bar, restaurant, and inn. It was a rest stop for those making the long journey along the portage railroad and canals beyond. Today, much of the house has been restored to its 1840s appearance (“prime time” of the railroad operation), and the ground floor is open for self-guided tours. Open are the barroom, the “fancy parlor,” and the double dining room. It’s a rare thing to see so large a structure completely devoid of park rangers. Walking in the front door, it almost feels like you’re trespassing. The entire place is eerily quiet (made even more so by the intense fog on the day we visited).

Nearby

If you’ve got the time (and the weather is cooperating), there are a few worthwhile stops away from the immediate NPS property. Staple Bend Tunnel, built 1831-1833, is the oldest railroad tunnel in the country. It’s owned and operated by the NPS, but it’s in a separate area from the visitor center. It’s also a 2-mile walk from the parking lot, so keep that 4-mile roundtrip hike in mind if you’re planning to make the trip.

Horseshoe Curve is a national historic landmark but not part of the Allegheny Portage Railroad NHS. It was also one of the final nails in the Portage Railroad’s coffin. Traveling the length of the canal-railroad system took about four days. Once the horseshoe curve was finished and people could travel the entire length by rail, it took about 15 hours to make the journey.

And if you just can’t get enough trains, Altoona is also home to the Railroaders Memorial Museum.

Photo © National Park Service

Photo © Railroaders Museum

Junior Ranger

Like most NPS sites, Allegheny Portage Railroad NHS has a park-centric Junior Ranger program. Kids get an opportunity to learn about the railroad, how the portage railroad and incline planes worked, and what life was like along the canal in the mid 19th century. The Junior Ranger program is one of the highlights of any NPS visit for the little Roarbots. It wouldn’t be a visit without a passport stamp and a Junior Ranger badge/pin!