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27-504: The Mount Gretna Narrow Gauge Railway was a 2 ft ( 610 mm ) narrow-gauge line of the Cornwall and Lebanon Railroad in the state of Pennsylvania that operated between 1889 and 1915 under the parent Cornwall and Lebanon Railroad Company . The C&L Railroad earlier had established a station and picnic ground at Mount Gretna . The Gilded Age iron industrialist and railroad president Robert Habersham Coleman decided that

54-494: A 600 mm ( 1 ft  11 + 5 ⁄ 8  in ) gauge 4-4-0 for the Ferrocarril de Tacubaya of Mexico City in 1897. Rails weighing 30 pounds per yard (10 kg/m) were spiked onto the 4-inch (10 cm) face of ties 3 feet (0.9 m) long. A turntable , engine-house , water tank, and storage tracks were near the junction with the Cornwall & Lebanon at Mount Gretna. Return loops were built near

81-819: A 4-mile (6-kilometer) narrow-gauge railroad to the top of nearby Governor Dick Mountain would provide an additional tourist draw, and a 0.6-mile (1-kilometer) spur at milepost 0.75 could service the Pennsylvania National Guard rifle ranges nearby. The line was built to the rare (in North America) and very narrow gauge of 24 inches (610 mm). Locomotives, apart from an early and unsuccessful H. K. Porter, Inc 0-4-4 T Forney locomotive numbered 11 (first 11), were three 4-4-0 "American" types (#12, #11 (second 11), and #15 built in that order) built by Baldwin Locomotive Works . Baldwin locomotive #11

108-509: A Union Canal trail and the City of Lebanon section of the LVRT. The trail consists of two parallel paths: one that is surfaced with crushed stone to accommodate walkers, runners, bikers, and cross country skiers in the winter, and one that is surfaced with wood chips to accommodate horseback riders. The majority of the trail is under canopy, with open areas in several locations. Two bridges can be found along

135-476: A large number of guardsmen attempted to board simultaneously from one side of the car. There were some serious injuries, and the tiny railroad ceased operation in the summer of 1916, shortly after its parent company's purchase by the Pennsylvania Railroad . Most sources state that the narrow-gauge equipment was loaded aboard standard gauge cars on 14 September 1916. However, a newspaper clipping dating from

162-520: Is a National Recreation Trail . The rail trail goes from the southwestern border of Lebanon County and goes through Colebrook, Mt. Gretna, Cornwall, and the city of Lebanon. At the southern border of Lebanon County, Pennsylvania the LVRT connects with the Conewago Recreation Trail and continues for another 5.0 miles (8.0 km). The trail is partly built on the old Cornwall–Lebanon Railroad created by industrialist Robert H. Coleman in

189-399: Is maintained by dedicated group of volunteers, and allows for running, walking, biking, horseback riding, and cross-country skiing. The Cornwall-Lebanon Railroad was built with $ 1.2 million in the 1880s by the rich socialite Robert H. Coleman. The railroad was used to carry passengers from Mt. Gretna, an extremely popular resort community of the time. Later the railroad was used to transport

216-402: Is performed by an extremely dedicated core group of volunteers. Lebanon Valley Rails-to-Trail, Inc. is the non-profit organization formed in 1996 to spearhead this rail-trail's development and management. Operating in a county without a public parks and recreation department, LVRT filled the void with volunteer effort and "sweat equity". Local legislators were so impressed by the public support and

243-778: The 600 mm ( 1 ft  11 + 5 ⁄ 8  in ) gauge. The Otavi Mining and Railway Company in South West Africa (now Namibia ) were transferred to the 2 ft gauge railways in South Africa and currently some surviving locomotives reside in Wales on the 1 ft  11 + 1 ⁄ 2  in ( 597 mm ) gauge Welsh Highland Railway and the 1 ft  11 + 3 ⁄ 4  in ( 603 mm ) gauge Brecon Mountain Railway . Lebanon Valley Rail Trail The Lebanon Valley Rail Trail ( LVRT )

270-413: The 1880s. The trail runs 15.0 miles (24.1 km), and there are many phases in development that would extend the trail to northern Lebanon County and Jonestown. The trail features a packed stone path and paved path at many parts that traverses "Pennsylvania Dutch Country" and other scenic routes. Trail users see untouched woodlands of state gamelands, forests, and views of area fields and farms. The trail

297-523: The 24th of December, 1920 mentions the departure of "two miniature steam locomotives" with reference to the narrow gauge railroad. This clipping is backed up by numerous other reports from around that same time. The standard-gauge Cornwall and Lebanon Railroad continued operations as a branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad, and later Penn Central Transportation Company until 1972. Hurricane Agnes caused flood damage, preventing operation of trains on

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324-540: The LVRT that uses the Cornwall Trailhead as a gathering location where trail goers are offered to buy food and gifts from the oversized root beer barrel shop located there. Another event significant to the trail is the Adopt a Bench program that offers supporters of the LVRT to donate a bench that will be placed along the trail with a plaque attached to it in honor of the donator. The Adopt a Foot program allows supporters of

351-541: The Penn Central Railroad. At that time, a group of concerned local residents worked to convince the Lebanon County Commissioners to bid on the corridor for public recreational trail use. Unfortunately, the county was outbid and the rail line was transferred to private ownership. Ironically, this first attempt to acquire the trail was ahead of its time in that the rails-to-trails movement that has swept

378-479: The Pennsylvania National Guard from their camp near Mt. Gretna. As time went on the railroad service stopped, which resulted in the rail being purchased by the Pennsylvania Railroad. This group continued use of the rail up until the powerful Hurricane Agnes devastated Lebanon County. The hurricane destroyed sections of the track in 1972. The Cornwall-Lebanon Branch railroad was abandoned in 1979 by

405-530: The acquisition and development of a 2.5-mile extension to the City of Lebanon. The trail passes near Zinns Mill Road toward the Lebanon Expo Center, then to South Hill Park, and ending at the 8th Street trailhead. This section of the trail features a 10-foot-wide paved surface, equestrian path, and an above-ground bridge at Wilhelm Avenue. Construction cost $ 575,000 and was funded by personal donations and federal and state funds. The City of Lebanon extension

432-610: The branch, and the damage was not repaired. The branch was converted to the 21st-century Lebanon Valley Rail Trail after the rails were removed. 2 ft and 600 mm gauge railways Most of these lines are tourist lines, which are often heritage railways or industrial lines, such as the Ffestiniog Railway in Wales and the Cripple Creek and Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad in Colorado . World War I trench railways produced

459-522: The coastal areas of Queensland , which carry more than 30 million tonnes of sugar cane a year. Many 2 ft ( 610 mm ) gauge and 600 mm ( 1 ft  11 + 5 ⁄ 8  in ) gauge railways are used in amusement parks and theme parks worldwide. The interchange of rolling stock between these similar track gauges occasionally occurred; for example, the South African Class NG15 2-8-2 locomotives started their career on

486-521: The greatest concentration of 600 mm ( 1 ft  11 + 5 ⁄ 8  in ) gauge railways to date. In preparation for World War II , the French Maginot Line and Alpine Line also used 600 mm ( 1 ft  11 + 5 ⁄ 8  in ) gauge railways for supply routes to the fixed border defenses. Australia has over 4,000 kilometres (2,500 mi) of 2 ft ( 610 mm ) gauge sugar cane railway networks in

513-527: The nation really only began in earnest during the mid-1980s. Twenty years later, interest in the rail-trail resurfaced as development pressure in the southern end of the county began to threaten available open space and recreational opportunities that residents had taken for granted for many years. Led by John Wengert Jr, the Lebanon Valley Rails-to-Trails Inc. was incorporated in 1996, and negotiations were initiated with Eastern Enterprises,

540-471: The owner of the railbed south of the city of Lebanon to the Lancaster County line. Fortunately, large sections of the proposed rail-trail were still largely intact. In December 1999, LVRT purchased the railbed from Eastern Enterprises and early in 2000 kicked off a community fundraising campaign which, together with several grants from the state funded trail surfacing and other improvements. 2009 marked

567-487: The rifle range and around Governor Dick peak. During the summer of 1889 passengers were carried in one conventional coach and 7 open-sided observation cars boarded from long foot-boards running along the length of either side of the car, though typically trains consisted of only one to three coaches. These eight passenger cars were built by the Jackson & Sharp Company . Two more observation cars were added when locomotive #15

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594-416: The success of a private fundraising campaign which raised over $ 300,000 dollars for the first phase of the trail, that they responded by providing state grants to extend and complete development of subsequent sections. The trail sponsors several events including Root Beer Barrel Day, capital fund-raising campaigns, high school team runs and organized bike rides. Root Beer Barrel Day is an appreciation event for

621-633: The trail and restrooms can be found at the Lawn, Colebrook and Cornwall Trail heads. A large root beer barrel located at the Cornwall trailhead serves as a small gift store and the trail is located in the vicinity of several restaurants and ice cream shops, an inn and bike shop. A quote directly from the LVRTs website: The most unique aspect of the Lebanon Valley Rail-Trail is that all fundraising, construction management, trail maintenance and public relations

648-611: The trail at Wilhelm Avenue and near the Cornwall Trail Head, while warning signs can be found at the six at-grade road crossings. Trailheads can be found at Lawn Road, Colebrook Road, Alden Place, Cornwall, near the Expo Center in Lebanon, and on 8th Street. Parking is available at all of these locations and also between Eckert and Lawn Road, and just east of Lincoln Ave near South Hills Park. Benches are placed in several locations along

675-652: Was built upon the former Cornwall Industrial Track and acquired from the RJ Railroad Co which was used by Conrail to serve the local Alcoa plant in South Lebanon Township. Modern-day extensions are focused on the updating of the Cornwall trailhead, which was partially funded by a $ 25,000 gift from the Friends of the Rexmont Dams. Studies are in progress to develop an area outside Jonestown that will one day connect to

702-540: Was ordered on 22 June 1889 and built in only 8 days to be ready for anticipated Independence Day crowds after the Porter Forney wheelbase proved too rigid for reliable service on small-radius curves . The Baldwin locomotives featured lagged smokeboxes and were the only 2 ft ( 610 mm ) gauge 4-4-0 s ever operated in North America (discounting Crown Metal Products locomotives); although Baldwin built

729-470: Was purchased for the summer of 1890. At first the railroad was popular, but the tourist trade declined after the novelty had died down. The loop around Governor Dick was dismantled after the summer of 1896, but the railroad continued operation for the National Guard rifle range. A serious accident on the 11th of July, 1915 killed off that traffic. One of the observation cars overturned on a sharp curve when

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