Allegheny Portage Railroad

Allegheny Portage Railroad
Company type	Defunct
Industry	Railroad
Founded	1831
Defunct	1857
Headquarters	Pennsylvania, United States
Area served	Pennsylvania
Products	Rail transport

Allegheny Portage Railroad

The Allegheny Portage Railroad holds the distinction of being the inaugural railroad built through Pennsylvania's Allegheny Mountains, functioning between 1834 and 1854. Covering roughly 36 miles, it linked the Pennsylvania Canal system at both ends, acting as a vital portage railway that moved riverboats and barges across the watershed separating the Ohio and Susquehanna Rivers. This route played a key role in boosting commerce by connecting the Midwest with the eastern seaboard over the Allegheny Front. Presently, its remnants are safeguarded within the Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, overseen by the National Park Service.

Established under the 1824 Main Line of Public Works act, the railroad incorporated five inclined planes on each side of the drainage divide stretching from Blair Gap to Cresson, Pennsylvania. It linked Johnstown in the west to Hollidaysburg in the east through relatively level terrain suitable for animal-drawn transport, interspersed with steep cable railway inclines powered by stationary steam engines. This pioneering system utilized narrow-gauge rails combined with steam-driven windlasses, resembling contemporary ski lift technology.

Operating throughout the year except during extreme weather, this railroad shortened travel time from Philadelphia to the Ohio River from several weeks down to 3–5 days. Celebrated as a technological milestone, it was pivotal in opening lands west of the Appalachian Mountains for settlement and trade. Among its notable features was America's first railroad tunnel, the Staple Bend Tunnel, and its inauguration marked a significant advancement in transportation infrastructure.

History

Construction on the 36-mile Old Portage Railroad connecting Hollidaysburg and Johnstown commenced in 1831 and concluded within three years. The line included a 900-foot tunnel and a viaduct spanning the Little Conemaugh River near Johnstown, with vertical climbs measuring 1,172 feet from Johnstown and 1,399 feet from Hollidaysburg. Funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to rival the Erie Canal and railroads in neighboring regions, private contractors carried out construction. The railroad comprised eleven level stretches and ten cable-powered inclined planes designed to transport loaded canal boats mounted on flatbed cars. Mules pulled trains along level sections while stationary steam engines hauled cars up steep inclines using hemp ropes initially, which were replaced by wire ropes in 1842.

The full Main Line system connecting Philadelphia to Pittsburgh extended approximately 400 miles and combined both canals and railroads. This integration cut travel time from 23 days by wagon down to four days via rail and canal. Operating for about twenty years, the Old Portage Railroad earned acclaim as "the wonder of America." The famed author Charles Dickens recounted his experience traveling on it in Chapter 10 of American Notes, emphasizing its engineering feats and picturesque terrain.

By the 1850s, advancements in railway technology rendered both the Main Line of Public Works and its portage railroad outdated. The Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR), chartered in 1846 amid competition with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad to establish a trans-state route, began service between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh in 1852, reducing travel duration to just 13 hours. Construction of the New Portage Railroad—a 40-mile realignment designed to bypass inclined planes—began in 1851 at a cost of $2.14 million. In 1857, PRR purchased the existing Portage Railroad along with other Main Line assets from Pennsylvania, subsequently abandoning most of the old line or converting portions into local branch lines.

Nearly fifty years later, segments east of Gallitzin Tunnel were reactivated as standard-gauge freight tracks, reopening as a bypass route in 1904. Nevertheless, this line along with most branch trackage adjacent to the Juniata River was abandoned by Conrail in 1981, resulting in track removal.

In recognition of its engineering significance, the Allegheny Portage Railroad was designated a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers in 1987.

National Historic Site

Designated in 1964, the National Historic Site is situated approximately west of Altoona, spanning Blair and Cambria counties. The National Park Service manages a visitor center nearby the historic railroad corridor, offering educational exhibits. Close to this area, the Samuel Lemon House, formerly a well-known tavern frequented by travelers, has been transformed into a museum. The location also includes restored railroad tracks, an engine house containing displays, picnic facilities, and walking trails.

One of the site's remarkable engineering accomplishments is the skew arch bridge positioned near the Lemon House. This exemplary cut stone structure measures on the south face and on the north side, with a height of . It stands out as the sole bridge along the route constructed to support a roadway. Additionally, the Staple Bend Tunnel—a distinct component of the site—is found east of Johnstown.

Bibliography

Baumgardner, Mahlon J.; Hoenstine, Floyd G. The Allegheny Old Portage Railroad 1834-1854: Building Operation and Travel between Hollidaysburg and Johnstown Pennsylvania. Self-published by the Blair County and Cambria County Chapters of the Sons of the American Revolution, Cresson, PA, 1952.
McKee, Harley J. Introduction to Early American Masonry: Stone, Brick, Mortar, and Plaster. The Preservation Press, 1980. ISBN 978-0891330066.

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