Walk and Talk at the CREC about "The Pennsy", Railroad Remnants in Haverford

In the northwest corner of Haverford Township, the old Newtown Square Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad, fondly known as “The Pennsy,” used to wander lazily past large farms and through the woods before crossing Darby Creek on a narrow bridge. 

The railroad branch is long gone, but on Saturday, April 12 at 1 pm, you can experience it for yourself. Richard Kerr of the Haverford Township Historical Society will lead a “talk and walk,” starting in the Community Recreation and Environmental Center (CREC building) in Haverford Reserve, 9000 Parkview Drive, Haverford, as part of the Earth Day activities at the Reserve.  The presentation will be in the large Multi-Use Room, so there will be plenty of room for people. 

The “talk” portion is an illustrated slide presentation called “The Railroad Branch, the Reserve and Darby Creek in Haverford.” It will cover the historical highlights of the old railroad line, the remnants that remain today up around the Haverford Reserve, and the history of the land there -- the Wood brothers’ “Brookthorpe Farms,” J. Stanley Reeve’s “Brookthorpe” and foxhunting in Haverford, the Atwater Kent “Foxcroft” estate, the Haverford State Hospital and finally the Haverford Reserve park. It is peppered with relevant, insight-yielding quotations about these local topics from 1920-era authors Christopher Morley and J. Stanley Reeve.

Those who want can then do the “walk” portion to see everything with their own eyes and even pace on those old “mouldering ties.” The railbed has just been cleared of 40 years of overgrowth, so this will be a first peek at that. It offers a terrific elevated view of the woods and wetlands on both sides. The walk will include some wet areas, unimproved paths, brief climbs and descents and so on, so sturdy boots or footwear are recommended. It will go from the CREC building and proceed (casually and slowly) under the Blue Route, along the railbed, and back along Darby Creek.