Construction Begins On New Pottstown Train Station

POTTSTOWN, PA — Construction has begun on a new train station in Pottstown that officials are hopeful will serve as a community landmark and catalyst for tourism and redevelopment.

The station will connect the Colebrookdale Railroad with Memorial Park, as well as providing a gateway to Pottsgrove Manor, the Pottstown Carousel, and the Schuylkill River Trail.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Monday morning, March 18 on the project, named Pottstown Steel River Station.

According to organizers, the station will be large enough that it will serve as an event space for and Parks and Recreation classes and other happenings, as well as offering bike shares and kayak and canoe rentals.

According to the Colebrookdale Railroad website:

"The building reaffirms Pottstown's identity as a place for building big dreams. Once famous for building the Golden Gate Bridge, the Panama Canal locks, and making Mrs. Smith’s Pies, today Pottstown is working hard to re-invent its post-industrial self. A core part of that strategy is creative placemaking that capitalizes on our unique history, architectural and industrial heritage, cultural diversity, and scenic and geographical beauty. Heritage and culture-based placemaking is a sound investment in a place rich in historic fabric like Pottstown both because it undergirds a tourism-based economy and, more importantly, because it orients and affirms the identity of our people."

The Colebrookdale Railroad runs between Boyertown and Pottstown, serving as a tourist-oriented rail line through the valleys of Ironstone and Manatawny creeks. With roots and routes dating to the mid-19th century, the modern line began operation in 2014.

Organizers are hopeful the new station will be completed by late fall 2019.