In 1868, the most powerful engines in the world were located 16 miles west of Tamaqua.
The power was necessary to hoist coal up a mountainside, coal that helped to build the country.The engines were part of an amazing coal-car inclined railroad known as the Mahanoy Plane, an engineering marvel that boosted coal cars from the valley town of Mahanoy Plane, part of Gilberton, up a mountainside some 2,460 feet to Frackville.The inclined plane railroad spanned two points separated by a rise of 524 feet.Mahanoy Plane was built by Italian workmen and funded by the Mahanoy and Broad Mountain Railroad, predecessor of the Reading Company. It opened on July 16, 1861.
The power was necessary to hoist coal up a mountainside, coal that helped to build the country.The engines were part of an amazing coal-car inclined railroad known as the Mahanoy Plane, an engineering marvel that boosted coal cars from the valley town of Mahanoy Plane, part of Gilberton, up a mountainside some 2,460 feet to Frackville.The inclined plane railroad spanned two points separated by a rise of 524 feet.Mahanoy Plane was built by Italian workmen and funded by the Mahanoy and Broad Mountain Railroad, predecessor of the Reading Company. It opened on July 16, 1861.
Last edited:
