Allegheny Portage Railroad

Allegheny Portage Railroad is a decommissioned railway line in Blair County and Cambria County that runs approximately 36 miles (58 kilometers) through the Allegheny Mountains, linking Hollidaysburg and Johnstown. The route used ten inclined planes where cars were pulled uphill and lowered downhill by stationary steam engines and cables, while level track sections between them allowed transport over flatter terrain.

Built between 1831 and 1834 as part of the Main Line of Public Works, the line reduced travel time between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh from several weeks to just a few days. Operations ceased in 1854 when the Pennsylvania Railroad opened a more direct route through the mountains, eliminating the need for the cable-powered inclines.

The name Portage refers to the method of carrying canal boats over the mountains, and you can still see traces of the stone sleepers that supported the tracks along several sections. Local towns like Cresson grew around the stations where travelers stopped to rest, and descendants of those early communities still preserve stories about the brakemen who controlled the descent on each plane.

The Summit Level Visitor Center offers exhibits and films along with occasional guided tours of the preserved remains of the rail planes and tunnels, and hiking trails lead to several former incline sites. Most outdoor areas are open during daylight hours without charge, but the visitor center interior operates on limited seasonal schedules, so checking ahead is advised.

The Staple Bend Tunnel was the first tunnel built for railroads in the United States, completed in 1833 to avoid a sharp curve in the rock. On windy days, you can hear echoes of wind and water inside the tunnel, which often surprises hikers who take the short trail to its eastern portal.