From Rails to Trails
"Since most of the land was donated
to the railroads by the American public
in the first place, we believe it should
be returned to the public."
David Burwell, President,
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, 1988
A Well-Worn Path
The path you are following was once an active rail line. The trains shipped Pennsylvania' coal, lumber, and ore to larger markets, such as Philadelphia and New York, and returned with finished goods. This process of exchange fueled the American Industrial Revolution, which relied on fast and dependable transportation networks. In the first half of the nineteenth century, newly built canals played this role. After the Civil War, however, railroads increasingly competed with their slower rivals and dominated for the next century. Only the post-World War II proliferation of long-distance trucking and the abundance of cheap fuel stifled the era of railroads.
Preserving Passageways
As trucks increasingly diminished the demand for trains, hundreds of railroad companies were forced to file for bankruptcy and sell or abandon their former lines. Congress' response was the 1980 Staggers Rail Act, which
this page online
Restoring Connections
When not on the canal towpath, the 165-mile D&L Trail follows dozens of miles of former rail beds—26 miles run through Lehigh Gorge State Park alone. A number of regional rail trails intersect the D&L Trail, from the Switchback and Ironton trails in Carbon and Lehigh counties to the Nor-Bath and Spurline trails in Northampton and
Not As Easy As It Sounds
Former rail beds provide paths, but ones that are full of large rocks, or ballast, which make riding bikes and walking difficult. Improving a rail trail often requires removing heavy timber ties and steel rails, rolling the ballast, filling it in with soil or cinders, and sometimes paving sections. Even after the construction is complete, regular maintenance is an ongoing challenge that requires long-term partnerships between volunteers, land managers, and local municipalities.
Erected by Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor and PA DCNR.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Entertainment • Man-Made Features • Parks & Recreational Areas • Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1988.
Location. 40° 43.146′ N, 75° 31.569′ W. Marker is near Laurys Station, Pennsylvania, in Lehigh County. It is in North Whitehall Township. It is at the intersection of River Drive (Pennsylvania Route 145) and River
Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Pennsylvania and in Lehigh Valley. It is also in the American Northeast and in the Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Exploring the Corridor (here, next to this marker); Walking Purchase (approx. 1.1 miles away); The Famous Indian Walk (approx. 1.1 miles away); Veterans Memorial (approx. 1.3 miles away); The Mills of Allen Township (approx. 1.3 miles away); World War Memorial (approx. 2.2 miles away); Colonel John Siegfried (approx. 2.4 miles away); Hockendauqua Indian Town (approx. 2˝ miles away).
Also see . . .
1. Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor Info. (Submitted on September 30, 2018, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)
2. About the D&L. (Submitted on September 30, 2018, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 30, 2018, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 278 times since then and 12 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 30, 2018, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.
