Park World - December 06/January 07 - (Page 7)
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PWDEC06JAN07p7.qxd 12/15/06 11:52 AM Page 7 Park News Parkhoppin’
Discovering the origins of the outdoor amusement industry is fascinating.
So on a crisp November day I visited Reading, Pennsylvania, to discover
the site of the Mount Penn Gravity Railroad that operated from 1890
through to 1923. It is a predecessor to modern rollercoasters. The winding
road over my shoulder in the photo is the end of a 2.5-mile downhill
section of the old gravity railroad right-of-way. I love autumn. See how
the trees in the photo are changing colours? I got tired of looking at all
those leaves in my yard, so I got up off the couch and went into action. I
closed the curtains. Then ...I drove to Reading. In the late 1800s BC
before coasters , Mt Penn, which borders Reading to the east and is part
of the Appalachian Mountains, was inaccessible to the average person.
Automobiles were not yet affordable, and no roads were cut through the
woods that covered the 1,200ft-tall mountain. Only trails gave hikers
access to stunning views, so in 1890 the local Chamber of Commerce decided
to build a railroad to carry about 2,000 passengers per weekend to the top
of the mountain. The railroad was a 7.5-mile long circuit, including 2.5
miles of ascending track and 5 miles downhill. The entire trip took about
45 minutes. A steam-powered engine pushed one or two trolley cars to the
summit where passengers would disembark for a scenic view of Reading. The
engine would then disconnect from the trolley and return by itself back
down the same track it had just covered. The trolley would begin to roll
forward, coasting down the other five miles of gradually descending track
for its return trip, using nothing but its brakes to control its descent.
Its average speed was about 12 mph. Sir Isaac Newton discovered gravity in
1687. Gravity is chiefly noticeable in the fall, when the apples are
dropping from the trees. That’s why I chose November to put gravity into
action. I drove to Mt. Penn’s summit; put my car in neutral, and coasted
downhill over the first half of the original right-of-way. With the fall
foliage lining the roadside, it was a glorious ride. Unlike the trolley, I
did not use the brakes to control my descent. I reached a top speed of 25
mph. Ok, so riding downhill in one’s car is not exactly rollercoasting,
but please cut me some slack here. That’s what one does in November when
the parks are closed and you’re suffering coaster depravation. Mt. Penn
was not the only gravity railroad in North America. The Shohola Glen
Switchback Gravity Railroad, built in 1886 at Shohola, Pennsylvania, and
the Rhume Run Railroad, built in 1833, Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania, are
among the others. The Mauch Chunk Railroad, Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, was
the first. It operated from 1827 until 1937. Someday I hope to bicycle the
route of the Mauch Chunk, as long as I don’t have to peddle up. Like
passengers aboard the Mauch Chunk Railway, I just want to go with gravity.
with Paul Ruben Going with gravity Warning : Unknown : The session id contains invalid characters, valid
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http://www.mir-pax.ru
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Park World - December 06/January 07
Park News
Park Hoppin’
Big Question
Spotlight
Networking in Atlanta
Launch Pad
Bob Rogers
Konge Parken
Mondial
WWA Symposium
Technofolies 2006
IAAPA Attractions Expo
Euro Attractions Show
Fun Doctor
Park World - December 06/January 07
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com