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Switchback Railroad

Carbon County · dedicated 1971 · SR 3012, 3 miles SW of Jim Thorpe

A gravity railroad was built along this mountain in 1827 to carry coal from the mines near Summit Hill to the Lehigh Canal at Mauch Chunk. A back-track and two planes were added in 1844 for the return trip by gravity. Railroad crossed the highway here.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

Marker data: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission via data.pa.gov

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