Hunter's Run and Slate Belt Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Hunter's Run and Slate Belt Railroad was a railway line from the Hunter's Run junction of the Gettysburg and Harrisburg Railway
that ran southwestward along the south side of Mountain Creek
to the Pine Grove Iron Works
. The line serviced facilities for mining (e.g., Henry Clay iron mine), for manufacturing (Crane's Siding clay refining plant), and for recreation (Pine Grove Park for excursions). Portions of the railbed are a section of the Appalachian Trail
as well as the majority of the Cumberland County Biker/Hiker Trail
and the entire "Old Railroad Bed Road" that is the southeast border of Pine Grove Furnace State Park
.
. The railway line leased the former South Mountain Railroad
tracks between Hunters Run and Pine Grove Furnace from the South Mountain Railway and Mining Company on July 13, 1891. The extension to Slate Belt, Pennsylvania, of 5.12 miles (8.2 km) opened on June 15, 1892.
The railway line supported the 1892 Fuller Brick and Slate Company and by 1893, the company was based in the railroad offices and repair shops at Pine Grove Furnace. In February 1904, the railroad operated 2 locomotives and 3 passenger cars.
The Gettysburg and Harrisburg Railway
took over the Hunter's Run and Slate Belt Railroad on October 31, 1910.http://books.google.com/books?id=-2YWAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA58
Gettysburg and Harrisburg Railway
The Gettysburg and Harrisburg Railway was a Pennsylvania line from near Carlisle southward to Gettysburg operated by a of the Reading Company...
that ran southwestward along the south side of Mountain Creek
Mountain Creek (Yellow Breeches Creek)
Mountain Creek is a tributary of Yellow Breeches Creek in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania in the United States.Mountain Creek joins Yellow Breeches Creek near the borough of Mount Holly Springs.-References:...
to the Pine Grove Iron Works
Pine Grove Iron Works
The Pine Grove Iron Works was a southcentral Pennsylvania smelting facility during the Industrial Revolution. The works is notable for remaining structures that are historical visitor attractions of Pine Grove Furnace State Park, including the furnace stack of the Pine Grove Furnace.-Geography:The...
. The line serviced facilities for mining (e.g., Henry Clay iron mine), for manufacturing (Crane's Siding clay refining plant), and for recreation (Pine Grove Park for excursions). Portions of the railbed are a section of the Appalachian Trail
Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the AT, is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. It is approximately long...
as well as the majority of the Cumberland County Biker/Hiker Trail
Cumberland County Biker/Hiker Trail
The Cumberland County Biker/Hiker Trail is a Pennsylvania rail trail at Pine Grove Furnace State Park and is almost entirely on the "Old Railroad Bed Road" between Fuller Lake and Laurel Lake....
and the entire "Old Railroad Bed Road" that is the southeast border of Pine Grove Furnace State Park
Pine Grove Furnace State Park
Pine Grove Furnace State Park is a protected Pennsylvania area that includes Laurel and Fuller lakes in Cooke Township. The park provides various outdoor recreation activities, has the remains of the Pine Grove Iron Works, and was the site of the 1830 Laurel Forge, 1880s Pine Grove Park, and an...
.
History
The "Hunter's Run and Slate Belt R.R. Co." was incorporated on June 8, 1891, to build from Pine Grove Furnace to "Old Slate Quarry," in Adams CountyAdams County, Pennsylvania
Adams County is a county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 101,407. It was created on January 22, 1800, from part of York County and named in honor of the second President of the United States, John Adams...
. The railway line leased the former South Mountain Railroad
South Mountain Railroad (Cumberland)
The South Mountain Railroad was a southcentral Pennsylvania railway line for "connecting the Pine Grove works to the Cumberland Valley R. R." and which provided mining and passenger services via a southwest section from Hunter's Run, Pennsylvania, and a northern section from Hunter's Run to the...
tracks between Hunters Run and Pine Grove Furnace from the South Mountain Railway and Mining Company on July 13, 1891. The extension to Slate Belt, Pennsylvania, of 5.12 miles (8.2 km) opened on June 15, 1892.
The railway line supported the 1892 Fuller Brick and Slate Company and by 1893, the company was based in the railroad offices and repair shops at Pine Grove Furnace. In February 1904, the railroad operated 2 locomotives and 3 passenger cars.
The Gettysburg and Harrisburg Railway
Gettysburg and Harrisburg Railway
The Gettysburg and Harrisburg Railway was a Pennsylvania line from near Carlisle southward to Gettysburg operated by a of the Reading Company...
took over the Hunter's Run and Slate Belt Railroad on October 31, 1910.http://books.google.com/books?id=-2YWAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA58