The Mt. Pisgah Engine House

Reaching the peak, the river is 900 feet below. "Mauch Chunk, down at our feet, looks little bigger than a children's play-house, and not unlike it." Then, we greet the yawning entrance to the enginehouse and pass through it into the shadowed interior. Two noisy, stationary steam engines provide the muscle to lift railroad cars up this mountain. One of two engine houses stands here, built in 1845 along with the entire Back Track. The Back Track itself symbolizes the railroad's success. In response to increased traffic, the Back Track originally carried only empty cars, freeing the Down Track for those with cargo.

Inside the engine house, our car slows momentarily, but rolls steadily through the enginehouse and out the other side -- again drawn only by gravity on the Back Track, the route to Summit Hill.

NEXT STOP: Mt. Pisgah Trestle

Return to Switchback Home Page.

Return to the Switchback Trail Map.