Mauch Chunk and Summit Hill Switchback Railroad
Also known as: Gravity Railroad
Why it's listed
Built as a gravity railroad between Summit Hill and Mauch Chunk, the line carried anthracite coal eight and a half miles downhill, with loaded cars descending by gravity and empties returned by mules. Construction began on January 1, 1827, and the line was finished by May of that year under Josiah White, a partner in the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company. The railroad is regarded as the first in the country constructed for moving coal. A backtrack with inclined planes over Mt. Jefferson and Mt. Pisgah, built in 1844-45, allowed loaded and empty cars to circulate continuously. Its economic role in the region's coal trade was considerable. Much of the right-of-way survives, along with features such as the Mt. Pisgah plane house remnants, a concrete reservoir, and a five-mile overpass known locally as the five-mile tree.
Significance in brief: The nomination describes the line as the first railroad in the country built to move coal and one of the first lines of major significance in Pennsylvania. Its development is argued to have been of major importance to the economic growth of the region. The 1844-45 backtrack and inclined planes are noted as the means that allowed continuous circuit operation.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 76001616, listed June 3, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Between Ludlow St. in Summit Hill and F.A.P. 209 in Jim Thorpe, Jim Thorpe |
|---|---|
| County | Carbon County |
| Listed | June 3, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001616 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1827-1844 |
| Architect / builder | Josiah White (Lehigh Coal & Navigation Co.) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Ties, rails and cars have been sold for scrap, but much of the right-of-way remains intact, including the downtrack and features at the top of Mt. Pisgah. |
| Acreage | 47 |
| Coordinates | 40.85116, -75.79171 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 76001616.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q2589523
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.