BRADDOCK, PA — The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded a $25 million BUILD grant Wednesday to modernize the Colebrookdale Railroad in Berks and Montgomery counties, funding rail improvements aimed at expanding freight capacity, supporting tourism and strengthening economic development across the region.
The funding, announced by U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., will finance new infrastructure separating freight traffic from the railroad’s heritage excursion service, rehabilitate more than 2,000 feet of existing track, construct a new train shed for locomotives and rail cars, and improve connections to public transit, pedestrian infrastructure and the Schuylkill River Trail.
The award was made through the Department of Transportation’s Fiscal Year 2026 Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant program after Fetterman submitted a letter supporting the project to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
“When we invest in historic landmarks like the Colebrookdale Railroad, we invest in Pennsylvania’s future,” Fetterman said. “I’m proud to have fought for this funding and am grateful to Secretary Duffy for his commitment to this hidden Pennsylvania treasure, which will continue to play a critical role in the region’s economic future.”
The Colebrookdale Railroad operates both active freight service and heritage passenger excursions between Berks and Montgomery counties. According to Fetterman, the project will create dedicated infrastructure for each operation, allowing freight movements and tourist trains to function more efficiently while improving long-term reliability along the corridor.
The improvements also include construction of a new train shed to house locomotives and rolling stock, as well as pedestrian and transit connections designed to integrate the railroad more closely with surrounding transportation assets, including the Schuylkill River Trail.
Nathaniel Guest, executive director of the Colebrookdale Railroad Preservation Trust and managing director of the Switchpoint Foundation, said the award reflected years of collaboration among local governments, nonprofit organizations and residents.
“This award belongs to Pottstown,” Guest said. “Montgomery County, the Redevelopment Authority of the County of Berks, and hundreds of residents and volunteers made the case that a town built on iron and rail deserved infrastructure equal to its ambitions.”
Guest added that the investment extends beyond transportation infrastructure.
“The investment in the Colebrookdale Railroad is about much more than rail infrastructure,” he said. “It’s about preserving history, creating economic opportunity, supporting tourism, and investing in the long-term future of both Berks and Montgomery Counties.”
Montgomery County Board of Commissioners Chair Jamila Winder said the grant positions the Pottstown corridor for additional economic growth.
“Pottstown helped build Pennsylvania’s past, and this $25 million BUILD Grant will help accelerate its future,” Winder said. “Thanks to Senator Fetterman’s leadership, this investment will transform the Pottstown corridor into an engine for economic growth, job creation, and opportunity.”
Montgomery County Commissioner Neil Makhija called the funding “a transformative investment in Pennsylvania” that “will boost our economy, support local businesses, and create new opportunities for residents across the region.”
Berks County Commissioner Christian Leinbach stated that the award demonstrates what coordinated public investment can accomplish.
“There are those who say government can’t get things done,” Leinbach said. “I’d ask them to come to this valley. Two counties, a state, and a nation rolled up their sleeves, not for the glory of government, but for the good of its people.”
Jaime O. Perez, executive director of the Berks County Redevelopment Authority, says the project represents years of cooperation among federal, state, county, municipal, nonprofit and private partners.
“Receiving a BUILD Grant is an incredible achievement, and it’s a testament to what can happen when people come together around a shared vision,” Perez said. “We look forward to continuing that partnership as we move from planning to construction and, ultimately, to delivering lasting benefits for the people of Berks and Montgomery Counties.”
Separately, the Department of Transportation awarded Montgomery County a $600,000 BUILD planning grant to study potential infrastructure improvements along Germantown Pike and Sumneytown Pike.
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