Photo by Ekem, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Wanamaker Kempton & Southern
Kempton, PA
4.8· 256 Google reviews
Upcoming Events
About Wanamaker Kempton & Southern
The Wanamaker Kempton & Southern runs heritage diesel or steam trains along a three‑mile (4.8 km) stretch beside Ontelaunee Creek between Kempton and Wanamaker, Pennsylvania. Operating on Sundays from May through November, the line offers themed excursions such as Bow Wow, Pumpkin Patch, Pottery Trains and Wine & Cheese. The Kempton station incorporates relocated Reading Company buildings, while the ticket office preserves the original Joanna station, providing a historic backdrop for each ride.
History
The Wanamaker, Kempton & Southern traces its origins to 1870, when the Berks County Railroad was chartered before quickly entering bankruptcy and passing to the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad as the Schuylkill and Lehigh line. In 1963 a volunteer group incorporated the Wanamaker, Kempton & Southern, Inc., acquiring three miles of track for $65,000 to preserve the former Reading Company branch. An uncooperative landowner forced the new railroad to terminate just north of Wanamaker on Route 143, halting the originally planned 11.5‑mile run to Germansville. Later that same year, a scrapper donated an additional 1.2 miles of track south of Kempton, extending the line to North Albany. These actions established the WK&S as the sole heritage operation maintaining this isolated segment of the former Reading system.
The Trains
The line runs heritage diesel or steam trains over a three-mile route beside Ontelaunee Creek; its Kempton station incorporates relocated Reading Company buildings, and the ticket office preserves the original Joanna station.
Nearby
Eastern Pennsylvania clusters the Wanamaker Kempton & Southern near the Allentown & Auburn Railroad, 9 mi off, and the Reading Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad, 17 mi on.
Where to Stay
Bookings made through this map support usatrainrides at no extra cost to you.
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Rent a Car
Most heritage railroads sit well off the interstate. Picking up a rental at the nearest airport is usually the easiest way in.
Compare rentals on Discover Cars →Bookings made through this link support usatrainrides at no extra cost to you.
Book tours & activities near Kempton
Pre-book guided tours and things to do around the area.
Bookings made through these links support usatrainrides at no extra cost to you.
More in Pennsylvania
All train rides in Pennsylvania →Train Types in Pennsylvania
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