We sat down with James Schlegel, Chairman of the Kutztown Transportation Authority to talk about the second year of running a steam engine on the Allentown & Auburn Railroad line. Lehigh Valley Coal Co. steam locomotive No. 126 was used to transport passengers from the Kuztown train station to Topton and back. See our entire interview with James including a brief history of the railroad below.
Originally built in 1930 for the Lehigh Valley Coal Co. to haul coal, current owners Barney, John and Pat Gramling restored the locomotive after finding it abandoned in Carbondale, PA in 1993. Lehigh Valley Coal Co. No. 126 is 1 of 4 locomotives owned by his family.
After 10 years of restoration, Barney and father John began traveling the country with the steam engine visiting museums, festivals and local railroads for short excursions.
