The Lehigh Valley IronPigs will pay tribute to the region’s rich and impactful railroad history during an upcoming game.
The IronPigs recently announced that as part of their “Salute to the Lehigh Valley,” the team will adopt a new name – The IronHorses – to pay homage to the railroads which helped shape the Lehigh Valley.
The team will wear custom jerseys and hats featuring the IronHorses-inspired logo for their Sept. 3 game against the Syracuse Mets. IronHorses-themed merchandise is also available for purchase.
“Iron horse” was a colloquial term for the first steam locomotives, and the IronPigs note that these trains played a significant role in transforming the Lehigh Valley, “from a collection of coal mines and fields to an interconnected web of cities and towns that transformed the region’s economy from local to national.”
This transformation began in the mid-19th century, with the Lehigh Valley Railroad’s original and primary route being built in 1855 between Easton and Allentown. The route’s initial use was to transport coal, but eventually passenger service became a major component as well.
Additionally, the Catasauqua and Fogelsville Railroad would transport coal, ore, limestone and iron to furnaces at the Thomas Iron Company, Lehigh Crane Iron Company, Lehigh Valley Iron Works, Carbon Iron Company and other companies as the region became heavily involved in the coal and steel industries.
According to the team release, the local railroad industry continued to grow under the leadership of Asa Packer, the founder of Lehigh University, who was elected as the Lehigh Valley Railroad’s president in 1862.
The railroad’s notable lines included the prestigious Black Diamond Express, which ran through the valley from New York to Buffalo between 1896 and 1959 and was named after the line’s main cargo – anthracite coal.
By the 1950s-1960s, the automobile had largely replaced the railroad, but the IronPigs note that within the Lehigh Valley remnants of this industry still remain, from old stations to rail lines still operating for tourist riders.
These include the Allentown and Auburn Railroad, The Wanamaker, Kempton & Southern Railroad, the Colebrookdale Railroad, and the Reading & Northern Railroad.
(Original air-date: 7/15/23)
