Steinsville
Steam powered mixed train from 2008.
Steinsville is a WK&S designated location at the grade crossing of Levans Road (State Route 4036) just south of Wanamakers. Note that Levans Road crosses the tracks twice, once at Wanamakers and again at Steinsville further south. But the non-trackside town of Steinsville is about half a mile northwest of this location and predates the railroad. It's unclear if there was ever actually a station at the southern Levans Road crossing. Early railroad maps do show a Steinsville station, but that may refer to the Wanamaker station. It's possible that the Wanamaker station was called Steinsville before the town of Wanamakers was formally established. From the town of Steinsville the distance to Wanamaker station is about the same as the distance to the southern Levans Road crossing.
Another connection between the WK&S and Steinsville was the potbelly stove in the WK&S gift shop. Apparently this stove came from a building in Steinsville that served as a State Normal School and then the Steinsville Hotel. The gift shop received a modern heating system in 1995 and the stove was sold off.
As shown by the pictures on this page, Levans Road is a popular location for photographers. When the trees are bare during early spring and late fall, head to the east side of the grade crossing and point your camera south. You'll get some good shots of the train winding through an S-curve.
Northbound 2004 Santa train.
Southbound passenger train in 2004. Photo by Charles O'Hay.
Southbound freight charter from 2003.
Looking east from the back of caboose #92936.
Once there was an iron "bowstring" bridge at this location connecting Levans Road to Perry Long Court on the other side of Ontelaunee Creek. This was the second of three lives that the bridge would live. Originally the bridge was one of a pair spans crossing the much wider Trout Creek in Slatington, PA. First built around 1869, the spans were replaced around 1900 and one was moved here to the crossing over Ontelaunee Creek. I have some vague memories of crossing this bridge on drives with my grandparents. But the bridge was condemned and barricaded in 1987. Fortunately the bridge featured a unique architecture and was deemed worth saving. The bridge was moved again in 2002 and now serves as a pedestrian bridge on the campus of Central Penn College in Summerdale, PA. The abutments and approaches were also removed. Aside from the barricades there is no evidence that a bridge ever existed. As of 2012 my semi-useless GPS navigator still thought the bridge was open to traffic over Ontelaunee Creek.
Condemned bowstring bridge over Ontelaunee Creek from around 2001.
The bowstring bridge in its third life at Central Penn College in Summerdale, PA.
The barricade is clearly visible looking east from the train.