The Train Of Union Terrace

The Conrail engine backs across Walnut Street in 1979, as it delivers a flatcar of large granite slaps and blocks to the Wentz Memorial Company, by 20th and Hamilton Streets. The Union Terrace track was next to the former ice skating pond, behind the WPA Amphitheater Stage Mound. The train locomotive, and it's boxcar of granite, weighing untold tons, passed over a simple trestle with 8" inch beams. The pedestrian bridge which Cunningham and Solt claim is inadequate, has 24 inch steel beams. The industrial era of Union Terrace has passed. Even the Wentz property is now for sale. Please join me tomorrow evening, Wednesday March 14th, and help save the Stone Arch Bridge at Union Terrace. The Commissioner Meeting is at 7:30pm. For those unable to attend at that hour, your presence would be appreciated at the committee meeting on destroying the bridge at 5:45. Ice Skating is no longer permitted on the pond. The Amphitheater is falling apart. Let us assert ourselves, and save something of Allentown's history.
Train photograph was taken by Dave Latshaw in the 1979, and is part of the Mark Rabenold collection. Rabenold is a local train historian, specializing in Allentown's former branch lines.
click train photo to enlarge

above reprinted from March 13, 2012

ADDENDUM JANUARY 10, 2025: I did manage with the help of some commissioners to save the historic Union Street stone bridge. The amphitheater is in the final stages of restoration. However, in addition to the former train trestle being removed, so was the nearby little walk bridge into the park from the Walnut Street side. The return of that walkway remains on my list for Union Terrace.