The personal writings and photos of Jonathan Smith.

The Newport and Shermans Valley Railroad once ran from the edge of the Juniata River to the small town of New Germantown at the west end of Perry County, Pennsylvania. Perry County is a rural county located north-west of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Even though it is relatively close to the state capitol, it is sheltered by mountains and rivers making getting in and out of the county somewhat difficult. There are only a few roads that cross into this county.

But about 100 years ago, the Newport and Shermans Valley Railroad provided commuter service as far west as Blain, Pennsylvania. After logging slowed down, the railroad came to and end. Now all that remains are a few of the original train stations and remnants of the concrete pillars where the tracks once crossed streams and ravines. Now that cars crowd the roads, especially during rush hour, travel in and out of this rural county can be a nightmare. I’m going to research and document the remnants of this rail system and show how if this was put back in place, it could offer the residents of Perry County an excellent way of public transportation.