RESTORATION OF THE WERNERSVILLE TRAIN STATION
DONATIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS
The Heidelberg Heritage Society greatly appreciates donations of items related to our local history to be archived for preservation and to share with the community. Any items related to the Reading or the Philadelphia and Reading railroad – old tickets, train schedules, photos, etc. would be most welcome for inclusion in the display at the station.
Your memories of the station – the appearance of the interior, trips you took from our station, or other reflections, would also be appreciated. We would be especially interested in hearing from anyone who might have worked at the station in any capacity.
June 27, 2003
The train station, and 0.077 acres of land on which the station is situated is conveyed to the Heidelberg Heritage Society from Hoover Motor Co. for $1.00. The conveyance also included two parking spaces, pedestrian easements and vehicular access through their property.
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The Society partnered with Spotts Stevens and McCoy (now SSM Group) to evaluate the building prior to the purchase. SSM Group continued to be the engineering firm that handled all phases of the professional restoration project which was primarily handled by Mr. Randy Rentschler.
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The deteriorated roof had allowed a great deal of rainwater to enter the building and there was significant damage evident to the walls, flooring, and interior fixtures. The first identified priority was to replace the slate roof.
September 2003 A contract was awarded for $46,159 to replace the slate roof, sheathing, flashing, rafters, and bearings for rafters. This work was paid out of general funds of the Society.
PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION GRANTS AWARDED IN THREE PHASES
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SAFETY - PHASE I
This phase involved the removal and disposal of asbestos-containing material related to the furnace and heating system. Deteriorated flooring on the first floor of the building was replaced. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation awarded a grant of $52,900 toward the costs associated with this phase in April 2004.
SERVICE - PHASE II
The improvements in this phase of the project included the installation of underground water, sewer and electric lines. An oil fired forced air heating system (with future provision for air conditioning) was installed along with duct work into floor registers. The registers are covered with period reproductions in black powder coated cast iron. One bathroom is now operational with hot and cold running water in the original sink. The station’s original water fountain has been cleaned and restored and is operational in the main lobby area.
This phase of the restoration has made a tremendous improvement in the long range stabilization of the building which can now be heated during the winter months to prevent damage from freezing temperatures, not to mention the comfort of volunteers who are there working on other projects.
This project was funded by a Transportation Enhancement Grant from PennDOT in the amount of $60,500. This construction contract was awarded to A. H. Moyer, Inc. of Myerstown, Pa. The contractor began work on April 5, 2010 and finished on June 11, 2010, just in time to have the improvements shown to the public during the Taste of Wernersville open house when about 350 people visited the station.
OCCUPANCY – PHASE III
The Society applied to PennDOT and received approval for our third Transportation Enhancement Grant in March of 2011. This project included: new side walks and curbs with a handicap ramp access; re-pointing of much of the exterior stone walls; new electrical wiring with emergency lighting; insulation above the first floor ceiling; new plaster walls and ceilings; and the replacement of all missing wood work and trim. Bids on this work were opened on 7-16-12 and Associated Construction Group, Shillington, Pa., was awarded the contract. Associated assigned master carpenter Tom Bialek as project foreman. Tom did an outstanding job of getting the project to completion and his skills are show cased throughout the station. Demolition work began in October of 2012 and the project was concluded at the end of February 2013. This $224,896 project finished the restoration and a Certificate of Occupancy was issued after all the necessary inspections were completed. Three signs were made to replicate the originals which would hung on the platform to identify the Wernersville station to passengers and these were installed on the roof overhang. After the floors were refinished, we began to furnish and decorate the interior with artifacts that the Society had in storage, some of which were from the original station while others are similar to items that would have existed in the station. A newsletter request to our members resulted in very generous contributions of cash (used to purchase furnishings) as well as donations of antique artifacts. The completed and furnished building was opened to the public for the first time on June 8, 2013.
ADDITIONAL REHABILITATION PROJECTS
The roof over the perimeter sidewalks on the east, north, and west sides of the station were constructed by Preston Weaver of Mountain View Builders in late May of 2013. In addition to complementing the completed restoration, the roof affords protection to the lower portion of the building.
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Three of the windows originally had hand-forged iron bar grates to protect the contents of the baggage room and the station master's office. However only one existed when the Society acquired the station. We contracted with Mascot Machine Shop in New Holland to have two new units made which replicate the original window grate. The grates were installed in July 2013.
WERNERSVILLE TRAIN STATION HISTORY
The existing Passenger Station in Wernersville is the second one to be built in this community. The first station, a small frame structure, was built by the Lebanon Valley Branch of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad in 1881. A small Freight Station was also provided. Similar facilities were constructed in each of the communities along the line from Reading to Harrisburg. The first train of the Lebanon Valley Railroad Company ran from Reading to Lebanon on June 30, 1857. The first passenger train ran from Reading to Harrisburg on January 18, 1858. Early timetables show that all passenger trains stopped at all of these stations.
Wernersville was under development as early as 1831 and by 1855 a right-of-way was deeded to the Lebanon Valley Railroad Company. Agreements supposedly were made that the town would be named for William Werner, the town developer, and that all passenger trains would stop at the new station.
The Philadelphia and Reading Company acquired the Lebanon Valley Company in 1858 and the Lebanon Valley Railroad became the Lebanon Valley Branch of the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad. The railroad deserves much of the credit for the successful development of Wernersville and the resort industry that flourished on the mountain to the south of this community.
Ribbon-cutting at rededication
Ribbon-cutting at rededication
The initial deed acknowledges that additional agreements were made, but did not include their details. Although no written proof of the agreements has been found, we know that the station was named Wernersville and that all passenger trains did stop there. Seventeen trains stopped each workday in 1914. There were only 13 trains on a Sunday. The traffic increased to 18 trains in 1927 and 26 trains in 1941. The only towns between Reading and Harrisburg that enjoyed this degree of railway service were Wernersville and Lebanon
Construction on the existing station was started in late 1926 and the station opened for business on Monday, June 6, 1927. The construction of granite and limestone with a slate roof and central heating as well as its size of 1820 square feet attest to the significance of this station since lesser ones remained as small frame structures. A covered platform, 340 feet long, coupled the station to the adjacent track.
All passenger railroad service on the Reading's Lebanon Valley Branch was terminated in June 1963.
The Wernersville station was sold to the Hoover Motor Company in 1964. Hoover used it as a storage facility and did little maintenance for the 40 years it was in their possession. Despite this, the station remained in reasonably good condition. The Wernersville freight depot operated out of the building just to the west of the passenger station which is now privately owned and operated as a restaurant. The freight depot was originally situated about 100 feet to the east of its present location and was relocated when the new passenger Station was constructed in 1926.
The Heidelberg Heritage Society has restored the Passenger Station in the interests of historic preservation. The facility is incorporated into the Society's programs, including historical displays and events.