MAHANOY PLANE - When Schuylkill County Judge John E. Domalakes was a boy in the 1950s, his parents warned him not to venture out to explore the steep castle-like remains of the former coal-car incline known as the Mahanoy Plane.
"Almost every kid that grew up in the northern part of Frackville spent a considerable amount of their youth here, even though our parents always told us 'Don't ever go near that place because it might cave in,' " Domalakes said Wednesday as he trudged through rain-soaked bushes to see the ruins that once held the most powerful steam engine in the world.
The inclined railroad extended from the top of the Broad Mountain at Frackville down the mountainside into the village of Mahanoy Plane. It opened in July 1861 and closed in February 1932. The machinery is gone, but the concrete framework that held it in place is still there, Domalakes said.
"Now it's 2014 and it hasn't caved in yet," Domalakes said.
Domalakes, 66, of Frackville, a volunteer hike leader for Schuylkill on the Move, will host a Mahanoy Plane Trek from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. June 8. It will begin at Frackville Free Public Library, 56 N. Lehigh Ave. It's a 3-mile walk from the library to the plane that then runs down the steep but scenic slope, so it's "challenging," Domalakes said.
Domalakes recently talked about the history of the incline and said he'd like to see an effort to preserve what's left of the monument to the Industrial Revolution and "King Coal."
"The plane not only should have state but national recognition due to its significance in building our nation," Patrick M. "Porcupine Pat" McKinney, education coordinator with the Schuylkill Conservation District, said, adding, "Hopewell Furnace is a National Park Historic Site and the plane certainly ranks right up there."
"It would be nice if this site could be preserved somehow. But where would the money come from?" Domalakes said.
"Unfortunately, we haven't been following this site and are not able to comment on it," Virgil McDill, associate director of public affairs at the National Trust for Historic Preservation in Washington, D.C., said Thursday.
The ruins are owned by DRE Land Developing Inc., Nesquehoning, according to the online Schuylkill Parcel Locator.
On Sept. 8, 2007, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission dedicated a roadside marker to the "Mahanoy Plane." It's along Route 924 on the north end of the Frackville.
The marker text states: "Critical to the Pa. anthracite industry, this inclined plane railroad transported coal from the Mahanoy Valley up the Broad Mountain to Frackville. Opened in 1862 as part of the Reading Railroad system, improvements in the early 20th century increased its size and capacity, making it an engineering marvel able to meet national demands. After hoisting hundreds of millions of tons of coal, it closed in 1932. Partial ruins remain nearby."
Domalakes wrote a history of the incline for the book assembled to celebrate the "Frackville Centennial, 1876-1976." A copy is on file at the Frackville library.
The Mahanoy Plane was built by Mahanoy and Broad Mountain Railroad. But when it opened, it was leased to Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Co. It was near a railroad yard that today is the borough's Little League field on West High Street, Domalakes said.
It spurred the coal business and helped to build up the communities in northern Schuylkill County, including Frackville and Shenandoah.
"After a fire in 1868, new 6,000 horsepower engines were installed to hoist the cars. At the time, they were the most powerful engines in the world. The construction of the plane by Italian workmen was superb," Domalakes said.
"During its era its estimated that the Plane hoisted 1,376,400,000 tons of coal over the mountain. It claimed the lives of 148 men during its existence," according to Domalakes.
Schuylkill on the Move is a countywide grassroots organization of individuals and organizations who have an interest in promoting health and fitness through walking. It is on of Schuylkill County's VISION's nine strategic partnerships.
"We have had a number of treks to this location over the years. We've been doing walks since 1994 and have been collaborating with our fellow sponsors for 10. I would say that we had six walks there," McKinney said of the Mahanoy Plane.
"It's not on the list every year. We don't go to the same places every year," Domalakes said.
"One year, we enjoyed watching a black bear amble about on the tract," McKinney said.
"You have to take your time around the ruins, walk with a great degree of caution. Nobody's ever been hurt here on my watch," Domalakes said.
The ruins include numerous steep concrete walls along a hillside, the remains of the engine house, plus coal bins and chutes.
The trek will be postponed in the event of rain. Interested persons should contact McKinney by June 6 by calling 570-622-4124, ext. 113, or by email at porcupinepat@yahoo.com.