Norfolk Southern Enola Yard Diesel Shop employees pitch in to clean out River Arches

Photos by Mary Parry

Norfolk Southern Corporation’s spring volunteer day brought employees from the Enola Yard Diesel Shop to the Borough of Duncannon this past Saturday, May 12^th with enthusiasm and a back-hoe to help improve access points to the Susquehanna River in the downtown area.   The railroad helpers pitched in with assistance from Borough workers and community volunteers to help scrape sediment, even out the floor and clear brush and debris from under the railroad arches.  They were finishing up just as the first batch of paddlers marched their boats down Ann St. to put-in under the arch on the beautiful day.

The idea for this effort came from Susquehanna Appalachian Trail Club President Karen Balaban and was coordinated with assistance from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and DATC as a lead-in to the upcoming Appalachian Trail Community^TM designation event.  The arch-ways receive heavy use from recreational paddlers and pedestrians accessing scenic views of the broad river and surrounding forested ridges.  The Norfolk Southern group’s collaborative efforts with the local community will maximize resources towards improving public safety for pedestrian access following damage from last year’s flooding, helping prevent future erosion, and enhancing the appearance of the river access points.

 “Many of our employees live in Perry County and recognize this rail line for the beautiful scenery of the Susquehanna Water Gaps,” said NSCorp. Enola Diesel Shop Senior General Foreman, Archie Glace.  “We’re happy to help improve local access to the river under our tracks and strengthen ties with the communities where our people live and work.”

For more awesome photos taken by Trailangel Mary, view the facebook photo album here!