Finding the Geigertown Central Railroad on Two Wheels

Not every ride goes according to plan. This one started with my Apple Watch screaming at me from the side of the road, an SD card that never made it back into the Osmo, and a jacket I forgot to zip before leaving the gas station. But sometimes the rides that start sideways end up being the ones worth talking about.

It was a Saturday morning and my wife had the day off unexpectedly. That opened up a window I wasn’t counting on, and I wasn’t going to waste it. We had plans in the afternoon so I figured I’d get out early, put some miles in, and make the most of a morning that basically fell into my lap.

I’d been tipped off about the Geigertown Central Railroad by PA X Riders on Instagram and it had been sitting on my list. It’s not far from home, the back roads getting there are worth the trip on their own, and I figured a cold morning was as good a time as any to finally go check it out.

The Original Plan (That Didn’t Happen)

Before the railroad made it onto the agenda I was actually planning to ride out to Firehouse Coffee in Maxatawny. They renovated an old general store and it looked really cool. I’d posted in the Discord group ride section asking if anyone wanted to come along and check it out.

One by one, everyone had something going on.

So Firehouse Coffee got pushed to another weekend, ideally one where I can get a couple of the guys to come along. It deserves a proper visit. Instead I pointed myself toward Berks County and the railroad.

Getting There With No GPS Help

I plugged the address into Rever and it kept rejecting it, routing me to Geigertown Road instead of anywhere useful. So I scrapped the turn-by-turn and just rode. On the way out I passed under a railroad bridge for the Colbrookdale Railroad which was a nice little bonus I wasn’t expecting.

The back roads in that stretch are exactly what you want on a cold morning. Not a lot of traffic, good pavement, the kind of riding that justifies getting out of bed when the feels-like temperature is sitting somewhere around 26 degrees.

What You’ll Find at the Geigertown Central Railroad

When I rolled up I wasn’t totally sure I had the right spot. There’s a church across from a trucking company and the railroad stuff is just kind of sitting there. No big signs, no parking lot built for visitors.

I went back and forth a few times trying to figure out where to park. The church lot seemed like the obvious choice but I didn’t want to be that guy. There’s some gravel in the area and since TrekkieMoto wasn’t with me, I wasn’t about to risk it solo on a cold morning. I wound up in the Church parking lot.

What you actually find when you get there is a solid collection of old railroad equipment and history just sitting out in the open. Locomotives, cars, the kind of stuff that makes you stop and look. There’s more than just railroad pieces too. Some trailers and other equipment nearby make me think the trucking company across the street may have something to do with the property, but honestly I’m not sure who owns it.

The Geigertown Central Railroad isn’t a polished tourist attraction. There’s no gift shop, no interpretive signs, no admission fee. It’s just a piece of local railroad history parked in a quiet corner of Berks County and that’s kind of what makes it worth the ride.

Why It Makes a Good Motorcycle Destination

The ride out is the real pitch here. The roads between home and Geigertown move through some genuinely nice Pennsylvania countryside and on a weekend morning you’re mostly alone out there. Even in the cold it felt good to be moving.

The destination itself gives you a reason to stop, walk around, and take it in before pointing back toward home. That’s really all you need out of a morning ride. A reason to go somewhere, something to see when you get there, and good roads connecting the two.

If you’re in eastern Pennsylvania and looking for somewhere to aim on a Saturday morning this is worth adding to the list. It’s the kind of place you ride past your whole life and never know is there.

Update (May 2026)

The Geigertown Central Railroad is still accessible, but worth knowing before you go: Shirey Trucking has been using the area to store dumpsters among the railroad equipment. It’s still a worthwhile stop, but the vibe has shifted. Less time capsule, more junk yard. Manage your expectations and you’ll still find something worth seeing.

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