The initial application to the Pennsylvania General Assembly for a railroad charter, around 1853, was met with fierce resistance by local farmers, who feared that trains would frighten livestock, set fires, and destroy the local farming districts. The iron company was forced to compromise and charter the Catasauqua and Fogelsville Plank Road on July 2, 1853. While plank roads were a popular improvement in transportation at the time, the short stretch that was constructed was found wholly inadequate for the haulage of ore.
The initial application to the Pennsylvania General Assembly for a railroad charter, around 1853, was met with fierce opposition from local farmers who feared that trains would frighten livestock, set fires, and damage local farming districts. The iron company was forced to compromise and charter the Catasauqua and Fogelsville Plank Road on July 2, 1853. While plank roads were a popular transportation improvement at the time, the short stretch constructed proved wholly inadequate for hauling ore.