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Video captures Rail Park’s gritty glory before everything changes

It’s already beautiful

With all of the excitement surrounding the Rail Park, which finally broke ground on its first phase in October, there’s not too much talk on what may or may not be lost once the abandoned rail line turns into a public park (will that iconic tire swing stay or go?). So it makes sense that some folks like videographer Cory J. Popp have started documenting the Reading Viaduct Rail Line’s current state before it truly transforms into the Rail Park.

Popp, along with a group of other photographers, recently toured the rail line that runs through Philly’s Chinatown, Poplar, and Callowhill neighborhoods. He captured all three main sections of the Rail Park, including the Tunnel, the cut, and the Viaduct in their current state.

The first phase of the Rail Park is just a quarter-mile long and stretches from Broad to 11th Street. Although it broke ground last month, the Center City District still needs $800,000 to reach its goal of $10.3 million in construction costs. Its online fundraising campaign had raised $3,815 at the time this article was published.