This abandoned railway was originally built in the late 1800s and at one time was the West End Branch of the Reading Railroad. The line extended from Tremont through Pine Grove, Suedburg, through Swatara Gap, and into Lebanon. It followed Swatara Creek much of the way. There was a spur off of this line at one time north of Pine Grove at "Paradise" that went to "Muir" with a switchback in route, but nothing more is known about this spur. The section south of Pine Grove was abandoned in 1975, the remainder surviving under Conrail only to be abandoned by 1981.

The right-of-way can still be made out in most places. Sections along Swatara Creek south of Suedburg are in the slowly developing Swatara State Park. Parts of it have been made into a trail in the park, and the Appalachain Trail crosses it at Swatara Gap. Some of the old railbed would be flooded by the proposed dam in the park, however. I-81 passes over the former ROW and PA-72 at Swatara Gap. In this same area there are old locks from the old Union Canal branch which extended along Swatara Creek into Pine Grove. A section of the old canal has been restored as a park in Pine Grove. This is a very beautiful area and is worth the trip.