Pennsylvania's first railroad and first anthracite carrier opened on Saturday, May 5th, 1827, when seven cars of coal passed from the Summit Hill mines of the L.C.&N.

Mules hauled the empty coal tubs to the summit and were sent down in the last batch of cars; the return trip required 4–5 hours.

This saw-tooth elevation profile gave the new return track a swooping characteristic ride later deliberately designed into roller coasters.

when other mine heads were opened in lower elevations of the Panther Creek Valley LC&N added several descending switchback sections and other shorter cable railway climbing inclines to bring the coal up from the new Lansford and Coaldale mines to the Summit Hill loading area for the gravity railway trip down to Mauch Chunk, thence to the Lehigh Canal (and in 1855, by rail transport) and their customers.

By 1845 the increasing demand for coal[5] and the poor logistics of a single-track route meant the company needed to improve its railroad.

The Lehigh Coal and Railroad is considered the first American company to use vertical integration, providing raw materials, shipping, processing and final goods.

[9] The Central Railroad of New Jersey (CNJ) purchased it in 1874 and leased it to brothers Theodore and H. L. Mumford who operated the line as a tourist attraction.

209 in Jim Thorpe, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as "Mauch Chunk and Summit Hill Switchback Railroad".