Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania

The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania is located in eastern Pennsylvania in the town of Strasburg. The museum was opened in 1975. The museum has on display a large and significant collection of Pennsylvania-related motive power and rolling stock spanning the years 1825 to the present.

Public areas in the Museum include a two story building (with a large "Rolling Stock Hall") and an outdoor area (complete with a turntable). The Rolling Stock Hall houses much of the older (and smaller) display pieces. Surprisingly, until a few years before I visited (in 1993), the outdoor area, which contains all of the large steam locomotives, was closed to the public! A new wing was added to the building around 1995. Now much of the collection is indoors.

For more information, please visit the official Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania web site.

Reading Railroad class A4B 0-4-0 Camelback #1187. This is one of only 3 surviving camelback steam locomotives. As you can see, it is displayed on the turntable in the center of many other locomotives displayed at the museum. This turntable is electrically driven and was manufactured by the American Bridge Co. and installed at the Cressona, PA enginehouse of the Reading RR. It was moved to Bridgeport, PA in 1946 to accommodate T-1 steam locomotives. It was later shipped to the Museum on three flat cars, where it was installed in operating condition.

In 2004 it was announced that 1187 would be restored to operating condition. This will make it the only operating camelback locomotive in the USA.

Pennsylvania Railroad class E7s Atlantic (4-4-2) 7002. This locomotive began life as PRR 8063. It was renumbered by the PRR for the 1949 World's Fair because the real 7002 had already been scrapped. Why was the locomotive number 7002 so important? The real 7002 was the (unofficial) world steam speed record holder (127 MPH).

Notice GG1 #4935 parked back and to the left. "7002" operated for some time on the Strasburg Railroad (as late as 1989), often double heading with 1223. Actually, the real 7002 set a world speed record of 127.1 mph in 1905 (and was later scrapped). 8063 was renumbered "7002" for display at the 1939 World's Fair and remains numbered "7002" today.

Pennsylvania Railroad class E6s Atlantic (4-4-2) #460 and class D16sb American (4-4-0) #1223.

460 is called "The Lindbergh Engine". In recognition of the first person to fly non-stop across the Atlantic Ocean from New York to Paris, President Calvin Coolidge bestowed the rank of Colonel upon Charles A. Lindbergh. Two rival newsreel companies vied to be the first to show their movies of the Washington Lindbergh ceremonies in the theatres of New York, one hiring an airplane, the other a train on June 11, 1927. When the train pulled from the Washington Union Station at 4:14 PM, no one realized a record breaking time would be made, covering 223 miles in 3 hours and 8 minutes between Washington and New York. This train also included a mobile darkroom so that the film could be developed en route. This way, the film was ready to roll the second 460 pulled into Penn Station.

460 was built in 1914. It represents the epitome of E class Atlantics of the PRR. It spent its last years on the PA-Reading Seashore lines. Since this photo was taken, #460 has been moved into the new building addition.

1223 was restored to operating condition in 1965 and operated on the Strasburg Railroad with 7002 as late as 1989.

89 operates on the Strasburg Railroad across the street from the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. The Strasburg Railroad passes through some very scenic countryside. The cars are in good shape and equipped with speakers so that everyone can hear the conductor (who's remarks are a bit to "corny" for my tastes).

The K4s was probably the most popular and best known of all PRR steam locomotives. At top speeds of 75 mph, the K4s were the principal haulers of the Pennsy's main line passenger trains. The key to success of the K4s was its uncanny ability to keep pace with more modern steam power employed by competing railroads. Today, 3750 is one of only two of the famous class to be preserved. Since this photo was taken, #3750 has been moved into the new building addition.

Look to the left background and see a rare locomotive. She is 4094, an 0-8-0 fireless locomotive once owned by the Pennsylvania Power & Light Company.

Pennsylvania Power & Light fireless 0-8-0 4094

4094 is an 0-8-0 fireless locomotive once owned by the Pennsylvania Power & Light Company. I could kick myself for not getting a better shot of her. Fortunately, Hank Eisenstein did (the second photo). She is the only streamlined fireless steam locomotive I have seen.

This view clearly shows the bellpaire firebox. The PRR and the GN were the only two US railroads which widely used this design. The 520 was built in 1916 for the PRR to replace older 2-8-0s in freight service. The L1s were the freight hauling counterparts of the famous K4s. 520 was retired in 1957.

The M1 class was considered by many to be the best steam locomotive the PRR ever owned. The M1 proved to be the most valuable on the railroad's mountainous Middle & Pittsburgh Divisions. Behind the locomotive is a "Coast-to-Coast" tender designed for extra capacity to allow long distance service. The tender holds 31½ tons of coal and carries 22,090 gallons of water.

This magnificent dual service locomotive was built by the PRR at Altoona in 1930. After retirement it was stored outside at the Northumberland, PA roundhouse for some time. I don't know when it was moved to its current location. I have also heard that the museum was afraid to move it because it had sat in one place for so long and the ties below it have rotted. However, in 2002 it was moved to the first track inside the fence along Rte 741 without incident.