{"nrhp_refnum":"66000666","name":"East Broad Top Railroad","other_names":[],"category":"district","location":{"address":"1 mi. W of Orbisonia on U.S. 522","address_restricted":false,"city":"Rockhill Furnace","county":"Huntingdon County","state":"PA","lat":40.23048919000007,"lon":-78.04641097599995,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1966-10-15","is_nhl":true,"nhl_designated_date":"1964-01-28","areas_of_significance":["Commerce","Transportation"],"significance_levels":["national"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A narrow gauge coal-carrying railroad in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, centred on the Rockhill Furnace shops and running from Mount Union to Robertsdale and Alvan, with branch spurs to strip mines. The landmark also includes rolling stock such as passenger coaches and Official Car No. 20.","why_significant":"The railroad is presented as one of the oldest narrow gauge lines in America and a surviving example of the steam era, with much of its main line, the Rockhill yard buildings and original machinery still intact. The nomination argues that its rolling stock is individually significant: three second-hand coaches from the Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad are described as rare survivors, and Official Car No. 20 as one of few surviving narrow gauge official cars and the only survivor of the Bradford, Bordell and Kinzua Railroad.","narrative":"Rockhill Furnace in Huntingdon County is home to the East Broad Top Railroad, a narrow gauge coal line established in 1871 and operated until April 16, 1956. The line ran about thirty-three miles from Alvan to Mount Union, where coal was transferred to the Pennsylvania Railroad, and the Rockhill yard held the shops, a brick roundhouse with berths for eight engines, and a turntable, most dating from 1874. Much of the original machinery survives. The railroad is regarded as one of the oldest narrow gauge lines in America and as a well-preserved example of the steam era. Its rolling stock is also significant: three coaches bought second-hand from the Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad are considered rare survivors of the Laconia Car Company, and Official Car No. 20, built in 1880 for the Bradford, Bordell and Kinzua Railroad, is considered one of few surviving narrow gauge official cars. Passenger service ended in 1953.","period_of_significance":"1871-1956","architect_builder":null,"architectural_style":null,"criteria":[],"status_note":"Tourist operation continues on about five miles of track out of Orbisonia; other stretches are abandoned, washed out or in decay.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-haiku-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.1-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 17:11:28.853685-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_PA/66000666_NHL.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/66000666/0912731907-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/66000666/0912731907-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Roger Puta","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:East_Broad_Top_2-8-2_12_Railfan_Special_east_of_Rockhill_Furnace,_PA_on_February_22,_1969_02_(24465379452).jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Roger Puta</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:East_Broad_Top_2-8-2_12_Railfan_Special_east_of_Rockhill_Furnace,_PA_on_February_22,_1969_02_(24465379452).jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71994405","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Broad_Top_Railroad_and_Coal_Company","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5327951"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/pennsylvania/huntingdon-county/east-broad-top-railroad-66000666/"}