Consolidation Freight Locomotive No. 1187
Why it's listed
Built in 1888 at the Juniata Shops of the Pennsylvania Railroad, Consolidation Freight Locomotive No. 1187 is a Class H3 (R) 2-8-0 steam freight engine with 20 by 24 inch cylinders and 50 inch drivers. The class was designed in the early 1880s to haul heavier freight than the earlier Class I. It carried a Belpaire firebox designed for 140 pounds of steam pressure. Three engines of this type were washed away at Johnstown during the flood of May 31, 1889. A total of 2,289 were built at Juniata from 1885 to 1898. Number 1187 is the only complete Juniata-built example known to survive. The railroad restored it in 1939, and it was exhibited at the New York World's Fair in 1940. It is now housed at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania near Strasburg, where it sits on standard gauge track. The locomotive was nominated as part of a group of rolling stock preserved after the railroad's shift to diesel power by 1940.
Significance in brief: The nomination describes it as the heaviest freight class of the Pennsylvania Railroad at the time, with the only complete Juniata Shops locomotive known to survive. It is part of a rolling stock group whose survivors are presented as rare examples of the steam developmental period of the railroad. Number 1187 was restored by the Juniata Shops in 1939 and exhibited at the 1940 New York World's Fair.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 79002262, listed December 17, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | E of Strasburg, Strasburg |
|---|---|
| County | Lancaster County |
| Listed | December 17, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79002262 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Transportation, Invention |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Housed at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, on standard railroad track inside the museum gallery or on museum grounds. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 39.98242, -76.16077 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 79002262.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q79450127
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.