Cumberland Valley Car
Why it's listed
Built in 1855 at the Chambersburg Shops of the Cumberland Valley Railroad, this combination passenger and baggage car measures 49 feet 0 inches in length and 9 feet 2 inches in width, with a wheelbase of about 45 feet. It ran in passenger and baggage service on the Cumberland Valley Railroad until 1888, when it was reassigned to maintenance of way work. It was placed in storage in August 1909. The car is regarded as the second oldest piece of rolling stock surviving in the United States. Its significance lies in its age and rarity as an early American railroad car, and in its inclusion among the surviving examples of nineteenth and early twentieth century rolling stock preserved as part of the Pennsylvania Railroad Rolling Stock group. All cars in the group are original rather than replicas, which adds to their value as physical records of railroad history.
Significance in brief: The document states that the car is the second oldest piece of rolling stock extant in the United States. It served on the Cumberland Valley Railroad until 1888, then in maintenance of way service until August 1909, when it was placed in storage. The nomination describes the thematic group as a variety of historically significant rolling stock, many of them the only existing specimens of their types, and states that all cars are genuine rather than replicas.
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 79002265, 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 | 79002265 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1855 |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Transportation, Invention |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Placed in storage in August 1909 after maintenance of way service. |
| 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 79002265.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.