Mikado Freight Locomotive No. 520
Why it's listed
Built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia in December 1916, Mikado Freight Locomotive No. 520 is a Class L1 2-8-2 freight engine built for the Pennsylvania Railroad. It was designed to replace 2-8-0 locomotives on main line freight work. Its boiler was identical to that of the K-4s Pacific class locomotives being built at the same time, and the railroad ended up with 999 engines sharing similar boilers and other common parts. On November 14, 1942, while hauling a westbound freight train near Cresson at an estimated 15 to 18 miles per hour, the boiler exploded, killing the engineer, fireman and brakemen and injuring several others. The locomotive was repaired and returned to service, remaining in use until 1957, when it hauled a train of railfans from Baltimore to Enola. It is one of a group of Pennsylvania Railroad rolling stock examples preserved as a thematic resource.
Significance in brief: The locomotive is a fine example of its class and was part of a larger group of Pennsylvania Railroad rolling stock. The form notes that it shared boilers with the K-4s Pacifics built at the same time, and that it was involved in a rare boiler explosion near Cresson in 1942 before returning to service until 1957. The listing is part of a thematic group of Pennsylvania Railroad rolling stock, described as the only existing specimens of their types.
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 79002269, 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 | 79002269 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1916 |
| Architect / builder | Baldwin Locomotive Works, Philadelphia |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Transportation, Invention |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Held at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania |
| 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 79002269.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7120455
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.