Passenger Coach No. 3556
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Built at the Pennsylvania Railroad's Juniata Shops in August 1886, Passenger Coach No. 3556 is a wooden passenger car of Class PF. It measures about 46 feet 7.5 inches in outside length and 9 feet 10 inches in width, has a metal roof and four cast iron wheels, and seats 58 passengers, 24 on reversible seats and 5 on fixed seats. Its significance lies in its heating system. It was the first Pennsylvania car to draw steam from the locomotive for heat, which removed the need for a coal stove and allowed four more passengers to be carried. That system remained in use until 1912, when steam vapor heating replaced it. The car is one of a group of Pennsylvania Railroad rolling stock nominated as a thematic resource, and it is among the few surviving examples of its type. It is currently on loan to the Strasburg Railroad.
Significance in brief: The car is part of a thematic group of Pennsylvania Railroad rolling stock. The form notes it was the first Pennsylvania car to use steam from the locomotive for heat, which replaced the coal stove and allowed four extra passengers to be seated. The form also describes the surviving cars as among 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 79002270, 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 | 79002270 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1886 |
| Architect / builder | Juniata Shops (Pennsylvania Railroad) |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Transportation, Invention |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently on loan to the Strasburg Railroad. |
| 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 79002270.
- 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.