Passenger Locomotive No. 1223
Why it's listed
Built at the Pennsylvania Railroad's Juniata Shops on November 28, 1905, Passenger Locomotive No. 1223 is a Class D16sb 4-4-0 American, a wheel arrangement that took its popular name from its wide use across many train types. The engine has 201/2-inch by 26-inch cylinders, 68-inch drivers, a steam pressure of 175 pounds, and a total engine weight of 141,100 pounds, with a tractive force of 23,900 pounds. Its tender, built at Juniata in June 1904, carries 5,600 gallons of water and 26,000 pounds of coal. The D16 class is regarded as the speediest and longest-lasting development of the railroad's Americans. Engine 1223 was chosen for preservation and appeared in the 1939 film Broadway Limited. It is now in working order and runs on loan to the Strasburg Railroad.
Significance in brief: The locomotive is one of the surviving examples of the Pennsylvania Railroad's 4-4-0 American type, which the nomination describes as the longest-lasting and most-remembered of the railroad's Americans. It was selected for preservation and appeared in the 1939 film Broadway Limited. The listing is made within a group of historically significant rolling stock, of which the document says the specimens are the only existing examples 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 79002272, 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 | 79002272 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1905 |
| Architect / builder | Juniata Shops, Pennsylvania Railroad |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Transportation, Invention |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In working condition and 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 79002272.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7120443
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.