Steel Passenger Coach No. 1651
Why it's listed
Steel passenger coach No. 1651, a Class P58 car, was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad at its Juniata Shops in 1905. It measured 79 feet 10.5 inches over its outside length and was built almost entirely of fireproof materials. The only exception noted is the armrests of the seats, and even the upholstery was fireproof. Electric lighting was the only lighting provided. The car was one of the first all-steel passenger cars the railroad built, alongside a Class P53 car built in 1906, and it marked the period when electric operation and steel construction were introduced to passenger service. Coach No. 1651 remained in service until 1930. It is listed as part of the railroad's rolling stock thematic resource, which the nomination values because the surviving examples of their types are rare, and all are genuine rather than replicas.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the coach was one of the first all-steel passenger cars built by the Pennsylvania Railroad, marking the shift from wood to steel car construction. It was built almost entirely of fireproof materials and was lit only by electricity. The document describes the surviving rolling stock as a variety of historically significant examples, many of them the only existing specimens of their types, and states that all the 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 79002279, 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 | 79002279 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Architect / builder | Pennsylvania Railroad (builder, Juniata Shops) |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Transportation, Invention |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Remained in service until 1930. |
| 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 79002279.
- 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.