It is a 275-foot (84 m) long, brick-lined tunnel built between 1836 and 1837 and opened for traffic in 1838. During the Civil War, the tunnel, then part of the Northern Central Railway system, was a target of Confederatecavalry troops, but was protected by elements of the 20th Pennsylvania state militia. However, nearby railroad bridges on the NCR down to Hanover Junction were destroyed by Confederate forces. After the war, the tunnel was rebuilt to accommodate two tracks in 1868.
The line was again damaged during Hurricane Agnes in 1972 and rebuilt by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1985. Freight traffic failed to materialize and the line again fell dormant by 1996. The Northern Central Railway (no relation to the original owner) leased the line in 1996 and operated the Liberty Limited dinner train from New Freedom through the tunnel to York until September 2, 2001.[3]
York County, Pennsylvania purchased the tunnel along with its rail corridor in 1990 and has maintained it as part of a historic railroad, thereby preserving its status as an "active" tunnel. The tunnel was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.[1][4] In August 1999 the county government completed a track-side trail, the Heritage Rail Trail which led to the tunnel being refurbished in 1999 and again in 2003.
According to information posted in the front window of Steam Into History Inc. (501c) There is currently a fund raising effort to restore passenger train service through the Howard Tunnel by Steam Into History's Excursion trains. As of 7/9/2016 they have received 1/2 the funds necessary to repair the tracks from Hanover Junction Pa to York Pa. - See also Steam Into History
^"National Historic Landmarks & National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania" (Searchable database). CRGIS: Cultural Resources Geographic Information System. Note: This includes Thomas N. Shaffer (June 1992). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Howard Tunnel, Northern Central Railway" (PDF). Retrieved 2011-12-17.
^U.S. National Park Service National Register Information System (NRIS): Howard Tunnel, Northern Central Railway. NRIS Item No. 95000541. Listed 1995-05-19.
howard, tunnel, this, article, about, tunnel, rural, pennsylvania, tunnel, under, howard, street, maryland, baltimore, belt, line, located, near, seven, valleys, pennsylvania, operation, since, 1838, second, oldest, active, rail, tunnel, originally, constructe. This article is about a tunnel in rural Pennsylvania For CSX s tunnel under Howard Street in Maryland see Baltimore Belt Line The Howard Tunnel is located near Seven Valleys Pennsylvania In operation since 1838 it is the second oldest active rail tunnel in the U S Originally constructed by the York and Maryland Line Rail Road it formed a critical link in the north south line assembled by the Northern Central Railway 2 Howard TunnelThe Howard Tunnel s south portal OverviewLocationNorthern Central railroad tracks near the South Branch of Codorus Creek southeast of New Salem North Codorus Township Pennsylvania United StatesOperationOpened1838Characterbrick linedTechnicalLine length275 ft 84 m Howard Tunnel Northern Central RailwayU S National Register of Historic PlacesShow map of PennsylvaniaShow map of the United StatesNearest cityNew Salem PennsylvaniaCoordinates39 53 28 N 76 45 2 W 39 89111 N 76 75056 W 39 89111 76 75056Arealess than one acreBuilt1840MPSRailroad Resources of York County MPSNRHP reference No 95000541 1 Added to NRHPMay 19 1995It is a 275 foot 84 m long brick lined tunnel built between 1836 and 1837 and opened for traffic in 1838 During the Civil War the tunnel then part of the Northern Central Railway system was a target of Confederate cavalry troops but was protected by elements of the 20th Pennsylvania state militia However nearby railroad bridges on the NCR down to Hanover Junction were destroyed by Confederate forces After the war the tunnel was rebuilt to accommodate two tracks in 1868 The line was again damaged during Hurricane Agnes in 1972 and rebuilt by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1985 Freight traffic failed to materialize and the line again fell dormant by 1996 The Northern Central Railway no relation to the original owner leased the line in 1996 and operated the Liberty Limited dinner train from New Freedom through the tunnel to York until September 2 2001 3 York County Pennsylvania purchased the tunnel along with its rail corridor in 1990 and has maintained it as part of a historic railroad thereby preserving its status as an active tunnel The tunnel was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1995 1 4 In August 1999 the county government completed a track side trail the Heritage Rail Trail which led to the tunnel being refurbished in 1999 and again in 2003 According to information posted in the front window of Steam Into History Inc 501c There is currently a fund raising effort to restore passenger train service through the Howard Tunnel by Steam Into History s Excursion trains As of 7 9 2016 they have received 1 2 the funds necessary to repair the tracks from Hanover Junction Pa to York Pa See also Steam Into HistoryReferences Edit a b National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service March 13 2009 National Historic Landmarks amp National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania Searchable database CRGIS Cultural Resources Geographic Information System Note This includes Thomas N Shaffer June 1992 National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form Howard Tunnel Northern Central Railway PDF Retrieved 2011 12 17 Northern Central Railway Inc 1 2001 09 02 U S National Park Service National Register Information System NRIS Howard Tunnel Northern Central Railway NRIS Item No 95000541 Listed 1995 05 19 External links EditHoward Tunnel Waymarking com Heritage Rail Trail History York County Parks Steam Into History Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Howard Tunnel amp oldid 1155715483, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
