Howard Tunnel facts for kids
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| The Howard Tunnel's south portal. | |
| Overview | |
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| Location | Northern Central railroad tracks near the South Branch of Codorus Creek, southeast of New Salem, North Codorus Township, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Operation | |
| Character | brick lined |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 275 ft (84 m) |
The Howard Tunnel is a historic railroad tunnel located near Seven Valleys, Pennsylvania. It is very old, having been used by trains since 1838. This makes it the second oldest active rail tunnel in the United States!
It was first built by a company called the York and Maryland Line Rail Road. The tunnel was a super important part of a railroad line that connected places from north to south.
Building the Tunnel
The Howard Tunnel is about 275 feet long. That's almost the length of a football field! It was built with strong bricks between 1836 and 1837. Trains started using it in 1838.
During the American Civil War, the tunnel was part of the Northern Central Railway system. Soldiers from the Confederate side tried to attack it. But brave soldiers from the 20th Pennsylvania state militia protected the tunnel. Even though the tunnel was safe, some nearby railroad bridges were destroyed by the Confederate forces.
After the war, the tunnel was fixed up in 1868. It was made wider so it could hold two train tracks instead of just one.
Challenges and Rebuilding
The tunnel faced more challenges later on. In 1972, a huge storm called Hurricane Agnes caused damage to the railway line. The state government of Pennsylvania rebuilt the line in 1985.
However, trains carrying goods (called freight) stopped using the line. By 1996, the line was not used much anymore.
A different company, also called the Northern Central Railway (but not the original one!), leased the line in 1996. They ran a special "Liberty Limited dinner train" through the tunnel. This train carried passengers from New Freedom to York until 2001.
Preserving History
In 1990, the local government of York County, Pennsylvania bought the tunnel and the land around it. They wanted to keep it as part of a historic railroad. This helps the tunnel stay "active" even if regular trains don't use it all the time.
The Howard Tunnel was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995. This means it's recognized as an important historical site in the country.
In 1999, the county government finished building a walking and biking path next to the tracks. This path is called the Heritage Rail Trail. Because of this new trail, the tunnel was fixed up again in 1999 and then once more in 2003.
Future Plans
A group called Steam Into History Inc. is working to bring passenger train service back through the Howard Tunnel. They are raising money to fix the train tracks from Hanover Junction, Pennsylvania, to York, Pennsylvania.
