Lurgan Branch
Encyclopedia
The Lurgan Branch is a railroad line owned and operated by the Norfolk Southern Railway
in the U.S. state
s of Pennsylvania
and Maryland
. The line runs from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
southwest to Hagerstown, Maryland
along former Reading Company
and Pennsylvania Railroad
lines. Its northeast end is at a junction with the Harrisburg Line
, Pittsburgh Line, Royalton Branch, and Amtrak
's Philadelphia to Harrisburg Main Line
; its southwest end is at the beginning of the Hagerstown District. At Lemoyne it intersects the Enola Branch
.
opened the line from Lemoyne to Chambersburg, including the Lurgan Branch southwest of Shippensburg. The Franklin Railroad extended the line from Chambersburg to Greencastle in 1839 and Greencastle to Hagerstown in 1841. This part of the line became part of the Pennsylvania Railroad
through leases and mergers.
The Harrisburg and Potomac Railroad was built in the 1870s from Lemoyne to Shippensburg. It was later linked to Harrisburg via the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Bridge
, and became part of the Reading Company
via leases and mergers. At Lurgan tower, just southwest of Shippensburg, Reading ownership ended and the Western Maryland Railway
Lurgan Subdivision
began, continuing the rail connection to that railroad's Hagerstown classification yard
. A connection was subsequently built in Shippensburg between the PRR line and the RDG line to allow for interchange coal traffic.
Conrail took over both companies in 1976. The PRR line was abandoned from Shippensburg to Carlisle
, a portion that saw much street-running and -crossing, as this was the segment that was never significantly improved by the Cumberland Valley Railroad. The existing Cumbo connection was used to create the new hybrid line. The branch was assigned to Norfolk Southern in the 1999 breakup of Conrail. For similar reasons, the WM line south of Shippensburg, to Chambersburg, has been downgraded.
project. A new intermodal
terminal is planned for Greencastle, Pennsylvania
and the existing terminal at Harrisburg will be upgraded. Work is scheduled to be completed by 2013.
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
s of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. The line runs from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
southwest to Hagerstown, Maryland
Hagerstown, Maryland
Hagerstown is a city in northwestern Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Washington County, and, by many definitions, the largest city in a region known as Western Maryland. The population of Hagerstown city proper at the 2010 census was 39,662, and the population of the...
along former Reading Company
Reading Company
The Reading Company , usually called the Reading Railroad, officially the Philadelphia and Reading Rail Road and then the Philadelphia and Reading Railway until 1924, operated in southeast Pennsylvania and neighboring states...
and Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
lines. Its northeast end is at a junction with the Harrisburg Line
Harrisburg Line
The Harrisburg Line is a railroad line owned and operated by the Norfolk Southern Railway in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The line runs from Philadelphia west to Harrisburg along the former Reading Company main line....
, Pittsburgh Line, Royalton Branch, and Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
's Philadelphia to Harrisburg Main Line
Philadelphia to Harrisburg Main Line
The Philadelphia to Harrisburg Main Line is an electrified rail line owned and operated by Amtrak in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The line runs from Zoo Interlocking in Philadelphia, where it meets the Northeast Corridor, west to Harrisburg , where electrification ends, along the former...
; its southwest end is at the beginning of the Hagerstown District. At Lemoyne it intersects the Enola Branch
Enola Branch
The Enola Branch is a railroad line owned and operated by the Norfolk Southern Railway in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The line runs from Washington Boro northwest to Marysville along a former Pennsylvania Railroad line. Its south end is at a former junction with the Atglen and Susquehanna...
.
History
In 1837, the Cumberland Valley RailroadCumberland Valley Railroad
The Cumberland Valley Railroad was an early railroad in Pennsylvania, USA, originally chartered in 1831 to connect with Pennsylvania’s Main Line of Public Works...
opened the line from Lemoyne to Chambersburg, including the Lurgan Branch southwest of Shippensburg. The Franklin Railroad extended the line from Chambersburg to Greencastle in 1839 and Greencastle to Hagerstown in 1841. This part of the line became part of the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
through leases and mergers.
The Harrisburg and Potomac Railroad was built in the 1870s from Lemoyne to Shippensburg. It was later linked to Harrisburg via the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Bridge
Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Bridge (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania)
The Philadelphia & Reading Railroad Bridge carries Norfolk Southern rail lines across the Susquehanna River between Cumberland County, Pennsylvania and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It was originally built by the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad to connect its Harrisburg and Lurgan lines...
, and became part of the Reading Company
Reading Company
The Reading Company , usually called the Reading Railroad, officially the Philadelphia and Reading Rail Road and then the Philadelphia and Reading Railway until 1924, operated in southeast Pennsylvania and neighboring states...
via leases and mergers. At Lurgan tower, just southwest of Shippensburg, Reading ownership ended and the Western Maryland Railway
Western Maryland Railway
The Western Maryland Railway was an American Class I railroad which operated in Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. It was primarily a coal hauling and freight railroad, with a small passenger train operation. The WM became part of the Chessie System in 1973 and ceased operating its lines...
Lurgan Subdivision
Lurgan Subdivision
The Lurgan Subdivision is a railroad line owned and operated by CSX Transportation in the U.S. states of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and West Virginia. The line runs from Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, south to Hagerstown, Maryland, and west to Cherry Run, West Virginia, along a former Western Maryland...
began, continuing the rail connection to that railroad's Hagerstown classification yard
Classification yard
A classification yard or marshalling yard is a railroad yard found at some freight train stations, used to separate railroad cars on to one of several tracks. First the cars are taken to a track, sometimes called a lead or a drill...
. A connection was subsequently built in Shippensburg between the PRR line and the RDG line to allow for interchange coal traffic.
Conrail took over both companies in 1976. The PRR line was abandoned from Shippensburg to Carlisle
Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Carlisle is a borough in and the county seat of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The name is traditionally pronounced with emphasis on the second syllable. Carlisle is located within the Cumberland Valley, a highly productive agricultural region. As of the 2010 census, the borough...
, a portion that saw much street-running and -crossing, as this was the segment that was never significantly improved by the Cumberland Valley Railroad. The existing Cumbo connection was used to create the new hybrid line. The branch was assigned to Norfolk Southern in the 1999 breakup of Conrail. For similar reasons, the WM line south of Shippensburg, to Chambersburg, has been downgraded.
Expansion plans
NS is preparing for expanded traffic on the Lurgan Branch as part of its Crescent CorridorNorfolk Southern Crescent Corridor
The Crescent Corridor is a railroad corridor expansion program that will be operated by the Norfolk Southern Railway . The line, proposed by NS in 2007, will run along Interstate 81. It will be a major intermodal corridor running between Louisiana and New Jersey.-Project overview:NS plans for the...
project. A new intermodal
Intermodal freight transport
Intermodal freight transport involves the transportation of freight in an intermodal container or vehicle, using multiple modes of transportation , without any handling of the freight itself when changing modes. The method reduces cargo handling, and so improves security, reduces damages and...
terminal is planned for Greencastle, Pennsylvania
Greencastle, Pennsylvania
Greencastle is a borough in Franklin County in south-central Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,722 at the 2000 census.-History:...
and the existing terminal at Harrisburg will be upgraded. Work is scheduled to be completed by 2013.