STRASBURG, Pa. — A bid process has begun for the building of a six-stall, 16,000-square-foot roundhouse at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania to house six Pennsylvania Railroad steam locomotives.
The Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission announced the beginning of the process on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. Construction will be funded through Pennsylvania capital project funds, and will be managed by the commonwealth’s Department of General Services. Construction is expected to begin this year with completion targeted for 2026.
A press release says “a major source of inspiration” for the project was a Reading Co. roundhouse that once stood in Cressona, Pa., and that the classic fan-shaped design proved to be the best solution to the museum’s space constraints.
When completed, the structure will house PRR class M1b No. 6755, a 4-8-2 built at PRR’s Juniata Shops in 1930; K4s Pacific No. 3750, a 4-6-2 built at Juniata Shops in 1920; L1s No. 520, a Baldwin 2-8-2 built in 1916; E6s No. 450, a 4-4-2 built at Juniata Shops in 1914; H10s No. 7688, a Lima 2-8-0 built in 1915; and B6sb No. 1670, an 0-6-0 switcher built by PRR in 1916. All but No. 450 are currently displayed outdoors. More detailed information on the locomotives is available at the museum website.
More information on the bidding process is available here.
Yet another good railroad story. Good to have something pleasant to think about in this dark winter of discontent.
Needs at least three more stalls.
I believe the 100 ft turntable at RRMPA was originally installed at West Cressona around 1918. When West Cressona was closed in favor of St. Clair in the 1930’s, the bridge was stored at Reading. In 1948 RDG decided to use T-1 4-8-4’s on Bridgeport-Port Reading coal trains and the turntable was installed at the Bridgeport Roundhouse. 2124 was turned on at least one Iron Horse Ramble there. Highway construction gave RDG a free wye at Norristown. The turntable was surplus and was sold to the nascent RRMPA.
Great news! Also, please get Old Rivets out of the weather.