The Howard Tunnel is located near

Seven Valleys, Pennsylvania Seven Valleys is a borough in York County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 480 at the 2020 census. It is part of the York–Hanover metropolitan area. History The Seven Valleys basin was settled by forty families of the German L ...

. In operation since 1838, it is the second oldest active rail

tunnel A tunnel is an underground or undersea passageway. It is dug through surrounding soil, earth or rock, or laid under water, and is usually completely enclosed except for the two portals common at each end, though there may be access and ve ...

in the U.S. Originally constructed by the

York and Maryland Line Rail Road The Northern Central Railway (NCRY) was a Class I Railroad in the United States connecting Baltimore, Maryland, with Sunbury, Pennsylvania, along the Susquehanna River. Completed in 1858, the line came under the control of the Pennsylvania Rai ...

, it formed a critical link in the north-south line assembled by the

Northern Central Railway The Northern Central Railway (NCRY) was a Class I Railroad in the United States connecting Baltimore, Maryland, with Sunbury, Pennsylvania, along the Susquehanna River. Completed in 1858, the line came under the control of the Pennsylvania R ...

. ''Note:'' This includes It is a long, brick-lined tunnel built between 1836 and 1837 and opened for traffic in 1838. During the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

, the tunnel, then part of the

system, was a target of

Confederate A confederation (also known as a confederacy or league) is a political union of sovereign states united for purposes of common action. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issu ...

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from ''cheval'' meaning "horse") are groups of soldiers or warriors who Horses in warfare, fight mounted on horseback. Until the 20th century, cavalry were the most mob ...

troops, but was protected by elements of the 20th Pennsylvania state

militia A militia ( ) is a military or paramilitary force that comprises civilian members, as opposed to a professional standing army of regular, full-time military personnel. Militias may be raised in times of need to support regular troops or se ...

. 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 Hurricane Agnes was the List of costliest Atlantic hurricanes, costliest hurricane to hit the United States at the time, causing an estimated $2.1 billion in damage. The hurricane's death toll was 128. The effects of Agnes were widespread, ...

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 York is a cathedral city in North Yorkshire, England, with Roman Britain, Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire, Ouse and River Foss, Foss. It has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a Yor ...

until September 2, 2001.

York County, Pennsylvania York County is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 456,438. Its county seat is York, 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 The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

in 1995.U.S. National Park Servic
''National Register Information System (NRIS): Howard Tunnel, Northern Central Railway.''
NRIS Item No. 95000541. Listed 1995-05-19. 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

References

External links

Howard Tunnel
- Waymarking.com

- York County Parks *

Steam Into History The Northern Central Railway of York is a non-profit, Civil War themed heritage railroad based in New Freedom, Pennsylvania. A reproduction 4-4-0 steam locomotive hauls passengers over 10 miles of Northern Central Railway track between New Free ...

{{National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania Railway buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania Tunnels completed in 1838 Transportation buildings and structures in York County, Pennsylvania Railway tunnels on the National Register of Historic Places Railroad tunnels in Pennsylvania National Register of Historic Places in York County, Pennsylvania