On Location: 545 - Hanover Junction, Pa.

Hanover Junction in 1955.

Valuation Maps

Station (MP 45.2)

Famous because of a Civil War era photograph. The Northern Central had a junction with the Hanover Junction, Hanover & Gettysburg Railway at this spot. The station building was built in 1852, and was always a property owned by the Hanover & Gettysburg Railway (later part of the Western Maryland). The Northern Central leased space for an agency and passenger station beginning in 1855. The Norther Central established a school here to train telegraph operastors which was there during the Civil War. The station was raided during the Gettysburg Campaign by Col. Elijah White's 35^th Virginia Cavalry, who also burned bridges north of the station. After the battle of Gettysburg more than 11,000 wounded soldiers came through here on their way to hospitals in New York, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, York and Baltimore. The Western Maryland ended service here in 1928, and Amtrak ended service here on May 1, 1971. (Ivan Frantz)

Locomotive Servicing Station

In operation from the late 1870s until the 1920s this was a miniature Denholm or Thorndale for the Northern Central. There were four tracks that were served by an overhead bridge. Small "larry cars" were filled from hoppers that were pushed up the hill, which were then pushed by hand out over the servicing tracks. There were also water plugs to fill tenders, and ash pits to clean locomotive fires, as well as sand being available. On the hill above the [remaining] stone wall is where the hoppers were pushed up to empty into the "larry cars" and there were also two storage tracks for hoppers there as well. There was a siding on the east side of the tracks to hold a gondola for ashes. Water was pumped from the Codorus Creek up to a reservoir on the hill. (Ivan Frantz)