Hanover Junction, Hanover and Gettysburg Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Hanover Junction, Hanover and Gettysburg Railroad was a railroad line in Pennsylvania in the 19th century. The 38 mile (61 km) main line ran from Orrtanna
to Hanover Junction
where it connected with the Northern Central Railway
(a subsidiary of the Pennsylvania Railroad
). Connections along the main line were to the Gettysburg and Harrisburg Railroad
(at Gettysburg
), the Bachman Valley Railroad
(Valley Junction), and the Pennsylvania Railroad
(Porter's Sideling
).
operations of (merged) the railway lines of the Hanover Branch Railroad
and Susquehanna, Gettysburg & Potomac Railway. The railroad was extended from Gettysburg west to Marsh Creek in 1884 and to Orrtanna in 1885.
In 1886 the company merged with the Baltimore and Hanover Railroad
and the Bachman Valley Railroad to form the Baltimore and Harrisburg Railway
. This new company was controlled by the Western Maryland Railway
, and the WM bought the company in 1917. The Hanover Branch portion of track between Hanover Junction and Valley Junction was abandoned and removed c. 1930.
Orrtanna, Pennsylvania
Orrtanna is a census-designated place in Adams County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 173 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Orrtanna is located at ....
to Hanover Junction
Hanover Junction, Pennsylvania
Hanover Junction is a small unincorporated community in south-central York County, Pennsylvania, United States, near the borough of Seven Valleys...
where it connected with the Northern Central Railway
Northern Central Railway
The Northern Central Railway was a Class I Railroad connecting Baltimore, Maryland with Sunbury, Pennsylvania. Completed in 1858, the line came under the control of the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1861, when the PRR acquired a controlling interest in the Northern Central's stock to compete with the...
(a subsidiary 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....
). Connections along the main line were to the Gettysburg and Harrisburg Railroad
Gettysburg and Harrisburg Railroad
The Gettysburg and Harrisburg Railroad was a railway line of Pennsylvania from Hunter's Run southward to Gettysburg in the 19th century. The north junction was with the South Mountain RR, and a crossing with the Hanover Junction, Hanover and Gettysburg Railroad's westward extension was at Gettysburg...
(at Gettysburg
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Gettysburg is a borough that is the county seat, part of the Gettysburg Battlefield, and the eponym for the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg. The town hosts visitors to the Gettysburg National Military Park and has 3 institutions of higher learning: Lutheran Theological Seminary, Gettysburg College, and...
), the Bachman Valley Railroad
Bachman Valley Railroad
The Bachman Valley Railroad was a railroad that operated in Pennsylvania and Maryland in the 19th century. The 13 mile line ran from Valley Junction, Pennsylvania to Ebbvale, Maryland . The railroad was built to transport iron ore to local blast furnaces...
(Valley Junction), and 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....
(Porter's Sideling
Porters Sideling, Pennsylvania
Porters Sideling is an unincorporated community located in Heidelberg Township in York County, Pennsylvania, United States. Porters Sideling is located about a mile southeast off Pennsylvania Route 116 and is about 8 miles away from Codorus State Park....
).
History
The Hanover Junction Company was chartered in 1874 and took over trainTrain
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
operations of (merged) the railway lines of the Hanover Branch Railroad
Hanover Branch Railroad
The Hanover Branch Railroad Company was a railroad that operated in Pennsylvania in the mid-19th century. The company was incorporated on March 16, 1847 and began operating trains in 1852...
and Susquehanna, Gettysburg & Potomac Railway. The railroad was extended from Gettysburg west to Marsh Creek in 1884 and to Orrtanna in 1885.
In 1886 the company merged with the Baltimore and Hanover Railroad
Baltimore and Hanover Railroad
The Baltimore and Hanover Railroad was a railroad that operated in Maryland in the 19th century. The 20 mile main line ran from Emory Grove, Maryland north to the Pennsylvania state line near Black Rock Junction, where it connected with the Bachman Valley Railroad.The B&H was chartered by the...
and the Bachman Valley Railroad to form the Baltimore and Harrisburg Railway
Baltimore and Harrisburg Railway
The Baltimore and Harrisburg Railway was a railroad that operated in Maryland and Pennsylvania in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The 59 miles main line ran from Emory Grove, Maryland to Orrtanna, Pennsylvania, with a 6 miles branch from Valley Junction, Pennsylvania to Hanover Junction,...
. This new company was controlled by 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...
, and the WM bought the company in 1917. The Hanover Branch portion of track between Hanover Junction and Valley Junction was abandoned and removed c. 1930.