=Camp Hill =
December 14,2002
Camp Hill, located on the Susquehanna West Shore is served by two rail lines and just missed a third. Cumberland Valley railroading started in the 1830's as the Cumberland Valley Rail Road, a way to move local iron ore and agriculture products, but then the valley developed important bridge routes from the bituminous coal fields and the Midwest to Northeast markets (see Railroutes of the Alleghenies).
Camp Hill is an operating point on the rail line built by the Reading in the 1880's to connect the Western Maryland Railway at Lurgan (Shippensburg) to Reading's Rutherford Yard and points east. The Reading portion of the line became part of Conrail in the 1970's and took over all through traffic to Shippensburg on the Hagerstown route. With Norfolk Southern's takeover, even more traffic has developed.
The Western Maryland Railway developed important business in the Susquehanna Valley and beyond that still exists to this day. Here we see a coal train more than likely headed for the PPL coal-fired generating facility at Bruners Island. Western Maryland engine crews were qualified into Rutherford and split assignments with the Reading on a 40/60 basis. The author is not sure how CSXT trains are crewed these days. Note the crossover and siding in the photos below that connects with the former CVRR to serve several large local industrial customers and the Shiremanstown yard.
The coal train is 'in the hole' waiting for clearance in the busy Harrisburg terminal area.
Meanwhile, Norfolk Southern is moving freight through Camp Hill. This Hagerstown train is moving at a lively clip and the van is pressing its luck in finding enough room on the 'good' side of the crossing, as auto traffic is heavy close to Christmas here near a busy intersection.
Plenty of power is assigned on this train..
About a half hour later, another NS freight comes north. This train takes its time moving through Camp Hill. Actually, the station is in Lower Allen Township, Camp Hill is on the other side of the Cumberland Valley Railroad (PRR) that is just on the other side of the houses in the background. This area was called Whitehill in early CVRR days. Camp Hill was the highwater mark of the Confederacy, some skirmishes of the Gettysburg campaign (which Lee originally intended as an attack against Harrisburg's railroads) was fought in this neighborhood.
Front view.
Rear view. This station is the law office of Michael Bangs. He is owed thanks if he preserved this building.
This photo was added from July 2003. Location is at LB Smith's office between the Camp Hill station above and Shiremanstown yard. The ADM faclity looms to the right.
Rockville Bridge Rails Across the Susquehanna By Dan Cupper
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