STEWARTSTOWN R.R.
- Program
- Subject
- Location
- Lat/Long
- Grant Recipient
-
Historic Transportation
-
Site, Transportation
- 429 S Main St, Shrewsbury, PA 17361, USA
- 39.7572168114, -76.677947892983
-
Friends of the Stewartstown Railroad
STEWARTSTOWN R.R.
Inscription
STEWARTSTOWN R.R.CHARTERED IN 1884. PROVIDED
FREIGHT & PASSENGER SERVICE
BETWEEN STEWARTSTOWN AND
NEW FREEDOM, PENNSYLVANIA.
STATION BUILT HERE 1925.
WILLIAM G. POMEROY FOUNDATION 2026
Chartered in 1884, the Stewartstown Railroad was created in response to the growing need for freight and passenger transportation throughout York County, Pennsylvania.
Considered a “short-line” railroad—meaning it runs a shorter distance than larger Class I railroads and was meant to connect the community to larger rail networks–the Stewartstown Railroad linked the largely agricultural community of Stewartstown to the markets of Baltimore, Harrisburg, and York through an interchange in nearby New Freedom, Pennsylvania. Organized by a group of local citizens, the 7.4-mile track took a year to be constructed.
In 1925, a new station was built by the Stewartstown Railroad. Completed and put into use in September of that year, the September 24, 1925 Stewartstown News reported that, “The building is a one story brick structure, the passenger office and waiting room being one end and the freight warehouse in the other.”
As of 2025, this station remains in use as an occasional stop on certain small train excursions. In fact, the Stewartstown Railroad also remains in operation, thanks to several volunteers who maintain the lines and cars. The railroad continues to offer seasonally themed train rides and private charters for those interested in taking a trip back in time.