Construction Continues On Railroad Museum Of Pennsylvania Roundhouse

Published: March 16, 2026

New Roundhouse Will Protect Six Historic PRR Steam Locomotives

Construction continues on a long-anticipated roundhouse exhibit building at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg, a project designed to preserve several of the most historically significant steam locomotives from the Pennsylvania Railroad collection.

The 16,000-square-foot, six-stall structure broke ground in 2025 and is expected to be completed in late 2026 or early 2027. Once finished, the facility will house six massive locomotives that have spent decades exposed to the elements in the museum’s outdoor yard.

Designed with a classic fan-shaped layout reminiscent of traditional railroad engine terminals, the roundhouse will feature brick, steel, and glass construction, a clerestory roof for natural lighting, and a renovated 1928 turntable that will allow locomotives to be positioned just as they once were in steam-era servicing facilities.

The primary purpose of the building is preservation. For decades, several large locomotives in the museum’s collection have deteriorated due to weather exposure. The new climate-controlled space will stabilize these artifacts and allow them to be exhibited in a more historically authentic setting.

In a Facebook post from March 4, 2026 the museum provided an update on the project, featuring photos of foundation work ongoing. They went on to say: "The grade beams are mostly complete, so the enormous footprint of the building is now clearly visible. Contractors are working their way around the interior of the foundation to complete the rail walls, or the massive steel and concrete supports underneath the location of each track. These will help support the tremendous weight of the locomotives resting on each track."

Sitting outside on the museum's grounds are a pair of Pennsy steamers; Class K-4s 4-6-2 Pacific #3750 on the left and Class M-1b 4-8-2 Mountain #6755 on the right. Both engines will be displayed in the new roundhouse. Mike Thomas photo.

The Six Locomotives Destined for the Roundhouse

The new building will display six important steam locomotives that illustrate the development of Pennsylvania Railroad power during the early twentieth century. If you would like to donate towards the stabilization of these locomotives the museum states you may do so here at their website.

PRR B6sb No. 1670 (0-6-0)

One of the smallest locomotives in the lineup will be No. 1670, a B6sb-class 0-6-0 switching locomotive built in 1916.

Switcher locomotives like the B6sb were essential in railroad yards, assembling freight trains and moving cars between classification tracks. Although small compared with mainline locomotives, they were among the hardest-working engines on the railroad.

The B6sb class was widely used across the PRR system for decades. No. 1670 represents the railroad’s standard yard switcher during the peak years of steam operation. Stabilization work and cosmetic restoration have already begun to prepare the locomotive for indoor exhibition in the roundhouse.

PRR H10s No. 7688 (2-8-0)

Another locomotive scheduled for the roundhouse is H10s No. 7688, a 2-8-0 “Consolidation” type freight locomotive built in 1915. The H-class Consolidations were among the most successful freight locomotives used by the Pennsylvania Railroad. Designed for medium-duty freight service, they hauled countless trains across the railroad’s vast network during the early 20th century.

Hundreds of these engines were constructed between 1907 and 1916, becoming the PRR’s standard light freight locomotive before larger Mikado and Decapod types took over heavier assignments. No. 7688 survives today as an important example of the type of locomotive that handled the majority of everyday freight traffic on the railroad.

PRR L1s No. 520 (2-8-2)

Representing heavier freight power will be L1s No. 520, a 2-8-2 “Mikado” type locomotive built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in December 1916.

The L1s class was designed to handle increasingly heavy freight traffic across the PRR system. With large 62-inch drivers and a tractive effort exceeding 60,000 pounds, these locomotives were capable of hauling long freight trains across the railroad’s mountain grades.

No. 520 is one of the few surviving examples of this class and is preserved today at the museum as a representative of the PRR’s heavy freight era.

PRR K4s No. 3750 (4-6-2)

One of the roundhouse’s most historically significant locomotives will be K4s No. 3750, a 4-6-2 “Pacific” type passenger locomotive built in 1920 at the railroad’s famed Pennsylvania Railroad Altoona Works. The K4s class was the Pennsylvania Railroad’s standard passenger locomotive for decades, handling trains across the system’s busiest routes. These engines hauled everything from secondary passenger runs to prestigious mainline trains.

No. 3750 is particularly notable because it has been designated—along with sister locomotive No. 1361—as the official state steam locomotive of Pennsylvania. After many years displayed outdoors at the museum, the locomotive is expected to undergo cosmetic restoration before taking its place inside the new roundhouse.

PRR M1b No. 6755 (4-8-2)

The largest locomotive scheduled for the roundhouse is M1b No. 6755, a 4-8-2 “Mountain” type dual-service locomotive built in June 1930 at Altoona. The M1 class was designed to handle both heavy passenger and fast freight trains, making it one of the most versatile locomotives on the Pennsylvania Railroad. With 72-inch drivers and nearly 70,000 pounds of tractive effort, these powerful engines could handle demanding assignments across the system. No. 6755 is the only surviving M1-class locomotive, making it one of the most important artifacts in the museum’s collection.

PRR E6s No. 460 (4-4-2)

Completing the lineup will be E6s No. 460, a classic 4-4-2 “Atlantic” type passenger locomotive built in 1914. Nicknamed the “Lindbergh Engine,” the locomotive gained fame for hauling a special train carrying aviation hero Charles Lindbergh during a 1927 goodwill tour celebrating his transatlantic flight.

Unlike the other locomotives destined for the roundhouse, No. 460 has already undergone an extensive cosmetic restoration and is currently displayed inside the museum’s Rolling Stock Hall. It will eventually join the other engines as part of the roundhouse exhibit illustrating the evolution of PRR steam locomotive design.

A New Era for the Museum

The roundhouse project marks one of the most significant developments in the history of the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania since the opening of its expanded Rolling Stock Hall in the 1990s. By providing sheltered display space for these six locomotives, the museum will finally be able to halt decades of weather-related deterioration and begin a more comprehensive program of preservation and restoration.

When completed, visitors will be able to see the locomotives arranged around the historic turntable—recreating the appearance of a working steam-era engine terminal and offering a dramatically improved interpretation of Pennsylvania Railroad history. For railroad historians and enthusiasts alike, the new roundhouse will ensure that some of the most important surviving examples of Pennsylvania Railroad steam power are preserved and displayed in a setting worthy of their historic significance.

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