Shippensburg to Isle

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This view shows the Pennsylvania RR right of way facing east at Newville. This new rail trail has not yet been opened; it will run between Newville and Shippensburg. Photo by Mike Palmer, November 2003.

This abandoned railway was part of the Pennsylvania/Penn Central line from Harrisburg to Hagerstown, MD. Between Harrisburg and Shippensburg, it paralleled Reading Railroad's line, which was several miles to the south. Both companies became part of Conrail in April 1976, and this line was probably abandoned around that time.

The line passed through wooded and agricultural areas. The western section is being developed as a rail trail, while the eastern section is used as a utility corridor. The utility corridor section can be easily located by the power lines, but the property owners have posted "No Trespassing" signs in several locations.

A short segment, from Isle to Carlisle, appears to still be active with a shipper that uses tank cars.

This is part of the Cumberland Valley Trail (www.cvrtc.org)and happens to pass through some very scenic areas. The current 'live' line terminates at Newville Road / Rt 641 just south of Westminster Cemetery just outside of Carlise headed towards Newville. Although the tracks are still present from that point until you reach just east of Allen Road / Rt. 465 headed south to Ritner Highway / Rt 11.

The Longitude and Latitude of the current track end are 40.200987,-77.238936 and you can easily view this on Bing Maps or Google Aerial View. Someone needs to go out and take some better pictures for this site to preserve the history while it's left.

Danny Hopkins
Harrisburg/Shippensburg/York, PA
6/8/2010

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The July 1985 issue of Railpace also reflects the above comments...this was originally the Cumberland Valley RR and it opened in 1837!

Mike Palmer
Torrance, CA
7/27/2010

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The line was abandoned by Conrail in the early 1980s with rerouting of main freights on the old Reading Line from Harrisburg to Shippensburg then at Shippensburg rejoin the old CV/PRR/PC to Hagerstown

Albert Wrightstone
Shiremanstown, PA
3/4/2011

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Soon to be a Rail trail that will join the existing trail between Shippensburg and Newville. The Carlisle portion will start at Rt. 465, since the line is live for the warehouses between there and town. Pity Conrail yanked all of the bridges, that was done so they didn't have to maintain them.

Wes Burkholder
Carlisle, PA
1/9/2012

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