RAILROAD MUSEUM OF PA

Client: Department of General Services, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission

Location: Strasburg, PA
Date: 2013
Area: 16,500 sq. feet

Synopsis:

The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania is devoted to preserving and interpreting the broad impact of railroad development on society. The Museum has one of the most significant collections of historic railroad artifacts. This collection includes over 100 locomotives and cars together with the priceless Pennsylvania Railroad Historical Collection.

The Museum uses the existing Rolling Stock Hall to display the locomotives and tender in a controlled environment. This aids the Museum in its aim to preserve the collection. Currently, the Museum utilized the yard to display additional pieces leaving these prone to continued environmental degradation. To satisfy the need to provide more additional interior space the Museum envisioned this Roundhouse project which will provide space for 6 more tracks for a total of 12 locomotives and cars.

The proposed Roundhouse will be located on the west side of the sit partially encircling the Cressona Roundhouse 1927 turntable bridge which was relocated to this site in the 1970's. The Roundhouse design is a contemporary interpretation of the building type used historically in railroad yards to service and store locomotives and cars. The design includes provisions for future expansions as well as repairs to the turntable bridge structure and the replacing of the turntable controls, drives, and motors.

The design responds to complex site constraints and operating clearances for the tracks and turntables. This results in a spiraling westerly wall providing a spatially rich conclusion to expanding Roundhouse form. The project will include geothermal heat-exchange based HVAC systems.

Renderings