Harris Switch Tower, Railroad museum in Harrisburg, United States
Harris Switch Tower is a railroad museum in Harrisburg housed in a brick building with a concrete foundation. Inside are hundreds of control levers, switches, and indicator lights that formed the complex system for managing train movement throughout the region.
The Pennsylvania Railroad built this facility in 1929 as a state-of-the-art dispatching center to coordinate train movements across the region. Operations ceased in 1991 when Amtrak ended its services at this location.
The tower reveals how railroad workers managed their daily tasks and the importance of precision in train operations across the region. The preserved levers and equipment show the skill and focus that the job demanded.
Visitors can view the mechanical systems up close, though many parts are fragile and require careful observation. Weekend visits are ideal when guided tours are available and the location is more accessible to the public.
This is a rare example of an interlocking tower, a technology that railroads have largely replaced with computer-controlled systems. The tower preserves a way of working that has nearly disappeared and offers insight into how rail operations have transformed.
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