Railroading in World War I

During the summer of 1916 my father worked as part of a survey crew for the Cumberland Valley Railroad (CVRR). The CVRR began operation in 1837 and immediately became a success serving the prosperous Cumberland Valley. Initially linking Harrisburg and Chambersburg, it eventually extended south to Hagerstown, Maryland, and on to Winchester, Virginia, and the Shenandoah Valley. During the Civil War it was a popular target for the Rebels, with significant raids in 1862 and 1863, followed by the burning of Chambersburg by Rebel General John McAusland in 1864. That summer my father had just completed his Sophomore year at…