"[5] The 22 mi (35 km) initial route by Professor Ambrose E. Lehman had been surveyed into Gettysburg along Rock Creek on January 12, 1882,[6] but the mainline was instead completed into the west side of the borough along Oak Ridge.

[8] Tracklaying had begun on August 20, 1883;[6] the 1st train arrived February 26, 1884 [6] (two "golden" spikes driven); the station was completed by Joseph J Smith on March 4 [7] ("cellar and foundations" by George W. Lady);[8] and scheduled passenger service began April 21, 1884.

[10] Two additional G. & H. R. R. stations were south of Gettysburg for excursions on the Round Top Branch; which had been surveyed by July 14, 1882;[11] had begun construction by May 1884;[12] and had started operations in June 1884.

In October 1884, Chief Engineer Lehman commenced an Idaville-to-York Springs survey for an eastward branch.

[14] A new Baldwin locomotive had been purchased by April 10, 1889, when Lehman began the survey for the southward extension from Round Top to the Washington, DC, Pennsylvania Railroad terminal at the National Mall via Westminster, Maryland and that was never built[15] (Lehman & Col Fuller had visited Littlestown, Pennsylvania, in 1884 regarding the Westminster route.