Its like the mecca for PRR fans, let me just say it was the best trip I have ever been on. I actually saw an M1a I think, with train phone antenna on the tender up close, which blew me away, and I got to ride on a steam engine, in a heavyweight coach, with the lights turned on at dusk!
I live right outside philly, so it took only 1 1/2 hours to get there, which was a pleasant surprise. Lancaster county is the most beautiful place I have ever seen in my entire life, for those who haven’t visited I encourage you to do so. The sight of the old stretch of the PRR line from Philly to Harrisburg under catenary amidst the rolling hills and amish farm lands will take your breath away[:)]
Anyway, thanks to those who recommended the hobby stores in the area to me, I purchased an awesome Spectrum loco for a reasonable price, and I got to see some great HO layouts at the museum, they also had some actual O scale stuff too which looked amazing. They also have a fine art models T1 on display along with a brass S1 in HO, it was a real pleasure to see those.
As far as the real trains go, I grew up thinking that the only train place was the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, but boy was I wrong, I couldn’t believe how many old retro engines were on display indoors alone at Strasburg! GG1’s, Atlantics, K4s, E7 diesels, shays, switchers, you name it.
I took the train ride at 7:00 in the evening, so there was a nice cool breeze, beautiful weather. I haven’t had this much fun since I was a kid.
If you wander back behind the shop, with the cuts of early 1900 era cars, the steam engines pulling wood coaches and the crew in the traditional dress come in, you can get pictures that would be the same as you could have gottin back in 1920 or 1930.
I’ve been there at least a dozen times since I was a kid, back in the early days there was no museum across the street, and the Strasburg RR itself was simpler. I’ve kind of watched it grow over the years, adn watched the museum develop from a few outside tracks, to the first covered building, to the extensive addition added on later.
This lat time I finally did it right - I purchased an all-day pass for the railroad. The first ride was a normal coach ride. Then I paid the difference and rode in one of the parlor cars for the first ime - wow, defintiely worth it. And on the third trip, last trip of the day, they ran the LO&S motor car and I rode that for the first time ever. In between I did the shop tour, had some lunch, and visited the hobby shop. And also rode on the live steam park train. The shop tour is also a worthwhile experience. I consider the whole thing a 2-day trip, I don;t think you can do everything there is to do at the railroad AND see all of the museum collection in just one day. I was also glad they had more equipment int he museum either open to walk in or at least with platforms to see in than last time I was there. I also got to watch them move equipment around outside using a little mechanical switcher, and since it was Reading Railroad Days, FP7’s 902 and 903 were on display and I got invited up to tour the engine room and cab. I should change my avatar pic to the one of me leaning out the engineer’s window of 902. On Oct. 3 I will be riding behind 902 and 903 as they pull an excusrion special from Emmaus to Pennsburg on the old Perkiomen Branch.
My only visit was back in '92. Definitely one of those rare places in America where time seems to have stopped in 1920’s–especially when you consider the surrounding Amish country.
We visited in the fall–even with all the spectacular locomotives, shops, Amish culture, and the overall atmosphere–the coal stoves in the coaches stood out the most. Reminded me of my first trip on a passenger train, a Georgia Railroad mixed train out of Camak, as a 5 or 6 year old in '68.
Even our route to PA from Georgia was mostly of another time. We covered the whole Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive. Took over three days of 35-40mph driving to accomplish since it was peak leaf season.
I love going to Strasburg and the Pennsylvania Railroad Museum. My father, grandfather, and great grandfather are on the Memorial Wall at the museum. I, too, have watched the evolution of both the Strasburg RR and the Museum. Both, I think, for the better.
I’ll see you there, Randy. I’m one of the RCT&HS volunteers for the trips.
Speaking of the shop, don’t miss the back shop tour. They do it at noon with a limited number of passes sold. It is a great look at how 1:1 locomotives and rolling stock are maintained and repaired. They have some wonderful old tools and machine shop equipment in use.
I live about an hour ride south of Strasburg in Maryland, and have lived in Maryland my whole life. Strasburg visits are a way of life here. I have been there more times than I can count starting when I was a child and it is still a great trip every time.
Years back even made it a whole week vacation at the Red Caboose Motel one time. Great fun always.
I live in Pa. and am really not that far from there. I love country like that. How does the facility compair to Steamtown?? There was something about walking up to a Big Boy and just standing there while my hands were resting on the Main Rods. It’s just not imaginable to think were those rods were.
The ailraod Museum of PA is much more oriented towards Pennsylvania railroads, mostly the PRR but they do have other equipment there. Steamtown is more general. Comparing Steamtown with the RR Museum of PA AND Strasburg together - I’d say Strasburg for the sheer volume of equipment on display. Strasburg builds and repairs locomotives, as does Steamtown, the museum is pretty much just stuffed and mounted equipment. The PRR steam locos sitting outside at the RRMoPA are perhaps the saddest sight, and evidence of safety gone overboard, they have been totally stripped of boiler lagging (which was asbestos) and sit naked to the elements.
I’m also in Philly and have been to Strasburg and the museum quite a few times. It is a great experience, no doubt. The Strasburg RR trip is not the most memorable scenery, it’s a fairly short, level run along a wide valley floor, although the end point, at the interchange with the old PRR mainline, is very interesting.
The real key is the rolling stock that is so well maintained and extensive. The Strasburg has been doing the tourist railroad, for so long, in such a first-class way, that they really have it down.
The state museum across the street is such a wonderful collection, you could really spend a full day there to look at everything in detail. I like going out into the yard where they have a lot of pieces in unrestored condition.
Steamtown is great, too. It is maybe too polished in some ways, being a fully funded federal recreation which doesn’t really have much local or original type material. Some of the interpretative exhibits are obviously designed for the general public rather than railfans – but that’s a good thing, if it increases interest in the history and advantages of railroading.
It’s about 2 hours north from Lancaster or Philly. Some nice extras if you go to Steamtown: the little trolley museum adjacent to Steamtown, not part of the national park site, offers trolley rides and some nice displays. The probability of seeing freight action with the Delaware & Hudson, whose engines trudge along with a wide variety of well-weathered paint schemes.
One sight not to be missed, if you have time to run about 15 miles further north: the magnificent Nicholson Viaduct - with luck you might even catch one of those D&H trains high above you. (No access or view platforms, you just park on the road and look up in wonder).
Indeed, the sight of that PRR mainline, the catenary lines stretching through farm land was definately the best part of the ride for me.
The only thing me and my brother were wishing for was more speed. [:D] Its too bad the Norfolk and Western excursion engines no longer run. What I would give to be inside a streamlined passenger car being pulled by the 611 roaring through VA at a much faster pace.
Thats my second favorite former railroad, definately, nothing like the Norfolk and Western.
Of course, for a very reasonable fare, Amtrak’s Keystone will take you from Philly to Harrisburg, so you can see about 90 miles of the main line and catenary (on the adjacent tracks). Amtrak had been using diesels on that stretch, meaning they had to change engines in Philly. But a few years back resumed electric power. (using push-pull because Philly’s station doesn’t go through on the NY-Keystone route.)
