Every year I take a two week motorcycle road trip out of Michigan. We’re leaving Sunday in the general direction of Savannah, GA. We’ll be going via the Tail of the Dragon and Deal’s Gap south of Knoxville. From there across to Savannah and then up the east coast to perhaps Baltimore. And then across PA and home. There’s no set route; we determine our destination on a daily basis.
I’m looking for suggestions for railfan sites and outstanding LHS’s.
Thanks,
Peter
If you’re going to Baltimore, MB Klien is a Must stop… Sounds like fun. Enjoy the trip.
B&O Museum in Baltimore is a must see!! If you’re going back through PA, you’re loaded with options - maybe more than 2 weeks will allow!!. Strasburg is a 2 day deal to see most of it, and you can’t forget Horseshoe Curve. There are dozens more in PA! Have a good trip!![:)]
Yes, If you are going to be in PA, by all means make SURE you stop at Strasburg (steam operating) railroad. The Strasburg Rail Road Today - Strasburg Rail Road Be sure to take the noon (hour) backshop tour. We took the “rail baron” option and took the wine and cheese train. Across the street is the Railroad Museum of PA, well worth the visit. We are hoping to go again this year, if we can afford the gas!
They have a hobby shop there Strasburg Rail Road Shops: Thomas and Friends Toys, Clothing, Music and Books1 (lists only somethings they carry-they have a ton of stuff) . down the road a bit and almost across the street is another LHS which has as big if not bigger selection of our “toys”.
If you are going to be up Scranton way, there is Steamtown National park Steamtown National Historic Site - (follow and click through the links here- kind of obscure way to get to the meat of the Steamtown site.) Next door is the Electric Trolley Museum where you can ride a trolley as well.Electric City Trolley Museum Association
Hope this helps!
With gas prices as they are, I envy a road trip on a bike!
-G
If you are planning to stop by the Curve, you will have already paid for the Railroad Museum in Altoona, about 10 minutes away. From there it is about 3 miles to a nice bridge where you can watch switching in the Altoona Yard.
In Erie Pa next to the Welches Juice plant in a nice train museum that sits on a 6 track high speed mainline. Tons of traffic on it. Every 15-20 minutes. Lots of nice roads along the lake front too.
Peter,
Marion, OH - A straight drop south from MI. In the middle of town there are two sets of double-diamonds (within ~120’ from one another) where the NS crosses the CSX. 60-80 trains pass through there very day.
The Marion Union Station and AC tower are located right between the double-diamond pairs.
After watching some train action, you can always grab a bite to eat at The Shovel. Trains seem to come in clusters.
Peter, I’ve traveled the Dragon’s Tail many a time on my way to my Mom’s house in western NC. (She just lives outside of Robbinsville, off SR 129.) I bet I’ve ridden that route back and forth at least 60 times in the past 28 years. It’s the quickest way to get to Knoxville from my mom’s. I always enjoyed driving it in my '71 Superbeetle. Fun when you are the driver; nauseating if you happen to be the passenger. [xx(]
Have a great trip, Peter. I think you’d enjoy Marion, if you can swing it. You could always hit it on the way home, too.
Tom
Check out the Lebanon, Mason and Monroe RR (Lm&M RR) in Lebanon Ohio located between Cincinnati and Dayton Ohio. Weekend trips behind a GP7 ("CNRY 55 ")and running “Flagg 75” 0-4-0T steam loco the last three weekends in June.
And if you go just a little further south into Cincinnati, the Cincinnati Union Terminal is a must.
On Saturdays, Tower A is open to the public. You can watch a ton of action in the yard located behind the Terminal.
Tom
If you are near Fostoria Ohio it is well worth a stop. Tons of train action at the NS and CSX diamond.
I might have to check out Marion myself. I run up to Fostoria now and then but Marion would be a little closer.
More a bit of humor, but see if you can get Amtrak to park the bikes in the bike rack in the bottom level of the Superliners. You may not see a more priceless face the entire trip.
On a more realistic note, the Phili station is a cool stop if yu like old stations. Not sure how far east it is of your route. This also lets you railfan the NEC.
In Ohio: Stop by Gulf Manor Hobbies. It’s a hot basement of his house. It’s small, and there’s HO stuff spanning decades. There’s a wall display in the back corner full of Brass including Capitol Limited, UP Centennial, and European engines. he does do mnail-order layaway too. Odds are, if he doesn’t have it, it wasn’t made.
Question:How are you doing the hobby shop bit on bike? or are you guys pulling trailers?
Thanks all for the great suggestions. It’s going to be hard to take in even a few of these places.
It sures looks like Horseshoe Curve and Strasburg are musts. Strasburg looks to be only about 35 mi out of York (HD factory[;)]).
Nope, no trailers. I can fit a few small items on the bike (HD Ultra Glide - aka geezer glide). If I do manage to snag any deals I hope to convince the store to ship it back to me. My business has UPS and Fedex accounts. I’ll take some prepaid shipping labels with me. The store will just have to call for pickup.
I’ll second Tstage’s recommnedation of Cincinnati union station becuase it’s now a museum with an excellant train layout depicting Cincinnati with its railroads circa 1950.
In Chatanooga, there is a rail museum, the NMRA museum, and you can stay at the Chatanooga Choo Choo featuring old pullman cars for accomodations. It’s a converted railroad terminal and has a large model railroad layout.