This weekend I was driving from Texas to Rhode Island (six month Reserve recall) and I saw a billboard for “Roadside America” in Eastern Pennsylvania. I just about went nuts. Roadside America is a building sized toy train layout running 3 rail O scale trains. Yes, it’s not scale. Toy like. Even hokey. But seeing it again (my dad took me to see it in the early 70s when I was a way little kid) was fantastic. It was like being a kid again seeing all those trains zipping along the track (man those O scale trains can make some noise!). It was seeing this way back when that really got me hooked on the idea of making a layout. I need to figure out a way to get my son to see it before he gets too old.
Sometimes it can be fun to step back from our “scale modeling” and just be a kid again! Has anyone else here seen this attraction?
Well gee, you shoulda stopped in, you drove right past my house!
I’ve been to Roadside America many times - it’s always fun. Amazing thing is how old most of that stuff is - and it was all scratch built, too! The structures are for the most part all accurate models of structures in and around Berks County. Just not scaled the same as the trains [:D].
–Randy
i too have been past this place many times as i was an over the road truck driver
wished i had stopped in
tom
Randy,
Say it isn’t so!!! Would have loved to drop in and personally say thanks to the guy that has helped me learn so much about DCC. Had the PE in the truck also - gonna spend the next couple of months putting in some decoders. That gentleman was really a genious with some of his buildings and they way he animated them way back when! As an aside, I also enjoyed about an hour driving around the St. Louis waterfront taking pics of some interesting buildings (including the old Cotton Belt freight house). I also took a couple of hours driving around Easton and Phillipsburg getting a feel for the place that I read so much about (grew up in central jersey, currently modeling CNJ/PRR and LV). Had an excellent time. Gonna try to get back to Phillipsburg some weekend with more film.
Tom,
Bummer!
Well let me know when you come back, I’ll take you around some of the stuff that’s around here. I grew up in Easton, and live just west of Allentown. If you came past Roadside America on 78 and kept going into New Jersey, then you literally did drive right past my house.
I’m more of a Reading fan but LV and CNJ work too. The LV line from Easton to Bethlehem is in use - the old CNJ is a bike path you can walk. You used to be able to watch hump operations at Allentown, but now NS chases you off the public road - or rather calls the local police to chase you off. But you can go to the other side in the park along the canal and they can’t do anything there, it’s a public park.
–Randy
I read about Roadside America in Toy Trains back in the 50s. I finally got to see it sometime in the 80s; I think it’s time to go back.
I too have been to Roadside America and found it an interesting stop. The place was featured a number of years ago on the Kalmbach TV series and having seen that got a greater appreciation of Roadside America.
I’m only 18 … oops, just turned 19 … but I’ve lived my whole life in NJ. We have lots of family in central Pennsylvania, so many many trips right past Roadside America. Just about every trip I was able to get my father to stop, and I would just stare at the trains and buildings and scenery. I could never get enough of it.
I was lucky enough to be handed-down alot of Lionel stuff from the late 40’s. While I now have my little HO thing going, I still go absolutely nuts at Christmas time with track going all over the house for those big, heavy, smoke-belching engines. And the hokey O scale accessories.
What’s that odor produced by all the sparking between wheels and track? Ozone? Love that smell!!
Greg
Randy,
I might take you up on your offer. Would love to be shown the area by a pro. Perhaps when the weather gets a little nicer!
Dave
Nothing like stepping back into our childhood. Thanks for the post Dave, and thanks for what you’re doing. Stay safe.