Ever since I was little, I have loved trains. I wore train clothes, I loved going with my parents to train museums (which frequently had train rides), and I even called myself (at the ripe ole' age of 4 or 5!) the "Big Choo Choo Man".
I also loved train books. One of my favorites, which I begged my parents to read time after time, was about a ride on the Strasburg Railroad. Fast forward a quarter century, and earlier this year, I was researching fun history museums to visit within a reasonable day trip's drive of where my relatives live in Maryland. And lo and behold: Strasburg, Pennsylvania, was within reach!!!
(Oh, okay. I suppose that I will admit "reasonable" may be a stretch...it was a two-hour drive one way. But, getting to check off a childhood dream on the bucket list, I thought, was well worth four hours in the car!)
I was primarily interested in riding the Strasburg Railroad, but I wasn't going to pass up the chance to visit the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania across the street, either. I mean, it was only an extra $10!
Riding the Strasburg Railroad was everything I had hoped it to be and more. I am absolutely convinced that they are a world-class steam attraction - certainly one of the best in America, and in my opinion, the best on the East Coast. While there are a number of small and large railroads to ride up and down the Eastern Seaboard, many cost an arm and a leg AND only run steam on select days...Strasburg only costs $27/adult. And Strasburg runs exclusively on steam. 'Nuff said! Their collection of steam power is expertly restored to the machines' glory days and pulls an equally well-restored consist of turn-of-the-century passenger cars. I gleefully purchased a ticket for the rear open-air car, as I had discovered through some online sleuthing that the engine pulls from the back of the train at the beginning of the trip. So, for the first half of the hour-or-so ride, I had the wonderful opportunity to witness Number 90 up close in all her steam-breathing, hissing, beautifulness! Steam engines, including Number 90, who pulled the train I was on, I think, are an absolute piece of art. It was so fun riding through the countryside pulled by an engine that truly convinced me I was time traveling.
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| My view out the end of the open-air car. |
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| Off we go! |
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| Can't you just hear this image??? |
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| A beautiful, relaxing ride. |
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| I loved this close-up of the number plate! |
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| Number 90 running along a siding to go connect at the front of the train and pull us back to the station! |
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| Ahhh....that classic, rails in the distance photograph! |
Once back at the station, it was time to go admire Number 90 some more and grab a few more shots. I really like how these turned out!! If you want to learn more about Number 90,
check out this page from the Strasburg Railroad website.
But, before long, Number 90 was pulling out of the station with another train load of excited tourists to travel back in railroad history. I ate a sack lunch and set my sights across the street: the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. I wasn't sure what to expect, but it was huge, and I was here...so why not go check it out!
The place is absolutely gigantic, no kidding, like four or five parallel tracks in the main building that can hold seriously 8-10 full cars or engines per track.
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| This steam engine, the Rocket, is the oldest engine at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. It was of English origin and built in 1838 for service on the Philadelphia & Reading Railway. |
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| The Cumberland Valley Railroad is one of Pennsylvania's oldest. This particular combination baggage/passenger car, built in 1855, is believed to be one of the oldest (and only) surviving wooden cars in existence. |
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| Speaking of passenger cars, this particular one is the second-oldest passenger car in America and the oldest surviving one in existence. It was built in 1836 for the Camden and Amboy Railroad. It featured seats for 48 passengers and a center aisle for the conductor to walk down. |
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| This is a replica of the John Bull locomotive, the original being one of the first steam engines brought to America in 1831. The Pennsylvania Railroad acquired the John Bull in 1871, showcased it at the 1876 Centennial Exposition, and donated it to the Smithsonian in 1884. This replica was built in 1940. |
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| This Tahoe locomotive was built in 1875 for the Virginia and Truckee Railroad in Nevada by Pennsylvania's own Baldwin Locomotive Works. Baldwin, along with Lima, was one of the major locomotive manufacturers in American history. As I'm originally from California, I was delighted to see a piece of Western railroad history in this museum. |
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| Number 1187 here, built in 1888, is the oldest surviving Pennsylvania Railroad locomotive. You can even walk underneath her at the museum!! |
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| This Heisler locomotive, built in 1918, was especially designed to operate well in coal mines and quarries. It is also the first locomotive the Museum purchased, way back in 1966. |
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| I absolutely love the lighting and composition in this shot! |
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| This No. 1 is a Shay locomotive, with the pistons vertical on the side of the engine. |
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| This Climax locomotive was designed to operate on the steep, sharp curves of logging operations. |
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| Such an interesting, complex, and beautiful cab interior!! |
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| This steam engine, Number 460, raced from Washington D.C. to New York City at speeds of up to 115 mph to deliver newsreel footage of Charles Lindbergh's safe return to America. |
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| In 1905, No. 7002 gained notoriety for traveling at 127.1 mph!! |
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| No. 1223 has appeared in several Hollywood films and worked on the Strasburg Railroad until 1989. |
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| This is one of my favorite shots from the trip - I absolutely love the composition and lighting!! |
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| While diesel's aren't my favorite type of locomotive, this 1943 GG1 is significant for being one of the most famous and useful engines in the Pennsylvania Railroad's history. |
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| This diesel-electric E7, built in 1945, brought greater speed and reliability to passenger service on the Pennsylvania Railroad. Number 5901 is one of the first such engines bought by the Pennsylvania Railroad, and, despite my preference for steam, I do think is pretty. |
I finished my stroll around this simply stupendous collection of railroad equipment just in time to bid a fond farewell to Number 90 pulling in the last train of the day across the street....
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Until next time...
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I honestly cannot say enough wonderful things about the Strasburg Railroad and the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. Either on their own is well worth the trip, but both of them together are an absolute national treasure for anyone even vaguely interested in history or technology. And to those who may actually like steam power...it's arguably THE bucket list destination on the East Coast!
Until next time...I'm having a blast with the past!
tnphotobug
