Archive for April, 2008

How to Make the Most of a Weekend in Pa.’s Amish Country

Wednesday, April 16th, 2008

By Sue Kovach Shuman
Washington Post
April 16, 2008

Washingtonians travel to Lancaster County, Pa., about 2 1/2 hours from the Capital Beltway, for a glimpse of Amish life. Horse Drawn buggies. Men in broad-brimmed black hats. Women in bonnets and long dresses. And don’t forget those “No Sunday sales” signs. Lancaster is home not only to Amish but also to Mennonites. Sundays, many locals go to church and relax… and close up shop for the day.
So how do you pack the most into a Pennsylvania Dutch weekend if many things are closed half the time? Not to worry. Lancaster is quiet, but we found plenty to do on a Sunday. Tip 1: Make the Pennsylvania Dutch Convention and Visitors Bureau (800-723-8824) on Route 30 your first stop.

Travel in a steam train from Strasburg to Paradise on the Strasburg Rail Road. Rides start at $12. The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania is across the road, and the National Toy Train Museum is nearby.

Posted in News Articles, Pennsylvania Dutch Country

Riding the rails in Ronks, PA

Monday, April 14th, 2008

Ready to Go Nowhere Overnight?
By Andrea Sachs
Washington Post
April 6, 2008

The Red Caboose Motel sits beside the Strasburg Rail Road tracks, I waited on my caboose porch for the locomotive to arrive. I heard the whistle first, then spotted the plumes of white smoke. I walked the few steps to the tracks, sat on a bench, then felt the blast of motion fluff my hair. I waved at children pressed up against windows and returned the twinkle in the conductor’s eye.

Read full article here

Posted in News Articles, Pennsylvania Dutch Country, Railfans

Visit Pennsylvania Dutch Country via Antique Train

Thursday, April 10th, 2008

Visit Pennsylvania Dutch Country via Antique Train
Evelyn Kanter
Green Travels

Take the train to visit picturesque Pennsylvania Dutch Country. An antique train, that is.

Rolling farmlands set the scene for a leisurely tour on the Strasburg Rail Road. It’s a 45-minute ride to Paradise, Pennsylvania and back.

There are scenic tours during the day, attracting railroad buffs of all ages. It’s a great family excursion.

There’s also a sunset ride, for adults only, with wine and cheese, that combines the romance of antique railroading with — well — the romance of wine and cheese at sunset.

Strasburg Rail Road is America’s oldest short-line, celebrating 50 years since its rebirth in 1958. That’s when a group of twenty-four visionaries saved the line from abandonment, keeping it alive to introduce and entertain a new generation to the wonders of travel by train.

Train travel is green travel.

Posted in News Articles, Wine and Cheese Train, Pennsylvania Dutch Country, Railfans