Special song to mark RR anniversary
By Cindy Hummel
Lancaster New Era
June 5, 2007

LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa - Bill Grager has been working as a conductor on the Strasburg Rail Road for a third of a century.

Grager, now an assistant principal of Lampeter-Strasburg High School, also served as music conductor at the district’s Martin Meylin Middle School for more than 20 years.

In 1986, his dual conducting skills played a role in the development of a song, “The Strasburg Railroad,” by a New York composer who rode the rails.

“It seemed like a natural fit,” Grager explains, “being a conductor there (the railroad) and here (the school district.)”

The song can be heard live during the Strasburg Rail Road’s 175th anniversary celebration, which begins at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the railroad, along Route 741 east of Strasburg. Hans Herr Elementary School’s fourth-grade band will perform the piece.

Although Gov. Ed Rendell had been slated to read a proclamation at the event, a high-raking official from his office will now take his place, explains Hope Banner, Strasburg Rail Road spokeswoman.

Grager recalls that the song was born from New York composer Joe Ambrosio’s memories of a ride on the railroad during a vacation here. Upon returning home, Ambrosio contacted the late Ellis Bachman, then the railroad’s stationmaster and vice president of administration.

Bachman provided information on the narrative told to riders and served as a contact between Ambrosio and Grager as the song was written. The song’s world premier took place at Martin Meylin Middle School on May 5, 1987.

Students begin the song by making a sound to represent a steam whistle, Grager explains. Then brass players open up a valve for condensation and blow through their instruments.

The conductor, to be played on June 6 by Hans Herr Principal Andrew Godfrey, calls “all aboard,” and welcomes visitors to the Strasburg Rail Road.

Ambrosio’s arrangement replicates the sound of the train starting slowly and gaining speed. The conductor announces a Cherry Hill stop as the tempo slows down. The brass section again replicates steam.

Students recreate a whistle sound on their instruments as the conductor relates the story of another line called, “The Little Old and Slow (Lancaster­Oxford & Southern), which once passed just over the hill from the train’s next stop. A ghost train from that line, the conductor explains, can still be heard today.

Again students make a whistle sound on their instruments. Three muted horns respond with the sound of the ghost train. The music continues to replicate a steam train until it reaches the end of the line in Paradise.

Hans Herr fourth-grade band teacher Robert Shaubach explains his students had been learning the song before plans for the celebration began.

“I do not teach it every year,” Shaubach says, “but I do have the beginners perform it from time to time.”

The song has become a staple of Shaubach’s music library. The song matches beginning students’ abilities, he explains, and the kids enjoy playing it because of the local interest and special effects.

“Third, and of least importance by far,” Shaubach says, “I’m a huge railroad fan - both full size and model. So it is a good fit for the kids, and I enjoy it as well.”

To read the entire article, please visit Lancaster Online.

Railroad’s History Out of Print for 22 Years
By Larry Alexander
Lancaster Intelligencer Journal
Apr 28, 2007

LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. - To the farmers of southern Lancaster County who depended on it, the Peach Bottom and Lancaster, Oxford and Southern Railroad was lovingly dubbed the “Little, Old and Slow.”

But during the 50-plus years it chugged between Peach Bottom, Quarryville and Oxford in Chester County, it was a vital link in getting farm produce from the local fields to the markets in Philadelphia and Baltimore.

The history of this railway, the first narrow-gauge line in Pennsylvania, is recounted in “Little, Old and Slow” by the late Benjamin F. G. Kline Jr., now back in print after 22 years.

The book, reprinted by the Friends of the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, includes an eight-page addendum of new material and photos uncovered by historians William Cole, Joseph Hueber and Stanley White.

The addendum includes original drawings by White of Dorsey Station at Peach Bottom, which still exists.

Deb Reddig, marketing director for the Railroad Museum, said Kline, who died in 1987, had been the acting curator at the museum and had written a number of books. Few, though, sold more than “Little, Old and Slow.”

“This one was hugely popular at the time,” Reddig said. “The Friends of the Railroad Museum have gotten a lot of requests over the years to bring it back. We were very fortunate to have Mr. White, Mr. Cole and Mr. Hueber add to this volume.”

Reddig said the book, which costs $15, is available in the museum’s store and that “we are trying to get it in at other historical societies and museum stores.”

The Little, Old and Slow, or “Peachy” as it also was known, was originally formed as the Peach Bottom Railway in 1868 by a group of investors. It went into operation in 1873 and ran between Peach Bottom and Oxford — a distance of about 20 miles. A connection to Quarryville was added around 1915.

White, an author and historian who lives in Drumore, said the investors had envisioned a standard-sized railroad, but a shortfall in funding forced them to build a narrow gauge line.

With the rails just 3 feet apart instead of the standard 4 feet, 8½ inches, everything was miniaturized. Locomotives, cars and even bridges were smaller and, subsequently, more affordable.

The petite size of the rolling stock was both a blessing and a curse.

“It was small enough that if it jumped the track, you could literally get a group of guys together and lift it back on the rails,” White said. “But if a big gust of wind came along, there was a serious danger that the car you were in might get blown over.”

He related a tale by one man who spoke of a car he was in being blown off the track six times.

“I imagine that got a little tiresome after a while,” White said.

Originally, the rail line was seen as a connection between Philadelphia and the coal fields at East Broadtop near Orbisonia in Huntingdon County.

In the end, money talked, and the line, which connected with the Pennsylvania Railroad at both Oxford and Peach Bottom, was strictly a means for local farmers to ship their goods.

“It was intended to be one of the big players one day, but all those plans fell apart, so they ended up building a railroad that was never connected across the river by anything other than a little steam ferry,” White said.

The Little, Old and Slow also carried passengers, some of whom actually flagged it down between stations.

“In its heyday, it probably made six trips a day between the three stops,” White said. “But for most of its life, it did about half that.”

White said the Little, Old and Slow was “was very much a peoples’ railroad,” and was so well-loved that, after the last of its several bankruptcies, the locals bought it back.

The rail line operated until 1919, put out of business by the advent of trucks. The line was dismantled and its equipment sold for scrap.

Today, only one car — a gasoline-powered passenger car that can be driven from either end — exists. It is in possession of the Strasburg Railroad.

To view the entire article, please visit LancasterOnline.

175 Years and Still Making an Impact
Media Release
Strasburg Rail Road

Strasburg, Pa. – March 1, 2007 – 175 years ago, the town of Strasburg flourished as a key location between Lancaster and Philadelphia. Progress brought new roads and a rail line – all with a direct connection to the bigger city. But as transportation advancements came, so did fear that Strasburg would lose its commercial edge. It was from this concern, and later, a few creative entrepreneurs, that one of Lancaster County’s most prized possessions – Strasburg Rail Road - came to be.

Born in 1832, Strasburg Rail Road evolved into a bustling tourist attraction nearly 50 years ago. Through the years, it has even been the site of Abraham Lincoln’s Presidential visit, Hollywood movies, and a destination for millions who travel to Pennsylvania Dutch Country’s Amish land. Today, Strasburg Rail Road owns the claim of being America’s oldest short-line railroad.

With each passing year, Strasburg Rail Road’s reputation has grown. And now, hundreds of thousands of families, railfans and group-tour travelers head to Strasburg each year, just to ride aboard the mighty steam train. And, for the first time, the railroad’s Web site welcomed nearly 1-million visitors in 2006.

While Strasburg Rail Road has long owned the rights as a great family attraction, the railroad’s newest excursion has redefined relaxing on the rails. Couples looking to soak up the scenery and savor a quiet moment can now ride in style aboard he Wine & Cheese Train. Traveling in first-class accommodations, riders are served complimentary wine, cheese, crackers and fruit.

Strasburg Rail Road is also the only place you can enjoy Pennsylvania Dutch cuisine while traveling past more than 20 working farms. Need more? Let the sound of music and thrill of live performance entertain you. The Traditional Dinner & Live Entertainment Train serves a home-cooked meal while you wind through the countryside on a music-filled train. Looking to be a part of the entertainment? Try the Murder Mystery Dinner. The Strasburg Rail Road Dining Car and Act 1 Productions are teaming up to bring you the story of “The Goober Family and the Silver Mine.” Audience members are encouraged to help solve the mystery while enjoying gourmet food.

Feeling full? Not a problem. The station is full of things to do and see. Provide the power for the miniature pump car or watch the little ones “steer” the pint-sized cranky cars around the track. Plus, don’t miss the cutest train to chug the tracks. Strasburg Rail Road is among just a few places where an authentic miniature steam train is still in operation. Built for an amusement park around 1920, the Cagney is the perfect ending, or beginning, to your totally train day.

If you’d like to learn more about the history of the railroad, take a self-guided tour of the luxurious President’s Car. This mansion on wheels once served tycoons and dignitaries. Take the Mechanical Shop Tour where you get a behind-the-scenes guided tour through the mechanical shop where trains from across the nation are actually built and refurbished, including Thomas the Tank Engine™. Another favorite is the switch tower tour, which offers a bird’s eye view of our magnificent countryside and approaching trains. Built in 1855, this is a classic example of Pennsylvania Railroad signal tower design.

Special Events Details:
Wine & Cheese Train
April through November
Travel in first-class accommodations onboard the Parlor Car as you are served complimentary wine, cheese and crackers. Beer, mixed drinks, premium wine, non-alcoholic hot and cold beverages are also available for purchase.

Easter Bunny Train
April 6, 7 & 8
Celebrate Easter weekend with Peter Cottontail, at Strasburg Rail Road, singing songs and playing games. Enjoy a relaxing ride through Pennsylvania Dutch County as you travel aboard a vintage steam train.

Day Out with Thomas™
June 16 – 24, September 15 - 23, November 30, December 1 & 2
Join Thomas the Tank Engine™, a full-sized operating steam locomotive, as he greets friends of all ages. Ride a train pulled by Thomas and meet Sir Topham Hatt™. You’ll find lots of other exciting activities and a complete selection of Thomas & Friends™ merchandise in our gift shop. Order tickets by visiting www.StrasburgRailRoad.com, or by calling 1-866-468-7630.

Trains & Troops Weekend
November 3 - 4
Pay tribute to our soldiers at Strasburg Rail Road. Ride a special train with re-enactors from all eras of our military in conjunction with the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania’s Veterans Day celebration.

Santa’s Paradise Express
December 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16
Celebrate the magic of Christmas at Strasburg Rail Road. Travel down the tracks with Jolly Old Saint Nick aboard passenger cars warmed by potbelly stoves. Take a picture with Santa, sing Christmas carols as musicians stroll from car to car.

To learn more about the history of Strasburg Rail Road, please visit StrasburgRailRoad.com.

Strasburg Rail Road Embraces Past, Stays on Track for Future
By Cindy Hummel
Lancaster New Era
March 22, 2007

STRASBURG, Pa. - The Strasburg Rail Road isn’t huffing and puffing slowly into its 175th birthday.

It’s chugging along at top speed with a host of changes in store designed to improve the terminal operation, while at the same time giving it more of a 1920s-era feel.

In addition to an anniversary celebration in June, the railroad also has embarked on a long-range plan that includes creating an early 1900s street scene and adding turntables on either end of the line.

The milestone celebration, set for Wednesday, June 6, will most likely include a governor’s proclamation, but officials won’t know until two weeks before the event whether Gov. Ed Rendell will actually make an appearance, said railroad president Linn Moedinger.

As for the long-range plan, the railroad has already begun work to create a 1920s street scene — a small-town station environment where visitors can stay around awhile, stopping in a general store and a hobby shop before getting a milkshake.

“We are going along with long range plans to improve the property in East Strasburg,” Moedinger said, “making a much better terminal.”

The project includes replacing some existing buildings with structures resembling those from the early 1900s. The plan also calls for placing the turntables at both ends of the line.

As the railroad goes through the approval processes for the long-range plan, smaller changes have already occurred.

The railroad has been replacing its green John Deere tractors with Model T Fords, Moedinger said. The older vehicles with tiny pickup beds can now accomplish more jobs around the station. Surveying work also has begun, he said.

Strasburg businessmen opened the railroad in 1832 after the Pennsylvania Railroad bypassed the town, according to Kurt Bell, archivist for the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, who recently shared the beginnings of the railroad with the Strasburg Heritage Society.

The businessmen felt connecting Strasburg by rail with a station at Leaman Place would prevent the “economic death” experienced by other communities bypassed by the railroad.

On Feb. 22, 1861, Abraham Lincoln made a stop at the Leaman Place station on his inaugural train ride, en route to Lancaster. His four-minute visit drew nearly 5,000 people to catch a glimpse of the president and his wife, according to Kim Carlo of the Strasburg Rail Road.

After World War II, the railroad faced closing as other forms of transportation became more prominent. In 1958, another group of interested individuals joined forces to save the Strasburg Rail Road in what would be the rail road’s first rebirth. The 50th anniversary of that rebirth will be celebrated in November 2008.

“It is kind of interesting to have our 175th this year,” Moedinger said, “and our 50th next year.”

In 1986, New York composer Joe Ambrosio wrote a song about the Strasburg Rail Road that the fourth-grade band at nearby Hans Herr Elementary is currently learning to play, according to their band teacher Robert Shaubach.

The popularity of the Strasburg Rail Road has been like a pendulum, Moedinger said, with the most recent peak of ridership in the 1990s. The nostalgia factor is being lost as fewer people remember the steam whistle when it was still commonly in use.

At the same time, Moedinger has noticed an increasing number of younger people riding Amtrak and becoming interested in trains. The Thomas the Tank Engine phenomenon also brings children and their parents to the East Strasburg station.

The rail road’s long-term plans are aimed at being ready for the next peak of popularity when it arrives.

“On our 175th birthday,” Moedinger said, “It is kind a second rebirth.”

Read more at Lancaster Online.

Escape To The Country
By Scott McAllister
Newark Post
January 11, 2007

A brisk hour’s drive up Route 896 allows Newarkers to leave the hustle and bustle of New Castle County in order to slow down and take in the beautiful scenery of Lancaster County, Pa.

For years, Lancaster County has been known for the simple beauty and slowed down life of its Amish residents. In recent years, commercial build up has allowed for the addition of strip malls, discount outlets, concerts, theater production and sports entertainment.

People travel from around the country to this area that has become known for outlet shopping and fine Amish craftsmanship. Along 896 are little shops offering their goods for sale, from road side fruit and vegetable stands to barns full of hand made quilts and furniture.

Many visitors now come for entertainment, as two world renowned theaters have opened for business. Sight and Sound Music Theater, located on 896, offers world-class original productions of biblical stories, such as “Noah,” which had a cast that included many live animals. Each year they also offer their “Christmas Miracle,” the biblical story of the birth of Jesus Christ.

About a mile down the road on Route 30 sits The American Music Theater, which hosts the original “Summer Spectacular” and “Christmas Spectacular” shows along with a host of celebrity entertainers throughout the year. Performers have included Dion (of the Wanderer fame), Kenny Rogers, The Beach Boys, Peter, Paul, and Mary and, in 2007, the theater will play host to Bill Cosby.

For the sports fan, downtown Lancaster holds Clipper Magazine Stadium, home of the Lancaster Barnstormers minor league baseball team. The Barnstormers play in the Atlantic League.

Lancaster also offers many educational opportunities. Learn about the Amish way of life at the Amish Farm and steam locomotives at the Strasburg Railroad Museum. Visitors can take a train ride through the Lancaster countryside to take in all the beauty the area has to offer.

Take a weekend get away at the local bed and breakfasts or the many hotels in the area and enjoy what Lancaster County has to offer. Go for a day of shopping and dining and take in a show. There are plenty of things to see and do in Lancaster, Pa.

To read the entire article, please visit Newark Post.

Plan a Day Trip to Strasburg Rail Road in 2007
By Maggie Horgan
Chester County Press
January 2007

Living in southern Chester County, we are very fortunate to have many enjoyable, family-friendly places nearby to visit, with several of them being rich in history and providing fun learning opportunities for everyone.

Strasburg Rail Road, in Lancaster County, offers one of the world’s most extensive collections of authentic wooden passenger cars. In just one day, visitors can ride and learn about trains dating back to 1915. That’s the era the folks at The Strasburg Rail Road Company (SRC) have taken great pride in ensuring that their trains have been restored to reflect. According to Mike Resch, who has worked in Group Sales at SRC for about six years, this era of reflection is across the board—even the coal-burning stoves on the cars are reminiscent of the year 1915.
Within about a half hour, one can drive to Strasburg from the Oxford area, looking forward to a day of fun, excitement, and an inherent history lesson taught, unbeknownst to the visitor. Whether one enjoys a peaceful, scenic route, a fine dining experience, an open-air ride, or experiencing all different types of train rides, Strasburg Rail Road is the one-stop trip that is certain to satisfy everyone’s call for a great day.
Visitors will want to be sure and check out the unique Strasburg Gift Shop, Rail Road Store, and Strasburg Toy Store. After an adventure through these exciting stops, one will certainly want to head for a snack at the Sweet & Treat Shop. The charming restaurant at Strasburg Rail Road, The Trackside Café, is guaranteed to satisfy all hungry shoppers and passengers, with a friendly staff to greet everyone, and an enticing menu with plenty of meal, snack, and dessert choices to pick from.

In addition to the full-sized steam train, there are many other attractions for visitors to climb aboard. Some of the more popular ones include the Cranky Cars, which are geared toward children, and offer their passengers the opportunity to play train engineer as they ride; the adorable Cagney steam train, which was constructed nearly 90 years ago, and brings joy to all who ride it; the Pump car, which challenges the passenger to help the train go, with the accompaniment of a train attendant; and the President’s car, a private train which once transported the richest of passengers, and has been carefully kept in just as exquisite condition as it originally had been.
Of particular interest, many of Strasburg Rail Road’s trains have been featured on the big screen over the years. The oldest passenger car at Strasburg, built in 1913, the #20 Train, played the part of a funeral car in Raintree County, a 1956 film by MGM in which Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Cliff starred.

In 1968, four of Strasburg’s coach cars and one locomotive were cast in the movie Hello, Dolly! a 20th Century Fox project, which starred Barbara Streisand, Walter Matthau and Louis Armstrong, and was in theaters in 1969.
Also in 1968, two coach cars from Strasburg made their film debut in Gaily, Gaily, which starred Beau Bridges and Hume Cronyn.
In 1999, many of Strasburg Rail Road’s cars made a voyage to Monument Valley, Utah, where they were featured in the film Wild, Wild West, starring Will Smith and Kevin Kline.

The film Thomas and the Magic Railroad was another 1999 film in which Strasburg cars appeared.
To add to the enjoyment of the Strasburg Rail Road, the staff there have developed special day packages, each suited to meet different particular interests visitors may have. These include:

1) The Rail Baron Pass: When visitors purchase this special ticket, they may use it for the entire day to ride SRC trains, take part in special activities there, receive a tour of the Mechanical Shop at noon, and as admission to the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, a separate tourist attraction right across the street from SRC.

2) The All Day Pass: Resch said this is the most practical and economical option for families visiting for the day. Those with this ticket may ride as many times as desired on the coach cars, the Cagney Train, the Pump Car, and Cranky Car. They will be able to check out the President’s Car, Switch Tower and the display of freight equipment on the premises.

3) The Rail Road Farm Fun Pass: It’s the best of both worlds for those who love to ride and also enjoy a day spent amid the pleasant surroundings of a farm. With this pass, visitors are welcome to take a ride on the Coach Car; go for as many rides as desired on the Cagney Train, Pump Car and Cranky Car; and enjoy the notable President’s Car, the always-fun Switch Tower, and the display of the Rail Road’s freight equipment; and make a visit to the nearby Cherry-Crest Farm, with its creative Amazing Maize Maze. (Cherry-Crest Farm is closed on Sundays and Mondays).

4) The Wonder Rail Pass: Fun, fun and more fun! This ticket allows the visitor the enjoyment of the All Day Pass, as described above, plus a second day of admission to Dutch Wonderland Family Amusement Park (which is open every day from the end of May through early September—see the park’s web site for more information: www.dutchwonderland.com.

Besides these great packages, remember that when visiting Strasburg Rail Road, visitors may take a special tour of the railroad’s mechanical shop at noon. Here, one can see what goes into the building and restoring of the trains. Toddlers are not permitted in the shop, for safety reasons. This is a popular tour, and it is encouraged that tickets for the shop tour be purchased in advance. Visitors can also ride a train to Cherry-Crest Farms as part of a day’s visit. Most train rides are about 45 minutes in length and travel to nearby scenic Paradise, Pa., and back to Strasburg. The Dining Car offers a great, scenic view as visitors enjoy a delightful meal, either lunch or dinner. A new great attraction has been Strasburg Rail Road’s Wine and Cheese Trains, which offer passengers ages 21 and older a relaxing train ride as they are served a nice selection of local wines, cheese, crackers and fruits.

Special events also take place throughout the year, such as The Easter Bunny Train, Trains & Troops to commemorate Veterans’ Day, Santa’s Paradise Express, and “Day out with Thomas,” a fun-filled event featuring children’s favorite, Thomas the Tank Engine.

Group tours are also available, and very popular. It is suggested that groups, such as schools, churches and other organizations, call ahead to allow plenty of time for reservations. Accommodating staff members are pleased to assist those wishing to schedule group visits.

The Strasburg Rail Road dates back to 1832. For many years, it was relied upon for passenger and freight transportation, but during the years following World War II, it was not nearly as necessary as it once had been, with improved alternate means of transportation well in existence. The Rail Road was severely damaged by storms in the 1950s, and funding was not available to rebuild it. Prospects looked grim for a while for the Rail Road, until a grassroots effort led by Henry Keiper Long, who later became the first president of the SRC, led to the raising of enough money and local manpower to rebuild the four and a half mile track, helping to make the East Strasburg Station what it is today. Perhaps as a way to commemorate this strong community effort, many of the Rail Road’s passenger cars have been named for significant properties and landmarks nearby, or people of SRC importance, including Long, according to Strasburg Rail Road literature. Strasburg Rail Road is documented as being the oldest short-line railroad in the country.

Resch said there is a certain element or characteristic about the nature of the employees at Strasburg Rail Road. He said most of the staff members stay for many years, and all are devoted to ensuring the railroad remains authentic and in optimal condition. “They take great pride in what they do,” said Resch, of the employees. “What you see is what you get here,” he added, referring to the cheerful, welcoming manner of those at Strasburg Rail Road.

The new season for Strasburg Rail Road starts up in early February. Plan ahead, and schedule a day or two now, for a terrifically fun time for a couple, a group of friends, or the whole family. Strasburg Rail Road is located on Route 741 East in Strasburg. For more information, please call 717-687-7522, or visit www.strasburgrailroad.com.

Horrific Tragedy Descends On Beautiful, Rich Destination
By Bonnie Walling
Travel Trade News Edition, NY
October 16, 2006

The recent horrific events at the Amish schoolhouse in Pennsylvania is a heartbreaking tragedy in one of the country’s most beautiful and richest travel destinations, the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, now in one of its busiest tourism months, with the fall foliage season reaching its peak.

The region attracts 8.3 million visitors each year and, according to Pennsylvania Dutch Convention and Visitors Bureau spokesperson Cara O’Donnell, “August and October are our busiest months.”

Tourism is the second largest industry in Pennsylvania, outpaced only by agriculture. Consumers spend $1.2 billion each year there, of which a large percentage comes from people on overnight motorcoach tours alone — more than 11,000 motorcoaches visit Lancaster County each year, spending an average of $11,000 for each group.

Agents Are Vital
A number of tour companies offer motorcoach tours of the Amish Country. Agents who are booking large groups can contact the Pennsylvania Dutch Convention and Visitors Bureau’s groups department, which acts as a liason with properties.

When guests visit the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, they want to get a first-hand glimpse of the lives of the Amish, and many attractions are available that allow them to do just that…

Strasburg Rail Road

The Strasburg Rail Road offers guests a 45-minute ride between Strasburg and Paradise aboard a steam train restored to look as it did in 1915. Trains depart hourly during the morning and afternoon from Feb. 18 through Dec. 31.

The 45-minute trip passes through Amish farmland and also gives passengers views of local sites such as Cherry Crest Farm, which operates a corn maze called “The Amazing Maize Maze” during the summer and fall and Carpenter’s Crossing Graveyard, a burial site dating back to 1712. The railroad also operates a picnic area along the route, equipped with a children’s playground — guests can opt to get off, have their lunch and then board another train.

In addition to standard “coach” seating, the railroad offers deluxe cars with personal service, as well as a “dining car” where guests can have a meal while riding. Special dinners with entertainment and “murder mystery dinners” are available.

The railroad also offers special themed trips — through November, they are offering the Wine and Cheese Train, during which a $25 ticket buys guests transport in a first class car and complimentary wine, cheese and crackers.

Other themes include special Christmas and Easter train rides and “A Day Out With Thomas,” during which children can ride a train pulled by a replica of Thomas the Tank Engine. For more information, visit www.strasburgrailroad.com.

A short drive down the road and around the corner is another haven for train lovers, the National Toy Train Museum. Operated by the Train Collectors Association, the facility contains a collection of trains and accessories dating from the mid-1800s to the present. Guests enter through a section of glass cases showcasing the oldest trains — including some models of “real trains” that blew out actual steam and would be considered dangerous by today’s standards.

The larger room of the museum contains five large train layouts, each showcasing one of the major “gauges,” or size category of toy trains. These displays are interactive. Guests can push buttons to operate not only the trains themselves, but also other parts of the displays. In one, they can make a fire engine go into and out of the station, while in another, they can flash the headlights of cars in the parking lot of a 1950s-style diner.

The final large display consists of HO trains — the most popular gauge, according to the association — that run through tableau demonstrating each of the four seasons, including a Christmas scene. For more information, visit www.nttmuseum.org. For more information on tourism to the Pennsylvania Dutch region, visit www.padutchcountry.com…

To read the entire article, please visit Travel Trade News.

Lancaster Lures Visitors with Living History Lessons
By Dan Schlossberg
ConsumerAffairs.Com
September 9, 2006

…The region also has a rich railroad legacy.

The steam-powered Strasburg Rail Road, America’s oldest operating short-line service, takes passengers on a nine-mile, 45-minute round trip through rural Amish farmland. The East Strasburg depot, a handsome Victorian edifice, was moved to its present site from its original 1882 location, 20 miles away. It’s even older than the line’s ancient locomotives (including one built in 1902).

The right-of-way is flanked by farms that depend upon wind, water, and animal power.

There’s also a unique tourist attraction called the Maize Maze, where kids carrying tall, flag-topped poles try to find their way through a maze carved through a thick cornfield that some youngsters consider their own personal Field of Dreams.

In addition to its regularly-scheduled service, the Strasburg runs various specials, including one that marked the 125th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg in 1988. That train took the same route Abraham Lincoln rode after the Gettysburg Address.

The railroad, founded in 1832, runs daily trains during the summer, operates on weekends into December, then shuts down for the winter.

Weather poses no problems for the adjacent Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, a deserving member of the National Register of Historic Places. Its tracks, trains, turntables and artifacts date back to the 19th century.

To read the entire article, please visit Consumeraffairs.com.

Choo-Choos and More in Pennsylvania
By Christina Breda Antoniades
The Washington Post

[…]For a road trip to Lancaster County, don’t limit yourself to one mode of travel. Instead, head out on an exploration of transportation, from old-timey locomotives to gleaming Harleys to the slow-but-steady horse and buggy. Young, old or somewhere in between, this is one journey that will feed your fascination for things that go vroom - or neigh[…]

[…]Of course, you didn’t come all this way to just eat and shop. Lancaster is train country, with a railroad, railroad museum, model train museum, caboose motel and other rail-related attractions, just east of Strasburg. To get there, take the back roads from Intercourse. Your reward: a calming drive through seemingly endless cornfields and across one of the county’s 30 covered bridges. At the Strasburg Rail Road, cruise along in a steam engine for the 45-minute trip to Paradise (sorry, it’s only a Pennsylvania town) and back. Take your pick of open-air car or coach, a Victorian-style car that’s heated with a potbelly stove on nippy days.

If you have kids in tow, the sight of a steam train sliding into the depot will likely leave them speechless. And for adults who want to ride without the little ones, the railroad recently launched wine-and-cheese excursions, so you can sip, nibble and ride. Now that’s chugging in style…

To read the entire article, please visit The Washington Post.

In Lancaster, Pa., the History Lessons Include Chicken Potpie
By Roger Mummert
The New York Times

Lancaster and the farm-rich county that surrounds it have a multifaceted history and a reputation for wholesome, all-you-can eat abundance. Visitors can experience a wide swath of American heritage in an active family weekend and sweeten the history lesson with a helping of the area’s hearty cuisine[…]

[…]Outside Lancaster, the fertile countryside beckons. A map inside a free vacation guide from the Pennsylvania Dutch Convention and Visitors Bureau (501 Greenfield Road off Route 30 east, 800-723-8824; www.padutchcountry.com) shows miles and miles of country roads. If you veer off the main road (Route 30) onto Routes 897 or 741 and adjoining back roads, your eyes will be richly rewarded. The children can count cows and goats, giggle at wash lines filled with clothes, spot one-room schoolhouses and wave to Amish youngsters riding in buggies or zooming along on skates and scooters[…]

[…]The Strasburg Rail Road (Gap Road, Strasburg; www.strasburgrailroad.com; 717-687-7522) has been a working railroad since it began as a freight-hauling line in 1836. Today, it hauls tourists and train devotees. Visitors can board vintage train cars for a 45-minute “trip to Paradise.” Buy tickets ($9.75; ages 3 to 11, $4.75) at the century-old ticket office. The open-air cars are a delight in warm months, and you can disembark and picnic or eat lunch ($10) or dinner ($20 to $25) aboard the dining car. Across the street is the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania (717-687-8628, www.rrmuseumpa.org; $7; ages 6 to 17, $5) with more than 100 historic rail cars and locomotives. An interactive education center shows how steam engines work, and visitors can operate the controls of a freight locomotive in a cab simulator as a video screen displays a local run[…]

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