# Strasburg Railroad



## Green Maned Lion (Apr 25, 2008)

I want to go to Strasburg to ride the SRR and to see the musuem and so on. Can I take the Keystone to this location? Also, anyone know if this is worth my money, and a good hotel to stay at?


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## the_traveler (Apr 25, 2008)

Although the Keystone meets the tourist line, I believe the nearest stop is Lancaster. However, I don't think there is any transportation available (except for renting a car) to get there. It is on the edge of the PA Dutch area. Most hotels in the immediate area are either small motels and/or B&Bs (although I haven't been there in years - it could have changed).

I don't know if it's still there, but there was a place near the RR that had the old cabooses available for rent for sleeping!

The Strasburg RR and the PA Museum of Transportation are IMHO *VERY* worth it!


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## Shotgun7 (Apr 25, 2008)

Strasburg is definately worth going to even if you have to rent a car! The Red Caboose Motel sits right next to the Strasburg rail line and has in upwards of 20 or so cabooses converted into motel rooms. There's also a barn house with goats for families. The motel's restaurant is an old railroad dining car, although I can't remember the name of the railroad. The Dutch Wonderland amusement park is not to far away and Hershey park is about a half hour. The Pennsylvania Railroad museum is without a doubt the finest museum I've ever been to and all of it's equipment is in perfect condition. Definately go there if you can, it's really an awesome place!


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## Rafi (Apr 25, 2008)

There's also been an on-again, off-again project to build a station in Paradise, PA (yes, Paradise is the town name), which is just east of Lancaster, for the Keystones and the Strasburg RR. The original goal was to have an honest-to-goodness cross-platform transfer from Electric to Steam, although the most recent iteration, I believe, requires a trip down some stairs to meet the SRR.

I've spoken with the SRR, and while they are continually praying for the station, Amtrak, the City, and the SRR can't all seem to come to an agreement, and it's been going through fits and starts for going on ten years now, I believe.

-Rafi


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## wayman (Apr 25, 2008)

Rafi said:


> There's also been an on-again, off-again project to build a station in Paradise, PA (yes, Paradise is the town name), which is just east of Lancaster, for the Keystones and the Strasburg RR. The original goal was to have an honest-to-goodness cross-platform transfer from Electric to Steam, although the most recent iteration, I believe, requires a trip down some stairs to meet the SRR.
> I've spoken with the SRR, and while they are continually praying for the station, Amtrak, the City, and the SRR can't all seem to come to an agreement, and it's been going through fits and starts for going on ten years now, I believe.
> 
> -Rafi


One or two cross-platform steam/diesel stations exist in the Netherlands; I think Heerleen was one of them. They are awesome. (I'm pretty sure that was on a diesel branch line, not on the electric main. But it was still the national passenger rail interchanging with a steam railroad.)


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## GG-1 (Apr 25, 2008)

Shotgun7 said:


> Strasburg is definately worth going to even if you have to rent a car!
> Snip
> 
> The Pennsylvania Railroad museum is without a doubt the finest museum I've ever been to and all of it's equipment is in perfect condition. Definitely go there if you can, it's really an awesome place!


Well I wish this was true for "rivets", the first GG-1, When I last saw it it was OK but did need work. 4935 "the black Jack" was beautiful, and wait till you see how small the position for the operator is.

I do hope to get back there again

Mahalo

Eric


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## Green Maned Lion (May 28, 2008)

Sorry to bring the ancient topic up again, but...

Ok, I booked a trip to the SRR for... Friday. I'm staying at the Red Caboose Motel in a full caboose room (the half ones looked... really too small- i dunno. Also we wanted a bigger bed.

Anyway, we're going out Friday, early in the morning. Yeah, I'm driving. I considered Amtraking to Lancaster and renting a car, but... too expensive, to complicated, etc. But anyway, we'll do the Railroad Museum of PA on Friday, and doing the Strasbourg Saturday. Two rides purchased, one in the parlour car and one in the dining car. Should be fun.

A few questions. First, I would like to get myself into the yard of the PRR Museum. Naturally, I might not get what I want, but does anyone have any experience with when a good time to show up and try and persuade them to let you in there?

Second, does the Strasburg use radios? If so, does anyone know their scanning frequencies?


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## MrFSS (May 28, 2008)

Green Maned Lion said:


> Sorry to bring the ancient topic up again, but...
> Ok, I booked a trip to the SRR for... Friday. I'm staying at the Red Caboose Motel in a full caboose room (the half ones looked... really too small- i dunno. Also we wanted a bigger bed.
> 
> Anyway, we're going out Friday, early in the morning. Yeah, I'm driving. I considered Amtraking to Lancaster and renting a car, but... too expensive, to complicated, etc. But anyway, we'll do the Railroad Museum of PA on Friday, and doing the Strasbourg Saturday. Two rides purchased, one in the parlour car and one in the dining car. Should be fun.
> ...


I will be interested in your "trip report" after you get back as I will be taking my 7 year old granddaughter there in July.


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## GG-1 (May 28, 2008)

Green Maned Lion said:


> Sorry to bring the ancient topic up again, but...
> Ok, I booked a trip to the SRR for... Friday. I'm staying at the Red Caboose Motel in a full caboose room (the half ones looked... really too small- i dunno. Also we wanted a bigger bed.


Sounds good, maybe some day I will try it.



> Anyway, we're going out Friday, early in the morning. Yeah, I'm driving. I considered Amtraking to Lancaster and renting a car, but... too expensive, to complicated, etc. But anyway, we'll do the Railroad Museum of PA on Friday, and doing the Strasbourg Saturday. Two rides purchased, one in the parlour car and one in the dining car. Should be fun.


I thought there was a Amtrak station very close to Strasbourg.



> A few questions. First, I would like to get myself into the yard of the PRR Museum. Naturally, I might not get what I want, but does anyone have any experience with when a good time to show up and try and persuade them to let you in there?


I think access to the yard has to do with the number of volunteer staff for access to the yard. on my visit some years ago a staffer took my picture standing on the steps, hiding the keep off sign of the first GG-1, 4800 rivets. In my living room is a picture of rivets about 1x4 feet. Along with the 8x10 of me on rivets. Some day will get the Neg. scanned from that trip and put them on my picture gallery.


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## Joel N. Weber II (May 31, 2008)

Rafi said:


> There's also been an on-again, off-again project to build a station in Paradise, PA (yes, Paradise is the town name), which is just east of Lancaster, for the Keystones and the Strasburg RR. The original goal was to have an honest-to-goodness cross-platform transfer from Electric to Steam, although the most recent iteration, I believe, requires a trip down some stairs to meet the SRR.


What prevents the Strasburg RR from getting trackage rights to be able to run to the existing station at Lancaster?


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## Green Maned Lion (Jun 1, 2008)

I imagine atleast part of it is the safety of operating wooden coaches with 100 mph+ Keystones. on the same track.


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