Well, a bucket list item was checked off! Yesterday I ran Strasburg's (former N&W) 2-8-0 #475. It was a real thrill. And at first a little scary, to be honest. There is a lot someone uninitiated like me has to take in quickly. Russ, the Road Foreman of Engines, assured me he wouldn't let me screw up too badly, but when you first get going it's a bit intimidating. Lots to think about. Very busy. But man, was that fun! It swayed and lurched and made all kinds of wonderful noises. And with only a caboose for a train, it would get up and go. A once in a lifetime experience. I'm so glad I did it.
We spent an entire morning at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, right across from the Strasburg Rail Road's station. It is incredible. I have never seen so much beautifully restored equipment. I won't even try to describe it all. There is a PRR E unit you could eat your lunch off of, and a similarly perfect GG1. The list goes on and on and on. You are allowed to board several cars and engines, and they have lots of unique displays and features. Do NOT miss this museum!
As I recall - it's been too many years - there's also a steam locomotive (4-4-0?) that has a pit so you can walk down and underneath it. Haven't seen that anyplace else.
Don't know if it yet has an example of an early PRR intermodal container, though (zugmann?).
- PDN.
Paul_D_North_JrDon't know if it yet has an example of an early PRR intermodal container, though (zugmann?).
Don't think so. Still a couple floating around in nearby yards, though. I think the one in ours was scrapped, unfortunately.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.
That pit where you can look under the locomotive is still there. They also have a diesel simulator that's pretty realistic. Lots of great stuff.
We stopped briefly in Hamburg. Being a weekday, the Reading Company museum was unfortunately closed. But there is a lot of interesting unrestored equipment in a fenced-in yard, and most of it can be seen fairly well.
We also found lots to look at in Port Clinton, where the RBMN's HQ is located.
I looked it up, and the loco that has the pit underneath it is PRR No. 1187, an freight class R (H3 after 1897) 2-8-0 from 1888 - oldest PRR loco.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railroad_Museum_of_Pennsylvania#Locomotives, 3rd paragraph
https://rrmuseumpa.org/collections/roster/
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