I am currently in Vermont and headed down to South Carolina. I can spare a day or so to hit a railroad museum on the way south. My current thought is either Steamtown at Scranton or the Pennsyvania Railroad Museum at Strasburg. Any recommendation as to which one is better (or any other recommendations)?
Regards,
John
"You are what you eat," said a wise old man. Oh Lord, if it's true, I'm a garbage can.
I've been to both, and I'd give the Pennsylvania RR Museum/Strasburg Railroad the edge. They are right across the street from each other. You can tour Strasburg's working railroad shop facilities and the train ride thru the Amish contryside is very pleasant. Strasburg has lots of kid-friendly things too, if there are children travelling with you.
There was a motel down the way that had old cabooses for rooms, decorated in various road names and paint schemes. I don't know if its still there... been some years since I went thru.
I have been to the B&O muesum in Baltimore and that was nice. They have a good sized collection in a cool building (a circus-tent like roundhouse with the turntable inside the building). They also have a large collection outside and a shop with even more trains! They have a HO layout in one of their passenger cars and a G scale layout outside the roundhouse. Depending on when you go, they may have other people come set up layouts. It is not all B&O, though, so it realy depends on what you are interested in seeing.
sfb
Tough call. For Strasburg/RR Museum of PA, I can spend 2 days there easily, and I've been on teh Strasburg so many times starting when I was about 4 that I know the entire dialog they give for the ride. But it's fun to get an all-day pass, take the shop tour (no kids allowed for that), pay for one trip to upgrade to the parlor car, and, the last time I did that, it was not peak season so the last run was via the LO&S motor car - I had never been on that before even after all these years. This past July when I was last there, I also did the evening wine train, which was quite nice as well.
Then to see everything in the museum, really see everything, it takes nearly a full day. Best to go on a day they have lots of volunteers, the more help they have the more stuff they open up - particularly some of the loco cabs.
Steamtown too is fairly vast, and there are rides - last time I was there I lucked out on the caboose ride (pulled with a steam engine) and got to ride int he cupola. Actually, I was the cutoff person in line and the helper said if I was willign to climb up there I could go on this trip or wait an hour for the next one. Well DUH! There's also the trolley museum right there that offers rides, it's not part of Steamtown, if you like traction.
I'm closest to Strasburg - only about 45 minutes for me. If I had to decide today where to go I'd pick Steamtown, but only because I haven't been there for a while and I was just at Strasburg over the summer when the RCT&HS had the modular layotu on display. Other than that I couldn't tell you which I prefer - but there is definitely more stuff at Strasburg between the railroad and the museum. They're both great.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
I live fairly close to Steamtown so frequent there and have been to Strasburg/RR Museum of PA a few times.
I would go to Strasburg RailRoad and the RailRaod Museum of PA across the street from Strasburg Railroad.
Steamtown has their static displays of steamers all gone for asbestos abatement and they don't run steam except in the summer and a few excursions in the winter months for the holidays.
Strasburg runs steam all the time they run locos. The RR Museum has static dispays of about "one of everything major in the RR history" including a heisler, shay and climax as well as a GG1. They are missing the "big boy" that Steamtown has, but they are not so impressive in person, really.
Steamtown will be a better bet to visit next SUMMER. they will have their static steamers back and should be running 2 steamers, one when they do excusions and one to run the yard trip. But taht will be next June-July-August.
Here are links if you don't already have them:
steamtown
Strasburg Rail Road - Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
RR Museum of PA :: Welcome
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
A southern alternative closer to your SC destination is North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer. They have a great roundhouse. Check out their website.
Also like Strasburg/ PRR museum a lot. Have never been to Steamtown or B&O museum.
Dave
USAF (Retired)
Go to Steam town, Horseshoe curve, and the B&O Museum.
~G4
19 Years old, modeling the Cowlitz, Chehalis, and Cascade Railroad of Western Washington in 1927 in 6X6 feet.
Hi John
I used to work for a British American company and came over to the States on many occasions. My wife and I came over from the UK in1997 on vacation and specifically went to the Pennsylvania RR Museum. I would recommend it without hesitation. Also, the Strasburg Rail Road is only across the street so you can get to ride on a steam train! The PRR switch tower is excellent.
trollw ... Any recommendation as to which one is better (or any other recommendations)? Regards, John
... Any recommendation as to which one is better (or any other recommendations)?
John...
I've not had the opportunity to visit Sreamtown but hear that it is worth the time to visit.
Can highly recommend the Pennsylvania State Railroad Museum and the Strasburg RR - allow 2 days there to see everything - also a couple of hobby shops real close - one on the premesis with a great book store.
One place within a half day drive from Straburg is the Altoona Railroaders Museum in Altoona and just 7 miles away is Horsehoe Curve. Not as much on hand equipment and it is out doors for the locomotive/car collection, but definitely worth visiting. 3 floors of museum displays and gift shop. Located in one of the PRR Juniata shop complex buildings restored.
Also the B&O Museum in Baltimore definately worth visiting - these are probably the two most prominent Museums in the Esatern region.
HeritageFleet1
I have, what might seem to some, to be a rather "bizarre" question. Call me parnoid but...
Since the most recent accident (a year or two ago) at Three Mile Island Nuclear Reactor, not to mention the residual radiationthat is said by some watch groups (with geiger counters!) does anyone know if this is something to feel at allconcerned about?
I'm planning on going to Steamtown AND Strasburg next summer.
There is supposedly a web page dedicated to the folks who are doing the air/soil monitering in the areabut haven't been able to locate that. Anyone have a link by far fetched chance?
I've read fairly extensively about the original accident at T.M.I. and spoken with farmers in the area who had live stock (on an Amtrak trip) and have never believed the "official" reports. The anecdotes from these people in conversation who lived in the area during the original accident were-eyebrow raising to say the least.
Ok, realize fully, that I've opened myself up to ridicule here, but if one is bringing kids (especially) to the area the question deserves, at least, asking...
Any info. or links to said watch groups would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Raised on the Erie Lackawanna Mainline- Supt. of the Black River Transfer & Terminal R.R.
Capt. Grimek Ok, realize fully, that I've opened myself up to ridicule here, but if one is bringing kids (especially) to the area the question deserves, at least, asking...
I'm 25 miles from TMI, and I feel pretty safe. There are no unusually high cancer cluster groups around TMI.
There was a very minor radioactive gas leak about a year back. It was considered insignificant. The amount considered equal to getting a chest x-ray if you breathed it. However the safety systems did catch it and set off the siren.
The second most recent problem was tritium getting in the Susquhana from a leaking supply pipe. Tritium is better known as heavy water because it contains extra neutrons in the Hydrogen. This was about 5 years ago. (Give or take) It's the result of being bombarded by stray neutrons in the reactor. It is harmless to humans and the problem fixed.
The accident at TMI happened when two cooling water supplies to the core were shut off and a 3rd was undergoing maintenance. The core overheated and started to eat through the concrete. (Add too much heat to concrete and it turns back into powedered cement.)
TMI has had numerous safety enhancements since the accident. (As did all nuclear plants in the US) It can not blow up like Chernobyl because it is designed differently.
To give you an idea, this is how the containment walls of a US Nuclear reactor are built:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bh5owPVnSL0
What happened in Russia is the result of poor safety standards. They don't have the same building standards that we do.
Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions
Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!
I just had a trip to Steamtown two weeks ago and was very favorably impressed with the changes since my initial visit a year after they opened. There are some nice displays and the shop tour was the highlight. We got to talk to the guys who were refitting the crossheads on a steamer that has been under repair for about 8 years. Big Boy was in a new coat of paint and the tender lettering was just going on. It was a nice trip and we had a very nice stay in the Lackawanna Station Hotel nearby. That said I think that I still prefer Strasburg and the PA Railroad Museum. There is more to see and the indoor displays are better.
Joe
Three Mile Island isn't close enough to Strasburg or Steamtown to even make a blip on anyone's radar. Berwick is closer to Steamtown and even that is too far away to matter. Limerick or Peach Bottom are probably clsoer to Strasburg than TMI, and STILL it doesn't matter. I've lived in serveral areas that did have warning sirens for Limerick, other than tests, never a problem.
I really wish there was a way to erase the load of scientific excrement that was that HORRIBLE movie The China Syndrome from people's minds. With more cheap electric from more nuclear power plants it migth actually be feasible to drive all-electric cars and clean up the atmoshpere as well as cut the dependence on foreign oil.
Along with more electric commuter rail.
You can't go wrong with Strasburg, the indoor display is probably the best there is when it comes to trains.
I would also like to see the museum in Virginia, I forget what its called, but they have the N&W class J on display.
IVRWGo to Steam town, Horseshoe curve, and the B&O Museum.
Horsehoe curve is way west in PA, so is off the usual north-south route for someone headed from VT to the Carolinas. My wife and I were going to visit a few years ago about this time of year; we found that the finicular from the parking lot to viewing platform was running only on weekends. We had to give it a pass.
The B&O muesum depends if you plan to take I-95 or I-81 on your way south. I-81 is the choice if you want the PA museums; I-95 goes thru Baltimore
We did visit both Steamtown and PA RR Museum/Strausburg museums. If a lot of Steamtowns displays are away for asbestos removal, maybe this is the time to give it a pass. At either location, take the noontime back shop tour. Buy your backshop tickets early, they limit the number of people and do only one tour a day while the shop crew is at lunch.
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
I just remembered, there is a RR museum in Danbury CT, I have not been there, but you may want to do a search to see if it looks interesting.
rjake4454 You can't go wrong with Strasburg, the indoor display is probably the best there is when it comes to trains. I would also like to see the museum in Virginia, I forget what its called, but they have the N&W class J on display.
Think it's just called the Virginia Museum of Transportation. When I was last there several years ago it wasn't really 'finished' yet but there was some intereting stuff to look at. Not just trains. But Roanoke is a bit far west for someone going from CT to the Carolinas, much like Altoona.
81 is too far west and goes the wrong way. 95 is the easterly route, and 83 is the one if you want to skip the 95 corridor around Philly and Baltimore. From Strasburg you'd go west on 30 to York and then south on 83.
Many thanks to all who responded. We are currently on our way to Strasburg. Trying to decide whether to make a slight detour and hit Northlandz on the way.
rrinker Three Mile Island isn't close enough to Strasburg or Steamtown to even make a blip on anyone's radar. Berwick is closer to Steamtown and even that is too far away to matter. --Randy
Three Mile Island isn't close enough to Strasburg or Steamtown to even make a blip on anyone's radar. Berwick is closer to Steamtown and even that is too far away to matter. --Randy
Yeah, all those plants are pretty far from the RR museums. Neat thing about the Berwick (Susquehanna) power plant is that it sits right on top of a prehistoric fault line! I lived in Bloomsburg and Catawissa for 2 years and never went to either SteamTown or Strasburg.
Robert H. Shilling II
John,
I have personally been to all of the places that the guys on the forum have listed, and in my opinion, The Pennsylvania Railroad museum and the Strasburg Railroad are your best choices. You have a great mix of all types of equipment, both static and operating in the middle of beautiful Pennsylvania Amish farm county.
Forgot an important one, the East Broad top is also worth a stop and see.
digitalgriffen and Randy, thanks for your responses to my question. Now that I think about it, it was Harrisburg/Altoona that was close to T.M.I. and I do intend to visit there as well, to relive a cherished boyhood trip with my Dad to Horseshoe Curve and the Altoona shops. I'll google map search again, but if memory serves, T.M.I. was approx. 10-15 miles away.
Capt. Grimek digitalgriffen and Randy, thanks for your responses to my question. Now that I think about it, it was Harrisburg/Altoona that was close to T.M.I. and I do intend to visit there as well, to relive a cherished boyhood trip with my Dad to Horseshoe Curve and the Altoona shops. I'll google map search again, but if memory serves, T.M.I. was approx. 10-15 miles away.
TMI is in Middletown, Pa. According to Google, from Middletown to Altoona is more like 140 miles.
http://maps.google.com/maps?client=safari&rls=en&q=google+maps+middletown,+PA&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=Middletown,+PA&gl=us&ei=uZO_TJbcG4qcnweH7ZWJDg&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CB4Q8gEwAA
This is what I'm seeing on this link. Am I mistaken that the map key shows 2mi. per segment (inch?).
Maybe the radiation has already gotten to me?
TMI is just down the river from Harrisburg. You can see it from the turnpike bridge over the river. It is NOT that close to Altoona at all. I'm not aware of a nuclear plant near Altoona. In fact, at the scale and center location displayed by using your Google map links, you can't even see downtown Harrisburg - it's to the north and slightly west of the top edge of the map. Altoona is no where near there.
Follow the river south from TMI and just before the Maryland border you'll find Peach Bottom. It's just above and to the left of the label for Fulton Township, and appears to actually be redacted from the satellite image. All you see are some blue and white diagonal lines over there area where I'm pretty sure the power plant is.
Capt. Grimek This is what I'm seeing on this link. Am I mistaken that the map key shows 2mi. per segment (inch?).
Maybe we're misunderstanding what you said. Yes, Harrisburg is close to TMI. But the way your post was worded (I believe you typed Harrisburg/Altoona) made it sound like you thought that both places were close to each other, and they were both near TMI.
One other thing that might be of interest to you. If you follow route 441 south out of Middletown to where you see TMI, you'll see a bridge that connects TMI to Rt 441. If you zoom in real close, you'll notice that there is a railroad track that runs right down the middle. That's how they bring in and take out those big railroad cask cars that carry the "bad" stuff.
G Paine I just remembered, there is a RR museum in Danbury CT, I have not been there, but you may want to do a search to see if it looks interesting.
That would be the Railroad Museum of New England and the affiliated Naugatuck Valley Railroad, actually in Thomaston (a little East of Danbury). Nice place, beautiful scenery -- especially this time of year. Vintage coaches and old diesels (an F7 and an RS-2 or 3) all done up in vintage New Haven livery.
Personally, I'm partial to the Valley Railroad / Essex Steam Train in Essex CT.... but that's probably because I volunteer there.
Connecticut Valley Railroad A Branch of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford
"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." -- Henry Ford
rrinker Follow the river south from TMI and just before the Maryland border you'll find Peach Bottom. It's just above and to the left of the label for Fulton Township, and appears to actually be redacted from the satellite image. All you see are some blue and white diagonal lines over there area where I'm pretty sure the power plant is. --Randy
No, it's not "redacted". I assume you're speaking of those 5 diagonal lines. If you zoom in on them you'll see that what you're looking at are three banks of mechanical draft cooling towers, plus two empty strips where it appears that they can add two more cooling tower banks. I believe that Peach Bottom does not have the large natural draft cooling towers like you'd see at Limerick (and the baby one at Titus Station near you).
Just to the left and up a bit from the upper bank of cooling towers you'll see one long rectangular building with two smaller attached square buildings. The larger building is what is called the turbine building. The two smaller buildings are the reactor buildings. If I remember correctly, the upper or northern part of the building is unit 3, and the lower portion is unit 2.
To the left of the second bank of cooling towers you'll see a smaller building with a domed structure. This is Peach Bottom unit 1. That unit was retired (I believe) prior to 1970.
One of my first jobs was to walk with the unit 2 reactor vessel as it was transported from Havre de Grace Maryland to the jobsite. And I worked there later (maybe starting in 1973) when the units were started.
Oh, I almost forgot. To keep this railroad related, there was a railroad siding that came on site from, I believe, the MA and PA. And there were tracks branching off this siding that ran into the turbine building.
And, at the risk of continuing the OT part of this thread, I'm now speaking as a former Submarine Officer who grew up in Pennsylvania and lived in State College (that's about 90 miles from TMI) during the 1974.
I think others have pointed out the errors in Pennsylvania geography sufficiently.
However, nuclear events are described in one of two ways, an incident, which has purely local consequences / effects, and an accident, which may cause some effects beyond the containment system of the reactor. The 1979 loss of coolant casualty was an accident. The one a few years back was an incident.
Incidents aren't that rare, but because the reactors safeguards prevent release of radioactive materials, it's not anything to worry about. Accidents can be a problem, but although Chernobyl was certainly the cause of thousands of deaths, none have been conclusively linked to TMI.
There are also "accidental releases", in which radioactive materials reach the outside environment, but in volumes too small to be measured.
With all due respect to the local farmers of Southeastern PA. I don't think too many of them have the education or inclination to understand the true situation (although having lived through it, I admit that the constant, frequently conflicting reports from TMI were unsettling).
The problem with radiation is that people are afraid of it because it's deadly (in large enough amounts) and can't be seen or felt. Never mind that we all wallow in it all day, every day from various natural sources. In my 2 1/2 years on a submarine, I got less exposure than my wife, who was on shore for the entire period.
Want to worry about something deadly? Look at all the distracted drivers out there, that cigarette in your hand, or the pile of fried food on your plate! That's what'll shorten your life.
CTValleyRR Want to worry about something deadly? Look at all the distracted drivers out there, that cigarette in your hand, or the pile of fried food on your plate! That's what'll shorten your life.
Or the distracted driver with a cigarette in his hand plus a pile of fried food on a plate in his lap.