Saturday, November 19, 2022
We had reservations for the 11:00 excursion of the
Strasburg Railroad, Santa's Paradise Express (the train goes to Paradise, PA).
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East Strasburg Railroad Station (1882 as the
East Petersburg station, moved here in 1960) |
The Strasburg Railroad was chartered in 1832, making it the oldest continuously operating railroad in North America. It is the most visited heritage railroad in the continental United States, after being purchased by a group of rail fans in 1958. Besides the tourist excursions, the Strasburg Railroad also hauls freight.
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| Santa's Paradise Express awaits passengers |
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| It's a very long passenger train |
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Instead of Platform 9-3/4 (Harry Potter),
they have Lamppost 9-3/4! |
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| Chalkboard sign for Santa's Paradise Express |
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Norfolk & Western Railroad Steam Locomotive #475 (1906)
is ready to pull the train (backwards) |
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| Inside the Susquehanna Coach Car #92 (1910) |
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The coach cars are heated by coal-fired
potbellied stoves at each end of the car |
We still had plenty of time before departure to browse shops and ...
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| "Cranky Cars" for the kids to hand crank |
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| The pint-sized Pufferbelly and Pump Car train |
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Gaviolitzer (began as a Gavioli Fair Organ c 1905, then
in 1926 remade as a Wurlitzer Band Organ) |
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The train ride begins and at several street crossings
there were the ubiquitous rail fans |
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Our view of the steam from the locomotive
as we pass through farmland |
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Umm, we stopped in Paradise, PA between the Imperial
Marble & Granite Services and the Amtrak tracks |
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Fortunately, the "kids" were kept entertained
by a Brass Duet, a Caroler Quartet, and...
Santa Claus! |
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| A professional photographer was on hand for photos |
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| A small gift from Santa |
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| Heading back through bucolic scenery |
After the train ride, we hurried to beat the rush to the
Red Caboose Motel & Restaurant.
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| Red Caboose Motel and Casey Jones Restaurant |
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I had wanted to stay at the Red Caboose Motel,
but they required a two-night stay |
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There are also accommodations at the Shady Rest Hotel,
in addition to 38 cabooses, a baggage car, and a mail car |
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The Casey Jones Restaurant is in two passenger cars
that flank the gift shop |
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Casey Jones Restaurant, named in honor of the engineer
who was the only casualty in the 1900 crash of his train
into the rear of a slower train, because he stayed on the brakes |
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| Kent inside the restaurant |
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A cup of the Lancaster County Chicken and Corn Soup
(soup?!!) |
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A new plant for me: Viburnum nudum
‘Winterthur’/Smooth Witherod Viburnum |
Next: National Toy Train Museum.
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