For the railroad loving members....

[cpaharley2008]

I live not too far from this operating historic railroad....
https://www.northerncentralrailway.com

[Rockhead]

Another bucket list item. Tks Jim for info

[MrLynn]

Have to put that one on our list.

Pennsylvania is a real haven for rail fans. Trains magazine has been making a big deal of the revival of the East Broad Top scenic railroad,

https://eastbroadtop.com

And of course there is the large Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania,

https://www.rrmuseumpa.org

right across the street from the Strasburg Railroad,

https://www.strasburgrailroad.com

which runs 20th-century steam and has an impressive shop, with tours available.

Then there is the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway at Jim Thorpe, which I really want to ride:

https://www.lgsry.com

and of course you must visit the Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton (allow a day or two!):

https://www.nps.gov/stea/index.htm

For train watchers, the famous Horseshoe Curve, near Altoona, is amazing:

https://www.railroadcity.org/curve.html

We have stayed at the Galitzin Tunnel Inn:

** Gallitzin Tunnel Inn **

and at the Bridgeview B&B, right next to the famous Rockville Bridge across the Sesquehanna in Maryville, near Richmond:

Bridgeview B&B - Railfan Lodging in the Harrisburg PA Area

(not with a trailer at those two B&Bs).

There are more, so I'm happy to add Northern Central to the list. Please feel free to add others. We travel through PA two or three times a year en route to and from VA. It would be helpful to learn about camping near the tourist and scenic railroads, and near the railfan sites.

[nepaweb]

Originally Posted by MrLynn

We travel through PA two or three times a year en route to and from VA. It would be helpful to learn about camping near the tourist and scenic railroads, and near the railfan sites.

You are certainly correct about the large number of railroading attractions located in Pennsylvania. Here are just a few recommendations for places to camp:

If you're in the area of East Broad Top I would recommend checking out Seven Points Campground. This is a very nice COE campground located on Raystown Lake. There are 6 different camping loops with a nice variety of sites to choose from.

https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/233626

Lackawanna State Park would be a great place to camp while visiting Scranton and Steamtown National Historic Site. The park is convenient to Interstate 81 and only minutes away from Scranton.

https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/F...s/default.aspx

The Tunkhannock Creek Viaduct is only a short drive from the park and well worth the time to view.

https://www.visitpa.com/region/upsta...annock-viaduct

Another rail excursion worth considering would be the Stourbridge Line located in Honesdale, PA.

https://www.thestourbridgeline.net/

If you're planning to visit the Horseshoe Curve or some of the many other rail attractions in the Altoona area then Prince Gallitzin State Park would be a great place to stay. With over 400 sites to choose from and located on the 1635 acre Glendale Lake this is one of the larger state parks in PA.

https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/F...s/default.aspx

[Mike G]

I like trains, but I haven't "gone off the rails" over them the way some folks have!


My folks took me on a couple of different train rides (Agawa Canyon from the Soo, and to Moosonee out of Cochrane, ON). They were okay. A bit tedious, actually, since they're rather slow and made frequent stops. But I still like seeing a train pass, or occasionally stopping to look at an old engine in a museum. Even so, I'd prefer a quiet lakeside view, a rushing waterfall, or a campsite under the pines.

[MrLynn]

Originally Posted by nepaweb

You are certainly correct about the large number of railroading attractions located in Pennsylvania. Here are just a few recommendations for places to camp:

If you're in the area of East Broad Top I would recommend checking out Seven Points Campground. This is a very nice COE campground located on Raystown Lake. There are 6 different camping loops with a nice variety of sites to choose from.

https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/233626

Lackawanna State Park would be a great place to camp while visiting Scranton and Steamtown National Historic Site. The park is convenient to Interstate 81 and only minutes away from Scranton.

https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/F...s/default.aspx

The Tunkhannock Creek Viaduct is only a short drive from the park and well worth the time to view.

https://www.visitpa.com/region/upsta...annock-viaduct

Another rail excursion worth considering would be the Stourbridge Line located in Honesdale, PA.

https://www.thestourbridgeline.net/

If you're planning to visit the Horseshoe Curve or some of the many other rail attractions in the Altoona area then Prince Gallitzin State Park would be a great place to stay. With over 400 sites to choose from and located on the 1635 acre Glendale Lake this is one of the larger state parks in PA.

https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/F...s/default.aspx

Thanks for the camping information. Our overnight stops have been at Promised Land SP (on I84), and Locust Lake SP (on I81), but if we take more time for railfanning, these will come in handy.

Didn't know about the Stourbridge Line. Nice Pennsy FP7 and a rare BL-2 ('Ugly Duckling') locomotive.

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I live not too far from this operating historic railroad....
https://www.northerncentralrailway.com

Hi: cpaharley2008... I haven't been trained... but I have been railroaded!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[emers382]

Originally Posted by escape artist

Hi: cpaharley2008... I haven't been trained... but I have been railroaded!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

How could you have been railroaded Alf when you drove bus

It would be interesting to see how many on this forum actually worked for a railroad, either as a career or just for short term such as a maintenance of way employee as a student or young person.

I was employed by the CPR actually working for 29 years until they "railroaded" me into a way too early retirement at age 50.

[escape artist]

Hi: emers382... Yes I was an "Operator". I always tried to be as smooth as I could be. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[MrLynn]

Originally Posted by emers382

How could you have been railroaded Alf when you drove bus

It would be interesting to see how many on this forum actually worked for a railroad, either as a career or just for short term such as a maintenance of way employee as a student or young person.

I was employed by the CPR actually working for 29 years until they "railroaded" me into a way too early retirement at age 50.

Never worked for a railroad, and sorry I didn't. What did you do for the CPR?

[Iowa Dave]

I never worked on the railroad but there ain’t a man alive who could carry the rabbits I “harvested” out of the brushy borrow ditches on each side of the Chicago Northwestern trackage in SW Cedar Rapids.

We used to put coins on the tracks, they would be smashed flat. Drill a hole in one end, get some bead chain and you had a necklace for your girlfriend.
She really liked being told she was worth a dime.

We would pick up abandoned railroad spikes and track plates and use them for throw line and trot line anchors. Also track plates for a drag for mink and muskrat traps. A big coon would bumble into a trap and would make off with the whole rig. Then frontier trackers Davey Crockett, Daniel Boone and Kit Carson (AKA the Smith brothers) would magically appear to recover their $.55 trap and wire.
You can’t go home again. Or maybe you can
Iowa Dave

[Selkirk]

I work part-time/seasonally on the running crew for a shortline railway located in central-Alberta. They offer various steam and diesel passenger excursion trips along a 21mile route. We just started a series of Polar Express trips that are scheduled through to Christmas.

My day-job/primary residence is in Calgary. Once I take delivery this spring, my E19 will serve as my home-way-from-home for 2-4 days/week during the summers.

[emers382]

Originally Posted by MrLynn

Never worked for a railroad, and sorry I didn't. What did you do for the CPR?

Always with Intermodal (called Piggyback when I started in '72). Worked in the largest terminal in Toronto then a one man operation in Saskatoon. I was forced to Winnipeg then offered two person operation in Thunder Bay in '87 which became one then when I was fifty, they ran it for a while just with the contractor, then closed it.

[Mike G]

I don't know about "railroaded," but Alf has definitely been involved with a few minor sidetracks around here. AFAIK though, he's never derailed a thread.


Just something to choo on.

[Telescopist]

Originally Posted by emers382

How could you have been railroaded Alf when you drove bus

It would be interesting to see how many on this forum actually worked for a railroad, either as a career or just for short term such as a maintenance of way employee as a student or young person.

I was employed by the CPR actually working for 29 years until they "railroaded" me into a way too early retirement at age 50.

Not me but my grandfather was a private detective who worked for the New York Central. He's on the left. Year, 1925. He was a sparring partner of Jack Dempsey.

[Telescopist]

Originally Posted by MrLynn

Have to put that one on our list.

Pennsylvania is a real haven for rail fans. Trains magazine has been making a big deal of the revival of the East Broad Top scenic railroad,

https://www.strasburgrailroad.comwhich runs 20th-century steam and has an impressive shop, with tours available.

I shot this short video with a cell phone from the Cherry Crest Adventure Farm in Lancaster County. This was the dinner train passing through. https://www.dropbox.com/s/3ytfsn0g4t...80945.mp4?dl=0

[oldwave]

In northern Ohio where I live and where I started my National Park Service Career, Cuyahoga Valley National Park maintains rail line through the park and a non profit operates the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railway. In the 1980’s before I joined the Park Service I used to play fiddle with my buddy on guitar doing railroad themed traditional music on those trains. Back then they operated a steam
engine, now it’s diesel with an occasional special steam run. My buddy used to play the Steam Calliope in the Valley at Festival I ran . What a sound the steam engine rolling through the valley while the calliope thundered an old ragtime number . I’ve had an interesting life.

[MrLynn]

Originally Posted by Telescopist

I shot this short video with a cell phone from the Cherry Crest Adventure Farm in Lancaster County. This was the dinner train passing through. https://www.dropbox.com/s/3ytfsn0g4t...80945.mp4?dl=0

Cool video. In case anyone's wondering the Strasburg runs engine backward (tender first) outbound, then 'runs around' the train for the trip back, running engine first.

[MrLynn]

Originally Posted by oldwave

In northern Ohio where I live and where I started my National Park Service Career, Cuyahoga Valley National Park maintains rail line through the park and a non profit operates the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railway. In the 1980’s before I joined the Park Service I used to play fiddle with my buddy on guitar doing railroad themed traditional music on those trains. Back then they operated a steam
engine, now it’s diesel with an occasional special steam run. My buddy used to play the Steam Calliope in the Valley at Festival I ran . What a sound the steam engine rolling through the valley while the calliope thundered an old ragtime number . I’ve had an interesting life.

Should have taped the callipe and steam train together—I'm assuming you didn't.

Reminds me of music-collecting trip I took with a friend, taping an old fiddler at a gas station in Point of Rocks, Maryland, next to the B&O main line. Right when he was playing 'The Arkansas Traveler', a freight diesel blasted its air horn and roared by; what a great sound. Sadly, I think the tape was lost.

[oldwave]

Originally Posted by MrLynn

Should have taped the callipe and steam train together—I'm assuming you didn't.

Reminds me of music-collecting trip I took with a friend, taping an old fiddler at a gas station in Point of Rocks, Maryland, next to the B&O main line. Right when he was playing 'The Arkansas Traveler', a freight diesel blasted its air horn and roared by; what a great sound. Sadly, I think the tape was lost.

Alas no
Stages at the festival got taped but not the calliope
There were some cool moments. The composer Hslim El Dabh who wrote the music for the show at the Pyramids in the 1970’s improvised a “snake dance composition “ on the spot in honor of the the true story of an Escaped Python from a derailed circus train that survived for while in the Cuyahoga Valley known as the Peninsula Python.

Lots of stories from those days