Fall Vacation Plans

I think its plenty of time. The RR museum of PA is about a 3 hour affair. You may even be able to hit it all in a day, depending on how long you spend reading the signs. There are lots of antique dealers and amish-related things to do around strasburg as well, but it would require either 2 cars, or one of you to be dropped off. The distance from the RR museum to the toy train museum is walkable, but there's no sidewalk and its a relatively busy road. The most direct route is to walk up the Strasburg RR right of way, but I dont know if thats frowned upon or not (probably is, but I saw people doing it last time I was there).

You should be able to hit all three places in a day and a half. You need to check the train ride schedule if you plan on riding the train one of the days. There is a lot to do in Lancaster depending on what your wife likes to do. There are two large outlet shopping areas, a couple of winery to visit and two places have live shows ( American Music Theater and Sight-Sound theater). Great little pizza place in the town of Strasburg on Main St. I think it's called Pizza City. Have fun!

Kinda depends on your/your wife's interests, but if you are going to Strasburg, you

could drop her off at the shopping malls along U.S. 30 just before you turn off for

Strasburg..and she could raid those (the Strasburg RR has a train shop in that mall)

while you saunter through Strasburg and the Pa. Museum across the road.  That is

Amish country, so there are "Amish" shops, farmer's  markets, restaurants, and

tourist attractions on the east side of Lancaster, such as Bird-in-Hand on Pa. 340, that might interest her.  There is a downtown covered Amish market in Lancaster on certain days of the week, too.  It might work best that she took the car and

toured the outlet strip, etc., leaving you most of the day to tour Strasburg and maybe

ride the train as well as tour the Pa. Museum.  Choo-Choo Barn in in a strip mall

with another train shop, between Strasburg and the RR and Museum, but it is kind

of a hike back from the Museum to that mall.

West of York is Gettysburg, but she might not have an interest in Civil War History,

but U.S. 30 west to Chambersburg has a number of antique malls in such towns as New Oxford, if she has other collecting interests.

Consider parking your car at Amtrak's Lancaster station (former PRR) on the north end of the city and south of the junction of Routes 30, 222, and 501. Ride Amtrak's Keystone Service to and from 30th Street Station, Philadelphia. Take any SEPTA train to Market Street East (free for Amtrak passengers; two stops from 30th Street; after Suburban Station). Enjoy a meal at Reading Terminal Market (www.readingterminalmarket.com). Watch for an access door 1 flight up (street level) near the escalators and elevator. Then walk or take a cab to The Franklin Institute (www.fi.edu). Take a cab ride in Baldwin 3-cylinder compound 4-10-2 No. 60000. Also get seats for a show in Fels Planetarium or maybe a movie in the IMAX theatre there. The Dead Sea Scrolls are on display, too.

 

East of Reading Terminal Market at 12th & Market is Independence Mall.

Be sure to enjoy ice cream and the deli in The Strasburg Creamery, a former general store at town square in downtown Strasburg. GREAT place!

The Strasburg Railroad regularly runs REVENUE Freight early in the morning on Wednesday and Friday. The railroad just announced that they will be accepting passengers in the caboose on the freight trains. The month of August (and possibly beyond) will see STEAM pulling REVENUE FREIGHT Trains on the railroad. See below for details. The Railroad regularly did this in the 1980s with steam pulling a regular freight train with some passenger cars attached. They are bringing it back. Something to consider...I know I want to do it! 

 

http://www.strasburgrailroad.com/mixed-train.php

Wow...I haven't ridden in a caboose since the EBT 30 years ago...will have to check

that out next York week.

To make a BIG hit with your wife, visit www.nationalchristmascenter.com just a few miles from Strasburg on Rt.30. You will love it as well, I'll bet.

I truly think 3 hours at the PRR Museum is a bit much.

Thanks for all the great information! I am getting excited about this trip since it includes Gettysburg, Boston, Philadelphia and Strasburg. The focus is on US History but throwing in some train stuff is the cherry on the Sundae.

 

Steve

depending what way you travel to strasburg, you can stop by weaver models in northumberland for a tour. come down rte 15 to harrisburg and see the rockville bridge, look at the old PRR enola yard in harrisburg now run by NS.

They serve nice beer on the train at Strasburg. By the time you have lunch, the railroad, museum across the road and the TCA Museum fills a day easily. On top, a couple of hours at the Choo Choo Barn the following day and you're done. You can take some nice rides on horse and carriage around the back roads, quite inexpensive and fun too.

John, I hope to get there this visit too, I'd love to see THE layout.