Going to Strasburg PA

The PA railroad museum is right across the street as I'm sure you're aware. Also I would recommend Choo Choo Barn for their large layout with many animations. My wife and I always include it on our trips.

A buggy ride might be an idea also, we've had good luck with Aaron's a bit north of Strasburg.

Scotie

I have always taken the shop tour. They do great work.  Enjoy your trip.

You might even wander over to the fire house for the O scale meet this weekend....

https://ogrforum.com/t...69#43524903235796269

I probably don't have to tell you this but you have to check - out the "Choo-Choo" Barn and the Toy train museum. The Rock Ville Out let center has a train shop that is very cool.

Now go have a lot of fun with your family. 

Skip lunch and have an early dinner at one of those Dutch smorgasbords

Shady Maple

Plain and Fancy

Good and Plenty

Have fun!

Ron

Fine meals in the diner (formerly a Pennsy P70 coach) at The Red Caboose Motel north of the Strasburg RR yard. The National Train Museum (TCA Museum) is next door.

We stayed there during our honeymoon and celebrated our 30th anniversary in that caboose ("cabin car" on the Pennsy)

South of York and Columbia, 6 miles west of Exit 4 on I-83, this replica of a Civil war passenger train, completed in 2013, runs on the historic Northern Central Railway between New Freedom and Hanover Junction, PA

Roadside America is fairly close as well, it's somewhat dated, but an interesting side trip anyway.  It takes about an hour to get there from Strasburg.

As ReadingFan said check out the TCA museum . Free admission if you are a member.

Brad

Millers Smorgasbord Restaurant! The corn's probably too tall right now, but if you get a seat by the window, you can see the Amtrak line in the distance.

Thank you everybody for your amazing ideas.  The kids are going to have a blast!  Especially the big kid!  LOL

I don't think anyone's mentioned the Strasburg Train Shop next to the Choo Choo Barn. Also, is the upstairs train shop still there at the Shops at Traintown? They usually had some interesting used things there. Isaac's (delicious sandwiches!) is also at the same mall and has a railroad themed décor.

I also forgot, you can get off halfway between Strasburg and Paradise at Cherry Quest Farms.  Lots to do there.

Just make sure you don't take the last train, because you will need to catch a train back to Strasburg.

http://www.cherrycrestfarm.com/

Groff’s Grove is conveniently located near Cherry Crest Adventure Farm. This is your location to access the corn maze, or to enjoy a picnic at the Grove itself. Swings, a merry-go-round and see saws will entertain the kids while you relax and enjoy the view of Amish Farmland.

The Shady Maple might be good for a husband and wife but it will get expensive with children along. Also it is over in East Earl PA.

Lee Fritz

Is the Strasburg Train Shop still there?  Didn't they move to the Outlet Shops on Rt 30?

Ron

The Pennsylvania railroad museum is a nice place to visit and they have a couple of small model train layouts there.

Last time I was to Strasburg the upstairs train store, near the Choo Choo Barn, was closed but that was 2 years ago.

The area next to the steam train ride has a lot for the little children to do, there is even a small size train that runs around on a small scale track.

Lee Fritz

The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania is the #1 attraction, in my opinion.  It doesn't look like much from the road, but let you tell you it is a HUGE value.  I was just there for a second visit.  There are three diesel locomotives in which you can climb up and enter the cab.  A Museum volunteer was onhand to answer questions.  There is at least one Steam loco to climb up on.  There are several box cars you can enter.  There is an inspection pit below one steam loco to check out the underside.  There are many many pieces of rolling stock inside.  There are a few items outside.  There is a 4-8-2 Mountain in the yard which is amazing to see up close.  BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE...  There is a huge section for kids with several rooms.  Each room has an interactive model layout, each of a different gauge.  BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE... One of the rooms is a Lego room with a massive Lego city and push button operated loops and accessories.  There is also a Lego train table with stools for the kids.  On the table is a loop of powered Lego track.  The kids can sit for an hour or more building a Lego train and rolling stock using the available Lego inventory.  There is a very large HO display at the end of the hall.  BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE.  there is also a very nice gift shop with some awesome items that you will not find in a typical O gauge dealer store.  I picked up a nice 500 piece puzzle and a steam sounds audio cd.  There are lot of nice posters and art pieces for the wall.  This place has appeal for the spectrum of ages and interests.  I cannot say enough good about the place.  It's just past the Choo Choo Barn and across the street from the Strasburg station.  Check it out.  Attached is an overhead pic I took of the inspection pit as well as the 4-8-2 Mountain

The Strasburg Train Shop is still there (at least they are according to their website). You're thinking of the shop that used to be upstairs at the Strasburg Rail Road. That was the shop that moved to the outlet mall.

Bummer! That's sad, but I'm not surprised. The stock seemed to get smaller everytime I went.

Have a great trip!  My wife and I visited at the end of June.  The Railroad Museum of PA is outstanding and the admission price is very reasonable.  My wife was even impressed.  We bought a combination ticket at the museum which saved us a few dollars on a ride on the Strasburg RR. We ate at Miller's Smorgasbord Restaurant one afternoon and it was great.  Also bought an excellent cherry pie there, I give Miller's two thumbs up!

Just want to say thank you everyone who offered wonderful ideas.  Strasburg did not disappoint.  Going to spare you the details but let me just say my wife was very impressed with the Choo-choo barn layout.  The kids and myself that was a given BUT the wife????  She even posted a video on her facebook page showing the fire truck animation.  We had a wonderful trip.  The weather was spectacular and the people were just extremely friendly.  My oldest son wants me to get a Steam Locomotive now for the layout.  So once i gather a few $$$$ together that will be on the agenda.  Just a really magical place.  The history.  We may go again sometime during Christmas time.  Easy drive from Long Island.  Once again thank you everyone!

Strasburg is a classic example of how to place a RR attraction and how to run it. Put it in an area where tourists already go and make sure it's near stuff that non-train-fan types would like. Then, make the experience of your RR to be one that is professional, spotless and as fun as an amusement park.

Oh, and tempting as it may be, put your 'basket case' stuff way out of the way somewhere. The public doesn't like seeing rusting equipment.

When I left Maryland from my all-too-brief stay there in the Army, I most regretted leaving the area for my monthly visits to Strasburg and Gettysburg. I was a bachelor then and the other officers would see me leaving on a Saturday morning and would often ask, "Hey, which Burg are you going to this weekend?"

Man, how I miss those trips...

Strasburg RR wise: Get on the open-air observation car on a train that leaves on the hour (rather than half-hour). That one lets you ride on the platform, and you will have the front of the engine "in your face" on the way out. It will also give you a great photo op when the engine moves to the front of the train. Going back, you can re-live what it was like to sight-see from a platform.

Another good photo-op is to be at the Cherry Hill crossing. The train going back to the Strasburg station stops at the picnic grove. When it starts again, and arrives at the crossing, it is putting out a good bit of smoke. I actually won a gold metal with this shot.

And the sound of the whistle and the exhausts are terrific. The locomotive is starting the train at Groff's Grove, whistling for the Cherey Hill crossing, and climbing the hill by Cherry Crest Farm. No. 89 is outstanding. Her Stephenson valve gear was rebuilt a few years ago. Her exhausts are "dead square." The harder she works, the better she sounds. I like her CB&Q whistle, too.

Ok... All this talk of photo ops and crossings made me remember this.

Mother Day 2009.  I tell my wife we can do anything she wants.  She says, "Let's chase the Strasburg".  God I love her.

And before anyone comments... I PROMISE you, we did not walk across the main line tracks in Paradise.  We drove over the bridge.

I'll second that open air car, the ride out on the platform is cool. The locomotive is in your face, you can feel the heat of it, you get pelted with cinders and the whistle and bell don't get any louder than this way! Every summer we go and I always go out on the platform, there tends to be folks out on the platform who are more into trains than most and you usually wind up talking trains with someone out there. If you go during Christmastime Santa is on some of the trips.

Santa Express

Jerry