The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg

MTH offered the E44 in its Premier line in 2007 (PS2) and 2014 (PS3). Here are the product pages.

The similar E33 was offered both in Railking and Premier.   Here are the product pages.  You can see the differences in the pantograph and roofline details.  

The PRR contracted with GE to build the E44, a more powerful upgrade to the E33 that GE built for the Virginian.

Bob

RR museum of PA is one of the best in the country.  Glad you were able to visit it.

THe PA RR Museum is a great place, there is a lot of history there.  Always an interesting visit whenever I'm out that way.

I could go there 50 times and not see everything. A true, world class museum.

I have been there several times in my life, when I was a kid was definitely one of the best, but taking my two youngest nieces, their mom and my brother back in 2016(as well as Strasburg RR) was fantastic start to even more fun. Every time I have been out to York(save 2017), I have visited both sides of the road. Going out for York Week, I visit the RR Museum and ask questions if possible to the staff just to see what is new. I also make sure to donate to the museum as well as some of the exhibits. Back in 2016, one of the passenger cars had a donation box as well as progress the dollars had gotten them thus far, that was interesting.

Next door across the road, I may have train ride tickets, or just go over and shoot photos(depends on time and when I am there). I have gotten great photos and information from both sides of the road while out there. It is always a great idea to look at what events they have on their perspective calendars to see what is going on, and who or what you may run into. I know that the museum had scouts one of the times I was there, was pretty cool. I will always try to get in time on both sides of the road to admire what stands on the tracks.

Thanks for the MTH links Bob RRDOC.....I am going to keep a look-out for the RailKing E33 one.

Peter.....Buco Australia

One of the best train museums around.

We did Lancaster/ Strasburg/ Hershey trips for several years when the kids were little. My son and I got lost for a few hours running the G scale switching layout at the RRMPA. One of the best collections of the history of the PRR (and others).

Tell you what Peter.....next trip I'm gonna hide in your suitcase. I'll even buy dinner......🤣🤣🤣🤣

Bob

It was so good to finally meet you Bob....and yes, you can tag along in the suitcase next time!!!

Don't worry....I'll continue to "stalk" you on the Forum in the meantime.

Peter.....Buco Australia

The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania truly does rank among the very finest rail museums in the nation. I have visited there a number of times, and often, in past years, had the opportunity to visit most of the country's other major rail museums. If any of you folks reading this are ever in the Strasburg, PA, area, be sure to visit this great museum along with the other superb railroad-related attractions in the immediate vicinity, including the Choo-Choo Barn, TCA Museum, and the much-acclaimed Strasburg Railroad. Plan to spend at least one very full day exploring all the rail-related attractions in Strasburg,

Great place to get lost in.  

Is there anywhere in the country (or maybe the world) where so many high quality independently-owned train-related attractions exist in such close proximity to each other?

In addition, you can eat in a dining car and sleep in a caboose...

@RRDOC posted:

MTH offered the E44 in its Premier line in 2007 (PS2) and 2014 (PS3). Here are the product pages.

And if you check out the 20-5683-1 release (2014), you will see that #4465 was one of the road numbers offered.  It is always fun to be able to get models of locomotives you have seen in person.

Andy

Thanks Andy for the MTH reference info......it's a "Premier" model, and it might have a little trouble navigating my Buco curves.....but we'll see.

Peter....Buco Australia

This museum is in my top three.  The other two are the California Railway Museum and the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum.  Three of the best preserved collections in the US in my opinion.  Being a PRR modeler, the Strasburg Museum is nearest to my interests.  I haven't been keeping up, but the roundhouse addition is long overdue to finally house some of those large outdoor pieces inside to at least preserve them from further degradation from the elements. 

My photo of the E44 from my last visit way too long ago in 2008.  While I will opine at length on the greatness of the GG1, the E44 was the superior locomotive for freight service as the GG1s only got pressed into that service as passenger traffic was declining and the locomotives were available.  

While it never actually saw service for Amtrak, 4465 was painted for use in MOW service briefly before coming to the museum.  Conrail transferred 8 E44s to New Jersey Transit who never used them and in turn NJT transferred them to Amtrak. 

Amtrak E44 502

Not nearly as aesthetically pleasing as the GG1, the E44 certainly has a rugged look to it that is quite appealing.  In addition to the MTH model, there are examples of this locomotive in cast brass from Alexander and later House of Duddy.  Dating to the 60's those models are a little crude by today's standards.

On a side note, the PRR D16sb 4-4-0 in the museum used to be the main steam locomotive for the Strasburg Railroad across the street.  There is a picture of me as a toddler floating around somewhere with my father holding me in front of that locomotive when it was still operational.  Such a great mecca for railroad history. 

The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania is a fabulous place.  I saw it soon after it opened and much later, when we lived in Central PA I was a member of the Friends of the Railroad Museum.  My kids have played with and run model trains (G scale!) in their educational area.  When I was part of NMRA MER Division 11, I gave a clinic in the main hall.  And besides the wonderful collection of rolling stock and locomotives, it is home to the Pennsy calendar art and Grif Teller Gallery on the second floor.  And the museum now owns the original fabulous Crossroads of Commerce painting, which is on display.  Note:  The image below is in the public domain.

George

@Buco posted:

Thanks Andy for the MTH reference info......it's a "Premier" model, and it might have a little trouble navigating my Buco curves.....but we'll see.

Peter....Buco Australia

The features tab mentions that it can navigate O42 curves, which is pretty good for a scale loco.  And if that is still incompatible with your curves, keep in mind that having a really nice "shelf queen" or two on prominent display in a train room is considered OK in the model RR community...

Andy

@GG1 4877

Jonathan, are you talking about this beauty?

This is one of my pictures I took in October 2021(York Week).

Overhead shot from October 2023(York Week).

Tail shot from October 2019(York Week).

You know that it is interesting as you come out to the tracks, that this small engine imposing a big shadow on you until you see some of the larger locomotives.

My favorite engine is #460, the Lindbergh Special. In 2016 when I went there, it was not present, and I actually didn't realize it until we were getting ready to leave. I had found out that it was being restored(cosmetically only). When I returned in the coming years, it had returned. I found out that it could not be fully restored to any working order as the frame was cracked. It would have been interesting to see if this majestic beast could be coming down the rails once more under it's own power, but alas, not to be.

I have quite a few pictures of #460, but I think I like this one the best. Even though this one is from October 2023, one of the newer photos, it just seems to look better every time I see it.

I was there only a couple of times and love it!  Hope to go back soon. 

A nice place to visit. I just wish they would do something about old Rivets, it's sitting outside rusting away. Deserves to be saved.

@Dave NYC Hudson PRR K4 posted:

@GG1 4877

Jonathan, are you talking about this beauty?

That is the one!  I would love to have a nice model of the D16sb one day.  A little early for the PRR period I model, but for me it represents a high-water mark for the American Standard class of locomotive.  I could see one pulling a few coaches on my future layout for weekend or agricultural branch passenger operations.  Next time I visit with my parents, I will need to see if I can find a copy of the photo and get a scan of it.

One of my photos of 1223 from the summer of 2008.

These two locomotives made a nice frame for 4935 too!  No fencing when I was there last time to cover up the locomotive.

@Jim 1939 posted:

A nice place to visit. I just wish they would do something about old Rivets, it's sitting outside rusting away. Deserves to be saved.

4800 has been on the list of locomotives to be cosmetically restored for some time.  One of the challenges with this museum and any museum is that directors and boards change all the time so priorities can change.  I hope too that 4800 will eventually be restored to its as-built appearance as GG1 4899.  It would make a nice bookend to 4935 which is the 3rd to last numbered GG1.