In the little mountain town of Strasburg, Pennsylvania (OK, OK, there are no mountains), lucky visitors will find the Strasburg Rail Road (not "railroad", apparently). The Strasburg Rail Road is a heritage railroad and the oldest continuously operating standard-gauge railroad in the western hemisphere, as well as the oldest public utility in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Wikipedia page for the Rail Road has a pretty comprehensive list of locomotives and rolling stock (past and present) - at first I thought that this example was not mentioned, but I believe that it is the Reading 1187, a camelback A-4b class 0-4-0 "Switcher" type steam locomotive, built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad.
Chartered in 1832, the Strasburg Rail Road Company is today a heritage railroad offering excursion trains hauled by steam locomotives on 4.02 mi (6.47 km) of track in Pennsylvania Dutch Country, as well as providing contract railroad mechanical services, and freight service to area shippers. The railroad's headquarters are outside Strasburg, Pennsylvania. The railroad hosts 300,000 visitors per year.
The stained glass detail on the windows helps to identify this one as the "Henry K. Long", manufactured by the Laconia Car Company. It is formerly from the "Boston and Maine", and... named for Strasburg Rail Road Company founder and first company president (1958-1963). Put into service at Strasburg in 1975. It sure appears to be in service in this 1970 photo.
I'm glad to see that this caboose is not loose. Constructed in 1925, Strasburg Rail Road’s Caboose 12 provides a glimpse of what it may have been like to be a crew member of an early 20th-century steam train. Climb into the cupola seats for a truly unique view of the train. (Note: Cupola seating does require ascending and descending a ladder.) Caboose 12 has a steel frame with a wood superstructure and is built to specific specifications by the Detroit, Toledo, and Ironton Railroad.
The Strasburg Rail Road is one of the few railroads in the U.S. sometimes using steam locomotives to haul revenue freight trains. The nearby Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania occasionally uses Strasburg Rail Road tracks to connect to the Amtrak Philadelphia-to-Harrisburg Main Line junction in Paradise.
Before snowplows were invented, a guy would sit on the cowcatcher with a little tin shovel (and sturdy mittens). Why would I lie?? This is the SRC-66 Snowplow, made by the Russell Snow Plow Co. around 1902, and it saw use on the Wellsville, Addison, and Galeton RR, as well as the Buffalo and Susquehanna. The guy with the mittens was pretty peeved, his wife had just knit him a new pair (with cool skulls).
This one took a bit longer to identify, as it turns out it must have been on loan to the Strasburg RR. Although originally identified as #3566 due to a sunspot on the number (huh??), (it) is actually #3556 which has been preserved at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania and was loaned to the Strasburg Railroad at times. Built by the PRR Altoona Shops in 1886, it's an excellent example of an early open platform wooden coach car. Most were destroyed by fires during train accidents so this is a remarkable car.
I hope you have enjoyed your visit to the Strasburg Rail Road! I'd sure love to go there for real someday.
Major-
ReplyDeleteI'm no train expert, but when it comes to 'ready-to-wear', I must admire Mom's outfit and "belt". So classy. And finally... the answer to my prayers for next winter when the driveway needs some snow plowing-!
Thanks, Major.
......but I believe that it is the Reading 1187.....
ReplyDeleteIs that "Reading" as in the railroad in the game of Monopoly?
Major, that second photo reminds me of when you, Ken and I rode a train at the Southern California Railway Museum (formerly the Orange Empire Railway Museum). I took tons of pictures during that visit, but I never wrote a post about it. I should still do that!
The caboose pic reminds me of Disneyland's caboose. I remember realizing one day in the nineties, that you could ride in it (although you weren't allowed to ride up in the cupola). For some reason, I'm guessing that they don't let guests ride in the caboose anymore?
Thanks for the R.R. pics, Major!
1) That's an odd cowcatcher in front of the engine. it looks like it was made for someone to sit on it... Why? Are those the 'cheap seats'?
ReplyDelete2) Alongside Mom and Sis, a young Fonzie gives us two thumbs up. "Aaaaaay!" Fonz looks a little sleepy and/or exhausted here.
3) Looks like the caboose has been recently painted. (Like, two hours ago!) It's spotless!
4) I do hope the skulls on those mittens were FLAMING SKULLS! What an odd looking contraption. It looks like something from yesterday's post, where two universes collided, resulting in this frightening, other-worldly thing. I bet it worked really well though!
5) That coach car looks great! It makes you want to get on board and go somewhere. And there's Sis again. Her dad (the photographer) must've been like my dad, and always insisted that one of us kids be in the picture.
You took us to Pennsylvania (Isn't that where Dracula lives?) on this Saturday excursion. Thanks, Major.
1) The Strasburg RR pulls the train "backwards" on the return trip. That's why the locomotive has a knuckle coupler and no proper cowcatcher on the front.
DeleteThe Strassburg RR loaned several vintage passenger coaches for the filming of the opening railroad scenes for the 1969 film HELLO DOLLY. The coaches were painted a yellow color to represent a 1890’s excursion train of the New York Central & Hudson River Railroad. One of the cars is the famous open air excursion coach in the film and the star of the PUT ON YOUR SUNDAY CLOTHES. After filming the rolling stock was returned to the Strassburg RR and returned to their original deep red colors - all
ReplyDeleteEXCEPT the open excursion coach which was kept in its film decor and operated for decades as the “ HELLO DOLLY COACH” it was one of their most popular coaches for guests to ride in. Not long ago however the HELLO DOLLY COACH was overhauled and slightly modified back to a regular coach but still features its Hello Dolly name and partial open air side albeit in the deep red colors of the other coaches. The Strassburg also provided the locomotive that was slightly modified and backdated for the film Hello Dolly - it also operated for years but my understanding it’s nolonger “under steam” and is now just a static exhibit.
incidentally BACHMANN TRAINS is releasing all new tooling featuring many of the 1900’s coaches and lettering of the Strassburg Coaches in HO scale. The movie Hello Dolly Coach is available in a limited run by the PARADISE CAR & LOCOMOTIVE CO. In both the 1969 yellow film version and the current deep red excursion version also in HO scale.
I really enjoy these train posts, Major. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to Steve DG and Chuck commenting on these.
Skull mittens sound great, very stylish, a great fit with the flame tattoos on my forearms.
JG
The Strasbourg RR has done overhauls for the WDW locomotives in the past. Though they try to keep it under wraps - I'd guess it would attract too much attention at the shops if the word got out.
ReplyDeleteNanook, my current outfit looks very much like the one “Mom” is wearing!
ReplyDeleteTokyoMagic!, er, is “Reading” on a Monopoly board? I have never like playing Monopoly, so I avoid it. The funny thing is, when my niece was maybe 10, she wanted to play it with me, and she demolished me! YES, I ran into my bedroom in tears. I’m so glad I met you and Ken at the Southern California Railway Museum, that was a fun day. I only took a few photos, so I’d love to see yours! I wonder why Disneyland doesn’t let people ride in the caboose anymore? Is it haunted?
JB, I admit that I can’t explain that cow catcher, and I am the most knowledgeable person EVER when it comes to trains. I had to look it up, but “Happy Days” didn’t start until 1974; maybe that kid WAS the real “Fonz”! I don’t know about you, but I always strive to have a spotless caboose. The snowplow is pretty badass, I’ve seen footage of other snowplows clearing the track, it’s impressive. I think it’s smart to have a family member in most photos, otherwise, years later, the picture just shows some “thing”, with no personal connection to it.
Mike Cozart, thank you for all the info about the Strasburg Rail Road and the passenger coaches that were loaned to the film “Hello Dolly”. That sure comes up on GDB regularly, it’s influence continued (continues?) for decades. I’d love to be able to go to the Strasburg Rail Road, but can’t think of a reason I’d be in Pennsylvania anytime soon (though I used to live there in the early 70s and liked it a lot). Do you have a collection of HO-scale trains (or other model trains)? Thanks Mike.
JG, I’m glad you liked these. I was just going through my best box of “miscellaneous” slides, and am happy to report that there is a LOT of really good stuff in there - trains, and all sorts of stuff. Skull mittens are great, unless you are trying to open a pickle jar.
Dean Finder, ah, interesting, they must have the real mechanical experts who can fix those beautiful old steam locomotives. I’m glad that there are people out there who can do that!
Oh man! I’m on the road and won’t be able to comment until much later! Excellent post!
ReplyDeleteJB, that’s a “footboard” pilot, for the brakeman/conductor to stand on while switching.
ReplyDelete(That’s from me)
ReplyDeleteMajor, this comment to follow was too long for the ipad. I had a friend years back who had a big lot and he bought an old caboose much like the one in the post today, and turned it into his office. He installed some rails and ties just a few feet longer than the caboose, and hooked it to power and phone with a big "baloney" cable (called such because of the diameter). He set himself and his assistants up with desks and "voila" instant office space.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had the land area to do the same.
JG
Strasbourg and the Pennsylvania RR Museum are on the bucket list. It’s a pretty big bucket at this point (although I did manage to knock out the Durango & Silverton last Wednesday).
ReplyDeleteWhen I did the “Magic Behind Our Steam Trains” tour at WDW back in 2004, our guide was a WDW RR engineer who had retired from the NYPD and was a self-confessed steam nut. He discovered that Strasbourg and the Pennsylvania RR Museum were juuuust outside the range of the NYPD pager system and consequently spent a lot of his off time there. Sounds like a great plan to me.
Thanks, Major!