SCRANTON, Pa. — Steamtown National Historic Site has announced its schedule of train rides for 2023, with trips ranging from 30-minute trips exploring the park’s rail yard to full-day excursions through the Poconos.
The seasonal rides resume May 11, with tickets on sale online as of April 1 for excursions in May through August. Excursions in September and October will be released 90 days in advance of the trip date. Tickets for the short rides, the Scranton Limited or Caboose Experience, are only available on-site the day of the visit.
The Scranton Limited or Caboose Experience rides begin May 11 and will operate Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, as staffing permits, with departures at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:15 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $6, or $1 for kids ages 5 and under. Seating is first-come, first-served. The Caboose Experience is offered in place of the Scranton Limited on the days of longer excursions, as staffing permits.
Summer excursions, on sale April 1, are scheduled for:
— May 20, Carbondale, spring marketplace;
— May 27, Gouldsboro, craft show;
— June 10, Carbondale, Outdoor Adventure Train (bike); to Archbald, Outdoor Adventure Train (hike); with Lackawanna Valley National Heritage Area;
— June 18, Cresco, Father’s Day excursion;
— June 24, Delaware Water Gap, Founder’s Day;
— July 15, Tobyhanna, Ice House tour or self-guided town tour;
— July 23; Gouldsboro; depot open; children’s activities, and food;
— Aug. 12, East Stroudsburg;
— Aug. 27, Cresco; museum open, entertainment, and food.
Autumn excursions, on sale 90 days in advance, are:
— Sept. 2, Gouldsboro, craft show;
— Sept. 23, Carbondale, autumn marketplace;
— Oct. 7, Tobyhanna, fall foliage, Ice House tour, or self-guided town tour;
— Oct. 15, Cresco, leaf peeper excursion;
— Oct. 21, Delaware Water Gap, fall foliage;
— Oct. 28, Gouldsboro, Ghoulsboro Halloween
Steamtown, located in downtown Scranton, is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, and will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily beginning April 24. For more information, visit the Park website.
It may be too early to decide, but they do have ONE steamer in service, Baldwin 26. It has taken trains to, for instance, Carbondale, but that may be its limit. It was rebuilt a few years ago. But they want to have another in service – which takes a lot of time and money. So many excursions are diesel powered.
This article makes no mention of steam locomotive pulled excursions for the 2023 summer season at “Steamtown”. Couldn’t the NPS at least borrow an operable steam locomotive? Very sad…