The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania boasts one of the top rolling stock collections in the U.S. At the core of this collection is the nearly two dozen historic locomotives and railroad cars preserved by the Pennsylvania Railroad for world fairs and other major public exhibitions. The museum also exhibits about 100 other locomotives and railroad cars from the PRR and other railroads serving the state.
Choices
Go up, down, and out: an elevated walkway at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania gives a fine view of Rolling Stock Hall, a pit beneath the rails allows inspection of the underside of the PRR H3 No. 1187 locomotive, and tours of the restoration shop are sometimes available. Be sure to see the restored PRR No. 460, the engine that sped newsreel films to New York of Charles Lindbergh’s arrival in Washington after his famous flight; PRR GG1 No. 4935, the best-preserved example of the most famous class of electric locomotives; and PRR E7 No. 5901, the only surviving example of General Motors’ top-selling passenger diesel.
When to go
Year-round, the museum is open from Wednesdays through Sundays. Closed some major holidays. Check the website for hours. A variety of special events are scheduled throughout the year.
Good to know
Part of Rolling Stock Hall is patterned after an early 20th-century glass-roofed train shed. The hall displays about 50 locomotives and railroad cars on five tracks.
Worth doing
Spend part of the day at the museum and then take a ride on a steam train on the Strasburg Rail Road, located right across the road.
Don’t miss
Take advantage of a variety of hands-on and interactive exhibits, and view displays of railroad-related artifacts and operating model trains.
Getting there
The museum is on State Route 741, 300 Gap Road, 1 mile east of Strasburg, which is about 15 minutes from Lancaster, Pa., 1 hour from Harrisburg or Reading, Pa., and 90 minutes from Philadelphia. Take State Route 30 to State Route 896 to State Route 741.
Location: 300 Gap Road, Strasburg, PA
Phone: 7717-687-8628
Website: rrmuseumpa.org
E-mail: info@rrmuseumpa.org
