Garden Railways Tour
Tickets are now on sale for the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania’s Garden Railways Tour on Sunday, October 1, 2023, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. It’s a train family fun outing for all ages! Choose from among the five stops on this year’s 16th annual, exclusive self-guided tour of operating model trains in various outdoor and garden settings, located in Wrightsville, Lancaster, Lititz and Manheim. Tickets are just $10.00 per person for ages 6 and over. Children ages 5 and under are admitted free of charge. Tickets are on sale on Eventbrite and in the Whistle Stop Shop museum store and will not be sold at the individual tour sites. A roster of Garden Railways Tour homes will be emailed/given to you following your ticket purchase. It is recommended that you plan the sites you want to visit in advance. Garden Railways Tour proceeds benefit the nonprofit Friends of the…
Reading Railroad Days Featured
The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania features the historic Reading Railroad during Reading Railroad Days on Wednesday, June 28 to Sunday, July 2 and Wednesday, July 5 to Saturday, July 8. Reading Railroad Days takes place during regular Museum hours and is included in the regular Museum admission. An enormous, detailed HO scale model train layout of the Reading Railroad, operated by members of the Reading Company Technical & Historical Society, is a centerpiece in the Museum’s climate-controlled Rolling Stock Hall. Visitors also may view Reading Company equipment from the Museum’s premier collection, including the 105-year-old tank engine No. 1251, multiple unit car No. 800, Crusader observation car No. 1 and the 1928 turntable. Also, artist Peter Lerro will exhibit and sell his works from Wednesday, June 28 through Sunday, July 2, the Perkiomen Railroad Historical Society will be on hand on Saturday July 1 and the Brick Reading Railroad will…
Friends 40th Anniversary HO Scale Custom Boxcar
We’re commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Friends of the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania with a limited edition, custom-designed HO scale boxcar, featuring the 1983 Grif Teller painting of the John Bull locomotive commissioned by the Friends, a 2023 photo of the John Bull and the first logo of the Friends, a stylized version of the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania’s historic Broad Street Station clock. This unique boxcar, and one of the first ever custom HO scale projects from our friends at Lionel, comes ready to run on your layout with metal wheels, metal couplers, opening doors and added weights. And, it makes a handsome display item for your home or office. They’re only $40.00 each. Download the order form here or stop by the Whistle Stop Shop museum store during regular business hours to place your order. Order yours today, while supplies last!
We’re A Blue Star Museum
The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania is proud to join museums nationwide again this summer in the Blue Star Museums initiative, a program which provides free admission to currently serving U. S. military personnel and their families. This year’s program begins on Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 20, 2023, and ends on Labor Day, Monday, September 4, 2023. The free admission program is available for those currently serving in the United States military — Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard as well as members of the Reserves, National Guard, U. S. Public Health Commissioned Corps, NOAA Commissioned Corps — and up to five family members. Qualified members must show a Geneva Convention common access card (CAC), a DD Form 1173 ID card (dependent ID), a DD Form 1173-1 ID card or the Next Generation Uniformed Services (Real) ID card for entrance into a participating Blue Star Museum. Blue…
Summer Programs Announced
Summer’s coming, along with a full schedule of exciting, family friendly activities at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania! Join us! _______________________________________________________________________ NORFOLK & WESTERN LOCOMOTIVE NO. 611 TOUR Daily through May 14. Call ahead to book tickets at (717) 687-8628, ext 3004, or inquire as to tour times and availability when you arrive at the Museum. Discover the history of the Norfolk & Western class J locomotive No. 611 during this specially-designed tour, including how and why this beautiful engine was saved, an in-depth look at its restoration to operating condition, the impact it has on the railroading community and how the N&W No. 611 has become an ambassador of steam, in partnership with various railroad museums and tourist railroads. The 90-minute tour also includes a tour of the Museum restoration shop and is limited to 12 persons ages 12 and over. The cost per person per tour is $25.00,…
Two Fall 2023 Rambles
Travel with the Friends of the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania on two outstanding Rambles in the fall of this year. Register today for the: Adirondacks Ramble: Wednesday, October 4 to Saturday, October 7. On this custom-designed tour in scenic upstate New York, we’ll enjoy a visit to Steamtown National Historic Site, two one-way rides on the Adirondack Scenic Railroad, a roundtrip ride on the Cooperstown & Charlotte Valley Railroad, a guided tour of Great Camp Sagamore, a dinner cruise on Racquette Lake and a visit to the Adirondack Experience museum. Also included are roundtrip motorcoach transportation from central Pennsylvania, three nights hotel accommodations and three breakfasts, three lunches and three dinners. The rate for current members of the Friends of the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania begins at $1,489.00 per person double occupancy. The non-member rate begins at $1,534.00 per person double occupancy. The deadline for registration is June 4. Click…
Barons & Builders Summer Day Camps
Register your child today for the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania’s engaging and popular Barons & Builders summer day camps. Don’t wait! Spaces are limited. Barons & Builders summer day campers develop new skills, make friends and have fun when they experience the Museum’s historic railroad equipment on special, behind-the-scenes guided tours, learn about the Museum’s treasured artifacts and take a ride on the neighboring Strasburg Rail Road. Campers receive a camp t-shirt and a Lionel model boxcar for a guided craft project, spend time with a special guest talking about their career in railroading and model railroading and collaborate with other campers to solve challenges, interacting in a safe, guided manner. The cost per camper is $200.00 regular admission and $175.00 for current members of the Friends of the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. Register here for the Tuesday, July 11 to Friday, July 14 camp, for ages 9 and 10….
Railroad Art & Photography Books & Presentations
Railroad art and photography are the subjects of two soon-to-be-published, must-have books, now available for pre-orders in the Whistle Stop Shop museum store at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania! You can also meet the noted authors — J. Craig Thorpe and Tony Reevy — during their upcoming scheduled presentations and book signings at the Museum. ______________________________________________________________________________ “Railroads, Art, and American Life: An Artist’s Memoir” by J. Craig Thorpe explores the past, present and future of rail travel through his fascinating, and much sought after, works of art. His personal story and paintings depict not only the golden age of train travel but also the role that railroads play in our society today and looking forward. This 260-page, hardback volume features 130 color illustrations. The cost of the book is only $40.00 each, or $34.00 for current FRM members. Order the book here. Mr. Thorpe will give a presentation and book…
Reading On The Rails
You’re right on track for reading and railroading as special guests share stories about trains, railroads and other amazing people, places and things during the family-friendly Reading On The Rails event at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania on Saturday, March 11. Kids will receive their very own “suitcase” and use it to travel from story to story throughout the day. They can collect a sticker after each story and create their own suitcase design with stickers, crayons, glitter and other trimmings. A small gift to put inside their suitcase will be offered, while supplies last. At press time, special guest readers were scheduled to include: Kristin Fernitz, director of the Strasburg-Heisler Library Hillary Daecher, author of the children’s book “Soar” Amy Banks, arts and communications manager at the Ware Center/Millersville University Greg Liscio, volunteer at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania Patrick Morrison, director of the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania Also…
Stephen Jacobs Named 2023 Volunteer Of The Year
The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania is pleased to announce Stephen Jacobs as volunteer of the year for 2023. Stephen was selected by the Friends of the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania’s board of directors from among the Museum’s corps of more than 150 active volunteers for this honor. A member and volunteer since 2018, Stephen was introduced to the Museum by the late R. Neil Gruber, a former co-worker and Museum member and volunteer. Stephen, a native of Cochranville, Pennsylvania, lived a number of places growing up as a self-described Army brat. He continued those travels all over the United States and in places like Japan, Germany, Panama, England, Turkey and Belgium during his many years in the Air National Guard and as a senior designer for Sperry New Holland. A Penn State graduate in engineering, Stephen performed ground work on aircraft for the Air National Guard and designed small square…
