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Re: So why is the Strasburg so special? http://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=37122 |
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Author: | J3a-614 [ Fri Sep 19, 2014 2:18 am ] |
Post subject: | Re: So why is the Strasburg so special? |
Well, speaking for myself, I would say what makes Strasburg special is: 1. Steam, and beautifully maintained at that. 2. Same for the passenger cars. You may think they are "Disneyesque," but photos of similar cars when new look mighty close to what Strasburg runs. And to be honest, how many other heritage roads running postwar lightweights would be better served with open window wooden cars or steel heavyweights as both more practical and more authentic? How many have cars of any vintage that are nowhere near the level of authentic good condition that is exhibited by the Strasburg fleet? 3. With steam and those passenger cars (and the vintage freight cars, too), Strasburg is also maintaining the institutional and technical memory needed to keep this stuff running. The management has also recognized the importance of preserving not only the railroad, but the view from the coach windows, which is why the road is also a member of a rural conservation society. 4. An excellent overall passenger experience, i.e., clean passenger cars, clean restrooms, too! 5. Commercial success. Let's admit it, railroads are expensive things, and most of our heritage roads have long had to struggle to pay bills. Strasburg used to do that, too. Are there things I wish were different? Yes, among them: 1. Longer ride. 2. Get rid of those corny announcements, "ghost train" whistle, etc. Those contribute more to a "Disneyesque" atmosphere than anything else. 3. More in the way of authentic facilities, i.e., the proposed roundhouse in Strasburg, and the ability to turn locomotives at the Paradise end. I understand both of these are in the works, or at least used to be, along with an Amtrak connection and new station in Paradise/Leaman Place. Now, for obvious reasons, I don't think I'm going to see a lot of those things, but let's admit it, that is being a bit nitpicky. In the meantime, congratulate the crews and management for finding success in a very difficult field. |
Author: | bigjim4life [ Fri Sep 19, 2014 12:36 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: So why is the Strasburg so special? |
It's one of the few places in the US where having a diesel pull the train is a rare event... I didn't know there was a proposed roundhouse in Strasburg (I know about the one over at the museum) - where can one find more details about that proposed structure for the RR itself? |
Author: | superheater [ Fri Sep 19, 2014 1:12 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: So why is the Strasburg so special? |
2. Get rid of those corny announcements, "ghost train" whistle, etc. Those contribute more to a "Disneyesque" atmosphere than anything else. No way. The kids love it. The corn is in the adjoining farms, this is "character". I find it hard to argue with or criticize success. |
Author: | Bulby [ Fri Sep 19, 2014 1:38 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: So why is the Strasburg so special? |
J3a-614 wrote: 2. Get rid of those corny announcements, "ghost train" whistle, etc. Those contribute more to a "Disneyesque" atmosphere than anything else. Honestly, I enjoyed the "ghost train whistle" announcement. It gave me a good laugh. |
Author: | J3a-614 [ Fri Sep 19, 2014 9:10 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: So why is the Strasburg so special? |
Huh? What happened to the original poster? Talk about a ghost whistle, now it looks like I'm talking to a ghost! About the proposed roundhouse in Strasburg--I know hardly anything of it. I glimpsed something on some videotape that was for sale there some years back; I think it was supposed to go about where Strasburg's expanded freight yard is, but I couldn't swear to it. I've had a devil of a time trying to track that down since. I seem to recall that Strasburg has a turntable stored on the property; is that still there? Material on the proposed Amtrak station at Leaman Place/Paradise is easier to find; apparently the station was almost ready to go in but budget constraints kicked in. http://www.railfan.net/lists/rshsdepot- ... 00048.html http://www.railfan.net/lists/rshsdepot- ... 00086.html http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?4,992676 http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/r ... ?2,1723330 http://cs.trains.com/trn/f/740/t/228227 ... SC&pi332=1 At one time there were a couple of newspaper articles locatable online, but those didn't turn up in the newest search. |
Author: | Bulby [ Mon Sep 22, 2014 12:06 am ] |
Post subject: | Re: So why is the Strasburg so special? |
While I don't have a photo, there are/were two turntables mounted on trucks (3 axle?) stored at Strasburg on the lead to the RRMPA. They can be see on google maps at the very end of the track. Edit: When I said lead to RRMPA, I mean the portion of the mainline that crosses Gap Road and connects to the spur coming out of the RRMPA. |
Author: | Alexander D. Mitchell IV [ Tue Sep 23, 2014 10:11 am ] |
Post subject: | Re: So why is the Strasburg so special? |
Bulby wrote: J3a-614 wrote: 2. Get rid of those corny announcements, "ghost train" whistle, etc. Those contribute more to a "Disneyesque" atmosphere than anything else. Honestly, I enjoyed the "ghost train whistle" announcement. It gave me a good laugh. The "ghost train" shtick is a holdover from long-ago days when the crossing at Carpenter's was unsignalled, and the crossing was manually flagged by crew members, requiring a stop at either side of the crossing. The whistle echo was noted at the time and was built into the running commentary/ride. The crossing was later signalled with gates, I believe sometime in the 1980s (and a darn good thing, too, as it's got visibility issues); I'm fairly sure the "ghost train" shtick was re-developed as an excuse to delay the train just as it had been back in flagging days, and stretch the round trip out to the standard 45 minutes that has worked so well for them for decades. (I have the feeling that if a train crew were forced to, they could probably execute a round trip in about 30 minutes, minus the stops to trade whistles, at Groff's Grove, etc.) |
Author: | j32885 [ Sun Sep 28, 2014 11:04 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: So why is the Strasburg so special? |
Maybe Strasburg RR is Special because many consider it to be America's Premier Tourist Railroad Line. You also got other Railroad Attractions in area: Railroad Museum Of Pennsylvania, Train Collectors of America HQ & Museum, Choo Choo Barn, & The Red Caboose Motel. Now for someone like myself, this was my 2nd time going to Strasburg. My last visit was back in 1993. Here's some of my videos from the Strasburg Area: Strasburg Railroad (Norfolk & Western 475), 07-02-2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MI1eLrSEjY Strasburg Railroad (Norfolk & Western 475), 07-02-2014 #2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpB-vjfvYnw Strasburg Railroad (Norfolk & Western 475), 07-02-2014 #3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjKRTGHJpPQ Strasburg Railroad (Norfolk & Western 475), 07-02-2014 #4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPV87J1qmOs TCA Museum (National Toy Train Museum), 07-03-2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dilISJz93QM Pennsylvania Railroad 4800 & 6755 (Museum Tour), 07-03-2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOevZb8kM6s Pennsylvania Railroad 520 (Museum Tour), 07-03-2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsA-gVK2SYE Amtrak 603 (Museum Tour), 07-03-2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_naQQFCdJQ Railroad Museum Of Pennsylvania (Rolling Stock), 07-03-2014 #6 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efpg7K0-haw Railroad Museum Of Pennsylvania (Rolling Stock), 07-03-2014 #7 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xj6MLNGCqys Railroad Museum Of Pennsylvania (Rolling Stock), 07-03-2014 #9 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OhziP_lv24 Railroad Museum Of Pennsylvania (Rolling Stock), 07-03-2014 #13 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5Q29zsuWwo Pennsylvania Railroad 4935 (Museum Tour), 07-03-2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcmXQ4vay0E Pennsylvania Railroad 1187 (Museum Tour), 07-03-2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sTPicYA1FQ Camden & Amboy 1 (John Bull), 07-03-2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZOAudLqpmQ Reading Company Technical & Historical Society, 07-03-2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nqZQqNVFbI Railroad Museum Of Pennsylvania (Diesel Locomotives), 07-03-2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdiEW3sTNJk Pennsylvania Railroad 1223 (Museum Tour), 07-03-2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YY92j7kVX0Y Railroad Museum Of Pennsylvania (Steam Locomotives), 07-03-2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-uFaO-xydw Pennsylvania Railroad 1670 & 5741 (Museum Tour), 07-03-2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vlLyZp8Y9M Railroad Museum Of Pennsylvania (Rolling Stock), 07-03-2014 #14 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqFYKcVzm2I Pennsylvania Railroad 94 & 7002 (Museum Tour), 07-03-2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzCuLSACxLk Nickel Plate Road 757 (Museum Tour), 07-03-2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plp3sttZI5E Pennsylvania Railroad 3936-3937 (Museum Tour), 07-03-2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HY49LcdiPng Pennsylvania Railroad 3750 & 7688 (Museum Tour), 07-03-2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUzW8kD38a0 Strasburg Railroad (Train Ride/Rolling Stock), 07-03-2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HDmjMD4Z4I Choo Choo Barn (Model Train Layout), 07-03-2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpBG8O5jC1o Red Caboose Motel (Model Train Layout), 07-03-2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDOldHFmIZ0 Strasburg Railroad (Norfolk & Western 475), 07-03-2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GalwyOVRWBQ Strasburg Railroad (Norfolk & Western 475), 07-03-2014 #2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAUjKy5pWw8 It may be another 21 years again before going back to Strasburg. Hopefully I go back sooner. Enjoy! ^_^ |
Author: | Reading T1 2124 [ Wed Mar 11, 2015 1:39 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: So why is the Strasburg so special? |
In terms of the "Ghost Whistle", though corny, it's actually a notion to the Lancaster, Oxford, and Southern, a narrow gauge railroad to the southeast. The Strasburg Retains the sole survivor of that road, a railcar that was regauged. |
Author: | RCD [ Wed Mar 11, 2015 6:06 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: So why is the Strasburg so special? |
Because it is run like a business and not a frat house. |
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