One thing that struck me when thinking about this topic, in particular to Strasburg, is that it wasn't a newly created tourist railroad like some others (ex. New Hope & Ivyland, WK & S, Wilmington & Western, Valley Railroad) but an already existing shortline that was getting into the tourist business. Getting into the tourist business was part of the history of an already existing railroad and their acquisition of steam locomotives, vintage passenger equipment, etc. is not much different than other shortlines acquiring previously used equipment. So to me railroads like this are somewhat in their own category, somewhere in between heritage and tourist.

John