https://www.facebook.com/StrasburgRailR ... 6842810875

The Strasburg started Wine and Cheese events on their trains a while back, and the world hasn't stopped spinning on its axis, so now the Strasburg is offering Iron Beast Pale Ale aboard its trains, apparently since this spring.

The tap handle depicted in the photo is from Spring House, Lancaster's "hottest" brewpub of late. I cannot find a beer-geek site confirming this, and I'm not sure if this is simply a renamed Spring House Seven Gates Pale Ale (a flagship of Spring House), or a custom brew for the railroad.

The railroad apparently serves it on board in Strasburg shaker pint glasses. Great, another %^&#@ pint glass to add to the overflowing railroad-beer glass collection. (Maybe I'll make that part of my trip to the new Rusty Rail Brewing Co. in Mifflinburg......)

I'd be interested to hear how tourist railroads that do this handle the liability of their customers that have had a little too much to drink. From my understanding if somebody drinks on your train, leaves, crashes, and says "well I was drinking at the railroad" the railroad is liable to pay for the injuries/deaths. The easy answer is "don't give them too much to drink" but it's not always apparent who is and isn't over the legal limit.

At Common Law, there is no liability on the part of a seller of alcoholic drinks to third parties injured by an intoxicated customer of the seller. As a result, 30 states have created "dram shop" laws, setting a statutory cause of action into place, usually with caps on the dollar amount on the dollar amount of any damage award (22 states have limits). Under most acts, liability is only triggered when the seller knew or should have known the buyer was already intoxicated. In other words, selling one beer to a visibly non-intoxicated customer wouldn't trigger liability. I can speak to Missouri and Illinois, where I used to practice before moving out west. Missouri amended their Dram Shop Act with regard to the intoxication aspect. The law requires that the inebriated person display "significantly uncoordinated physical action or significant physical dysfunction." in order to trigger liability.

In the vast majority of dram shop cases I worked on, it was the classic example of the person spending all day at a bar, having 20-30 beers and then being allowed to drive away. If you serve alcohol on your train, you have a captive audience, so you can limit the number of drinks served patrons, as well as "cut off" when alcohol is served, among other things to reduce the likelihood of someone becoming a potential liability.

If course, the best way to avoid liability exposure is to purchase dram shop insurance if your organization decides to serve alcohol to the general public. Most insurance policies (or state law) requires training of your employee. Your mileage may vary, offer not valid in all states, consult your organization's legal counsel for more information.

The Strasburg is advertising an "Oktoberfest" weekend with supposedly several different beers available.

This is old hat for a few places, most especially the Napa Valley WINE Train. The Verde Canyon RR also has "Oktoberfest" weekends as well as beers routinely available for purchase in their cars (and their own pint glasses to sell you, too); other lines have been doing "Rails to the Ales" or "Rails 'N' Ales" trips over the years.

Strasburg presumably has less to worry about than most folks--after all, how many beers can one put away in 45 minutes unless you're at a frat party "kegger," and why would one pay to ride a train just to pay bar prices for beer? There are cheaper and easier ways to get drunk, even with the stupid liquor retail laws of Pennsylvania (among the most confounding in the nation).

Thanks wilkinsd, that gives me some information to look up and read.

Try moving to Utah......

Try working for Yahoo... Where you get one every year...

I've literally compared the statutes side by side. They're essentially a draw with Pennsylvania for inanity--thus my "among" remark. >;-)

You have no idea how true that is. Nearly 30 years ago now I was holding one of the regular LSA jobs on the Pittsburgh turn lounge when the Capitol Ltd. was combined with the Broadway West of Pittsburgh. I remember coming East on a Sunday (the lounge closed after Point-of-Rocks to pack up for arrival in DC) and this middle-to-early-senior-citizen-aged gentleman who was connecting to the Silver Star in DC got on at Harper's Ferry, WV, and proceeded straight to the lounge for last call. By anyone's view this guy looked to be very sober. However, he bought and drank ONE Bloody Mary from me, sat down in the lounge end of the car, and within 10 minutes was out COLD. He was as unconscious as anyone could be without being in a coma. Obviously, I was far from his first libation stop that morning, and the one he bought from me put him past the point of no return. Nothing we did for the next HOUR could rouse him. We were sitting in DC unloading the car when, in total exasperation, the Chief OBS finally decided to rub ice on his forehead (we were always hesitant to actually touch a passenger not in immediate danger). I don't think that even worked right away. We were finally able to rouse him awake right before the yard crew came to take the consist back to Ivy City for cleaning. So, determining when someone has "had enough" is definitely not as simple as it sounds.

Yet another good move from the SRR (I love their screen time/steam time tag line).

For those of the hops and yeast persuasion, the Lancaster area has had a good beer scene for awhile, and it the "beer tourism" is growing. I have more than a few friends who prepare trips to the area scheduled around the many brewpubs and the incredible beer bar The Fridge. Why not have the SRR as a beer destination, too?

SRR is in a very progressive period (which is saying something, as they have a history of innovation), and it is a pleasure to watch. Is there a new marketing team or a new hire who is expanding the vision? Seems like a lot of good moves are being made.

Rob

One approach I've seen is to do "tastings" where there are a variety of beers or wines offered and the patrons are issued a set number of drink coupons. Portions are small, and at least in theory limited (I suppose you could get tickets from others in your group.)

I've also seen them discontinue serving on the trip home, allowing at least some time to sober up a bit. The ballparks do the same thing now, they stop serving beer at some point, I think it may be the 7th inning? At least Seattle does, not sure if it's MLB wide.

In Connecticut, it is possible to get a Railroad Liquor Permit for sales & consumption of alcohol on railroad cars (on active railroad tracks). This permit will not permit (ugh) you to sell alcohol on the grounds, nor are you allowed to disembark the train with an unconsumed drink.

I wonder if other states are that specific in their permitting process.

I don't know if Amtrak still puts it out, but 30 years ago there was a company compendium of the relevant parts of liquor laws for the states that Amtrak operates through. I had one at one time. It wasn't something they just automatically gave every LSA. Mostly dealt with days and hours of sale, and next to none of those laws were written for railroads.

I think the baseball thing is a detective of MLB.

Yes other states have railroad specific licenses. The one we have in Ohio is specifically for railroads and planes.

RJD, as usual, it is a team effort. But if there is a standout among us, it is Mr. Steve Barrall, our Stationmaster who can regularly be seen with a lit bulb above his period dress hat. While somewhat daunting, we are very grateful for his brainstorms.