I've asked this before, but not come up with anything yet. Are there any pre-tourist-era photos of the Strasburg RR on the internet anywhere? While a zillion pictures have been taken since the RR was saved in the late-1950s, the pre-tourist-era seems to have gone almost undocumented. Many years ago, I recall Railroad Magazine had one old photo of an ex-PRR 4-4-0 working on the Strasburg, the only one I've ever seen. Does anyone have a copy of that photo to share?

The Strasburg of today is nothing like the little weedgrown farmers railroad it originated as, and I think many of us would like to see more of what it used to be like.

ryarger@rypn.org

Funny you should ask this, Bob. I've always been curious about Strasburg's common-carrier steam roster. Any documentation or evidence? Kurt Bell, any thoughts?

eledbetter@rypn.org

> Funny you should ask this, Bob. I've always
> been curious about Strasburg's
> common-carrier steam roster. Any
> documentation or evidence? Kurt Bell, any
> thoughts?

I have see two old Strasburg photos in my day, both about the same, of the RR's ex-PRR D-class #935. The Ben Kline Jr. collection photo is in Tom Taber's "Railroads of Pennsylvania Encyclopedia & Atlas", page 150, and I can appeal to Taber to allow a scan and posting if necessary. In addition I have blundered across some photos of the Plymouth-powered cow path in the late 1950s before the syndicate that bought it took over in 1958.

If anybody has any decent historical photos, it is indeed Kurt Bell, who has been rumored to be working on an unofficial history of the railroad for years (only unofficial because certain parts of the Strasburg management and/or stockholders are notoriously private, possibly to the point of paranoia, about their business).


lner4472@bcpl.net

While waiting for Kurt's book, be sure and purchase the railroad's own video "The Strasburg Railroad--To Paradise And Beyond". It covers the railroad's complete history with still photos and early film footage. Included are those pre-1958 SRC photographes people keep asking for--some of these are from the RMofP collection.

The video covers the early years of the railroad's "tourist era" and then offers a lot of "behind the scenes" coverage on what makes today's SRC "tick" as far as restoration work and operations are concerned. There are on-camera interviews with the late Don Hallock, Huber Leath, and Linn Moedinger.

The tape is VERY well done. Although there are scenes of the trains in action, it's more of an "information tape" than a tape of countless runbys. It's about a half hour long and costs $24.95.

You can buy it person from the railroad's gift shop. They were/are offering a discount with an in-person purchase by showing your train ticket. I don't know if that's still available.

You can buy it online from their gift shop as well. See the below link. Click on "Strasburg RR Custom Items" and then click on "videos".

Regards,
Jim Robinson



Strasburg Railroad Shops

A friend of mine here in Warren, PA had some that he showed me. A tired looking Plymouth and track that needed mowing. These photos gave all indication of an abandonment that had happened except that no one had yet told the then ICC.

If I can get him to lend them to me, I will scan them for your collective enjoyment.

Gary Landrio

Stone Consulting & Design
garylandrio@stoneconsulting.com

I have been writing a Strasburg RR history book for many years and have collected several very good views of pre-1958 SRR. But you'll have to wait until my book comes out someday :)

> I've asked this before, but not come up with
> anything yet. Are there any pre-tourist-era
> photos of the Strasburg RR on the internet
> anywhere? While a zillion pictures have been
> taken since the RR was saved in the
> late-1950s, the pre-tourist-era seems to
> have gone almost undocumented. Many years
> ago, I recall Railroad Magazine had one old
> photo of an ex-PRR 4-4-0 working on the
> Strasburg, the only one I've ever seen. Does
> anyone have a copy of that photo to share?

> The Strasburg of today is nothing like the
> little weedgrown farmers railroad it
> originated as, and I think many of us would
> like to see more of what it used to be like.


Kurtrbell@hotmail.com

A few very good pre-1958 views can be ordered from the Ben Kline Negative Catalogue, which may be purchased online from the RRMPA Museum Store at rrmuseumpa.org.

K.R. Bell

> I have see two old Strasburg photos in my
> day, both about the same, of the RR's ex-PRR
> D-class #935. The Ben Kline Jr. collection
> photo is in Tom Taber's "Railroads of
> Pennsylvania Encyclopedia & Atlas",
> page 150, and I can appeal to Taber to allow
> a scan and posting if necessary. In addition
> I have blundered across some photos of the
> Plymouth-powered cow path in the late 1950s
> before the syndicate that bought it took
> over in 1958.

> If anybody has any decent historical photos,
> it is indeed Kurt Bell, who has been rumored
> to be working on an unofficial history of
> the railroad for years (only unofficial
> because certain parts of the Strasburg
> management and/or stockholders are
> notoriously private, possibly to the point
> of paranoia, about their business).

the oldest post card of the Strasburg RR that I have in my collection shows the Plymouth engine pulling (dwarfed by) a full size wooden passenger car. The engine and car are bright blue.

the 1950s and 1960s were an amazing time for tourist railroads in Pennsylvania. There were so many lines, some of which exist today. They came in 24", 36" 48" and standard gauges.

Ted

ted_miles@nps.gov

I worked closely with the producers on photo selection for the SRC video documentary. The photos that were used are a mix of those from SRC's files, private collections, RRMPA archives and my personal collection. There were many considered but only few selected. Bill Moedinger's private collection of SRC negatives, prints and films are among the best anywhere.

> While waiting for Kurt's book, be sure and
> purchase the railroad's own video "The
> Strasburg Railroad--To Paradise And
> Beyond". It covers the railroad's
> complete history with still photos and early
> film footage. Included are those pre-1958
> SRC photographes people keep asking
> for--some of these are from the RMofP
> collection.

> The video covers the early years of the
> railroad's "tourist era" and then
> offers a lot of "behind the
> scenes" coverage on what makes today's
> SRC "tick" as far as restoration
> work and operations are concerned. There are
> on-camera interviews with the late Don
> Hallock, Huber Leath, and Linn Moedinger.

> The tape is VERY well done. Although there
> are scenes of the trains in action, it's
> more of an "information tape" than
> a tape of countless runbys. It's about a
> half hour long and costs $24.95.

> You can buy it person from the railroad's
> gift shop. They were/are offering a discount
> with an in-person purchase by showing your
> train ticket. I don't know if that's still
> available.

> You can buy it online from their gift shop
> as well. See the below link. Click on
> "Strasburg RR Custom Items" and
> then click on "videos".

> Regards,
> Jim Robinson

Hi Everyone,I know I asked this before but I am looking for home vidoe of 1223 and 7002.I have about 3-4 I bought in the stores but was wondering if nayone has their own home vidoe of theses 2 fine engines.Thank you for your time

steamtrain90@aol.com

> Hi Everyone,I know I asked this before but I
> am looking for home vidoe of 1223 and 7002.I
> have about 3-4 I bought in the stores but
> was wondering if nayone has their own home
> vidoe of theses 2 fine engines.Thank you for
> your time

Contact the Strasburg Rail Road Shop, Inc. at the below link. If they do have a certain item in stock they can get it for you.


http://http://www.strasburgrailroadstore.com/index.cfm?CategoryID=23&do=list

We do not know the first locomotive that was ever used when the Strasburg opened in about August 1852, but the earliest documented engine (c.1854) is an ex-Philadelphia and Columbia 4-2-0 named "William Penn" which was either leased or bought by the road from the PRR or P&C in about 1857. In 1863, the first new loco ever bought by the carrier was the "Strasburg" a Baldwin 4-4-0T. Two hand-me-down D-class 4-4-0s were purchased from the PRR in 1892 and 1906, respectively, and the final engine, a PRR A3 0-4-0 with slopeback tender was purchased in 1924. It appears that the SRR wore engines down to the bone and when a new one was needed, the old one was simply discarded. When it was condemed by the ICC in 1926, Plymouth No. 1 (still on the property in operable service and freshly rebuilt last year) was purchased as the second new engine ever ordered by the company.
That should summarize very quickly the motive power of the original SRR.

K.R. Bell
RR Museum of PA

> Funny you should ask this, Bob. I've always
> been curious about Strasburg's
> common-carrier steam roster. Any
> documentation or evidence? Kurt Bell, any
> thoughts?

The William Penn ended up in California, having been purchased circa 1865 by the Western Pacific (of 1862, not the later railroad formed in 1905) for their line which was to run from San Jose to Sacramento, (via Niles Canyon, this is the line preserved by the Pacific Locomotive Association) completing the transcontinetal railroad line to San Francisco.

The organizers of this line were also involved the the San Francisco and San Jose, and had purchased the Market Street Railroad Steam street railroad line. The William Penn and one Norris 4-4-0 were the only locomotives set up for operation (of a total of 10 delivered) by the WP, before it was purchased by the Central Pacific in 1868. There is no evidence that it ever operated on the WP, but there are rumors that it may have operated on Market Street in San Francisco.

All the WP locomotives were shipped to Sacramento in July of 1868 including the William Penn, which was rebuilt in the Sacramento shops that October, losing its square sand box. It was sold to Pacific Iron & Nail in Oakland 12-1885. They scrapped it in the late 1890's

Randy Hees

http://spcrr.org
hees@ix.netcom.com

Around 1958 the Reading Company employees magazine had a picture of Plymouth #1; evidently one of the first things the new (current) owners did was to send the little gasser to Reading Shops for an overhaul.

Electric City Trolley Museum Association