Road Trip

One way to break up the winter doldrums is to take day trips, so recently my S.O. (Dan) and I drove out to Pennsylvania Dutch country for our first ever visit to the National Toy Train Museum. We had a great day weather-wise, and we were both amazed at how close the Pennsylvania Railroad Museum is to the TCA museum. Naturally, we combined a visit to the two museums and enjoyed the displays of tinplate at the museum and some of the prototypes on display at the RR museum.

Both museums are impressive. The caboose motel, located just next to the TCA museum, is a sight to see all by itself. It must be interesting to stay overnight in one of the cabooses.

Dan (R) liked the interactive displays at the TCA museum and we were both impressed with the size of the PA. RR museum.
The only downer came when we walked inside several of the vintage passenger cars at the RR museum, which are awaiting restoration. Their condition made us sad as we tried to imagine how nice they looked during their glory days.
Jim

I love those American Flyer Engines! Why can't any of these get remade? These things just seem to get better looking with age!

From the Toy Train Museum - Interurban

HPIM2072
Originally uploaded by mrkuffler.

It isn't standard gauge but it is an Interurban I would love to have in my collection!
I didn't get a chance to look at who made this but it really caught my eye, especially with all of the bungalows around it. The color is really vivid, I just wish this little car operated in the display so I could see how it ran.

Pictures from the Toy Train Museum in PA

Ok, this weekend I went to PA. I drove all over the place. I went to Roadside America (pics coming) and the Toy Train Museum in Strasburg. My wife was not happy with me (most of our time was supposed to be at Hershey Park). One of my best friend's and his son had a great time, although his wife and daughter were ready to chase me through the museums with torches and pitchforks. I actually can't blame them, I tend to get tunnel vision when I get on a train mission. I loved hanging with them anyway (nothing better than having other grown ups around when you're taking a beating from your kids).

There is no better place to see standard gauge in its' native habitat than the Toy Train Museum in Strasburg. The displays are beautiful and the standard gauge is original and impressive. I liked the huge selection from lesser collected trains like Voltamp & Carlisle and Finch. Really gorgeous stuff that pictures don't do justice. More pictures on the way, I am trying to figure out how to do photo albums so I don't have to do bunches of individual posts....