July 19, 2010:

 

            I got up shortly after 9:00 am. Today I would be visiting the Railroad Museum of PA. I got dressed and went to the lobby for breakfast. After breakfast, I went to my room and called for a taxi to pick me up at 10:30. Meanwhile, I laid down again. I got up at 10:30 and rushed to the lobby. The taxi wasn’t there, but it pulled up shortly. I got in and we headed off to the museum. The driver took the scenic route through the country passing through farmland. The fare was $25-$30, but that’s there isn’t any transit out there. I paid the driver and went inside the museum.

 

            There was a video on the museum which I watched for less than a minute. I wanted to look around. I saw a model railroad layout and some models in display cases. I photographed them and a poster of the GG-1 locomotive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            I then went to the exhibit hall and took some photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

            I then photographed GG-1 #4935 which is in the best condition of the 16 surviving GG-1 locomotives.

 

 

 

 

            While 16 of the 139 GG-1 locomotives survive, none can operate. They have all had their transformers drained or removed because the coolant used had PCBs which is a health/environmental risk. Plus the traction motors and other components need work. So the odds of a GG-1 ever running again under its own power are as good as winning the lottery.

 

            The RR Museum of PA has three GG-1 locomotives in their collection. However, one unit is stored off site at the Harrisburg Amtrak station. I saw that unit when I rode the Three Rivers in 2005.          

 

            I then photographed PRR #7006 and E-7 #5901.

 

 

 

 

 

 

            The 5901 is the only surviving E-7. When 5901 was retired, it was supposed to be scrapped, but some employees who knew of its significance hid the unit for three years A switcher was bought and numbered it 5901. They then sent that switcher for scrap. The museum raised $20,000 which is equal to the units scrap value and finally moved the E-7 to the museum site in 1976.

             

            I took a few more photos in the display building.

 

 

 

 

            I then asked how to access the collection outside. I was told and went outside and photographed a Reading observation car and Former Penn Central Metroliner MU café car #860.

 

 

 

            I strained to get an interior shot of the Metroliner, but barely managed. It wasn’t as easy as what I did on my 2006 Montreal Trip with Sibley Park at Exporail, even though Sibley Park and the Metroliner were both built by Budd!

 

 

These are my limited successes of photographing the interior of Metroliner #860.

 

 

            I then photographed Amtrak E-60 #603. The E-60s were built in the 1970s as a replacement for the GG-1s. However, they were derailment prone and were subsequently restricted to 90 MPH. I found out they were called “Flying Bricks”. The last E-60s were retired when Amtrak’s HHP-8 electric locomotives entered service. As far as I know, 603 is the only surviving E-60.

 

 

 

            I then photographed GG-1 #4800. 4800 was the prototype GG-1 and is nicknamed “Rivets” because of its riveted carbody. All other GG-1s had welded carbodies. 4800 has been painted in black primer, but at one point after it arrived at the museum, it was in the PRR livery. I also noticed someone had written in the dust on the carbody “4800 deserves better.”

 

 

 

 

 

            I then photographed other equipment that was outside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            I also took a couple more photos of Metroliner 860.

 

 

 

            The Metroliner MU cars were built in 1969 as Penn Central’s effort to recapture ridership from the airlines. When they were new, they were the fastest trains in North America. Amtrak based the Amfleet 1 coaches off the Metroliner design. A lot of the Metroliner coaches were rebuilt as cab-cars like what led my Keystone train the day before. However 860 is the only Metroliner MU car in original condition.

 

            I then went inside and bought a bottle of Coke from a vending machine.

 

            I then photographed an exhibit on steam locomotive boiler explosions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            I then checked out an exhibit that simulated shoveling coal into a steam locomotive boiler. Next I went up a walkway overlooking the indoor exhibits. I then took some aerial photos.

 

 

 

            I then went to a simulator of a Norfolk Southern GP38. The scenario was a run to Harrisburg. I took two tries at it. The first, I adhered to the speed limits and ran out of time. The second time, I made it to Harrisburg while going slightly above the limit. I didn’t derail. This reminds me of the F-unit cab simulator and the U33C simulator owned by the THRA. I then photographed the GP38 simulator.

 

 

            I then took a few more photos before I went into the gift shop.

 

 

 

 

            I looked in the gift shop before I bought a DVD and a postcard. I then left the museum. I took some photos of the equipment outside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            I then walked down to a plaza where there was a hobby store. I took some photos along the way.

 

 

 

When I arrived I went inside and after looked around, I bought a couple models. I then ate lunch at a restaurant in the same plaza. I then went to another store that sold railroad DVDs and other stuff and bought two more DVDs.

 

            After I was done, I walked a few blocks into town and used an ATM. I then walked back to the Strasburg Railway which is a steam excursion. I bought a ticket for the next train. When the previous trip returned, I filmed it pulling in.

 

 

            The steam locomotive uncoupled from the train and ran around on a siding. It then coupled up with the nose to the first car which I was on.

 

            The train left. I filmed the maintenance barn as we passed and photographed other locomotives in the back. Many were in serious need of restoration.

 

 

 

            We passed the Red Caboose Motel which is literally a motel made of a lot of cabooses. I took some pictures.

 

            The line ran through the countryside. At one point, we slowed near a level crossing. The crew told of a story of ghost train where an engine on another line nearby that “got lost” and whenever they blew the whistle, it would blow its whistle back. The engine then blew its whistle. Several seconds later, we heard a whistle, though it most likely was an echo.

 

            The train continued to the end of the line which was an interchange with the line that Amtrak’s Keystone service uses. I got my camera out in case an Amtrak train passed however none did while we were there. The Strasburg Railway’s line is how equipment is moved from the main line to the Railroad Museum of PA.

 

            Meanwhile, the locomotive on our train was uncoupled and ran around to the other end. When it passed me, I filmed it. I then photographed it in the distance preparing to couple back up to the train.

 

 

            The train soon departed. As we passed the Red Caboose Motel, I took some more photos of it.

 

 

            We soon arrived back at the where we started. I then got something to drink from the snack bar. I then paid $6 to go on a handcar just like what I did at Exporail and at the Lake Shore Electric Railway in Cleveland. However this time, there was a grade involved which I managed to overcome. I photographed the handcart after I got off.

 

 

            I then called the taxi company to pick me up. I was told the cab would be there in about 20 minutes. I crossed the street to the Railroad Museum of PA. While waiting, I took two more pictures of the Strasburg Railway train.

 

 

            The cab soon arrived and we headed out. This time, the cab driver took the highway. However, the fare turned out to be more than when I headed down to the museum. When we got off the highway it started to rain. It’s a good thing it didn’t rain while I was at the museum!

 

            We soon arrived back at the hotel and I paid the fare. I then went back to my room to lie down. I then logged onto Facebook and chatted with Dan again. I went back to my room a few minutes later.

 

            After resting again, I walked over to a nearby Burger King for dinner. After, I walked back to my hotel where I watched some TV as well as Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. I asked for a wake up call at 9:00 am, before calling it a night.

 

Click here for the end of my trip:                  Lancaster trip-end