The Strasburg Rail Road operates on 4.5 miles of shortline between Strasburg and Paradise, near Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The railroad was originally chartered in 1831 and operated in freight and passenger service for the next century. The present day Strasburg Rail Road was turned into a primarily tourist operation in 1958. Steam operations began in 1960, and have continued for the decades since.
The Strasburg Rail Road today stands as a standout in America's tourist railroads. With steam operating for most of the year, with two locomotives sometimes operated on the same day, there are many opportunities to see one of their regularly operated engines plus specials.
Thumbnail provided by Jason Fields, aka ‪@TheNoogaRailfan‬
0:00 Introductions
All three of the mainstay locomotives are featured here with 90, 475 and 89.
4:34 Regular Train with 89
This straightforward segment showcases the whole Strasburg Rail Road route. After running around the train at Paradise, the passenger train works past Amish farmlands as it passes the crossings of Carpenters, Cherry Hill, Esbenshade, and Fairview before returning to the station.
10:25 Day Out With Thomas
Based on the popular books and TV show "Thomas & Friends", this fully operable Thomas the Tank Engine operates special weekends on the Strasburg Rail Road and occasionally other tourist railroads. It was originally built by Porter in 1915, most notably as Brooklyn East District Terminal 15. It has been operated at Strasburg as Thomas since 1999.
16:17 Norfolk & Western 611
Norfolk & Western 4-8-4 611 visited the Strasburg Rail Road between 2019 and 2023 for a number of special runs. The J, aka "The Spirit of Roanoke," was built by N&W in 1950 for fast passenger trains. Often called the thoroughbred of steam, the 611 became a beloved excursion icon in the late 1950s, as part of the Norfolk Southern steam program for 1982-1994, and again upon its latest restoration in 2015.
21:06 Norfolk & Western 475
Norfolk & Western 4-8-0 475 was built by Baldwin in 1906, currently the oldest steam locomotive operated at Strasburg. One of many M class 4-8-0 "Mastodons" for the N&W, it was operated regularly in branchline service into the 1950s. It was restored by the Strasburg Rail Road in 1994.
25:25 Great Western 90
Great Western 2-10-0 90 was built by Baldwin in 1924 as one of several stock Decapods. It would be the only 2-10-0 rostered by the Great Western Railway of Colorado, often hauling sugar beets during the harvest season. It would attain excursion star fame in the 1960s. It was sold to the Strasburg Rail Road in 1967, and it has been hauling tourist trains ever since. It is likely Strasburg's most recognizable locomotive, as Strasburg's largest and most consistently operated locomotive for over 50 years.
31:17 Canadian National 89
Canadian National Railway 2-6-0 89 is a E-10-a Mogul type originally built in 1910. It went through numerous roadnames and numbers before becoming CN 89. These 2-6-0s were popular on branchlines due to lighter weight and good acceleration. The 89 has been part of the Strasburg Rail Road roster since 1972.
36:28 Ghost Whistle and Credits