When the Strasburg Rail Road was chartered in 1832, no one anticipated the myriad of obstacles the short line would encounter. What began as an afterthought in the early 19th century eventually became one of America's premier steam train excursions and the most visited heritage railroad in the continental United States. By 1957, the declining condition of its rails and the lack of freight and passenger service seemed to mark the end of the railroad, but it was given new life in 1958, and not even the wildest imagination foresaw the remarkable transformation and development this "Methuselah of railroads" would undergo. This book chronicles the unlikely success of America's oldest continuously operating railroad. Explore how and why Strasburg's four-and-a-half-mile line survived, and discover the story behind its ascension to prominence as an iconic, internationally known, small-town steam railroad.

A colorful souvenir photo book that captures the history and excitement of the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, which has preserved and interpreted the Commonwealth's rich railroad history for half a century.

Fifty years ago the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission chose Strasburg, Pennsylvania as the site for its new railroad museum. The small town, situated in Lancaster County was, and remains, a major tourist destination with its farms, the Amish, and the Strasburg Rail Road. Since its opening in 1975, the museum has been a popular attraction ever since. Thousands of visitors come every year to see its remarkable world class collection of more than one hundred pieces of rolling stock including locomotives, passenger and freight cars and unique pieces of equipment. There are representatives of the earliest steam locomotives and passenger cars in the nation right up to more modern equipment that has been recently retired from service. The Museum is also home to an important archives of railroad materials including photographs, books, railroad history and artifacts. The collection includes materials on the railroads that were active in Pennsylvania. There are interactive exhibits, videos, model train boards, regular programs and events for a variety of interests and expertise. Visitors can climb up into steam and diesel locomotives and passenger coaches. Find out why this museum is called the flagship of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission's collection of historic sites and museums.