Steam & Excursion > Railroad Museum of PA

I traveled to RRMPA in Strasburg, PA, Mar 9, as they had free admision.  The museum often gets confused as the Strasburg RR Museum.  There is no connection other than being directly across the street and Strasburg RR provides the rail connection to the RR network.  Some also think this is the PRR museum.  PRR equipment makes up a large amount of the equipment since PRR saved so many pieces of steamm but there are pieces from multiple railroads of Pennsylvania.

I hesitate to put up some photos as there will be some bashing of the museum.  It is a state run museum and funds are limited.  Yes you can donate time, talent or $$$.  On Sunday there were many volunteers which enabled the cabs to be open on many locomotives.  The volunteers were very articulate and seemed to relate to the visitor depending on their background.  I was impressed.  There are plans and I understand now funding for a roundhouse out in the yard.   This will enable more pieces undercover

1.  Strasburg #89.   Ex CN 2-6-0.  I understand #90 is perhaps weeks from completing her 1472 inspection/  
2.  E6s 4-4-2 #420  "the Linberg Engine"  A terrific restoration
3.  Model of a Reading T1 cab like 2102.

MORE TO FOLLOW

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4.  The cab to a PRR H6 2-8-0.  This engine served 51 years in service on PRR.  Retired 1956.
5.  Diagram to explain
6.  Left side of cab

Why were the controls not labeled?   Why were engine crews expected to memorize?   Same thing with know the road.  I believe that instructors Old Heads" probably felt that you had a better understanding if memorized.  

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7.  PRR GG1 4935 "bLACKJACK"  4+9+3+5 = 21
8.  GG1 4935
9. 4935 waits patiently while baggage and mail are loaded.  

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10.   A  GG1 seen from cab of E44 freight electric.  But the E44 lacks a good layer of grime.  The shine ruins the shot.  
11.   Cab E44.  Check out that controller!   Looks like 1930s not 60s.   They had dual controls for bidirctional running.
12  The nose of E44 looks like a module on International Space Station

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13.  EMD E7.  Over 400 E7 cab units built and this is the only one left.  And some PRR men had to hide it.  It was PRRs first diesel.
14.  PRR K4 3750  sister to K4 1361
15.  PRR K4 front end.  Yes there will be a full cosmetic restoration

MORE TO FOLLOW   

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16.  The Pennsy Mikes shared the same boiler as the K4 Pacific.  
17.  PRR M1b Mountain.  These were very good engines
18.  Front end

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How many throttle notches on that E60/

Thanks.

Sam

19. PRR H10 Consolidations were very popular.  In the 1929s PRR had over 3500 2-8-0s.  
20  The cab  This is not a full restoration. Stabilization/beautifiction.  
21. From the rear

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22. Amtrak E60 built by GE in the 70s.  They rode terribly.  Crews reported motion sickness!
23.  GG1 4800  "Rivets" the first GG1  and Amtrak AME7  the successful replacement
24.  Strasbug 89 bracketd by a Lehigh Valley RDC and PRR Coach.  Just moments later an Amish buggy was in the scene.  Would have made the scene.

This concludes the visit,  A really fun afternoon.

Tom Parkins

THAT'S LL FOLKS

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Thanks for posting your excellent photo series!
ALLEN

Thank you Tominde for posting and sharing your photos.  It's very sad to see all those valuable historic relics rusting away right now and I do hope that they can get the new roundhouse built very soon.
John in White Marsh, Maryland

Great coverage - Interesting views.
Bob

Thanks for the very interesting post :-)

Tom, thanks for the tour.  Happy to see so many pieces again.  Some in great shape, others not so much.  I think your final foto is classic.
jb
p.s. thanks for explaining the derivation of "21" on 4935.  Some folks are not aware of the connection.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/14/25 07:45 by boejoe.

I noticed that the E44 is equipped with a Guzzler toilet, same as found on F40s and later Amtrak engines.  Ask for them by name.

Not a rabid Pennsy fan but there are some real treasures in those shots, glad they were saved.
As to the labels on the controls, really weren't needed because by the time you were allowed to
touch them you were totally trained in their use. None of this current few weeks and out you go.

Out 

Photo #3:  FYI - the reverse image of PRR 2846 number plate at right side of pic is an H-6 2-8-0.
jb

Thanks for posting your photos.  The museum did a fantastic job of restoring the PRR 4-4-2 #460.  It looks like a brand new locomotive.  The museum contacted me to be on the lookout as one of the original class oval builder's plates disappeared during the restoration.  It is too bad but this often happens with museum collections.  I have seen this many times over the years!  I loved the days when the museum allowed PRR 1223 and PRR 7002 to operate on the Strasburg.  People could then see a real Pennsy steamer in operation!

Ron

Very NICE series!

Larry

Thanks for sharing your images from the PA RR  museum . Quite a collection .