Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, Part II

The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania has a sizable collection of equipment stored outdoors, most in generally good cosmetic condition and much of it quite historically significant. Below left, two of the most historic electric locomotives preserved in the country are side-by-side. On the left is PRR 4800, "Rivets," the first GG-1 ever built; on the right is the only surviving DD-1, 3936-3937. This two-unit locomotive was built in 1911 for operation under the Hudson River into Manhattan and operates using a single huge electric motor in each unit, driving the wheels via side rods like a steam engine. Below right is PRR E6 Atlantic 460, the engine which famously headed the "Lindbergh Special" in 1927.

Below left is an odd little critter, an ancient side-rod Vulcan industrial switcher spotted next to the museum's turntable. And below right, proving that not everything at the museum is pre-1950, the only preserved Amtrak E60 locomotive heads up a short train of streamlined cars. With an impressive selection of PRR, RDG and Amtrak electrics, the museum has by far the best collection of mainline electric equipment in the country.

Across the street from the museum is the Strasburg Railroad, a privately owned tourist line known for its terrific steam program and fleet of wood passenger cars. Below left is the only *other* operating Decapod in the country, Great Western 90, backing down past its train; at right is the Strasburg yard, full of wood cars as far as the eye can see. What a fantastic place!

Finally I had to leave Strasburg for my meeting, but before leaving the area I was able to check out a couple of odds and ends. At left is a Philadelphia Peter Witt preserved in pristine condition on private property near Mount Hope, Pennsylvania, north of Lancaster; at right is a PRR cabin car situated next to the Phoenixville, PA Reading station, which itself has been maintained in good condition and now houses a catering company.