Onboard 'Hello Dolly'

America's oldest short line railroad penetrates an arcadian wonderland reminiscent of pleasanter yesterdays when the nation was agriculturally oriented. Between terminals and away from crowded highways, riders experience the simple pleasures of an age which relished the going with as much fervor as the getting there, an age innocent of air-conditioning and free from the curse of sealed windows when the traveler could fill his lungs with the fragrance of the countryside. Here, with coach windows raised to their fullest, an eastbound passenger train demonstrates that the going can still be fun on the ancient Strasburg Rail Road.

William M. Moedinger - The Road to Paradise - 1971

People used to call Lancaster County the "Garden Spot Of The World," and appropriately enough; for it was one of the most fertile and agriculturally productive regions in the United States. It still is, and now they call it the "Amish Capital Of The World." In this atomic age, with all of its attendant tensions and frustrations, people have discovered the Amish and their most remarkable way of life, a pattern of life that has changed but little over the last several centuries. It is a simple way of life, virtually devoid of most of the material things the average American regards as necessities. It is a way of life that adheres to the waterwheel for power, the horse and buggy for transportation, and a husband and wife relationship that permits no nonsense about women's liberation and other equally asinine social concerns. The man is undisputed head of the household, and the Bible is the everyday guide to living. If it's not in the Scriptures, the God-fearing Amish want no part of it. Internal combustion and electronics are not mentioned in the Scriptures.

As increasing numbers of folks throughout the country read about these unusual people in magazines and Sunday supplements, Lancaster County gradually grew into a recognized tourist area. When the Strasburg revived passenger service twelve years ago, the big boom in tourism was just beginning to get off the ground. Since that time it has grown by leaps and bounds, so that the area now ranks number seven all the tourist areas in the United States.

William M. Moedinger - The Road to Paradise - 1971

The Strasburg Rail Road is preserved branch-line railroading at its best. The typical train ride departs the East Strasburg station at the top of the hour and takes about 45 minutes to make its ambling seven-mile round trip to Leaman's Place. Here, the railroad maintains a junction with the old main line of the Pennsylvania Railroad, now owned and operated by Amtrak. Passengers aboard the steam train may get a fleeting glimpse of Amtrak's Keystone Service trains: stainless-steel Amfleet passenger cars hauled by AEM-7 electrics or modern Genesis diesels—during their stop here. At Leaman's Place, Strasburg's steam locomotive runs around the train and gives passengers a chance to inspect the machinery as the locomotive saunters by and recouples to the other end of the train. For a first-class experience, pay the extra fare and ride on the parlor car. Not only can you ride in a more finely finished car and enjoy a beverage from the bar, but you will get a better view of the engine as it is coupled to the train.

Brian Soloman - Railroads of Pennsylvania - 2008

People from all walks of life have discovered that the nine-mile round trip on America's oldest short line railroad is a veritable excursion into history.

William M. Moedinger - The Road to Paradise - 1971

There is so much to see and do in Strasburg — make it all part of your next visit. If you haven’t been there recently, there are always new things, making it worthwhile for both railfans and the general public. You will not be disappointed!

Kurt Bell - "A Visit to Strasburg" - Railfan & Railroad