PA Historic Places

PA’s Top Railroad-Themed Attractions | A Visitors Guide

A collage showing 4 of the best railroad-themed attractions in Pennsylvania, including the East Broad Top Railroad, the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, The Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway, and the Horseshoe Curve.

If you’re looking for a guide to Pennsylvania’s top railroad-themed attractions, you’re in the right place!

Black steam train on a train track at Strasburg Railroad in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. — The Strasburg Railroad in Lancaster County.

Pennsylvania has a rich railroading history, and an equally rich number of railroad-themed attractions that cater to the interests of modern day “railfans”.

A black steam locomotive, number 790, and a yellow and grey diesel locomotive, number 663, are displayed side by side on a turntable at the Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The site features modern architecture with a red and glass visitor center in the background, under a clear blue sky. — Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton.

What follows is a guide to some of Pennsylvania’s best railroad-themed attractions, based upon my own personal experiences visiting each one of them.

A gray souvenir t-shirt from the Western Pennsylvania Model Railroad Museum in Gibsonia, PA, featuring a colorful graphic of a train on a bridge with the museum's name in bold lettering above and the location below. — Souvenir t-shirt from the Western Pennsylvania Model Railroad Museum near Pittsburgh.

I’ve organized this guide into five categories:

Sightseeing train excursions in PA
Railroad museums in PA
Model railroad displays in PA
Historic railroad sites in PA
Railroad-themed lodging in PA

To make it even easier for you to find and enjoy these railroad-themed attractions, I’ve created this interactive map below to provide you with accurate directions to each one of them.

Simply click on the blue text links on the map above or in the descriptions below to view a more in-depth article about each attraction.

A vibrant red caboose, number 42, repurposed as a motel room at the Red Caboose Motel in Lancaster County, PA. The caboose features white-framed windows and the motel's name, "The Red Caboose Motel," painted on the side in white letters. A black staircase leads up to the entrance, with the caboose set on train tracks. In the background, other colorful cabooses and train cars converted into motel rooms are visible, along with a black minivan parked nearby. Tall trees with lush green leaves provide a scenic backdrop against a blue sky with a few clouds.

This is a dynamic and evolving guide, regularly updated with new railroad-themed attractions, ensuring it will remain a comprehensive and up-to-date resource for years to come.

A historical steam locomotive adorned with the number 11 is captured mid-departure, releasing puffs of steam around its black steel body. In the foreground, a conductor dressed in a dark uniform with a cap stands by the railroad tracks, looking towards the camera. Behind him, the Hollidaysburg train station, modest in size and decorated with wreaths, contributes to the nostalgic ambiance. The sky is partly cloudy, allowing some sunlight to filter through, and a few bare trees are visible in the background, hinting at a chilly season. The scene conveys a sense of historical transportation and bygone eras.

1. Sightseeing Train Excursions in PA

The Strasburg Railroad in Lancaster County offers scenic sightseeing excursion trains pulled by majestic steam locomotives through the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country.

A collage of 5 photos showing scenes from the Strasburg Railroad in Lancaster County, PA.

The Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway in Jim Thorpe, PA is consistently ranked as one of the best sightseeing trains in the northeastern United States.

A collage of 4 photos taken at the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway in Carbon County PA.

The East Broad Top Railroad in Huntingdon County offers steam-powered passenger excursions, shop tours, and visits to the “roundhouse”.

A collage of four photos showcasing the East Broad Top Railroad in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. The first image captures a steam locomotive with billowing smoke at sunset. The second shows a conductor aboard the locomotive. The third depicts the train amidst a winter landscape with white smoke against the hills. The last image is of an open passenger car traveling through a lush green forest.

The Everett Railroad in Blair County has been offering captivating steam train excursions from its nostalgic station in Hollidaysburg.

This collage features four images from a steam train excursion on the Everett Railroad in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. The top left photo shows a steam locomotive emitting plumes of smoke at the station, with the "HOLLIDAYSBURG" sign visible. The top right image displays a bright red caboose with "EVERETT RAILROAD 91517" on the side. The bottom left picture captures a line of passenger cars at the station, decorated with Christmas greenery and a festive tree in the foreground. The bottom right photo shows the train passing under a bridge, with steam enveloping the cars, creating a dynamic scene of movement and activity.

The Henry Clay steam train excursion at Pioneer Tunnel in Schuylkill County takes you on a scenic three-quarter-mile ride around the site of former coal mines on Mahanoy Mountain.

A collage of 4 photos taken at the Pioneer Tunnel Steam Train in Schuylkill County PA.

2. Railroad Museums in PA

The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Lancaster County was established to chronicle the history of railroading in the Keystone State, through the preservation of rolling stock, artifacts, and archives from various railroad companies.

This collage from the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg, Lancaster County, showcases a variety of exhibits that highlight the rich history and technological evolution of rail transport. The first image features a weathered black steam locomotive displayed outdoors, illustrating the grandeur and complexity of early 20th-century railway engineering. The second image highlights a bright blue Conrail diesel locomotive, a representation of modern advancements in rail technology, housed within the spacious interior of the museum. The third image captures a vibrant yellow Fruit Growers Express refrigerated boxcar accompanied by a vintage black truck, demonstrating the historical logistics of perishable goods transportation. The final image displays the museum’s entrance sign, set against the backdrop of the museum's contemporary architecture and inviting green landscape, providing visitors with directions and accessibility information. Together, these images encapsulate the diverse attractions and educational opportunities available at the museum, celebrating the legacy of railroads in Pennsylvania.

Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton is both a museum and an active railyard, dedicated to preserving and sharing the rich heritage of steam-powered locomotives in America.

A four-image collage from Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton, PA. Upper left shows a vintage steam engine number 26 inside a roundhouse with steam rising. Upper right features two locomotives, including engine 790, displayed on a turntable with a modern building in the background. Lower left is the Union Pacific 'Big Boy' steam engine number 4012, a large black locomotive parked outside. Lower right is the National Park Service round emblem displayed at the historic site.

The Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum in Blair County celebrates the lives of both railroad workers and railroading communities in central Pennsylvania.

A collage of 4 photos taken at the Altoona Railroaders memorial Museum in Blair County PA.

3. Model Railroad Displays in PA

The Choo Choo Barn in Lancaster County is a 1,700-square-foot train display featuring 22 operating trains and over 150 hand-built animated figures.

A collage of four photos taken at the Choo Choo Barn in Lancaster County, PA. The top left image shows a wide-angle view of the extensive model train display featuring a circus tent, carousel, and various detailed miniature scenes. The top right image captures the display at night with the lights dimmed, creating a magical ambiance with illuminated buildings and train tracks. The bottom left image depicts a snowy mountain landscape with a moving gondola lift, detailed buildings, and vehicles on a winding road. The bottom right image shows the exterior of the Choo Choo Barn building, complete with a colorful children's train display and picnic tables, set against a scenic countryside backdrop.

The Western PA Model Railroad Museum near Pittsburgh is dedicated to preserving the railroading history of western PA through the use of a massive HO scale model train layout, said to be one of the largest in the United States.

Exploring the Western Pennsylvania Model Railroad Museum in Gibsonia PA.

The Shempp Model Train exhibit at the Taber Museum in Williamsport is said to be the finest collection of model trains in the United States!

A collage of 4 photos taken at the Shemp Model TRain Exhibit in Williamsport PA. — There are more than 2,000 pieces, 100 individual locomotives and 347 complete train sets on display in the Shempp Model Train exhibit at the Taber Museum.

4. Historic Railroad Sites in PA

The Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site near Altoona preserves a portion of the first railroad built across the Allegheny Mountains.

A collage of 4 photos taken at the Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site in Cambria County PA. — Looking up Incline Number 6 towards Engine House Number 6 at the Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site.

The Horseshoe Curve National Historic Landmark, considered one of the “engineering wonders of the world” at the time of its completion in 1854, continues to offer railfans an up-close opportunity to experience the thrill of trains passing by along this 2,375 foot-long curved stretch of tracks.

A collage of 4 photos taken at the Horseshoe Curve in Blair County PA. — A young railfan waves to a passing Norfolk Southern engineer at the Horseshoe Curve.

The Staple Bend Tunnel in Cambria County has the distinction of being the first railroad tunnel built in the United States!

A collage of 4 photos taken at the Staple Bend Tunnel in Cambria County PA.

The Allegheny Tunnel (known originally as the Summit Tunnel) at Gallitzin Tunnels Park (Cambria County) was the longest railroad tunnel in the world at the time of its completion in 1854, at 3,612 feet.

A collage of 4 photos taken at the Gallitzin Tunnels in Cambria County PA. — A westbound Norfolk-Southern train exiting the western portal of the Allegheny Tunnel in Gallitzin.

The Big Savage Tunnel in Somerset County is a 3,294 foot long tunnel that served as a critical link in the Western Maryland Railway’s “Connellsville Extension”, now repurposed as part of the Great Allegheny Passage rail trail.

A collage of 4 photos taken at the Big Savage Tunnel in Somerset County PA. — A man on a recumbent bicycle prepares to travel the 3,294 foot Big Savage Tunnel along the Great Allegheny Passage.

The Abandoned Coburn Railroad Tunnel in Centre County, originally constructed as part of the Lewisburg, Centre and Spruce Creek Railroad in the 1870s, changed hands numerous times over the years, until it was officially abandoned by the Penn Central Railroad in 1970.

Exploring the Abandoned Coburn Railroad Tunnel in Centre County Pennsylvania

The Tunkhannock Viaduct in Wyoming County is the largest concrete railroad bridge in the world, towering 240 feet above Tunkhannock Creek and the borough of Nicholson below.

Exploring the Tunkhannock Viaduct in Wyoming County Pennsylvania.

The Salisbury Viaduct in Somerset County is a towering railroad bridge along the 150 mile-long Great Allegheny Passage, the longest multi-use rail trail in Pennsylvania

A collage of 4 photos taken at the Salisbury Viaduct in Somerset County PA. — The Salisbury Viaduct disappears into the Pennsylvania foothills near Meyersdale.

Kinzua Bridge State Park in McKean County is home to what was once the longest and tallest railway bridge in the entire world – The Kinzua Viaduct.

Scenes from Kinzua Bridge State Park in Pennsylvania. — Scenes from Kinzua Bridge State Park.

The abandoned South Penn Railroad Aqueduct in Fulton County is a perfectly-preserved remnant of an ill-fated railroad conceived by titans of industry William Vanderbilt and Andrew Carnegie in the 1880s.

A collage of 4 photos taken at the abandoned South Penn Railroad Viaduct in Fulton County PA. — The abandoned South Penn Railroad Aqueduct in the Buchanan State Forest, near the Sideling Hill Tunnel.

5. Railroad-Themed Lodging in PA

The Red Caboose Motel in Lancaster County features over 40 vintage cabooses and train cars that have been repurposed into retro motel rooms.

A collage of four photos taken at the Red Caboose Motel in Lancaster County, PA. The top left image shows a red caboose labeled "Southern" with a red SUV parked in front of it. The top right image features two rows of colorful cabooses, including blue, yellow, and red ones, lined up on either side of a driveway. The bottom left image depicts the interior of a cozy motel room with a bed, table, and chair. The bottom right image showcases a sign for the Red Caboose Motel with a yellow caboose in the background. The Red Caboose Motel includes over 40 cabooses and train cars converted into retro motel rooms.

The Presidential Train Car Bed and Breakfast in Clearfield County offers guests the chance to stay in a one-of-a-kind “mansion on rails”, built originally for railroad presidents and once used by a United States President!

A collage of 4 photos taken at the Presidential Train Car Bed and Breakfast in Clearfield County PA. — The Presidential Train Car bed and breakfast in DuBois, PA.

The 5 Best Railroad Overlooks Near Altoona guides you to some of the best “trainspotting” lookouts in close proximity to what was once the largest railroad town in America.

Train approaching the Cassandra Railroad Overlook in Cambria County Pennsylvania. — Train approaching the Cassandra Railroad Overlook.

11 PA Rail Trails Anyone Can Enjoy shows you where to enjoy hiking or biking along the former routes of some of PA’s most famous historic railroads.

Cyclists entering Poe Paddy Tunnel through the northwestern portal. — Cyclists entering Poe Paddy Tunnel along the route of the former Lewisburg, Centre and Spruce Creek Railroad.

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