Excursion Train

Rooster · July 13, 2026, 10:20pm

Dave,
In all honesty it’s beyond that. He could make it a day with an overnight stay then back home.

Start at the furnace cause he’s coming north into Pennsyltucky.

Then walk or follow the the old beds into Lebanon. Honestly there is still a good bit there you just have to search it out along the old line.

http://cornwallrailroad.com/frameindex.html

Once in Lebanon check out the old Cornwall station along with the Reading station. Then head head to the Union Canal for a boat ride.

Mind you this is Lebanon County which borders Lancaster so a lot of rebels there with sheering, yarn, quilting etc.

Then you can head over to Dauphin county and grab a 5 star hotel in Hershey with a floor where you can see the NS Lurgan branch from your room along with everything else.

I’ll warn you that strange people can be seen walking around with cameras in Lebanon though.

Cliff_Jennings · July 14, 2026, 12:49am

Love it all, thanks for the ideas Rooster!

And for the Hollywood pics, just great. You two really got around.

Rooster · July 15, 2026, 9:59pm

Cliff,
Considering your interests in mining and history and Linda’s in history and yarn I highly recommend a trip into the Cornwall, Lebanon County, Eastern Dauphin county area. Then head home following the Susquehanna River south crossing the river just south of Holtwood on RT 372 making for a long drive however a TON to see and still standing or visible.

Google maps will kinda tell the story. It took the old man and myself 2 different trips in the Lebanon county area and still a ton to see.

Just don’t ask this guy for directions!!

What happened in the barrel stays in the barrel!!

I don’t even wanna know.

I think that might have been the same guy I saw along the tracks earlier that day taking a leak??

I think he did tell me his name once. I believe it was Yew Fuker (pronounced with a light southern draw). Guessing the guy was from the Baltimore area from his accent.

Turbo4whl · July 16, 2026, 1:03am

Hopewell Furnace is surrounded on 3 sides by French Creek State Park. The scouts and I have camped at the park a few times. One time just by chance they were doing a reenactment with all the period garb! That weekend they were making the charcoal for the furnace. Yes, the water powered bellows are very impressive! Would have pictures, but that phone died. Many of the pictures did not get saved

Dave_Meashey · July 16, 2026, 1:35pm

Guys;

The Cornwall RR was still running (with diesels) when I was a kid. I remember the diesels had whistles instead of horns. To me at least those whistles sounded like an American Flyer “air chime whistle” whistling billboasrd.

Regards, David Meashey

Cliff_Jennings · July 16, 2026, 2:02pm

Super ideas, Rooster, thanks!

JRad · July 16, 2026, 11:35pm

That car is amazing! I’ve been in some nice Victorian cars, but that one is exceptional .

Cliff_Jennings · July 26, 2026, 12:40pm

Last weekend we took the fam to Walkersville, MD for a simple, out-and-back, hour-long train ride. It was so hot waiting in the station! But a storm began as soon as we headed out, which cooled things down a lot. The seats got pretty wet on one side.

The Walkersville Southern is a smaller operation, but they seem to have an active volunteer base, with car restoration, a museum and an HO layout inside a passenger car. Here’s their first loco:

One gentleman was there running his homemade gypsy-type loco. He said the boiler was from a steam tractor.

We also saw the smallest steam tractor I’ve ever seen:

A couple more railroady items: Linda and I went to the mill in Savage MD for dinner last Monday, and walked the awesome Bollman bridge there. I love the intricate details. Would be such a fun model.

Not sure if this counts for prototype or not, but almost all our kids (and g’kids) got together for sushi train night last wednesday.

Cliff_Jennings · August 9, 2026, 10:43pm

We’re on a 11-day trip in Mexico, so no progress on hobby stuff. And no trains running where we’re at (Cuernavaca). But, I did see this while on an excursion to a big museum in Mexico City…

All wicker and wood. The 4th car from the left says something like “Pancho Villa and his pistol.”

Cliff_Jennings · August 13, 2026, 8:05pm

On our last full day in Mexico City, we went to the Museum of Railroad Workers (Museo de los Ferrocarrileros). Very small, mainly photos and an HO layout.

There are three locos outside. This one has a builder’s plate from American Loco Co, 1900.

I didn’t see a plate on this one. Interesting how they formed the pilot around the coupler pocket.

Here’s a fireless steamer. I read on Wikipedia that it was made by Davenport Locomotive Works in the US. It has a sister loco at the Heart of Dixie museum in Alabama.

Cliff_Jennings · August 29, 2026, 7:58pm

Today’s excursion was related to a different form of transport: boats.

Linda and I visited Bruce and Jean Chandler this morning, as Bruce was racing his RC yacht with his fellow members of the Greenspring Yacht Club.

Through trainless these days, and a bit less mobile, they seem to be very much enjoying life in their new community. Wonderful people and gracious hosts, these two.

God bless ya, Bruce and Jean!

Cliff

RRRR4 · August 29, 2026, 8:46pm

Ahoy! So glad to see they are both well.

JRad · August 29, 2026, 9:48pm

Thanks! Having not heard from Bruce in a while I was getting concerned. Glad to see they are both enjoying life to the best of their abilities.

In other news, we enjoyed a visit from Ric and Jan Golding earlier in the week and I spent the day today exploring and riding the EBT with Ric and Roger Caizza. Hopefully, we will be meeting up with Rooster at the Williams Grove Steam Show tomorrow.

RRRR4 · August 30, 2026, 2:02pm

Any pictures of Ric & Jan?
I miss both of them.

Rooster · August 30, 2026, 7:33pm

Lou,
Met up with Jon, Ric and Roger today. It was great seeing them and briefly catching up .

Cliff_Jennings · August 30, 2026, 8:01pm

Man, that’s awesome. Wish I was there!

Good to see Ric. Not sure if 've met Roger? Thanks for the pics Rooster.

Yeah, Jon was probably just trying to break the trend of giving you the finger.

JRad · August 30, 2026, 9:57pm

It was a great time. Ric & Jan will be back in Rockhill for Dinner on Tuesday. I’ll try and grab a picture of Ric and Jan together. I got yelled at by Ralph Berg for forgetting to let him know they were at EBT on Saturday. He would have driven up. Sorry Ralph!

I have video of the whistle blow. I can posted it in a new thread: Williams Grove Steam Show

Roger is Roger Caiazza. He has been to Ken’s back in the day and also up to Fred’s.

RRRR4 · September 8, 2026, 10:40pm

Last Saturday we went on the Colebrookdale Railroad for dinner in the Lounge car. This was based on a recommendation by Cliffie “The Traveller” Jennings. It was well worth the trip.
Everyone was so pleasant. The dinner was wonderful and the portions were so large we could not finish them.
I heartily recommend this as a great dinner night/date night out. The violinist was outstanding, and he was only 17!
Ya know, it’s always something. After dinner I walked back to the Open Air car at the end. The Conductors were pleasant and said “Ok, let’s get everyone inside”. So I said “Huh?”
They said that on the way out at one of the bridges they disturbed a beehive. So everyone inside until we pass the area.
Other than that it was a very pleasant, relaxing train ride that I recommend if you are looking for a train ride in Boyertown, PA.

Cliff_Jennings · September 8, 2026, 10:58pm

Great story about the bees, Lou! I can’t help but wonder if the violinist played something suitable for that?

I’ll never forget his playing “Nearer My God to Thee” during the removal of a big branch from the track.

Hines · September 9, 2026, 12:19am

Lou, thanks for posting this as a date night venue. I’ve added it to the list. Herself generally complains that I’m not romantic enough.

I’ve found one too…

I think there could be a very successful thread called *Recommendations from Cliffie, The Reluctant Traveller .