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The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania resolved in 1963 to build a State Railroad Museum and in 1965 selected a site adjacent to the Strasburg Railroad (the oldest continuously operated short-line railroad in the United States), and broke ground for the Museum facility in 1972. Meanwhile, in 1968, the Pennsylvania Railroad and the New York Central merged to form the Penn Central Corporation in a joint effort to stay in business. Penn Central had other plans for the bulk of the artifacts and by September of 1969 it appeared that a significant part of the PRR collection was earmarked for inclusion into the collection of the National Museum of Transportation in St. Louis, Missouri. Organizations and individuals opposed the breakup of the unique collection and lobbied successfully against the move. The PRR collection was moved piecemeal with the first locomotives arriving in October of 1969 and the other pieces arriving in various stages through 1975 when the first section of the museum exhibit hall was completed.
The historic locomotives and rolling-stock from the Penn Central were, at first, leased to the Railroad Museum but the continuing financial struggles of the huge railroad corporation prompted the Commonwealth to purchase the collection because of the uncertain future of the locomotives and cars. This was accomplished in December of 1979 in a last-minute frantic deal between the Commonwealth and Penn Central Corporation. In the years preceding the acquisition of this historic collection by the Railroad Museum, a few pieces of the collection were, sadly, lost in the shuffle. The I1 decapod (2-10-0) was eventually acquired by a New York railfan group and two other early Pennsylvania Railroad Company subsidiaries' locomotives were sent to other museums. The original Museum exhibit hall's interior resembled an early train shed of circa 1860 and measured some 320 by 150 feet. In June of 1995, as one of the event highlights commemorating the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Pennsylvania Railroad, the museum opened a new addition which doubled the length of the exhibit hall to 640 feet. The new award-winning addition is modeled after a glass-roofed train shed of the early 20th century. It features some 46 pieces of locomotives and rolling stock on 5 different tracks.
Exhibits celebrating the early history of railroading in Pennsylvania fill the side aisles and platforms, with displays featuring railroad employees in other areas of the main exhibit hall. Outside, a number of additional locomotives and rolling stock occupy a five and a half acre yard, centered around an operational 1928 Reading Railroad turntable. Its collection, of course, is just a fraction of what you can find on the museum’s grounds. They hold numerous events throughout the year, virtual tours, model railroad layouts, membership opportunities, volunteer work to maintain and restore railroad artifacts, abundant educational exhibits to learn about our nation’s rail history and how it all works, and all kinds of other opportunities. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania also sits directly across the street from perhaps the most popular tourist railroad in America, the Strasburg Railroad, which operates through the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country. Tens of thousands of folks come to ride this railroad yearly and stop by the museum while there. Whatever type of railroading you hold an interest in there’s a very good chance that you will be able to find and/or experience it Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. Below is a brief overview of the museum itself courtesy of the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania: The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania houses one of the most significant collections of historic railroad artifacts in the world. Devoted to preserving and interpreting the broad impact of railroad development on society, the Museum: * Displays over 100 locomotives and cars from the mid-19th and 20th centuries, including the priceless Pennsylvania Railroad Historical Collection. * Has restored many of these unique survivors to original appearance, and pursues a major restoration program. * Conducts educational programs for all ages, provides tours and holds special events, many in cooperation with outside organizations. The innovative Railway Education Center provides a focus for exciting learning. * Houses extensive exhibits of railroad artifacts, plus priceless art work, books, photographs and corporate railroad material. * Recognizes that railroad history is alive and continues being made in this new millennium. The Museum uses new technologies to preserve and interpret the unfolding story. * Seeks to enhance its world-class status through a process of steady improvements involving public-private partnerships.
You might also be interested in Pennsylvania Railroad from Mike Schafer and Mike McBride. While the book is just a brief history on the railroad it is very well done and will at least give you a general overview and history of the Pennsy (and it is filled with many, excellent, historical and colorful photographs) at which point you can decide if you are interested in further books of study on the railroad (there are hundreds out there!). Even if you are a historian and/or fan of the PRR and have not seen this book I'm sure you will enjoy it!
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