My Day at Strasburg

 

The Annual Strasburg Visit!

Ever since the year 2016, I have made it an annual thing to visit the Strasburg Railroad. It gives me something to look forward to every year and serves as a celebration between my friends and I. I usually make videos to showcase how we spent the day, but I felt it would be fun to make a blog and run through all that happened that day. 

There is always a sense of excitement when you get closer to the station and you see those clouds of steam in the distance. Always wondering "Which engine is running today?" Well, as soon as we stepped foot on site, we were greeted to the loud and booming whistle of Strasburg #90. Such a powerful locomotive, you really get to hear it's sighs of breath as it enters and exits the yard. 

When one engine leaves, another comes in. I turned my head for one moment and looked back to see a giant crowd of people rushing towards the crossing where Percy was coming in from his trip to Cherry Hill. 

To this day, I have still never visited the Railroad Museum across the street from Strasburg Railroad but I took this picture and was captivated. Look at those size of those metal beasts. So interesting to think these iron horses once ruled the tracks not many decades ago but are now a mere memory. I must take a look at the museum sometime, I've heard they have a GG1 there and that would be pretty cool to see.

Always great to see 8618. An often overlooked member of the Strasburg fleet but a hard working and interesting one regardless. I really like the hazard striping on the front. I must model this diesel someday but I am trying to find the perfect base to start with. 

I think this was easily one of the best shots I got that day. Doesn't this image just evoke what Strasburg is all about? Perfect days, blue skies, clouds of steam, beautiful Amish countrysides, and engines running back and forth. 

I snuck around the back to get a look at the back of the yard, and what are the odds that I'd find Big Blue sitting back there right as #90 came in? I got this photo just in time and I'm glad I did. It's childhood and adulthood side by side. 

And there you have it! It really was a lovely day, another wonderful addition to my vault of memories visiting the Strasburg Railroad. Every year I get more and more used to knowing just what to expect when I visit. And every year I keep leaving surprised as something great happens that day (like that last shot for example!) I am happy to have spent another day at Strasburg and look forward to when I can visit again!