Strasburg, Pennsylvania - Choo Choo Barn - Full Tour HD (2017)
The Choo Choo Barn, Traintown U.S.A. is a 1,700-square-foot (160 m2) train display in Strasburg, Pennsylvania that features over 150 hand-built animated figures and vehicles and 22 operating trains.
The Choo Choo Barn was born in 1945, in the basement of the Groff home on Franklin Street in Strasburg, PA. George Groff (the originator) had just returned from World War II, and was looking for a Christmas present for his two-year-old son Gary. He found a $12.50 Lionel train set, and he helped his son set it up. Within a few years, that simple set had taken over a large portion of the family basement. In the 1950s, the family opened their now very elaborate display up for townspeople and local school groups during the Christmas holidays.
In the early 60's, George and Florence needed some extra funds to help pay for college. George noticed a small township maintenance facility (more like a barn) that became available along Route 741, just to the west of the recently reopened Strasburg Rail Road. The Choo Choo Barn opened on Thanksgiving Day in 1961 with over 600 square feet (56 m2) of detailed landscaping, 6 trains, and 6 animated figures.
Over the next few years, the display continued to grow, as George added something new each year. In time, his children began to help out, from collecting tickets to adding their own ideas to the growing display. A gift shop was added to the front of the building, and a picnic grove was constructed to the west of the parking lot (free tickets to the grove were available to all Barn visitors).
When the elder Groffs retired in 1979, their youngest son Thomas, and his wife Linda, became the new owners, builders, and operators of the Choo Choo Barn. This train layout has grown into an attraction for all ages and all groups. The display continues to re-open each spring, and Tom Groff with his team continue to update the display every year.
Signature scene depicts fire truck leaving the firehouse to arrive at a burning home. The firemen disembark the truck to rush to the aid of the homeowners, squirting real water on the fire. Their mission is accomplished, and they happily return on the truck to the fire station.
This display pays homage to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania - with miniature replicas of The Willows Restaurant, Dutch Wonderland amusement park, the Strasburg Railroad, and a scale version of the Groff family home.
Strasburg is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. It developed as a linear village along the Great Conestoga Road, stretching about two miles along path later known as the Strasburg Road. The population was 2,800 at the 2000 census. The town was named after Strasbourg in Alsace, the native home of an early settler. The town is often called Train Town USA because of the many railroad attractions in and around town, including the Strasburg Rail Road and the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. Much of the movie Witness was filmed on a farm nearby. Much of the borough was listed as a historic district by the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
The Choo Choo Barn Model Train Layout in Strasburg Pennsylvania
As you know, Pilentum lives in Germany. But Pilentum knows that there are many wonderful model railroad displays in the United States. A great desire of Pilentum is to visit the US once to film these great model train layouts. Unfortunately, the travel costs from Germany to the US are very high. But in order to present some of the most impressive model railways Pilentum asked the Choo Choo Barn for getting some video footage. So this video was created.
Now, you should ask yourself why Pilentum did choose the Choo Choo Barn. The reason is the extraordinary story behind this model railroad exhibit. The Choo Choo Barn was originally born in 1945, in the basement of the Groff home in Strasburg. George Groff had just returned from World War II, and was looking for a Christmas present for his son Gary. He found a $ 12.50 Lionel model train set. And, one thing led to another - within few years - that simple train set had begun to take over a larger and larger portion of the family basement. In the 1950’s, the Groff family began opening their model railroad display for neighbors, townspeople and local school groups during the Christmas holidays.
The exhibition became very popular so that the Groff family decided to move the model railroad into a small township maintenance facility. Then, the Choo Choo Barn, as George decided to call his display, opened on Thanksgiving Day in 1961, and it was very quickly a hit with local folks and visitors alike. With over 600 square feet of detailed landscaping, 6 trains, and 6 animated figures, people knew they were seeing something special and unique.
Over the years, the display continued to grow. The train layout has grown into an attraction for all ages and all groups. There are miniature replicas of The Willows Restaurant, Dutch Wonderland amusement park, the Strasburg Railroad, and a scale version of the Groff family home. Today, the Choo Choo Barn is a 1,700 square feet model train layout.
Please, visit for more information.
Thank you.
Strasburg, Pennsylvania - National Toy Train Museum - Full Tour HD (2017)
The National Toy Train Museum (NTTM), at 300 Paradise Lane, in Strasburg, Pennsylvania, USA, is focused on creating an interactive display of toy trains. Its collection dates from the early 1800s through current production. The building houses the Toy Train Reference Library and the National Business Office of the Train Collectors Association. It is located just around the corner from the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania.
The NTTM is owned and operated by the Train Collectors Association (TCA) and serves as its headquarters. The museum's mission is to promote train collecting and to preserve the heritage of toy trains. Founded in 1977, part of the museum's ongoing appeal is that it brings children and adults together. The museum features five working train layouts and a Toy Train Reference Library with reference and archival materials serving model railroaders. The nearby Choo Choo Barn features a more than 1,700-square-foot model train layout with 22 operating model trains and more than 150 animations.
In August 2012, the National Toy Train Museum was one of twenty locations invited to participate in an international virtual celebration of Swiss contributions to railroad technology. The Skype talks, in which engineers, historians, museum curators and other experts presented Swiss trains and other Swiss train technologies and answered questions from the public, were accessible by computer and at the participating locations.
The museum is open on a seasonal basis with an admission fee charged. TCA members are admitted free. It is closed from January through March.
Strasburg is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. It developed as a linear village along the Great Conestoga Road, stretching about two miles along path later known as the Strasburg Road. The population was 2,800 at the 2000 census. The town was named after Strasbourg in Alsace, the native home of an early settler. The town is often called Train Town USA because of the many railroad attractions in and around town, including the Strasburg Rail Road and the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. Much of the movie Witness was filmed on a farm nearby. Much of the borough was listed as a historic district by the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
The Choo Choo Barn in Strasburg , PA
For kids who love trains, and kids at heart, Strasburg's Choo Choo Barn is an amazing place to visit. Near the Strasburg Railroad and the Pennsylvania Railroad Museum, this gigantic model layout completes a train-themed getaway in Lancaster County.
Drive through Lancaster County Pennsylvania 1993
Vintage video of a drive through Lancaster County Pennsylvania in 1993 through Strasburg, Pennsylvania Dutch Country, The Amish Village, Choo Choo Barn, PA 896, Strasburg Railroad.
Strasburg, Pennsylvania - Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania - Full Tour HD (2017)
The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania is a railroad museum in Strasburg, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
The museum is located on the east side of Strasburg along Pennsylvania Route 741. It is administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission with the active support of the Friends of the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania (FRM).
The museum has more than 100 historic locomotives and railroad cars that chronicle American railroad history. An interactive display allows visitors to take the throttle on a simulated run in a real freight locomotive, climb aboard a caboose, inspect a 62-ton locomotive from underneath, view restoration activities via closed-circuit television, enjoy interactive educational programs, and more.
The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania was created to provide a historical account of railroading in Pennsylvania by preserving rolling stock, artifacts, and archives of railroad companies of the Commonwealth.
Strasburg is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. It developed as a linear village along the Great Conestoga Road, stretching about two miles along path later known as the Strasburg Road. The population was 2,800 at the 2000 census. The town was named after Strasbourg in Alsace, the native home of an early settler. The town is often called Train Town USA because of the many railroad attractions in and around town, including the Strasburg Rail Road and the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. Much of the movie Witness was filmed on a farm nearby. Much of the borough was listed as a historic district by the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
Destination PA - Choo Choo Barn - With Graphics
Strasburg, Pennsylvania - Strasburg Rail Road Christmas Trains HD (2017)
The Strasburg Rail Road (reporting mark SRC) is the oldest continuously operating railroad in the western hemisphere and the oldest public utility in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Chartered in 1832, the Strasburg Rail Road continues to operate under its original charter and original name (Strasburg Rail Road Company). Located just outside of the town of Strasburg, Pennsylvania, the railroad is a heritage railroad offering excursion trains, hauled by steam locomotives, through the heart of world-famous Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Strasburg currently has five (5) serviceable historic steam locomotives (Canadian National 7312, Canadian National 89, Great Western 90, N&W 475, Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal 15 (rebuilt as Thomas the Tank Engine) on its roster and has the nation's largest fleet of historic wooden passenger coaches in operation. The Strasburg Rail Road is also one of the few railroads in the United States to occasionally use steam locomotives to haul revenue freight trains. It hosts 300,000 visitors per year.
Across the street from the Strasburg Rail Road is the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. The Strasburg Rail Road serves as the Museum's physical rail connection to the Amtrak Philadelphia to Harrisburg Main Line junction in Paradise, Pennsylvania.
In March 2017, the Strasburg Rail Road released Images of Rail: Strasburg Rail Road by Eric S. Conner and Steve Barrall. The 128-page book with over 200 historic photographs chronicles the unlikely success of America's oldest continuously operating railroad. The book details how and why Strasburg's four-and-a-half mile line survived as an iconic, internationally-known, small town railroad. The Strasburg Rail Road receives all proceeds, profits, and royalties from the sale of each book so that the company can further the work of preserving America's steam railroading history.
Strasburg is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. It developed as a linear village along the Great Conestoga Road, stretching about two miles along path later known as the Strasburg Road. The population was 2,800 at the 2000 census. The town was named after Strasbourg in Alsace, the native home of an early settler. The town is often called Train Town USA because of the many railroad attractions in and around town, including the Strasburg Rail Road and the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. Much of the movie Witness was filmed on a farm nearby. Much of the borough was listed as a historic district by the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
Railfanning the Choo Choo Barn Layout II
With the nearest Amtrak station about 10.5-11 miles away from Strasburg,
of course, the layout wouldn't be complete without a shoutout for our good friends at Amtrak. Located on the Keystone Corridor, Lancaster station is served by the Keystone Service between New York City and Harrisburg, and by the Pennsylvanian between New York and Pittsburgh. Lancaster is the second busiest Amtrak station in Pennsylvania, and the twenty-first busiest in the United States.
Strasburg-Choo Choo Barn 2014
The fourth and final train-related stop in Strasburg. You pay $7, go behind a curtain, and circumvent a huge train diorama. There is day and night, so the light will go out.
Choo Choo Barn Lancaster County PA Baseball Game
Check out the waving flag and the baseball game going on in Choo Choo Town.
Driving Through: Strasburg, PA
Driving Through: Strasburg, PA
Strasburg, Pennsylvania - Red Caboose Motel HD (2017)
Strasburg is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. It developed as a linear village along the Great Conestoga Road, stretching about two miles along path later known as the Strasburg Road. The population was 2,800 at the 2000 census. The town was named after Strasbourg in Alsace, the native home of an early settler. The town is often called Train Town USA because of the many railroad attractions in and around town, including the Strasburg Rail Road and the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. Much of the movie Witness was filmed on a farm nearby. Much of the borough was listed as a historic district by the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
National Toy Train Museum, Strasburg, PA
National Toy Train Museum, Strasburg, PA
Strasburg Toy Train Museum
This is the third stop in Strasburg. It's a small museum with three or four rooms, but it's worth seeing once or twice.
Visting The Station model train shop
Check out the vintage Lionel model trains and Reading Railroad memorabilia at The Station model train shop in New Cumberland PA
Huge Model Train Layout in Amish Country
This video was shot inside the Choo-Choo Barn where they have a giant model train layout.
The layout is a 1,700-square-foot train display in Strasburg, Pennsylvania that features over 150 hand-built animated figures and vehicles and 22 operating trains.
The layout also fetures a day to night cycle, where at a certain point in the tour, the lights dim and the room goes dark. During this time, the ceiling turns into a night sky with little lights acting as stars and gives a nightime feel.
During this time, the layout lights up. Cars headlights turn on, Streetlights turn on, lights in the houses come on. Its defiantly a sight to see.
Hours:
March 8 – January 4 Open 7 days a week: 10AM to 5PM
November 28 – January 4: Christmas Layout: Our train layout is decorated for the holiday season! 10AM-5PM
Closed on Nov. 26, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Years Day
Rates:
Adults (12 and up): $7.50, Groups: $6.00
Kids (3 to 11) : $4.50 Groups: $3.75
It is defiantly a place to visit and not to mention, the Strasburg Railroad is right across the street.
The Choo-Choo Barn is located at 226 Gap Road, Box 130, Route 741 East, Strasburg, PA
Enjoy!
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All Rights Reserved
Choo-Choo Barn's Amazing Firefighting Animation
The Choo-Choo Barn in Strasburg, PA, is home to an amazing model train layout. Among the many animated/motorized features is this firefighting scene.
Strasburg Railroad Pint Sized Pufferbelly 2014
Strasburg Rail Road Rolling Antique Event Video:
I also shot some video while at this event. Here is a video that I made called Strasburg - Pint Sized Pufferbelly. In this video features a miniature 15 inch gauge steam locomotive originally built by Cagney.
Please Visit the Dakman Productions Channel
Travel with Kids! - Visit the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania! - Tour a Train Graveyard!
Travel with Kids! - Visit the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg, PA. Tour a train graveyard! It's so neat!
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Loving Life Outside the Box
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