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Ride the oldest continuously operating railroad in the US through Pennsylvania’s scenic Amish country

J. Irwin/Getty Images
Credit: J. Irwin/Getty Images

The Strasburg Train offers vintage cars, dinner service, and wine- or whiskey-tasting options.

The Strasburg Train offers vintage cars, dinner service, and wine- or whiskey-tasting options.

While planes get you there faster, there’s something special about traveling by train. Perhaps it’s the plush seats, the slow-moving view, or the soft rocking of the carriage, but this old-school mode of transportation has all the others beat. If you want to ratchet up the experience even more, it’s time to head to the Keystone State for a ride on the vintage Strasburg Train

Located in Strasburg, Pennsylvania, it holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously operating railroad in the nation. Since the mid-1800s, the train has been taking travelers through the breathtaking scenery of Pennsylvania Dutch Country. For more than a century, the train’s website explains, it continued to chug along until it was purchased by local investors in 1958 and revived as a tourist service, welcoming passengers for historic rides while continuing freight service.

Those who want to step back in time can board the steam train for a 45-minute round-trip ride through Amish Country—4.5 miles each way—in perfectly restored and maintained original equipment.

Passengers can choose between various themed rides, including a lunch or dinner service and a wine-and-cheese or whiskey-tasting train.

View of the 'Pleasant View' train car on the Strasburg Rail Road
Credit: Interim Archives/Getty Images

Guests also have a choice of several passenger cars, including the President’s Car, a business-class car used by the “top brass,” the First Class Parlor Car, which comes with plush seating for every guest, the First Class Lounge, which has even cozier seating options, and the Dining Car, where you can sit at a classic dining table for a full meal. 

As for what else you can expect on the ride, the train’s website explains that you can anticipate a “pace of travel that is appropriate for massive steam engines from the early 20th century—but much slower than today’s high-speed trains,” along with “more than 2,500 acres of Lancaster County farmland visible from your window, much of which is farmed by our Amish neighbors.”

Tickets are available for daily rides, along with themed excursions for special occasions, including Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and holiday rides. 

But, perhaps most importantly, the train line notes, “Your ticket purchase also helps preserve this history for future generations as it is reinvested back into the railroad.” And there’s no better way to spend your travel dollars than that.

Read the original article on Travel & Leisure

Read full story on Travel + Leisure

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