Strasburg Railroad Hauls Freight: How Cool Is That?

Posting on hold until Labor Day due to school summer project.

By Toby Schramm at en.wikipedia [Public domain], from Wikimedia Commons

Col. Hambright, who supervised Pennsylvania Railroad operations in Lancaster leading up to the war, would be proud.  The Strasburg Railroad, a short line railroad constructed in 1832 connecting to the mainline near Leaman Place (many 79th Pennsylvania soldiers were from the part of the county), apparently has expanded from hauling tourists to more serious cargo: "When the Strasburg Rail Road hauls freight, it means business" (Lancaster Online)

The Strasburg Rail Road locomotive rumbles into the yard an hour after sunrise.

Its silhouette is black as coal. Its headlight gleams like the morning star.

But it belches no steam, tows none of the shortline's famous russet-hued passenger coaches.

This is a freight train, folks.

One of a multitude riding The Strasburg's rails this summer.

A rapidly increasing multitude.

The shortline handled nine freight cars in 2009, according to Stephen Weaver, Strasburg Rail Road superintendent.

It's on track to haul up to 300 this year, thus increasing its freight operation by an expected 3,233 percent.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/442768_When-the-Strasburg-Rail-Road-hauls-freight--it-means-business.html#ixzz1W6Qx8aPc