Steamtown Sets Railfest Activities

Steamtown National Historic Site will be holding a Railfest weekend on Sept. 2 and 3 featuring the theme of the transition from steam to diesel.

Diesel-powered excursions to Moscow, Pennsylvania, will run both days, departing Steamtown at 12:30 p.m. and returning around 3 p.m.

Other excursions will include shorter train rides on the Scranton Limited and an expanded schedule at the Lackawanna County’s Electric City Trolley Museum.

There will also be hand car rides, blacksmithing demonstrations, locomotive shop tours, presentations from railroad publishers, preservation groups, and entertainment by local musicians and other performers.

The Erie-Lackawanna Dining Car Preservation Society will an evening dinner and entertainment activity during after-hours events on Friday and Saturday.

A 7,500-pound 1925-built Whitcomb gasoline-powered locomotive will be on display. It is on loan from the National Museum of Industrial History in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

The Railfest activities and programs are included in the park’s $7 daily entrance fee.

Steamtown Sets Summer, Fall Excursions

Steamtown National Historic Site has announced its slate of summer and autumn excursions, the first of which will run on July 22.

Among the destinations are the Pennsylvania cities of Moscow, Tobyhanna, Gouldsboro, Cresco, East Stroudsburg, and Delaware Water Gap Township.

The calendar also included Railfest 2017 on Sept. 2 and 3 with train rides to Moscow on both days.

All excursions include light snacks and refreshments and some excursions will feature local music and entertainment options.

The park will continue to offer shorter Scranton Limited  train rides that operate daily except Sunday.

Those depart four times a day from the museum’s main area for a trip through the rail yards of the former Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad in Scranton.

Shorter excursions are typically pulled by Baldwin Locomotive Works 0-6-0 No. 26, while longer excursions are assigned Delaware, Lackawanna & Western cab units.

The entrance fee to Steamtown is $7 for adults. Children ages 15 and under when accompanied by an adult receive free admission.

Steamtown Releases 2016 Excursion Schedule

Steamtown National Historic Site has announced its 2016 excursion schedule.

Reservations are available by calling 570-340-5204 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Online ticket sales are not available. Descriptions of the trips are as follows.

June 25: Delaware Water Gap. “Join us for the Founder’s Day celebration including restaurants, shops, historic displays, a car show, and a historic program about the resorts in and around this small town. Departs at 9 a.m. and returns at approximately 5 p.m.”

July 30: East Stroudsburg. “Get a taste of the history of the mighty DL&W Railroad with tours of the historic East Stroudsburg tower. Enjoy the hospitality of East Stroudsburg with food and music. Departs at 9 a.m. and returns at 5 p.m.”

Aug. 20: Carbondale. “Tickets for the Heritage Explorer Train, sponsored by the Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority, can be purchased at any branch of the Lackawanna County Library System. For more information about the train, contact the Carbondale Public Library at 570-282-4281. Departs Steamtown at 10 a.m.”

Oct. 8: East Stroudsburg. “View spectacular fall colors on this trip over the Pocono Plateau for East Stroudsburg’s Fall Foliage Festival and Fireman’s Picnic. Departs at 9 a.m. and returns at 5 p.m.”

Oct. 16: Delaware Water Gap. “An all-day excursion to the old resort town of Delaware Water Gap includes fall activities and a tour of this historic town. Departs at 9 a.m. and returns at approximately 5 p.m.”