Behind the Scenes with the Iron Horse
A "nuts and bolts" tour for the serious rail fan ... Go in the shop, in the pits and in the enginehouse to see what it takes to keep this authentic steam railroad working 365 days a year!
Schedule of Events
Saturday, October 3, 2009 - "Maintenance"
Train times are as follows — 11 am, 12, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6:00 pm.
Breakfast on your own.
- 8:00 am - 8:30 am — Participants will meet at the enginehouse for the official welcome and safety talk.
- 8:30 am - 11:45 am — A "nuts and bolts" tour in the shops. (Two breaks will be included in this time frame.) If you have participated in the Strasburg Rail Road Noon Shop Tour in the past, this is a much more in-depth tour.
- If desired, there will be time to ride the 12:00 pm train.
- 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm — Lunch on your own.
- The afternoon will feature three "seminars," but don't plan to be still! We'll be standing, moving, showing and telling.
- 1:00 pm - 1:55 pm — Seminar: "Locomotive Boilers." Interesting facts about boilers and their maintenance.
- 2:00 pm - 2:55 pm — Seminar: "Wooden Car Repair and Maintenance." The heavy maintenance requirements of these cars. (That's why they went to steel!)
- 3:00 pm - 3:55 pm — Seminar: "Locomotive Running Gear." An examination of everything below the boiler and how it works.
- 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm — Machinery demonstrations.
- The 6:00 pm train will be available to ride.
Sunday, October 4, 2009 — "Operations"
Train times are as follows — 11 am, 12, 1, 2, 3:00 pm.
Breakfast on your own.
- 7:30 am - 8:25 am — "In the Pits." Inspection of a locomotive before operation.
- 8:30 am - 10:25 am — "Hostling a Steam Locomotive." Participants will be shown how a locomotive is readied for service.
- 10:30 am - 11:45 am — "Brakeman/Conductor". What a brakeman and conductor do and how they do it. Demonstrations of coupling and uncoupling, signaling, brake tests, inspections, lifting tickets, safety, etc. (One break will be included in this time frame.)
- If desired, there will be time to ride the 12:00 pm train.
- 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm — Lunch on your own.
- 1:00 pm - 1:55 pm — "Switches and Signals." How switches work and their proper use. Crossing gates and their operation.
- 2:00 pm - 2:45 pm — "Air Brakes." These type of air brakes have been obsolete for over 50 years, so parts are hard to come by. You will learn basic operation and maintenance.
- At this time, the participants may ride the 3:00 pm train if they choose.
- 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm — Follow-up, open forum Q&A.
Due to various venues included, this event is not handicapped-accessible.
