Pennsylvania On Rails: 24 Must-See Trains, Funiculars, and Trolleys - Atlas Obscura Lists
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Pennsylvania On Rails: 24 Must-See Trains, Funiculars, and Trolleys

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The rich veins of anthracite coal beneath Pennsylvania’s rugged mountains made the state an early adopter of—and driving force behind—the railroad. The commonwealth’s first rail system predates the first American steam engine, and the state is home to the Western Hemisphere’s first railroad tunnel and the country’s first iron railroad bridge. This heritage is on display in every corner of the state, thanks to historical conservation efforts and modern reinventions like the rail trail system, which turns abandoned train tracks into more than 2,000 miles of multi-use trails beloved by walkers, runners, and cyclists alike.

Travelers wishing to see railway history up close can visit a working railyard filled with antique trains, the site of the country’s first electric trolley system, or the second-oldest working rail tunnel in the United States. If getting aboard is more your speed, restored rail cars take visitors through the scenic landscapes of Gettysburg, Colebrookdale, and Ashland.

Vintage trains aren’t the only way to keep your Pennsylvania trip on rails. Pittsburgh is home to not one but two working funiculars, and Strasburg’s Choo Choo Barn houses 1,700 square feet of model trains. And appreciators of abandoned places might enjoy seeing what was once the world’s longest viaduct but is now a bridge to nowhere thanks to a passing tornado.

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Strasburg, Pennsylvania

Choo Choo Barn

This extraordinary model train layout covers over 1,700 square feet, with multiple trains running simultaneously.
slgwv Added by slgwv
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Monongahela Incline

The United States’s oldest funicular railway glides up and down a steep Pittsburgh street.
Added by brickhound

Sponsored by Visit Pennsylvania.