Red Caboose Motel - Strasburg, PA
Posted by: Groundspeak Regular Member Math Teacher
N 39° 59.118 W 076° 09.088
18S E 401688 N 4426760
Welcome to the place that has everything..a real roadside attraction! The restaurant and all the sleeping quarters are former cabooses, dining cars and other types of trains. This place is featured on the Strasberg website.
Waymark Code: WMB839
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 04/17/2011
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member The Blue Quasar
Views: 6

This place is kind of in the middle of nowhere. I found it quite by accident. I was forced to take a detour from the Lincoln Highway. After passing and exploring a covered bridge I found this place, off to the side of a dusty road, just past some train tracks. There is everything imaginable out front of this place. I saw: A horse and buggy, an old pick-up truck advertising this place with a bog board attached to the side of it, a cigar store indian on the porch, six coin operated rides which looked very old, a diner in a caboose, a gift shop, another shed off to the sign which wants to "make you Amish", and all sorts of other colorful objects to attract attention.

To the rear were the sleeping quarters, a series of cabooses and dining cars, over forty of them. They were stretched end to end. From the sky it looks like a large, capital "O". The dining car out front was pretty narrow but looked pretty cool (check out the gallery). The porch of the main structure (the dining car is to the left) is old-fashioned, with wood planking and a neat place to sit and relax. The view is nothing but farmland and railroad tracks with an old pair of gates.

There is an interesting story behind this place. A man puts bid on 19 cabooses on a dare in 1969, man wins auction, man turns cabooses into a hotel. Their site says: "What started as a dare has become a one-of-a-kind Lancaster County motel which are made from fully restored 25-ton cabooses. You can sleep in a real caboose in the heart of Lancaster County Strasburg Train Country."

It all started in 1969 when Don Denlinger was dared to bid on 19 old cabooses being auctioned off by the Pennsylvania Railroad. To his surprise, he won them for $100.

He moved them to a parcel of land near the Strasburg Railroad and turned them into unique train lodging in the heart of Amish countryside. He continued to add to his collection of train cars over the years, and the Red Caboose Motel & Restaurant became fun, family-oriented Pennsylvania lodging offering the chance to sleep in real railroad cars.

Lancaster County’s Red Caboose Motel is now owned by Larry Demarco. The Red Caboose offers a little bit of train history tucked away among the peaceful Amish farms of Strasburg, PA. Under Larry's care, the railroad cars have been restored and repainted to feature the authentic colors of the railroads they represent. The Red Caboose was named Best of Baltimore 2005 for kids and has been mentioned in the Guinness Book of World Records for the most singly owned cabooses.. SOURCE

Also from their site: eaturing 46 sleeping cars, dining, and on-site family activities, Lancaster County's Red Caboose Motel & Restaurant offers something for everyone. Nestled on 9 1/2 acres of land in Amish countryside near the Strasburg railroad, the Red Caboose is a must for family vacations, train history enthusiasts, and couples who want a peaceful, relaxing romantic getaway. Hurry aboard for a fun and unique Pennsylvania lodging experience. In the heart of Lancaster County Amish Country!


To find the town hosted site, go to the town's home page located HERE. At the top of the page are three separate sites for tourist attractions, depending on type. Click on the link that reads Places to Eat and Stay. That will take you to the attractions that feature this kind of venue located HERE. The eighth link down is for this waymark, located HERE. That's all there is to it!
Address
The Red Caboose Motel & Restaurant
312 Paradise Lane
Ronks, PA 17572
Phone: at 717-687-5000
Toll Free: 888-687-5005

The "Official Tourism" URL link to the attraction: [Web Link]

The attraction’s own URL: [Web Link]

Hours of Operation:
Restaurant Hours: March 4th through April 8th 2011. Open Weekends. Fridays - 12pm to 8pm Saturdays - 7am to 8pm Sundays - 7am to 3pm April 8th through September 5th 2011. Open Daily. Daily - 7am to 8pm September 5th through December 18th 2011. Open Weekends. Fridays - 12pm to 8pm Saturdays - 7am to 8pm Sundays - 7am to 3pm Restaurant closes for season December 18, 2011 after lunch and will reopen March 2012.


Approximate amount of time needed to fully experience the attraction: Half of a day (2-5 hours)

Transportation options to the attraction: Personal Vehicle Only

Admission Prices: Not listed

Visit Instructions:

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stevepre2 visited Red Caboose Motel - Strasburg, PA 07/26/2017 stevepre2 visited it