{"id":1945,"date":"2007-06-24T20:33:00","date_gmt":"2007-06-25T03:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.coldspaghetti.org\/blog\/2007\/06\/24\/strasburg-pa-as-the-isle-of-sodor\/"},"modified":"2007-06-24T20:33:00","modified_gmt":"2007-06-25T03:33:00","slug":"strasburg-pa-as-the-isle-of-sodor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.coldspaghetti.org\/blog\/2007\/06\/24\/strasburg-pa-as-the-isle-of-sodor\/","title":{"rendered":"Strasburg, PA as the Isle of Sodor"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>During our trip to Pennsylvania, we drove out to the Lancaster area to the City of Strasburg to visit the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.strasburgrailroad.com\/\">Strasburg Railroad<\/a>.  Paul is pretty sure that as beautiful and quaint as it is, the railroad and surrounding hoop-la is sort of like the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.800padutch.com\/reasons.shtml\">Pennsylvania Dutch<\/a>&#8216;s version of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.pedroland.com\/\">South of the Border<\/a>.<br \/><a onblur=\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href=\"http:\/\/bp0.blogger.com\/_NeoZjZL4Y_c\/Rn_8wMLPaDI\/AAAAAAAAB-0\/nnWGZwbWJkI\/s1600-h\/IMG_9866.JPG\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;\" src=\"http:\/\/bp0.blogger.com\/_NeoZjZL4Y_c\/Rn_8wMLPaDI\/AAAAAAAAB-0\/nnWGZwbWJkI\/s400\/IMG_9866.JPG\" alt=\"\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080056809529501746\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a>All that aside, we were out with the masses to see <a href=\"http:\/\/www.strasburgrailroad.com\/day-out-with-thomas.php\">Thomas<\/a>.  He comes to Strasburg (and maybe a station near you) a few times a year.  He here is, coming into the station below!<br \/><a onblur=\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href=\"http:\/\/bp1.blogger.com\/_NeoZjZL4Y_c\/Rn_8wcLPaEI\/AAAAAAAAB-8\/ci8PK9dE824\/s1600-h\/IMG_9872.JPG\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;\" src=\"http:\/\/bp1.blogger.com\/_NeoZjZL4Y_c\/Rn_8wcLPaEI\/AAAAAAAAB-8\/ci8PK9dE824\/s400\/IMG_9872.JPG\" alt=\"\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080056813824469058\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a>Extra excitement: thanks to the presence and willingness of my Dad, there are actually photos which feature ALL FOUR of us in the same frame.  Amazing.<br \/><a onblur=\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href=\"http:\/\/bp2.blogger.com\/_NeoZjZL4Y_c\/Rn_8wsLPaFI\/AAAAAAAAB_E\/8u2cveX_h2U\/s1600-h\/IMG_9882.JPG\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;\" src=\"http:\/\/bp2.blogger.com\/_NeoZjZL4Y_c\/Rn_8wsLPaFI\/AAAAAAAAB_E\/8u2cveX_h2U\/s400\/IMG_9882.JPG\" alt=\"\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080056818119436370\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a>Even more excitement: I had warmed up to the friendly conductor and gotten permission to stand on the platform for pictures while Thomas pulled up.  Apparently, this upset someone who yelled at my Dad while he took the pictures above.  We missed Dad turning to tell the guy &#8220;bite me.&#8221;  And I thought I got my edge from my Mom. <a onblur=\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href=\"http:\/\/bp3.blogger.com\/_NeoZjZL4Y_c\/Rn_8v8LPaCI\/AAAAAAAAB-s\/BrGaXt2oJ9Q\/s1600-h\/IMG_9122.JPG\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;\" src=\"http:\/\/bp3.blogger.com\/_NeoZjZL4Y_c\/Rn_8v8LPaCI\/AAAAAAAAB-s\/BrGaXt2oJ9Q\/s400\/IMG_9122.JPG\" alt=\"\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080056805234534434\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a>That&#8217;s us from inside one of the railcars!<a onblur=\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href=\"http:\/\/bp1.blogger.com\/_NeoZjZL4Y_c\/Rn_9scLPaJI\/AAAAAAAAB_k\/fAm8mVsze-8\/s1600-h\/IMG_0105.JPG\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;\" src=\"http:\/\/bp1.blogger.com\/_NeoZjZL4Y_c\/Rn_9scLPaJI\/AAAAAAAAB_k\/fAm8mVsze-8\/s400\/IMG_0105.JPG\" alt=\"\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080057844616620178\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a>Inside the car ahead&#8230;<br \/><a onblur=\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href=\"http:\/\/bp3.blogger.com\/_NeoZjZL4Y_c\/Rn_8w8LPaGI\/AAAAAAAAB_M\/_OuaWByqHrc\/s1600-h\/IMG_9902.JPG\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;\" src=\"http:\/\/bp3.blogger.com\/_NeoZjZL4Y_c\/Rn_8w8LPaGI\/AAAAAAAAB_M\/_OuaWByqHrc\/s400\/IMG_9902.JPG\" alt=\"\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080056822414403682\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a>The kids LOVED looking down the line and waving at everything and nothing.<br \/><a onblur=\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href=\"http:\/\/bp3.blogger.com\/_NeoZjZL4Y_c\/Rn_8g8LPZ9I\/AAAAAAAAB-E\/PakaoYnrDHg\/s1600-h\/IMG_9915.JPG\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;\" src=\"http:\/\/bp3.blogger.com\/_NeoZjZL4Y_c\/Rn_8g8LPZ9I\/AAAAAAAAB-E\/PakaoYnrDHg\/s400\/IMG_9915.JPG\" alt=\"\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080056547536496594\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a>Beautiful countryside, complete with horse and buggy.  There were horse and buggy parking spots throughout town.<br \/><a onblur=\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href=\"http:\/\/bp0.blogger.com\/_NeoZjZL4Y_c\/Rn_8hMLPZ-I\/AAAAAAAAB-M\/TyUjngfVu8I\/s1600-h\/IMG_9948.JPG\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;\" src=\"http:\/\/bp0.blogger.com\/_NeoZjZL4Y_c\/Rn_8hMLPZ-I\/AAAAAAAAB-M\/TyUjngfVu8I\/s400\/IMG_9948.JPG\" alt=\"\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080056551831463906\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a>Friendly conductor.<br \/><a onblur=\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href=\"http:\/\/bp1.blogger.com\/_NeoZjZL4Y_c\/Rn_8hcLPZ_I\/AAAAAAAAB-U\/_WJzLvs_6YE\/s1600-h\/IMG_9953.JPG\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;\" src=\"http:\/\/bp1.blogger.com\/_NeoZjZL4Y_c\/Rn_8hcLPZ_I\/AAAAAAAAB-U\/_WJzLvs_6YE\/s400\/IMG_9953.JPG\" alt=\"\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080056556126431218\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a>Kate, our entertainment.<br \/><a onblur=\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href=\"http:\/\/bp1.blogger.com\/_NeoZjZL4Y_c\/Rn_9scLPaKI\/AAAAAAAAB_s\/Ss3GkaSctLQ\/s1600-h\/IMG_0129.JPG\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;\" src=\"http:\/\/bp1.blogger.com\/_NeoZjZL4Y_c\/Rn_9scLPaKI\/AAAAAAAAB_s\/Ss3GkaSctLQ\/s400\/IMG_0129.JPG\" alt=\"\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080057844616620194\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><a onblur=\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href=\"http:\/\/bp3.blogger.com\/_NeoZjZL4Y_c\/Rn_9s8LPaLI\/AAAAAAAAB_0\/ZNVyx3NA0_o\/s1600-h\/IMG_0149.JPG\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;\" src=\"http:\/\/bp3.blogger.com\/_NeoZjZL4Y_c\/Rn_9s8LPaLI\/AAAAAAAAB_0\/ZNVyx3NA0_o\/s400\/IMG_0149.JPG\" alt=\"\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080057853206554802\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a>After riding Thomas, we took a break and strolled around the train yard.  Then rode one of Straburg&#8217;s regular trains.  The deal is that you get pulled out of the yard and through the countryside&#8230; then the engine unhitches, chugs to the front, and pulls you back in.  In the picture below, you can see the engine pulling out.<a onblur=\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href=\"http:\/\/bp3.blogger.com\/_NeoZjZL4Y_c\/Rn_9r8LPaHI\/AAAAAAAAB_U\/zH0wWbPdW7k\/s1600-h\/IMG_0057.JPG\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;\" src=\"http:\/\/bp3.blogger.com\/_NeoZjZL4Y_c\/Rn_9r8LPaHI\/AAAAAAAAB_U\/zH0wWbPdW7k\/s400\/IMG_0057.JPG\" alt=\"\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080057836026685554\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a>Will loved all the cows in the fields.  He worked very hard to talk to them, calling &#8220;MMOOOOO!!&#8221; as loud as possible.<br \/><a onblur=\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href=\"http:\/\/bp2.blogger.com\/_NeoZjZL4Y_c\/Rn_8hsLPaAI\/AAAAAAAAB-c\/tcjy3MX8pmU\/s1600-h\/IMG_9975.JPG\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;\" src=\"http:\/\/bp2.blogger.com\/_NeoZjZL4Y_c\/Rn_8hsLPaAI\/AAAAAAAAB-c\/tcjy3MX8pmU\/s400\/IMG_9975.JPG\" alt=\"\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080056560421398530\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a>The corn in the maze was about knee high &#8212; low enough to see the patterns of the maze from our views in the train.  <a onblur=\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href=\"http:\/\/bp0.blogger.com\/_NeoZjZL4Y_c\/Rn_9sMLPaII\/AAAAAAAAB_c\/aMbOeIB0l8I\/s1600-h\/IMG_0060.JPG\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;\" src=\"http:\/\/bp0.blogger.com\/_NeoZjZL4Y_c\/Rn_9sMLPaII\/AAAAAAAAB_c\/aMbOeIB0l8I\/s400\/IMG_0060.JPG\" alt=\"\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080057840321652866\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a>My Uncle Gus went along for the day &#8212; it was great to share all of this with him!  He was quite a trooper to handle it all&#8230; heat, people, and kids&#8230; with a smile!<br \/><a onblur=\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href=\"http:\/\/bp2.blogger.com\/_NeoZjZL4Y_c\/Rn_8hsLPaBI\/AAAAAAAAB-k\/bDKXNwDkU6M\/s1600-h\/IMG_9990.JPG\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;\" src=\"http:\/\/bp2.blogger.com\/_NeoZjZL4Y_c\/Rn_8hsLPaBI\/AAAAAAAAB-k\/bDKXNwDkU6M\/s400\/IMG_9990.JPG\" alt=\"\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080056560421398546\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a>My Dad playing with Will.<br \/><a onblur=\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href=\"http:\/\/bp2.blogger.com\/_NeoZjZL4Y_c\/Rn_93sLPaMI\/AAAAAAAAB_8\/eIfZlfG-eUQ\/s1600-h\/IMG_0001.JPG\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;\" src=\"http:\/\/bp2.blogger.com\/_NeoZjZL4Y_c\/Rn_93sLPaMI\/AAAAAAAAB_8\/eIfZlfG-eUQ\/s400\/IMG_0001.JPG\" alt=\"\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080058037890148546\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a>Will rides one of the cars around the kids&#8217; track.  He LOVED this.<a onblur=\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href=\"http:\/\/bp3.blogger.com\/_NeoZjZL4Y_c\/Rn_938LPaNI\/AAAAAAAACAE\/DeP5c9rrKx8\/s1600-h\/IMG_0011.JPG\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;\" src=\"http:\/\/bp3.blogger.com\/_NeoZjZL4Y_c\/Rn_938LPaNI\/AAAAAAAACAE\/DeP5c9rrKx8\/s400\/IMG_0011.JPG\" alt=\"\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080058042185115858\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>During our trip to Pennsylvania, we drove out to the Lancaster area to the City of Strasburg to visit the Strasburg Railroad. Paul is pretty sure that as beautiful and quaint as it is, the railroad and surrounding hoop-la is sort of like the Pennsylvania Dutch&#8216;s version of South of the Border.All that aside, we [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[16],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.coldspaghetti.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1945"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.coldspaghetti.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.coldspaghetti.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.coldspaghetti.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.coldspaghetti.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1945"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.coldspaghetti.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1945\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.coldspaghetti.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1945"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.coldspaghetti.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1945"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.coldspaghetti.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1945"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}