This Vintage 1950s Train Is Back for the First Time in a Decade — and You Can Ride It in the Northeast

All aboard!

A historic train experience is making a comeback in Pennsylvania.

In April, the East Broad Top Railroad (EBT) located in Orbisonia, within the rolling hills and farmlands of central Pennsylvania, will turn on its engines once again on May 6.

The East Broad Top Railroad stopped at a station
Matthew Malkiewicz/Courtesy of The East Broad Top Railroad

According to a statement provided to Travel + Leisure, the 150-year-old railroad is the only surviving three-foot gauge common carrier railroad east of the Rocky Mountains and is considered by the Smithsonian to be one of the best-preserved examples of 19th-century American narrow gauge railroads. (Trust us, to train enthusiasts, this is a big deal.)

The train shut down service in 1955, reopened as a tourist attraction in 1960, and then closed again in 2011 and has not been back in service since. Now, from May 6 through the end of the year, the East Broad Top Railroad will be open for one-hour train rides in the vintage caboose, passenger car, or open-air car.

The interior of the open air cars on The East Broad Top Railroad out on a train ride
Matthew Malkiewicz/Courtesy of The East Broad Top Railroad

"[A hundred and fifty] years ago, the East Broad Top was among the earliest railroads in America to try a revolutionary new technology: narrow gauge," according to the railway's website. "Saved from scrapping by the Kovalchick family, the EBT was recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 1964. Preserved today by the EBT Foundation, we welcome visitors from around the world to sample this monument to early railroading and our industrial heritage."

The East Broad Top Railroad out on a train ride
Matthew Malkiewicz/Courtesy of The East Broad Top Railroad

The trip will take guests on a nine-mile, round-trip ride from the historic roundhouse and shops in Orbisonia to Colgate Grove and back. Guests can choose between standard class, which comes with bench-style seating just behind the locomotive, or caboose seating for an even more historic adventure. Prices for the train ride begin at $20 for adults and $18 for children.

The East Broad Top Railroad stopped at a station
Matthew Malkiewicz/Courtesy of The East Broad Top Railroad

Beyond the train rides, guests can also take part in a historic shop tour that includes viewing the machines and tools that keep the train working just as it did the day it opened. Vintage trolley rides are also available for those looking for a shorter excursion. See more about all the trips and grab your tickets here.

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