Enjoy a leisurely train ride through the heart of Central Pennsylvania! Visiting the East Broad Top Railroad Heritage Park is far more than just a train ride. It’s an immersive journey through the heart of America’s industrial past. The East Broad Top Railroad has been ranked the second-best scenic train ride in North America, according to USA TODAY’s 2025 “10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards.”
The trip includes a scenic train ride over America’s oldest operating narrow-gauge railroad and a guided tour of the largest and most intact early-20th-century belt-driven machine shop complex still in existence.
One-Hour Scenic Train Ride
Ride the rails through rolling hills, forests, and pastoral farmland on a nine-mile, one-hour roundtrip. At Colgate Grove, the halfway point of your journey, enjoy the scenery during a 90-minute layover. As early as 1890, passengers could disembark trains at Colgate Grove to enjoy a shaded picnic. Colgate Grove is situated among the farm fields and forest, and is the perfect spot for a picnic lunch (included in cost). Two picnic shelters, picnic tables, and porta-potties are on site.
One-Hour Guided Tour of Historic Shop Complex
Explore the inner workings of a late-19th/early-20th-century railroad, which are frozen in time, with a one-hour tour. Led by a knowledgeable guide, you will visit the Roundhouse (home of the railroad’s steam locomotive fleet) and the largest and most intact belt-driven machine shop in the United States. Along the way, you will discover the rich history of the East Broad Top Railroad and the remarkable story that has allowed it to survive into preservation.
Itinerary
Physical activity level: Stairs involved. Museum/exhibit walking, accessible areas.
- 10:00 AM — Meet at East Broad Top Railroad, 421 Meadow Street, Rockhill Furnace
- 10:30 AM — Train ride to Colgate Grove
- 11:00 AM — Boxed lunch at Colgate Grove. Covered pavilion and restrooms available on site. This is a 90-minute layover. Walk around, bring cards to play, or chat with friends!
- 12:30 PM — Train ride back to Rockhill Furnace
- 1:00 PM — Guided tour of Belt Driven Machine Shop Complex
- 2:00 PM — Free time for restrooms/gift shop, etc.
- 2:30 PM — Depart
Boxed Lunch Options (sub options listed below, plus nacho strips, macaroni salad, and a bottle of water):
- Pulled Chicken Wrap
- Buffalo Chicken Wrap
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap
- Club Sandwich Wrap
- Mediterranean Wrap (Veggie)
** Information on lunch options will be sent to participants via email to make their personal selection.
Cost Per Person
$40/member
$65/nonmember
Included in cost: train ride, guided tour of historic shop, and boxed lunch
