Choo Choo Barn – ChooChoorific

 

 

 

Our Weekends in Lancaster series continues with a trip to the Choo Choo Barn in Strasburg, Lancaster County, Pennyslvania.

 

The Choo Choo Barn is located about 2 blocks down from Strasburg Rail Road. It is one gigantic, 1700 square feet, model train layout. Beyond the size of the layout at Choo Choo Barn there is so much that makes it ChooChoorific for train lovers young and old.

 

Why My Boys Loved the Choo Choo Barn

• It’s built at their eye level. No having to hold anyone up or standing on stools. Kids can walk around the complete layout and take in all the animations and details.

 

• 22 different model trains in operation

  • “O Gauge” trains
  • HO Gauge
  • One N Gauge train as well.
  • Trains from ionel, Mike’s Train House (MTH) and K-Line.

• At different times when you walk through the lights go out and you can see the train display lit up as it would appear at night.

• Over 150 hand-built animated objects moving in displays

  • Amish hammer a roof on a barn

  

  • Planes fly overhead
  • A marching band parades down the street
  • Subway passengers take moving escalators to the train platform
  • Cable cars move between mountains
  • A hot air balloon rises and lowers through the sky

  

  • A ferris wheel spins
  • Cars ride along roads
  • Stunt men participate in circus acts
  • A hunter hunts a groundhog
  • Carpenters build a house
  • Flashing police cars

  

  • Water fountains
  • 2-lane moving highway
  • A flag blows in the wind

• So many different displays representing some of the most well known Lancaster attractions, favorite American past times, and daily life

  • Dutch Haven restaurant

  

  • Dutch Wonderland Amusement Park
  • Ski slope
  • Ski lodge
  • Ice skaters
  • The Willows
  • Fire Rescue Scene
  • A farm with the tobacco barn
  • Strasburg Fire House
  • A church modeled after the First Presbyterian Church in Strasburg
  • Neighborhoods
  • Circus

  

  • Parades
  • Zoo
  • Construction sites
  • Motor vehicle accident scene
  • Baseball Game

  

  • Memorial Day Ceremony
  • Parks

 

View more of our pictures from the Choo Choo Barn in our Facebook Gallery.

 

What else do you need to know to enjoy a visit to Choo Choo Barn?

• Leave the stroller in the car. The pathway around the train exhibit is not very wide. You can fit a stroller but if you decide you want to move around people having a stroller will make it difficult.
• Visitors can move at their own pace around the display. Be prepared for some to linger in one spot as they admire the displays. You can move around them at your own pace as well. Expect to spend anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours enjoying the display depending on the interest level of your family.
• The Choo Choo Barn is closed from January through March for annual cleaning and creating additional scenery and animation to the train model display.
• Check out this cool picture we found at the Choo Choo Barn Facebook Page. Review it before you come so you don’t miss out on any of the extra cool details they have.

Choo Choo Barn Admission Rates

• Adults (12 and older) $7
• Kids (3 to 11) $4

 Choo Choo Barn Hours of Operation

• From March 10 – December 31 Choo Choo Barn is open 10 am – 5 pm.
• Admission to the displays stops at 4:30 pm or 30 minutes before the Choo Choo Barn closes for the day.

 

Click over to see the rest of our Family Travel to Lancaster series.

In full disclosure, this post was sponsored in part by the Choo Choo Barn who provided us with tickets to make our article possible. We were responsible for our own travel and lodging costs. As always our opinions are honest and our own and based on our experiences at the Choo Choo Barn.