Red Caboose Motel & Restaurant is a Nostalgic, Train-Themed Holiday for Couples in Pennsylvania’s Amish Country
The Quick type: The Red Caboose Motel & Restaurant might serving train-loving individuals, lovers, and individuals close to the Strasburg Rail Line in Pennsylvania since 1970. But the group says the home isn’t when it comes down to faint of center. With 9 acres nowadays 38 cabooses (and something post car, one baggage automobile, a farm home, and a cafe or restaurant), it will require a rather special and devoted individual preserve and breathe existence into the home. Go into the Prickett family â grandfather Todd, son Tyler, in addition to their wives Debra and Kat â exactly who bought the motel and increased to the challenge of refurbishing the cabooses and also the cafe. Your family consistently make improvements and introduce more folks towards Red Caboose’s distinctive rooms, cafe, and connections to railroad record.
The Red Caboose Motel & eatery is actually popular destination for train-lovers over almost five years of operation, it hardly ever came into existence. Whenever initial proprietor, Donald Denlinger, watched 19 excess Pennsylvania Railroad cabooses upwards for market during the summer of 1969, the guy added a modest bid.
Six months afterwards, that quote ended up being accepted. And sleep is record.
In 1970, Donald converted the cabooses into compartments, and he used the cabins’ connection to railway background to attract train aficionados from all over. Once the Red Caboose Motel started in May 1970, more than 4,500 individuals toured the upgraded train cars in the first five several hours. Across the next nearly 50 years, many individuals, couples, and individuals make the pilgrimage to rural Ronks, Pennsylvania, to stay during the Red Caboose.
“the place is exclusive in this it really is practice automobiles,” said Kat Prickett, Red Caboose Co-Owner and Marketing Manager. “Lodging is actually the location and also the attraction, not just another location to lay your mind overnight.”
Over the years, the cabooses have required substantial maintenance. The first proprietors could not maintain the mandatory work at the house, so they really started seeking someone that could.
Thankfully, the Prickett household â father Todd, child Tyler, and their wives Debra and Kat â bought the hotel and increased on the obstacle of repairing the cabooses in addition to restaurant.
“We took more than in February 2016, and in addition we’ve already been working hard to displace the 50-year-old residential property,” Kat said. “The cabooses in the current weather all of this time implies they needed some really love. We also got the cafe right back beneath the umbrella of the hotel and re-branded it Casey Jones’ eatery.”
The Red Caboose isn’t only 19 automobiles any longer. With time, the place widened to 38 vehicles, such as a baggage auto, a post auto, as well as 2 big dining vehicles that chair as much as 150 men and women. Kat mentioned website visitors enjoy that all the vehicles however maintain their Americana design and personality.
“We’re wanting to provide a long-lasting knowledge for virtually any guest, anytime,” she told all of us. “we need to send people out with outstanding memory space employing family.”
an appealing Atmosphere for several Ages
The Red Caboose Motel & Restaurant rests on nine acres of area in Amish nation, so many guests exactly who book making use of the resort trip to experience the house’s charm.
The motel offers lots of unique experiences. Each visitor room is situated in a caboose that keeps the practice automobile’s initial character. Eg, many roofs are curved, showing the automobile’s previous existence regarding railway. Each place has an original style and its particular title, and, such as the Double Double Caboose, the Small group Caboose, additionally the Queen partners Caboose.
People who remain at The Red Caboose undoubtedly aren’t roughing it, though, because rooms include fridges, microwaves, flat-screen TVs, and wifi. Lots of people decide to stay for special occasions, and a few honoring after marriage might elect to stay in the enchanting Honeymoon Caboose.
“It’s a king sleep and a jacuzzi and a small patio on back. People publication that for special occasions,” Kat stated.
The folks just who stay at The Red Caboose aren’t of a specific demographic or age class. Rather, the hotel draws people of all ages trying commemorate their milestones â or bask for the reputation of the railway.
One couple which celebrated their honeymoon from the Red Caboose in 1984 not too long ago gone back to the hotel to commemorate their 35th anniversary.
“our very own stay with you in Sep was actually one we are going to never forget. The accommodation ended up being fantastic while the food exceptional. Hopefully to go back again,” Warren and Beverly, several from Australian Continent, stated of the experience.
The employees can happy to help facilitate unexpected situations for friends â assuming a spouse desires to commemorate a unique affair with balloons, drink, or dessert.
“Since we’re family-owned and controlled, we are obtainable. If people have an idea, they may be able make contact with us and come up with it occur,” Kat said.
Furthermore, The Red Caboose’s nine miles provide visitors with so much more to accomplish than honoring practice history. Some other destinations include a petting zoo, buggy flights, and a viewing tower lovers can go observe the country.
The Pricketts are capable restore many of the cabooses at this point, taking care of certain each year, and others have obtained brand new bedspreads, curtains, and fresh applications of paint. However they’re not even close to accomplished.
“discover constantly fantastic circumstances in the works. We are continuously dealing with restoring things and maintaining them in good shape for generations in the future,” Kat stated.
Casey Jones’ eatery is actually an upmarket Date-Night Destination
The Red Caboose Motel is during an outlying place, but couples do not have to drive into town in order to get a bite to consume. The Pricketts have actually repaired the Caboose’s original eatery, renaming it Casey Jones’ Restaurant.
“It’s today in two traveler autos that once rode the rails from the Pennsylvania Railroad,” Kat stated.
Couples dining at Casey Jones’ eatery can purchase upscale dinner choices like glazed fish or swelling crab desserts. Additional diet plan things include barbecue ribs, spaghetti, and a Caprese salad.
Kat suggests lovers not leave dinner within restaurant without enjoying a piece of crumb cake.
“We make use of my grandmother’s recipe, and I bake every one my self,” she mentioned. “It claimed beginning within condition farm program. We’re constantly attempting to sell out of it, and that means you need certainly to try it when you are here.”
The cafe is available for much more informal morning meal and lunch solution, while offering an all-day brunch diet plan. The staples with this eating plan will be the Maine French Toast, stuffed with cream-cheese and either blueberries or strawberries.
“It is fun for eating at the restaurant because both vehicles have actually fantastic views associated with Amish nation plus the sunset while the Strasburg Railroad,” Kat said.
The Red Caboose helps to keep the nostalgic spirit lively in most part of the place, too. Kat mentioned the team provides possibilities to permit their own personalities shine through while at the office.
“our very own front desk staff dress like conductors, and our very own servicing staff members dress like engineers,” she informed us. “the bistro waitstaff tend to be dressed like those you might have experienced back many years ago on the railroad.”
The idea would be to bring visitors back again to a period when train vacation over the united states of america was actually a lot more trendy and appealing.
You and Your Partner Can encounter Pennsylvania’s railway background Up Close
Guests just who stay at The Red Caboose tend to be undoubtedly followers of trains, but some of these are also contemplating practice background â which is why they decide to stay close to the Strasburg Railroad, the usa’ oldest railway line, which unsealed in 1832 possesses already been functioning from the time.
The Red Caboose offers practice lovers the chance to end up being close up and personal with exclusive trains. For instance, in autumn 2019, visitors can easily see an engine that will be driving the Strasburg Rail Line for six weeks, the Norfolk & west Class J steam locomotive #611.
“It’s the Super Bowl for train enthusiasts since there are image options and opportunities to drive the train,” Kat said. “We’re currently sold-out for example weekend.”
During their time as people who own The Red Caboose, the Pricketts have upgraded the historical place while also that makes it unique.
“We feel just like we are part of some thing special and distinctive,” Kat said. “we have to influence everybody’s life, in the event meaning we get to help them have a better time.”
