Ma & Pa Railroad Heritage Village in Muddy Creek Forks, Pennsylvania

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Muddy Creek Forks, Pennsylvania · Updated October 19, 2026 · 12 min read

Heritage railroad with a museumTrain ridesFreeSundays June through Labor Day, 1 pm to 5 pm, plus special event days; grounds open year-round

The Ma & Pa Railroad Heritage Village preserves Muddy Creek Forks as it looked around 1915, a railroad village on the meandering Baltimore to York line, with its general store and station, roller mill and grain elevator, and motorcar trains still running along the Muddy Creek.

  • Motorcar rides on the Ma & Pa main line
  • Free admission to the village
  • 1900 general store, station and post office
  • National Register historic district
  • Christmas City Express in December
  • Grounds open year-round

Ma & Pa Railroad Heritage Village at a glance

Hours
Sundays June through Labor Day, 1 pm to 5 pm (last train 4:15 pm), plus special event days; grounds open year-round for self-guided walking tours
Admission
Village free; train tickets $10 adults, $7 children, under 3 free ($1 online handling fee)
Train rides
Motorcar train rides on every open day; last train leaves 45 minutes before closing
Seasonal events
Mid Atlantic Milling Days, Phonographs & Ice Cream, River to Rails, Civil War Encampment, Early American Autos, World War II Encampment, Afternoon Tea, Railroad Heritage Day, Pumpkin Patch Excursions, Fall Foliage Excursions, Christmas City Express
Plan for
About 2 hours
Best for
Families with young kids and rail history fans
Best ages
Toddlers to age 12

Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Ma & Pa Railroad Heritage Village? Bring Rally along.

In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Muddy Creek Forks.

Page 1 of 8

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

Like it so far? See the full book

25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.

A railroad village frozen around 1915

The Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad, known to everyone as the Ma & Pa, linked Baltimore and York on a twisting 77-mile route that began as a narrow-gauge line. Muddy Creek Forks grew up beside it as a small commercial village where farmers sent grain and freight and families picked up their mail. In the 1930s and 1940s the Ma & Pa became famous as a pioneer of railfan excursions, with an open-air flatcar that carried fans through the valley.

Today the Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad Preservation Society cares for the village, now listed on the National Register as the Muddy Creek Forks Historic District. Volunteers have kept the A.M. Grove General Store, the roller mill, the grain elevator and the fertilizer buildings standing next to the main line, and the village still looks little changed since the turn of the 20th century. Even the two-hole outhouse behind the store survives.

The society has also brought original Ma & Pa equipment home. EMD SW-9 diesel #82 was moved from York to Muddy Creek Forks, and flatcar #110, built from stock car #210 in 1938 and once the star of those railfan trips, came back after years in storage at the Early American Steam Engine Society's Steam-O-Rama grounds in Windsor, where it had been rigged as a derrick loader. Volunteers Pete Tinsley, Mike Shay, Dan Varholy and Craig Sansonetti met the truck on moving day, and the society plans to restore #110 as the excursion car it was in the 1940s.

Store, station, mill and a ride along the creek

The A.M. Grove General Store, built in 1900, is the heart of the village. All four floors once held merchandise. Inside, the Muddy Creek Forks Post Office sorted mail from four mail trains a day, and one room serves as the Ma & Pa station, with a ticket counter, telegraph key and antique phone. A small telephone room holds a switching machine from the Stewartstown exchange of the York Eastern Telephone Company. The rope-driven freight elevator, built into the store in 1900, still works and volunteers demonstrate it. There is a player piano, an authentic cash register, a grand staircase, a diorama of the village and railroad exhibits with artifacts and photos.

Outside, you can tour the grain elevator and roller mill and see the scale house, corn cribs, barn and cannery ruins on an 18-stop walking tour. An original Ma & Pa caboose and diesel #82 sit on display, and motorcar trains made from maintenance work cars take riders on a five-mile trip through the Muddy Creek valley. Picnic tables and the store's wrap-around porch make it easy to stay a while.

Don’t miss

  1. The motorcar train rideA five-mile trip on the original Ma & Pa main line through the Muddy Creek valley, running on every open day.
  2. The 1900 rope-driven freight elevatorStill operating inside the A.M. Grove store, with live demonstrations.
  3. The station room and post officeTicket counter, telegraph key and mail boxes show how a village store doubled as the railroad's front door.
  4. EMD SW-9 #82An original Ma & Pa diesel switcher, moved from York to join the society's collection.
  5. Flatcar #110The open-air excursion car of the 1940s railfan trips, now home and awaiting restoration.
  6. The roller mill and grain elevatorMill buildings that served the farms along the line; the upper floors are toured only during Mid Atlantic Milling Days.

Motorcars, geocaches and a working elevator

Kids can ride the motorcar train, watch the old rope elevator go up and down, hear the player piano and go geocaching around the village. Costumed docents lead school and homeschool field trips set around 1915 and ask kids to think about how daily life was different.

The Christmas City Express in December includes a train ride, hot chocolate, cookies, a tree ornament and a visit with Santa, and children under 3 ride free on a lap. Summer Sundays are relaxed, with picnic tables and a big porch for snack breaks.

Plan your visit: tips for Ma & Pa Railroad Heritage Village

  • Buy train tickets online in advance; capacity is limited.
  • Arrive 15 minutes before your train departs.
  • The store and gift shop are open only during the June to September operating season and event days.
  • Christmas City Express requires advance tickets.
  • Leave a little time for the nearby Wallace-Cross Mill, one of the few water-powered grist mills left in York County.

The village fills its calendar with themed weekends, and two are made for families. Pumpkin Patch Excursions run in October, followed by Fall Foliage Excursions (adults $10, children $7). In December the Christmas City Express brings a train ride, hot chocolate, cookies, an ornament and a visit with Santa for $20 per adult and $15 per child, with advance tickets required. See our lists of Halloween and pumpkin train rides in Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania Christmas train rides for more.

The Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad Preservation Society

The village is preserved and run by the Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad Preservation Society, whose volunteers staff the store, lead tours in period costume, run the motorcars and restore track and equipment. Railfans and history buffs can join the society, sign up for track or equipment work at volunteer@maandparailroad.com, donate online, or simply ride the train and shop the gift shop.

More trains in southern York County and beyond

The Stewartstown Railroad is only about 7 miles away, and the Northern Central Railway of York in New Freedom is about 13 miles off. About 20 miles northeast, the Strasburg Rail Road makes a full day of steam. Browse all of Pennsylvania's train museums for more.

Every train museum in Pennsylvania

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of Rally the corgi looking out an arched train window at the ocean and a white bird
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

Back in the 1940s, Ma & Pa riders sat on an open flatcar and watched the Muddy Creek valley roll past. That is my favorite kind of view. In our book Rally gets an arched window with the ocean outside and a white bird to greet. You can color that page yourself from our coloring pages.

Free for train families

Print the Rally coloring pages before you go

Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.

Get the free coloring pages
Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

More for train families

Work or volunteer at Ma & Pa Railroad Heritage Village?

We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.

Sources

Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.

Ma & Pa Railroad Heritage Village: 20 family questions

Where is the Ma & Pa Railroad Heritage Village?

The village is at 1258 Muddy Creek Forks Rd, Airville, PA 17302, at Muddy Creek Forks in southern York County. It sits along the original main line of the Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad beside the Muddy Creek. The mailing address is P.O. Box 2262, York, PA 17405.

When is the Ma & Pa Railroad Heritage Village open?

As of October 2026, the train, store and buildings are open Sundays from June through Labor Day, 1 pm to 5 pm, with the last train at 4:15 pm, plus special event days through December. The grounds are open year-round for self-guided walking tours.

How much does the Ma & Pa Railroad Heritage Village cost?

Admission to the village is free. As of October 2026, train tickets are $10 for adults, $7 for children and free for kids under 3, with a $1 handling fee on online orders. Special events such as the Christmas City Express are priced separately.

Can you ride a train at the Ma & Pa Railroad Heritage Village?

Yes. Motorcar trains, made up of former maintenance work cars, run on every open day and during special events. The trip covers about five miles through the scenic Muddy Creek valley on the original Ma & Pa main line. The last train leaves 45 minutes before closing.

Should I buy Ma & Pa Railroad train tickets in advance?

Yes. Train capacity is limited, and the society recommends buying tickets online ahead of time, with a $1 handling fee per online ticket. Arrive 15 minutes before your train departs. Some events, such as River to Rails, sell out early.

What is the Ma & Pa Railroad Christmas City Express?

The Christmas City Express is the village's December holiday train. As of October 2026, tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for children, and children under 3 ride free on a lap. The price includes a tree ornament, hot chocolate, cookies, a train ride and a visit with Santa. Advance purchase is required.

When does the Christmas City Express run in 2026?

The 2026 calendar lists the Christmas City Express on December 5 and 6, 12 and 13, and 19 and 20. Departure times are posted on the society's events calendar. Because tickets are limited, book online early at maandparailroad.com.

Does the Ma & Pa Railroad have pumpkin or fall foliage trains?

Yes. Pumpkin Patch Excursions run on an October weekend, and Fall Foliage Excursions follow on later October weekends into early November. As of October 2026, fall foliage tickets are $10 for adults, $7 for children and free under 3. Check the calendar for this year's dates.

What was the Ma & Pa Railroad?

The Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad, nicknamed the Ma & Pa, connected Baltimore and York on a meandering 77-mile route that began as a narrow-gauge line. In the 1930s and 1940s it became famous as a pioneer of railfan excursions, using an open-air flatcar for sightseeing trips.

What is in the A.M. Grove General Store?

Built in 1900, the four-floor store holds the Muddy Creek Forks Post Office, the Ma & Pa station room with ticket counter and telegraph key, a telephone room with a switching machine from the Stewartstown exchange, a player piano, an authentic cash register, a working rope-driven freight elevator, a village diorama and railroad exhibits.

Is the Ma & Pa Railroad Heritage Village good for toddlers?

Yes. The motorcar ride is short and gentle, kids under 3 ride free, and there is plenty to see without long walks: the store, the elevator demonstration, the caboose and the porch. Picnic tables make snack breaks easy on a summer Sunday.

What locomotives and cars are at Muddy Creek Forks?

The collection includes EMD SW-9 diesel #82, moved from York, an original Ma & Pa caboose and flatcar #110, the open-air excursion car of the 1940s railfan trips. The society plans to restore #110 to its excursion look. Rosters of Ma & Pa steam and diesel engines are on its website.

Can schools take field trips to the Ma & Pa Railroad Heritage Village?

Yes. Costumed docents lead school groups, homeschoolers, bus tours and chartered events through the village, set in about 1915. Students explore the buildings, ride the motorcar train, go geocaching and visit the store. Email info@maandparailroad.com to plan a visit.

Is there geocaching at the Ma & Pa Railroad Heritage Village?

Yes. Geocaching is one of the activities the society promotes at the village, and it is part of the field trip program too. Since the grounds are open year-round for self-guided visits, it can be a fun off-season outing even when the trains are not running.

Does the Ma & Pa Railroad Heritage Village have a gift shop?

Yes. The store sells refreshments, souvenirs and gifts for Ma & Pa fans during the June to September operating season, and the society also has an online shop. Purchases help support preservation of the railroad and the village.

What special events does the Ma & Pa Railroad hold?

The 2026 calendar includes Mid Atlantic Milling Days, Phonographs & Ice Cream, River to Rails with a cruise on the Chief Uncas, a Civil War Encampment, Early American Autos, a World War II Encampment, Afternoon Tea, Railroad Heritage Day, Pumpkin Patch Excursions, Fall Foliage Excursions and the Christmas City Express.

Can you tour the roller mill at Muddy Creek Forks?

Yes. Visitors can tour the grain elevator and roller mill on open days, along with the scale house, corn cribs, barn and cannery ruins. Guided tours of the mill's upper floors are offered only during the Mid Atlantic Milling Days weekend in June.

How can I volunteer with the Ma & Pa Railroad Preservation Society?

The Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad Preservation Society welcomes railfans, history buffs and anyone who likes unusual equipment. For track or equipment work, email info@maandparailroad.com; for other volunteer roles, write to volunteer@maandparailroad.com. You can also become a member or donate online.

How long should I spend at the Ma & Pa Railroad Heritage Village?

Plan about two hours on an open Sunday to ride the motorcar train, tour the store and mill, and take part of the 18-stop walking tour. Event days, picnics on the porch and a stop at the nearby Wallace-Cross Mill can easily fill an afternoon.

What train attractions are near the Ma & Pa Railroad Heritage Village?

The Stewartstown Railroad is about 7 miles away and the Northern Central Railway of York in New Freedom about 13 miles. The Strasburg Rail Road, Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania and Choo Choo Barn in Strasburg are about 20 miles away, and the Baltimore Streetcar Museum is about 35 miles.

Keep exploring

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Kelsey Cecil
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