Stewartstown Railroad, Pennsylvania

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Stewartstown, Pennsylvania · Updated October 19, 2026 · 11 min read

Heritage railroad with a museumTrain ridesEvent trains on select dates, Easter through Christmas

The Stewartstown Railroad, chartered in 1884 and still holding its original corporate charter, is a 7.4-mile short line in southern York County where volunteers run caboose and coach excursions through the Deer Creek valley behind vintage locomotives like the 1943 Plymouth switcher known as Mighty-Mo.

  • Chartered in 1884, opened 1885
  • 7.4 miles to New Freedom
  • All-volunteer operation
  • 1943 Plymouth switcher Mighty-Mo
  • Drive a 1946 GE 44-tonner
  • Event trains Easter to Christmas

Stewartstown Railroad at a glance

Hours
Event trains on select dates; see the online events calendar
Admission
Varies by event; recent fares range from about $15 to $67, with HOTT Seat at $277
Train rides
Themed caboose and coach excursions, motor car trips and the HOTT Seat locomotive experience
Seasonal events
Fall Foliage Express, New Freedom Motor Car Excursion, Ice Princess Limited, Candy Cane Express, Evening Candy Cane Express, The Grinch Storybook Limited, HOTT Seat: Hands On The Throttle
Plan for
About 1 to 2 hours
Best for
Families with young kids and short line fans
Best ages
Toddlers to age 10
Parking
Lot next to the station at 19 West Pennsylvania Ave

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

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Stewartstown Railroad? 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 Stewartstown.

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.

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

A farm town's railroad that refused to quit

Local citizens chartered the Stewartstown Railroad in 1884, and it opened in 1885 as a 7.4-mile short line linking the farming community of Stewartstown with the Northern Central Railway at New Freedom. In its early years it ran as many as six trains a day carrying passengers and farm goods, serving mostly farmers and a few small manufacturers. When the Great Depression and the shift to trucks in the late 1950s finished off many small railroads, Stewartstown survived by trading its steam engines for gas-powered locomotives.

Business slowed through the 1960s, but a loyal group of supporters, many of them stockholders, kept using the line until Hurricane Agnes struck in 1972. Stewartstown's own track came through mostly intact, but the connecting Northern Central was badly damaged, and neither Penn Central nor the planners of the new Conrail would repair it. The little railroad was cut off from the rest of the country.

Rather than give up, the company kept up its right of way and locomotives. Its patience paid off when the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation reopened the Northern Central, and in 1985 Stewartstown took trackage rights and ran trains there until 1992. Passenger excursions continued on its own line until 2004. Today, thanks to volunteers, rail fans and the local community, the railroad is back in passenger service, still very much in original condition and still under its original charter.

Cabooses, a coach and the Deer Creek valley

Trains board at the station at 21 West Pennsylvania Avenue in Stewartstown, and riders choose from authentic cabooses and a newly renovated passenger coach. The line follows the rolling hills and woods of the Deer Creek valley toward New Freedom. Mighty-Mo, a 1943 Plymouth switcher, is the railroad's best known locomotive, and a 1946 GE 44-ton locomotive stars in the Hands On The Throttle experience.

The station yard is a working maintenance base, and the railroad shows off the tools volunteers use to keep the track in shape: a Nordberg Super B spiker for driving spikes, a tie inserter that pulls old ties and sets new ones, a tamper for packing ballast, a hi-rail dump truck that drives on road or rail, a backhoe, a ballast car and the motor cars, or speeders, that pull equipment down the line.

Don’t miss

  1. Mighty-MoThe railroad's beloved 1943 Plymouth switcher, a reminder of how Stewartstown survived by switching from steam to gas-powered engines.
  2. HOTT Seat: Hands On The ThrottleTake the controls of a 1946 GE 44-ton locomotive on a short line with more than 140 years of history.
  3. The caboosesAuthentic cabooses give riders a classic short line view of the valley.
  4. Track maintenance equipmentThe spiker, tie inserter, tamper and speeders in the station yard show the hard work behind every ride.
  5. New Freedom Motor Car ExcursionA speeder-style trip along the line to the New Freedom interchange.

Princess trains, storybook rides and Santa season

The railroad runs family event trains from Easter through Christmas, and several are built for young kids: the Ice Princess Limited in November, the Candy Cane Express from late November through December, and a Grinch storybook train in mid December. Riding in a real caboose is a treat on its own.

Birthday parties are a specialty too, since the railroad rents out trains for private charters. Older kids and grown-up rail fans may want to save up for the HOTT Seat, where they can drive a real locomotive.

Plan your visit: tips for Stewartstown Railroad

  • Buy tickets online early; HOTT Seat dates sell out.
  • Park in the lot beside the station at 19 West Pennsylvania Ave.
  • Ask about private charters for birthdays, reunions and business meetings.
  • Check the events page often; new dates are added through the season.

Holiday season is the railroad's busiest stretch. As of October 2026, the Candy Cane Express runs on select dates from November 28 to December 20 with morning and afternoon departures, an Evening Candy Cane Express leaves at 6 pm on select December dates, and a Grinch storybook train runs December 12 to 19. For more ideas, see our guide to Christmas train rides in Pennsylvania.

An all-volunteer railroad

Stewartstown Railroad is operated by an all-volunteer group dedicated to preserving the town's railroad history, from running trains to replacing ties and spikes. Riders help by buying tickets, booking charters and following the railroad on Facebook and Instagram, and anyone interested in helping can reach the railroad at info@stewartstownrailroadco.com.

York County rail neighbors

The Northern Central Railway of York in New Freedom, where the Stewartstown line connects, is about 6 miles away. The Ma & Pa Railroad Heritage Village is about 7 miles off, and the Baltimore Streetcar Museum is about 31 miles south. See the full Pennsylvania list for more.

Every train museum in Pennsylvania

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor view from inside a dark tunnel looking out at a sunny beach and cliffs
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

The Evening Candy Cane Express leaves at 6 pm, when December is already dark. I can picture kids in the caboose waiting for something bright. In our book, the train rolls through a dark tunnel and comes out to a big bright light and happy cheers. My mom dreamed up that moment before she died in 2021, and you can read about her on our story page.

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 Stewartstown Railroad?

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.

Stewartstown Railroad: 20 questions riders ask

Where is the Stewartstown Railroad?

The Stewartstown Railroad station is at 21 West Pennsylvania Ave, Stewartstown, PA 17363, in southern York County. Parking is in the lot next to the station at 19 West Pennsylvania Ave. The railroad's mailing address is P.O. Box 155, Stewartstown, PA 17363.

What is the Stewartstown Railroad Company?

The Stewartstown Railroad Company is a short line chartered in 1884 that began service in 1885. It runs 7.4 miles from Stewartstown to an interchange with the former Northern Central Railway at New Freedom. Today it is mainly a tourist railroad operated by an all-volunteer group.

How do I buy Stewartstown Railroad tickets?

Tickets are sold online through the events listings at stewartstownrailroadco.com, with each event showing its departure times and prices. As of October 2026, fares range from about $15 to $67 depending on the event and seating. Popular dates sell out, so book early.

What is the Stewartstown Railroad schedule?

The railroad runs event trains on select dates rather than a daily schedule. As of October 2026, upcoming trips include the Fall Foliage Express on November 7, the New Freedom Motor Car Excursion on November 8, the Ice Princess Limited on November 14 and holiday trains from November 28 to December 20.

Is the Stewartstown Railroad running today?

Only on scheduled event days, since the railroad does not run a daily train. Check the upcoming events list at stewartstownrailroadco.com for today's departures and seats left, or call (717) 746-4998. The railroad runs family event trains from Easter through Christmas, and most departures fall on weekends.

What events does the Stewartstown Railroad run?

Recent and upcoming events include the Fall Foliage Express, New Freedom Motor Car Excursion, Ice Princess Limited, Candy Cane Express, Evening Candy Cane Express, a Grinch storybook train and the HOTT Seat locomotive driving experience. A regional tourism listing says event trains run from Easter through Christmas.

Does the Stewartstown Railroad have a Christmas train?

Yes. As of October 2026, the Candy Cane Express runs on select dates from November 28 to December 20 at 10 am, 12:45 pm and 2:30 pm, with fares from $19 to $67. An Evening Candy Cane Express departs at 6 pm on select December dates, and a Grinch storybook train runs December 12 to 19.

What is the HOTT Seat at the Stewartstown Railroad?

HOTT Seat stands for Hands On The Throttle. Participants take control of a historic 1946 GE 44-ton locomotive on the railroad's own track. As of October 2026, the October session costs $277 and sold out, and a November 21 date was listed as coming soon.

Is there a Stewartstown Railroad map?

The railroad runs 7.4 miles from its station in Stewartstown through the Deer Creek valley to an interchange in New Freedom with the former Northern Central Railway. The railroad does not post a detailed route map online, so ask the crew about the route when you ride.

What locomotives are on the Stewartstown Railroad roster?

The railroad's best known engine is Mighty-Mo, a 1943 Plymouth switcher. It also operates a 1946 GE 44-ton locomotive for the HOTT Seat experience, plus authentic cabooses, a renovated passenger coach and motor cars. For a full roster, contact the railroad or check rail history sites.

When was the Stewartstown Railroad built?

Local citizens chartered the railroad in 1884, and it began operations in 1885. It is one of the oldest continuously existing common-carrier railroad companies and still operates under its original corporate charter, in very much original condition.

What happened to the Stewartstown Railroad after Hurricane Agnes?

Hurricane Agnes in 1972 left Stewartstown's track mostly intact but badly damaged the connecting Northern Central Railway, which Penn Central and Conrail would not repair. Cut off, the railroad kept up its line and engines until PennDOT reopened the Northern Central, and it took trackage rights there in 1985.

Can I rent the Stewartstown Railroad for a party?

Yes. The railroad offers charters for birthday parties, anniversaries, business meetings, graduations, family reunions and other special events, and a regional listing says it can also handle bus charters. Call (717) 746-4998 or email info@stewartstownrailroadco.com to plan one.

Is the Stewartstown Railroad good for toddlers?

Yes. Many of its trains are built for young families, such as the Ice Princess Limited, the Candy Cane Express and the storybook holiday train, and riding in a real caboose is exciting for small kids. Rides start from a station with parking right next door, which keeps things simple.

Where can I see Stewartstown Railroad station photos?

The railroad shares photos of its station, trains and equipment on its Facebook and Instagram accounts, and its website shows the maintenance machines in the station yard. Rail history sites also carry photos of the line and its locomotives over the years.

What do Stewartstown Railroad reviews say?

A regional tourism listing calls it an authentic, original short line with family friendly event trains through the scenic southern York County countryside. Riders often focus on the scenery and the holiday trains. Read recent reviews alongside the railroad's own event details for current information.

Who runs the Stewartstown Railroad?

The railroad is operated by an all-volunteer group dedicated to preserving Stewartstown's railroad history. Volunteers run the trains and also maintain the track using equipment such as a spiker, tie inserter, tamper and hi-rail dump truck. Contact info@stewartstownrailroadco.com to get involved.

What is the New Freedom Motor Car Excursion?

It is a trip along the Stewartstown line toward New Freedom aboard motor cars, the small maintenance vehicles also called speeders. As of October 2026, the November 8 trip departs at 11 am and costs $32. Seats are limited, so book online.

How can I contact the Stewartstown Railroad?

Call (717) 746-4998 or email info@stewartstownrailroadco.com with questions about events, charters or volunteering. The station is at 21 West Pennsylvania Ave, Stewartstown, PA 17363, and the railroad posts updates on Facebook and Instagram. Event tickets are sold on stewartstownrailroadco.com.

What train attractions are near the Stewartstown Railroad?

The Northern Central Railway of York in New Freedom is about 6 miles away and the Ma & Pa Railroad Heritage Village about 7 miles. The Strasburg Rail Road, Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania and Choo Choo Barn are about 28 miles away, and the Baltimore Streetcar Museum is about 31 miles south.

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