Red Caboose Motel & Restaurant is a Nostalgic, Train-Themed Holiday for Couples in Pennsylvania’s Amish Country

The brief type: The Red Caboose Motel & eatery was providing train-loving people, lovers, and individuals near the Strasburg Rail Line in Pennsylvania since 1970. But the group says the house is not for any faint of center. With 9 acres and then 38 cabooses (plus one mail auto, one luggage auto, a farm house, and a restaurant), it requires a rather special and committed person to maintain and breathe existence in to the home. Enter the Prickett family members — dad Todd, son Tyler, and their spouses Debra and Kat — just who bought the motel and rose with the obstacle of repairing the cabooses and bistro. Your family will continue to generate advancements and present more individuals with the Red Caboose’s unique areas, restaurant, and contacts to railway record.

The Red Caboose Motel & Restaurant is actually a prominent place to go for train-lovers over nearly five decades of operation, it rarely came into existence. Once the original proprietor, Donald Denlinger, watched 19 surplus Pennsylvania Railroad cabooses upwards for market during summer of 1969, the guy devote a modest quote.

Half a year later on, that quote was acknowledged. As well as the rest is actually history.

In 1970, Donald converted the cabooses into compartments, and then he used the compartments’ link with railway record to attract train aficionados from all over. As soon as the Red Caboose Motel started in May 1970, more than 4,500 people toured the updated train autos in the 1st five many hours. Within the after that almost half a century, countless individuals, partners, and households have made the pilgrimage to rural Ronks, Pennsylvania, to keep at Red Caboose.

«our very own area is unique because its train autos,» mentioned Kat Prickett, Red Caboose Co-Owner and advertising Manager. «Lodging is actually the destination as well as the interest, not merely another destination to put the head during the night.»

Over time, the cabooses have necessary substantial servicing. The initial proprietors cannot keep up with the mandatory focus on the house, so they began looking for a person who could.

Luckily, the Prickett household — daddy Todd, daughter Tyler, and their spouses Debra and Kat — purchased the motel and rose to the obstacle of refurbishing the cabooses therefore the restaurant.

«We got more than in February 2016, and now we’ve been working to revive the 50-year-old house,» Kat mentioned. «The cabooses in sun and rain all this work time implies they required some really love. We additionally got the bistro right back underneath the umbrella associated with motel and re-branded it as Casey Jones’ Restaurant.»

The Red Caboose isn’t only 19 vehicles any longer. Over time, the place expanded to 38 cars, such as a luggage car, an email automobile, and two large eating autos that seat up to 150 individuals. Kat said website visitors enjoy that all of the vehicles nonetheless preserve their particular Americana design and personality.

«we are wanting to provide a long-lasting experience for virtually any visitor, each and every time,» she told you. «you want to send individuals out with a good storage with their family.»

an Engaging environment regarding Ages

The Red Caboose Motel & Restaurant rests on nine miles of area in Amish country, so the majority of friends which book using the hotel visit to go through the house’s charm.

The hotel provides lots of unique experiences. Each visitor space is situated in a caboose that maintains the train automobile’s original personality. Including, many roofs tend to be curved, indicating the automobile’s previous existence on the railway. Each place has actually an original concept and its particular title, nicely, including the dual Double Caboose, the Small group Caboose, and the Queen partners Caboose.

People that remain at The Red Caboose absolutely aren’t roughing it, however, once the spaces come with fridges, microwaves, flat-screen TVs, and wifi. A lot of people choose to stay for special events, and a couple remembering after getting married might choose to remain in the enchanting Honeymoon Caboose.

«It offers a queen bed and a jacuzzi and a tiny patio regarding the back. Individuals guide that for special occasions,» Kat said.

The folks who stay at The Red Caboose are not of a certain demographic or age category. As an alternative, the motel pulls individuals of all age groups seeking commemorate their own goals — or bask from inside the reputation for the railroad.

One couple who celebrated their particular honeymoon in the Red Caboose in 1984 not too long ago returned to the hotel to commemorate their 35th anniversary.

«Our stay with you in September was one we’re going to always remember. The housing was actually fantastic additionally the food exceptional. Develop to go back once more,» Warren and Beverly, one or two from Australian Continent, said of the experience.

The employees is pleased to assist facilitate unexpected situations for visitors — for example, if a partner desires commemorate an unique occasion with balloons, drink, or dessert.

«Since we’re family-owned and managed, we’re easily accessible. If folks have an idea, they could speak to us and come up with it occur,» Kat said.

Furthermore, The Red Caboose’s nine acres provide visitors with more to-do than celebrating practice record. Other attractions include a petting zoo, buggy rides, and a viewing tower partners can ascend observe the country side.

The Pricketts being able to restore many of the cabooses to date, doing multiple each year, while some have received brand-new bedspreads, blinds, and fresh applications of paint. But they’re far from done.

«You’ll find local hookups always great situations planned. We are consistently implementing rejuvenating situations and keeping them in good shape for years ahead,» Kat stated.

Casey Jones’ eatery is an Upscale Date-Night Destination

The Red Caboose Motel is during an outlying area, but couples do not have to drive into city to obtain a bite for eating. The Pricketts have restored the Caboose’s initial eatery, renaming it Casey Jones’ eatery.

«its today in 2 traveler vehicles that when rode the rails associated with the Pennsylvania Railroad,» Kat said.

Couples eating at Casey Jones’ Restaurant can order upscale meal choices like glazed salmon or lump crab cakes. Different diet plan things feature barbecue ribs, spaghetti, and a Caprese salad.

Kat suggests lovers maybe not keep meal during the restaurant without taking pleasure in a piece of crumb dessert.

«We utilize my personal grandma’s dish, and I also bake every one my self,» she mentioned. «It claimed beginning inside our condition farm program. We are usually selling from it, so that you have to check it out when you are here.»

The bistro is also available for lots more relaxed breakfast and meal service, and will be offering an all-day brunch menu. Among the staples of the menu could be the Maine French Toast, stuffed with cream-cheese and either blueberries or berries.

«It’s enjoyable for eating at the bistro because the cars have actually great views for the Amish country while the sunset and Strasburg Railroad,» Kat mentioned.

The Red Caboose helps to keep the nostalgic nature lively in most section of the place, nicely. Kat stated the group has possibilities to let their particular personalities shine through while at the job.

«All of our top desk employees gown like conductors, and the maintenance workers dress like engineers,» she told us. «All of our restaurant waitstaff tend to be outfitted like those you’d have experienced in the old days from the railroad.»

The theory is to bring guests back once again to a period when practice travel throughout the US was more upscale and welcoming.

You and your spouse Can Enjoy Pennsylvania’s railway record Up Close

Guests just who remain at The Red Caboose are certainly enthusiasts of trains, but many of those are contemplating practice record — which is the reason why they decide to stay near the Strasburg Railroad, america’ oldest railroad line, which exposed in 1832 features already been functioning since.

The Red Caboose provides train enthusiasts the opportunity to end up being up close and private with unique trains. As an example, in autumn 2019, guests can easily see a motor that will be riding the Strasburg Rail Line for six weeks, the Norfolk & west Class J vapor locomotive #611.

«oahu is the ultra Bowl for practice lovers since there are image possibilities and opportunities to drive the train,» Kat mentioned. «We’re already out of stock for starters weekend.»

During their time as people who own The Red Caboose, the Pricketts have updated the historical location whilst making it their particular.

«We feel like we are part of anything unique and special,» Kat stated. «We get to influence every person’s physical lives, even in the event which means we obtain to assist them have a significantly better time.»