In February 2003 work dictated a two week trip to the US, taking in Southern California and New Jersey. Naturally a weekend was scheduled into the itinerary at each location for *ahem* recuperation. In other words : trains - the San Diego Railroad museum (out in the desert 2 miles from the Mexican border) and the excellent Pennsylvania State Railroad museum. The contrast could not have been more stark between the tropical Californian desert climate, and the freezing feet of snow dumped on the Eastern Seaboard that week, culminating in the collapse of the historic Baltimore roundhouse....

Is this preservation? A mile or two up the road from the Penna RR museum is this rather interesting motel, the "Red Caboose Motel", made up entirely of converted cabooses ("cabeese"? - "brake van" to you and me). Strangely enough it didn't seem that well patronised that day...

---

Back to preservation