A Change of Scenery
by Jeff Yocum
“A Change of Scenery” focuses on day trips from Thurmont that are within 150 miles (give or take). These trips will not include “Disney-level” destinations, but rather, lesser-known points of interest. The purpose of the article is to suggest venues for folks seeking a short, easily accessible change of scenery. In the process, hopefully something will be learned. Some will be historic, some cultural, and others just plain quirky. I confess an ulterior motive for writing this article:
I have a wanderlust addiction.
Gettysburg Has a New Train
Even a 70-year-old man is just a kid when it comes to trains. They’re big, powerful, and bring back memories of travel before flying became the favored mode of transportation. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, now features an excursion train that leaves from the newly renovated depot. Currently, it’s a 90-minute round-trip ride to Biglerville, Pennsylvania. As the train leaves town, it traverses a portion of the battlefield where events took place on July 1, 1863—the first day of the battle.
Wanting to ride the train for some time, my wife and I bought the last two tickets for a Friday evening ride. What we didn’t realize was that particular Friday was Halloween, and we were booked on the Halloween Special. Having been the location of the largest battle ever fought on American soil, Gettysburg is chock full of ghosts—or, at least, ghost stories. Costumed storytellers regaled passengers with all manner of tales of local apparitions.
The accommodations on board were probably the best I’ve ever experienced on a train. The passenger cars once belonged to the Ringling Brothers Circus. The interiors have been completely renovated with very comfortable seating. There are two locomotives, front and back. When boarding, one of the locomotives is right at the station, allowing for a close inspection. It’s a visceral experience to feel the engine purring softly within your chest.
The excursion train will run this year until December 31. Throughout the year, various themes will be offered, including dinner trains and murder mysteries. There are plans to extend the trip further north for 25 miles to Mount Holly Springs.
After our train ride, we had an early dinner at the Lincoln Diner, just a block away. The diner offers an extensive bill of fare, but, for the weak of will, the dessert display case by the entrance is impossible to resist. You’ll have difficulty choosing only one. Our meal was wonderful and very satisfying to eat in a small-town mom-and-pop diner.
We ended the evening by catching a movie at the Majestic across the street from the diner. The theater has been resurrected to a new life, reminiscent of its original 1925 grandeur. We saw Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere. The Majestic goes well beyond just showing the latest movies. Their yearly calendar is filled with special events, including live shows.
The evening was a nostalgic trifecta of pleasurable pastimes: a comfortable train ride through the countryside, conversation with my wife over a pleasant dinner, and catching a good movie (a rare thing these days).
For more information on the Gettysburg Railway – Themed Train Rides and Events, visit www.gettysburgrailway.com. For more information on the Lincoln Diner, visit www.thelincolndiner.com. For more information on the Majestic Theater—the grandest small-town theater in America—visit www.gettysburgmajestic.org.
Newly renovated Gettysburg Station and locomotive.
The ghost of Headmistress Rosa Carmichael haunts Nancy Yocum.
