Experience life on the rails in a restored caboose-turned-Airbnb in Pennsylvania | Hobbies

Right next to the Bald Eagle Valley Trail trailhead is an old tail train. While it may look like any old train car, inside is a fully converted Airbnb run by the Clinton County Historical Society.

The 1941 caboose was acquired by the company in 2012 and opened as an AirBnb in 2015.

It has a kitchenette, two twin beds, a small seating area and Wi-Fi access.

In front of the train entrance is a replica of the 1932 water tower built by the technical students of Keystone Central, detailing the history of the railway and Castanea station.

Bonnie Hannis, president of the Clinton County Historical Society, said the caboose welcomed guests from across the country — and around the world — to see what life was like on the rails.

“The first guest who stayed in the caboose when we opened it as Airbnb was a grandfather who had worked on the railroad,” Hannis said. “He brought his grandson because he wanted his grandson to experience what it was like to have his house on wheels.”

What started as a small side program for the historical society has become a lifeline during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“When we couldn’t open as a museum, we could always rent it out because it only seats two people,” Hannis said.

“So we were able to keep money flowing into the organization.”

Outside the carriage is Castanea Station, home to the Clinton Central Model Railroad Club. The club meets on Tuesday evenings, and visitors can drop in and see trains going through the mountains and valleys of miniature towns.

Nearly 50 members, ranging from teenagers to retirees, work continuously on the model railway, building factories, houses, bridges and wiring trains.

The model is also full of hidden details and parts of the club’s personal history, said Wain Schroeder, chairman of the club’s board.

Buildings and locations in the model are named after former club members or their families.

“Each piece of rolling stock on the network has an individual ‘car card’ showing what’s inside that car, where it came from and where it is going,” Schroeder said.

Almost everything on the model is wired to computers, letting each train run independently and controlling everything from traffic lights to crossing guards. There’s even a drive-in movie theater showing classics like “The Dirty Dozen” and a replica of an old plane that crashed on the mountain.

The club holds sales and several open houses in the fall to introduce the railroad to the community.

For Hannis, the caboose and train station offer everything visitors could ask for, including the trailhead for the Bald Eagle Valley Trail.

“Think what we have here,” Hannis said. “A place you can spend the night, information about the community, this wonderful exhibit, and the start of the hiking trail.”

Availablity: April to October

How to get there: Drive Interstate 80 toward Lock Haven; the station address is 15 Logan Ave., Lock Haven

What there is to know: The model railway can be seen on Tuesday evenings from 6-9pm during the members’ meeting, except the third Tuesday of the month. The entrance to the caboose is via a small staircase.

Other things to do: Bald Eagle Valley Trail, Piper Aviation Museum

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