The Comeback of the Red Caboose Motel

Looks like the Red Caboose in Ronks, PA, will get an overhaul, after years of decline.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05101/486287.stm

I had the chance to visit the motel Friday after Thanksgiving...My first visit since July 04 (the dark time...)

I was pleasantly suprised...The motel looks a LOT cleaner...Many of the cabooses are sporting fresh paint, and a crew of workmen was trying to figure out plumbing issues...

The model caboose, located infront of the dining car, is gone. I do not know why. I'm looking into that now.

They are planning to install a swimming pool as part of thier improvements in the Spring (a way, way, over-due feature!)

Another thing I noticed is that it seems some of the rotten track beaneth the cabooses has been repaired....I'm sure this is a major undertaking, considering they are tethered to electric/plumbing, and spot welded to the rails....The baggage car suite (former age of steam museum) was in wonderful shape on the exterior...

Wife and I planning to stay in the Spring...Willl let you know how it goes.!

My Wife, son, and I stayed at the Red Caboose Motel and slept in the Strasburg Caboose back in early July. It was my first time ever staying there. Nice place a little pricey but it was very nice. My only complaint is that the cabooses are in an updated form. My personal opinion was that they should leave some as an actual caboose. 80% of cabooses were in better than fair condition and 2 of them were being restored (no doors or windows, the bay window had grass growing in it!) Only 2 or 3 paint jobs didnt match my knowledge of actual paint schemes of the railroads, but then 4 or 5 had "extremely cool" paint jobs.
A pool would be extremely nice and would make the money paid more worth the stay. Overall stay would be rated at 4 out of 5 stars. I would definatley stay next trip once the pool is in.

Ryan