The Quick Version: The Red Caboose Motel & eatery has become servescort in Bakersfield Californiag train-loving individuals, lovers, and individuals nearby the Strasburg Rail Line in Pennsylvania since 1970. However, the team says the home isn’t really for any faint of heart. With 9 acres nowadays 38 cabooses (and one post automobile, one luggage car, a farm home, and a cafe or restaurant), it will require a really unique and concentrated individual maintain and inhale life into the residential property. Enter the Prickett family — father Todd, child Tyler, in addition to their spouses Debra and Kat — just who bought the motel and increased with the obstacle of refurbishing the cabooses and the cafe. The household consistently generate improvements and present more people on the Red Caboose’s special spaces, cafe, and associations to railroad history.
The Red Caboose Motel & Restaurant grew to become a popular destination for train-lovers over almost five years of operation, but it almost never came into existence. If the original proprietor, Donald Denlinger, saw 19 surplus Pennsylvania Railroad cabooses upwards for market during summer of 1969, the guy place in a modest quote.
Half a year later on, that bid ended up being accepted. And sleep is actually history.
In 1970, Donald switched the cabooses into compartments, in which he utilized the cabins’ link with railroad record to draw train aficionados from all over. Whenever Red Caboose Motel started in-may 1970, over 4,500 individuals toured the updated practice autos in the 1st five hrs. Across the after that almost half a century, numerous individuals, partners, and people are making the pilgrimage to outlying Ronks, Pennsylvania, to keep from the Red Caboose.
“our very own area is special in that it’s practice vehicles,” said Kat Prickett, Red Caboose Co-Owner and Marketing management. “Lodging is both the location therefore the appeal, not only another location to lay the head overnight.”
Throughout the years, the cabooses have needed significant maintenance. The first proprietors could not match the required manage the house, so they really started looking for somebody who could.
The good news is, the Prickett household — daddy Todd, child Tyler, in addition to their spouses Debra and Kat — bought the motel and increased into obstacle of repairing the cabooses and also the cafe.
“We took over in February 2016, and now we’ve been working hard to revive the 50-year-old home,” Kat stated. “The cabooses being in the current weather this all time indicates they needed some really love. We also took the restaurant right back in umbrella of hotel and re-branded it as Casey Jones’ Restaurant.”
The Red Caboose is not just 19 automobiles anymore. Eventually, the business broadened to 38 vehicles, such as a luggage vehicle, an email automobile, as well as 2 big dining autos that seat up to 150 men and women. Kat mentioned visitors enjoy that all of the cars still preserve their own Americana design and fictional character.
“We’re wanting to offer a lasting knowledge for virtually any guest, anytime,” she told you. “we need to deliver people out with a fantastic mind the help of its relatives.”
an appealing Atmosphere for All Ages
The Red Caboose Motel & eatery sits on nine acres of area in Amish nation, so the majority of visitors exactly who reserve making use of lodge trip to experience the property’s allure.
The hotel offers many unique encounters. Each guest space is situated in a caboose that keeps the practice vehicle’s original figure. For instance, many roofs tend to be rounded, suggesting the automobile’s former existence throughout the railroad. Each room features exclusive design and its own title, also, such as the dual Double Caboose, the Small group Caboose, therefore the Queen partners Caboose.
People who remain at The Red Caboose certainly aren’t roughing it, however, given that areas incorporate fridges, microwaves, flat-screen TVs, and wifi. A lot of people choose to stay for special occasions, and several remembering after marriage might choose to stay-in the passionate Honeymoon Caboose.
“It has got a queen bed and a jacuzzi and limited patio on the straight back. Individuals publication that for special occasions,” Kat mentioned.
The folks just who stay at The Red Caboose aren’t of a certain demographic or age class. Rather, the hotel lures people of all age groups looking to commemorate their own milestones — or bask inside the history of the railway.
One couple exactly who celebrated their honeymoon within Red Caboose in 1984 recently gone back to the hotel to celebrate their unique 35th anniversary.
“All of our stick to you in September was actually one we are going to never forget. The housing was actually great while the meals exceptional. We hope to return once again,” Warren and Beverly, a few from Australian Continent, mentioned of these experience.
The employees can be very happy to help facilitate surprises for visitors — if a wife wants to commemorate a special event with balloons, drink, or meal.
“Since we’re family-owned and managed, we are easily accessible. If folks have a thought, they can call united states making it occur,” Kat mentioned.
Further, The Red Caboose’s nine acres offer friends with even more accomplish than honoring train history. Some other tourist attractions consist of a petting zoo, buggy flights, and a viewing tower lovers can climb to see the countryside.
The Pricketts are in a position to restore some of the cabooses to date, dealing with certain on a yearly basis, although some have obtained new bedspreads, blinds, and fresh applications of paint. But they’re not even close to done.
“There are usually fantastic circumstances planned. We’re constantly focusing on repairing circumstances and keeping them in good shape for generations to come,” Kat said.
Casey Jones’ Restaurant is actually an Upscale Date-Night Destination
The Red Caboose Motel is within an outlying location, but partners do not have to drive into area in order to get a bite for eating. The Pricketts have reconditioned the Caboose’s original eatery, renaming it Casey Jones’ Restaurant.
“It really is now in 2 passenger automobiles that when rode the rails from the Pennsylvania Railroad,” Kat mentioned.
Partners eating at Casey Jones’ eatery can purchase trendy meal offerings like glazed salmon or lump crab desserts. Some other diet plan products consist of barbecue ribs, spaghetti, and a Caprese green salad.
Kat advises lovers perhaps not leave dinner in the restaurant without taking pleasure in a piece of crumb dessert.
“We utilize my grandmother’s meal, and I bake every single one myself,” she said. “It obtained beginning within condition farm tv series. We are always offering from it, so you need to try it when you are here.”
The cafe can be available for more everyday breakfast and meal solution, and will be offering an all-day brunch eating plan. One of the staples of this menu is the Maine French Toast, filled with cream cheese and either blueberries or strawberries.
“It really is fun to eat from the cafe because both the autos have fantastic opinions of Amish country in addition to sunset and also the Strasburg Railroad,” Kat mentioned.
The Red Caboose helps to keep the nostalgic heart lively in every single section of the organization, besides. Kat stated the team features opportunities to allow their own characters shine through while at the office.
“Our top work desk staff gown like conductors, and the servicing workers dress like designers,” she told united states. “our very own cafe waitstaff tend to be clothed like those you would have experienced back many years ago throughout the railway.”
The idea is bring guests back again to a period when practice vacation over the united states of america had been more trendy and inviting.
You and Your Partner Can encounter Pennsylvania’s Railroad History Up Close
Guests who stay at The Red Caboose are undoubtedly followers of trains, but some of them will also be interested in practice record — which is the reason why they elect to stay nearby the Strasburg Railroad, the United States’ oldest railway range, which exposed in 1832 features already been functioning since.
The Red Caboose offers practice lovers the chance to end up being close up and personal with original trains. For instance, in fall 2019, visitors can see a motor that’ll be operating the Strasburg Rail Line for six weeks, the Norfolk & Western Class J steam locomotive #611.
“oahu is the Super Bowl for practice lovers because there are photo opportunities and chances to ride the practice,” Kat said. “we are already sold-out for one week-end.”
In their time as people who own The Red Caboose, the Pricketts have upgraded the historic place whilst which makes it their.
“We feel like we are part of one thing special and special,” Kat said. “we become to affect everybody’s physical lives, no matter if meaning we obtain to help them have an improved day.”
