CIVIL WAR DAYS: STRASBURG'S SUMMER OF '63

JUNE 8 – 9, 2024

The summer of 1863 comes alive aboard the fully narrated, 45-minute excursion train ride along the 4.5-mile stretch (9 miles round trip) pulled by a historic steam locomotive traveling through 2,500 acres of the picturesque Lancaster County Amish countryside.

In the early summer of 1863, the Confederate Army’s goal was to march north to capture Lancaster and Harrisburg with Philadelphia as their ultimate goal. However, on June 28, 1863, the wooden covered bridge spanning the 1-mile-wide Susquehanna River was burned, which prevented the Confederates from crossing the river. They turned around and headed west to a small town named Gettysburg where the two armies met July 1 – 3.

But what if the bridge never burned, and the Confederates marched across the river and the Union troops had to defend Lancaster and the railroads from the approaching Confederate forces? What if the Southern troops made it to the sleepy town of Strasburg on their march to Philadelphia?

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Passengers visiting the Strasburg Rail Road will experience this historical fictional scenario through the sights, sounds, and smells of 1863. Live encampments, roaming uniformed troops, small battle skirmishes, artillery demonstrations, and more will happen on the train and around the mall. (Note: All battle skirmishes between the North and South will happen along the line and require a ticket to view.)

Battles/skirmishes – each that tells a part of the story – will occur during the following train times. 
– 12:00 PM
– 2:00 PM
– 4:00 PM
– 6:00 PM (Saturday Only)

[Guests aboard the train can view each battle separately or ride multiple times to see different portions of the fictional story.]

Thank you to our event partners:

Fields in which the “Battle of Strasburg” will occur.

Lancaster Fencibles at City Hall, c.1863. Courtesy of LancasterHistory.

Lancaster city’s Centre Square, c. 1866. Courtesy of LancasterHistory.