Location(s)

Last night I was in Enola, PA on business. If you're a railfan, you're thinking "How lucky!"

Enola is just across the Susquehanna River from Harrisburg. Actually, it's wedged in between I-81 and the river. The town is known for its huge railyard, built in the 19th century. It covered about 300 acres, and stretched for about 5 miles along the river bank. The local historians claim that there were 217 tracks that handled 10,000 cars a day during World War II. That's a lot of railroad cars to handle!

The yard isn't quite THAT busy anymore, but it is still a hoppin' place. When I have to stay overnight in Enola, I try to get a room at the Quality Inn there. It overlooks the railyard, the river and routes 11/15, which is all very cool, but the absolutely BEST part is that it is also the temporary layover spot for railroaders from Norfolk Southern RR. It's fun to stop by the lobby for the continental breakfast spread and listen to those guys talking about their work. (To get a sense of just how big the railyard is, go to the StoryTrax mapper, zoom in on the west shore of the Susquehanna opposite Harrisburg, then click on "satellite" to view the aerial photo -- awesome!)

Oh, and one other wonderful thing -- you can actually open the windows at this hotel! So, last night, I slid that baby wide open, enjoyed the cool fresh air, and dozed off to the sounds of railyard. The whine of steel wheels on steel tracks, the ka-bump of cars being coupled, the occasional grumble of a big engine. Don't get me wrong, I love the peace and quiet here where I live, but, I gotta admit, I enjoyed the lullaby of the railroad. I highly recommend it for any railfans out there (and it's relatively cheap -- about $75 a night. But make sure you make a reservation; it does fill up!).