The Choo Choo Barn And The Shops Of Traintown - Strasburg, Pennsylvania animated train display and tourist attraction

In 1945, George Groff set up a Lionel train set in his basement for his son Gary. This was the beginnings of The Choo Choo Barn, a large train display and tourist attraction located in Strasburg, Pennsylvania. Over the next several years, the Groff family train began to take over their basement, and they opened their home to school groups and neighbors during the holiday season. In 1961, in order to bring in some side income for his son's college tuition, Groff moved the display to a barn-like building and set up an exhibit of over 600 square feet of landscaping, which included six trains and a number of other moving features.

Today, The Choo Choo Barn also has a number of specialty shops called the Shops of Traintown. These were opened in 1989 to give visitors a number of shopping options in addition to the large toy train display. The first of these shops, which is still one of the most popular today, was Railroad Books and Videos, which has novelty items, memorabilia, posters, train artwork, and, as the name implies, books and videos. At Railroad Books and Videos, guests can also find a large collection of new and used toy trains, so many visitors stop in to look for the trains and train cars they had as children. They also have Candy Junction, with sweet treats for all ages, as well as Country Keepsakes, which has crafts made by local artists along with collectibles. Children enjoy Thomas' Trackside Station. Opened in 1993, this shop is the only store in the United States that is 100% dedicated to Thomas the Tank Engine. Guests who are hungry can also stop by the attraction's deli and make use of the free picnic grove area.

Along with these shops, The Choo Choo Barn and Shops of Traintown also caters to people who want to build their own home toy train display. In 1983, the Groff children, who took over the tourist attraction from the elder Groff, opened the Strasburg Train Shop, a store specifically for those building displays. This shop is nationally known as a place to get small items for scenes that can't be found anywhere else.

Every year, The Choo Choo Barn closes from January through March. During these three months, the Groff family sets up new displays, and the exhibit grows and changes. Since many of the scenes include moving parts, this is also an opportunity for the Groffs to repair anything that broke during the rest of the year. Although there is something new to see every year, there are also still old favorites, and these scenes have been part of the display since the beginning. Some of the original displays include the skiing and ice skating area, the tobacco farm, and the firehouse.

The Choo Choo Barn is open daily from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM from the first weekend of March to December 31. The Strasburg Train Shop and other stores that are part of the Shops of Traintown are open 10:00 Am to 5:00 PM year-round. Admission to The Choo Choo costs $6 for adults and $4 for kids, with discounts available for groups. To learn more, call 800-450-2920.