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Choo Choo Barn

226 Gap Road

Strasburg, PA 17579

Choo Choo Barn

717-687-7911

It all started well before 1961…actually, the Choo Choo Barn was originally born in 1945, in the basement of the Groff home on Franklin Street in Strasburg. George Groff had just returned from World War II, and was looking for a Christmas present for his two-year-old son Gary. He found a $12.50 Lionel train set, and, as any father would do, he helped his son set it up. One thing led to another, and, within a few years, that simple set had begun to take over a larger and larger portion of the family basement.Word of this train display spread throughout the neighborhood. In the 1950′s, the family began opening their now very elaborate display up for townspeople and local school groups during the Chrismas holidays. And, as the Groff family grew, so did their basement train display.Then, in the early 60′s, George and Florence needed some extra funds to help pay for college. George noticed a small township maintenance facility — actually, more like a barn — that became available along Route 741, just to the west of the recently reopened Strasburg Rail Road. Perhaps the trains, scenery, buildings, and animated figures in their basement could be used as a part-time business to help with the added financial burden of college expenses. And the rest, as they say, is history.The Choo Choo Barn, as George decided to call his display, opened on Thanksgiving Day in 1961, and was very quickly a hit with local folks and visitors alike. With over 600 square feet of detailed landscaping, 6 trains, and 6 animated figures, people knew they were seeing something special and unique!Over the next few years, the display continued to grow, as George added something new each year. In time, his children began to help out, from collecting tickets to adding their own ideas to the growing display. A gift shop was added to the front of the building, and a picnic grove was constructed to the west of the parking lot (free tickets to the grove were available to all Barn visitors). And the display continued to grow…When the elder Groffs retired in 1979, their youngest son Thomas, and his wife Linda, became the new owners, builders, and operators of the Choo Choo Barn. In 1983, the second generation business owners opened the Strasburg Train Shop, a model train hobby shop catering to the “layout builder”. Tom says that “detail and originality are what has contributed to the Choo Choo Barn’s success and popularity, and other modelers should be able to purchase the same items that are used in the layout.” Due to this credo, their train shop has become known far and wide as the place to locate “oddball” things such as garbage cans and the like.

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											<div>226 Gap Road</div>
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							<span>Strasburg</span>,
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						<p>It all started well before 1961&hellip;actually, the Choo Choo Barn was originally born in 1945, in the basement of the Groff home on Franklin Street in Strasburg. George Groff had just returned from World War II, and was looking for a Christmas present for his two-year-old son Gary. He found a $12.50 Lionel train set, and, as any father would do, he helped his son set it up. One thing led to another, and, within a few years, that simple set had begun to take over a larger and larger portion of the family basement.Word of this train display spread throughout the neighborhood. In the 1950&prime;s, the family began opening their now very elaborate display up for townspeople and local school groups during the Chrismas holidays. And, as the Groff family grew, so did their basement train display.Then, in the early 60&prime;s, George and Florence needed some extra funds to help pay for college. George noticed a small township maintenance facility &mdash; actually, more like a barn &mdash; that became available along Route 741, just to the west of the recently reopened Strasburg Rail Road. Perhaps the trains, scenery, buildings, and animated figures in their basement could be used as a part-time business to help with the added financial burden of college expenses. And the rest, as they say, is history.The Choo Choo Barn, as George decided to call his display, opened on Thanksgiving Day in 1961, and was very quickly a hit with local folks and visitors alike. With over 600 square feet of detailed landscaping, 6 trains, and 6 animated figures, people knew they were seeing something special and unique!Over the next few years, the display continued to grow, as George added something new each year. In time, his children began to help out, from collecting tickets to adding their own ideas to the growing display. A gift shop was added to the front of the building, and a picnic grove was constructed to the west of the parking lot (free tickets to the grove were available to all Barn visitors). And the display continued to grow&hellip;When the elder Groffs retired in 1979, their youngest son Thomas, and his wife Linda, became the new owners, builders, and operators of the Choo Choo Barn. In 1983, the second generation business owners opened the Strasburg Train Shop, a model train hobby shop catering to the &ldquo;layout builder&rdquo;. Tom says that &ldquo;detail and originality are what has contributed to the Choo Choo Barn&rsquo;s success and popularity, and other modelers should be able to purchase the same items that are used in the layout.&rdquo; Due to this credo, their train shop has become known far and wide as the place to locate &ldquo;oddball&rdquo; things such as garbage cans and the like.</p>		</div>
		

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											<div>226 Gap Road</div>
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							<span>Strasburg</span>,
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												<span>17579</span>
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						<p>It all started well before 1961&hellip;actually, the Choo Choo Barn was originally born in 1945, in the basement of the Groff home on Franklin Street in Strasburg. George Groff had just returned from World War II, and was looking for a Christmas present for his two-year-old son Gary. He found a $12.50 Lionel train set, and, as any father would do, he helped his son set it up. One thing led to another, and, within a few years, that simple set had begun to take over a larger and larger portion of the family basement.Word of this train display spread throughout the neighborhood. In the 1950&prime;s, the family began opening their now very elaborate display up for townspeople and local school groups during the Chrismas holidays. And, as the Groff family grew, so did their basement train display.Then, in the early 60&prime;s, George and Florence needed some extra funds to help pay for college. George noticed a small township maintenance facility &mdash; actually, more like a barn &mdash; that became available along Route 741, just to the west of the recently reopened Strasburg Rail Road. Perhaps the trains, scenery, buildings, and animated figures in their basement could be used as a part-time business to help with the added financial burden of college expenses. And the rest, as they say, is history.The Choo Choo Barn, as George decided to call his display, opened on Thanksgiving Day in 1961, and was very quickly a hit with local folks and visitors alike. With over 600 square feet of detailed landscaping, 6 trains, and 6 animated figures, people knew they were seeing something special and unique!Over the next few years, the display continued to grow, as George added something new each year. In time, his children began to help out, from collecting tickets to adding their own ideas to the growing display. A gift shop was added to the front of the building, and a picnic grove was constructed to the west of the parking lot (free tickets to the grove were available to all Barn visitors). And the display continued to grow&hellip;When the elder Groffs retired in 1979, their youngest son Thomas, and his wife Linda, became the new owners, builders, and operators of the Choo Choo Barn. In 1983, the second generation business owners opened the Strasburg Train Shop, a model train hobby shop catering to the &ldquo;layout builder&rdquo;. Tom says that &ldquo;detail and originality are what has contributed to the Choo Choo Barn&rsquo;s success and popularity, and other modelers should be able to purchase the same items that are used in the layout.&rdquo; Due to this credo, their train shop has become known far and wide as the place to locate &ldquo;oddball&rdquo; things such as garbage cans and the like.</p>		</div>
		

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		<header><h1 class="article-headline">Choo Choo Barn</h1></header>

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											<div>226 Gap Road</div>
											<div>
							<span>Strasburg</span>,
							<span>PA</span>
												<span>17579</span>
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					<i class="fa fa-external-link-square"></i> 
										<a href="http://www.choochoobarn.com/" target="_blank">Choo Choo Barn</a>
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												<div><i class="fa fa-phone-square"></i> 717-687-7911</div>
				
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						<p>It all started well before 1961&hellip;actually, the Choo Choo Barn was originally born in 1945, in the basement of the Groff home on Franklin Street in Strasburg. George Groff had just returned from World War II, and was looking for a Christmas present for his two-year-old son Gary. He found a $12.50 Lionel train set, and, as any father would do, he helped his son set it up. One thing led to another, and, within a few years, that simple set had begun to take over a larger and larger portion of the family basement.Word of this train display spread throughout the neighborhood. In the 1950&prime;s, the family began opening their now very elaborate display up for townspeople and local school groups during the Chrismas holidays. And, as the Groff family grew, so did their basement train display.Then, in the early 60&prime;s, George and Florence needed some extra funds to help pay for college. George noticed a small township maintenance facility &mdash; actually, more like a barn &mdash; that became available along Route 741, just to the west of the recently reopened Strasburg Rail Road. Perhaps the trains, scenery, buildings, and animated figures in their basement could be used as a part-time business to help with the added financial burden of college expenses. And the rest, as they say, is history.The Choo Choo Barn, as George decided to call his display, opened on Thanksgiving Day in 1961, and was very quickly a hit with local folks and visitors alike. With over 600 square feet of detailed landscaping, 6 trains, and 6 animated figures, people knew they were seeing something special and unique!Over the next few years, the display continued to grow, as George added something new each year. In time, his children began to help out, from collecting tickets to adding their own ideas to the growing display. A gift shop was added to the front of the building, and a picnic grove was constructed to the west of the parking lot (free tickets to the grove were available to all Barn visitors). And the display continued to grow&hellip;When the elder Groffs retired in 1979, their youngest son Thomas, and his wife Linda, became the new owners, builders, and operators of the Choo Choo Barn. In 1983, the second generation business owners opened the Strasburg Train Shop, a model train hobby shop catering to the &ldquo;layout builder&rdquo;. Tom says that &ldquo;detail and originality are what has contributed to the Choo Choo Barn&rsquo;s success and popularity, and other modelers should be able to purchase the same items that are used in the layout.&rdquo; Due to this credo, their train shop has become known far and wide as the place to locate &ldquo;oddball&rdquo; things such as garbage cans and the like.</p>		</div>
		

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							<span>Strasburg</span>,
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												<div><i class="fa fa-phone-square"></i> 717-687-7911</div>
				
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						<p>It all started well before 1961&hellip;actually, the Choo Choo Barn was originally born in 1945, in the basement of the Groff home on Franklin Street in Strasburg. George Groff had just returned from World War II, and was looking for a Christmas present for his two-year-old son Gary. He found a $12.50 Lionel train set, and, as any father would do, he helped his son set it up. One thing led to another, and, within a few years, that simple set had begun to take over a larger and larger portion of the family basement.Word of this train display spread throughout the neighborhood. In the 1950&prime;s, the family began opening their now very elaborate display up for townspeople and local school groups during the Chrismas holidays. And, as the Groff family grew, so did their basement train display.Then, in the early 60&prime;s, George and Florence needed some extra funds to help pay for college. George noticed a small township maintenance facility &mdash; actually, more like a barn &mdash; that became available along Route 741, just to the west of the recently reopened Strasburg Rail Road. Perhaps the trains, scenery, buildings, and animated figures in their basement could be used as a part-time business to help with the added financial burden of college expenses. And the rest, as they say, is history.The Choo Choo Barn, as George decided to call his display, opened on Thanksgiving Day in 1961, and was very quickly a hit with local folks and visitors alike. With over 600 square feet of detailed landscaping, 6 trains, and 6 animated figures, people knew they were seeing something special and unique!Over the next few years, the display continued to grow, as George added something new each year. In time, his children began to help out, from collecting tickets to adding their own ideas to the growing display. A gift shop was added to the front of the building, and a picnic grove was constructed to the west of the parking lot (free tickets to the grove were available to all Barn visitors). And the display continued to grow&hellip;When the elder Groffs retired in 1979, their youngest son Thomas, and his wife Linda, became the new owners, builders, and operators of the Choo Choo Barn. In 1983, the second generation business owners opened the Strasburg Train Shop, a model train hobby shop catering to the &ldquo;layout builder&rdquo;. Tom says that &ldquo;detail and originality are what has contributed to the Choo Choo Barn&rsquo;s success and popularity, and other modelers should be able to purchase the same items that are used in the layout.&rdquo; Due to this credo, their train shop has become known far and wide as the place to locate &ldquo;oddball&rdquo; things such as garbage cans and the like.</p>		</div>
		

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											<div>226 Gap Road</div>
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							<span>Strasburg</span>,
							<span>PA</span>
												<span>17579</span>
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					<i class="fa fa-external-link-square"></i> 
										<a href="http://www.choochoobarn.com/" target="_blank">Choo Choo Barn</a>
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												<div><i class="fa fa-phone-square"></i> 717-687-7911</div>
				
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						<p>It all started well before 1961&hellip;actually, the Choo Choo Barn was originally born in 1945, in the basement of the Groff home on Franklin Street in Strasburg. George Groff had just returned from World War II, and was looking for a Christmas present for his two-year-old son Gary. He found a $12.50 Lionel train set, and, as any father would do, he helped his son set it up. One thing led to another, and, within a few years, that simple set had begun to take over a larger and larger portion of the family basement.Word of this train display spread throughout the neighborhood. In the 1950&prime;s, the family began opening their now very elaborate display up for townspeople and local school groups during the Chrismas holidays. And, as the Groff family grew, so did their basement train display.Then, in the early 60&prime;s, George and Florence needed some extra funds to help pay for college. George noticed a small township maintenance facility &mdash; actually, more like a barn &mdash; that became available along Route 741, just to the west of the recently reopened Strasburg Rail Road. Perhaps the trains, scenery, buildings, and animated figures in their basement could be used as a part-time business to help with the added financial burden of college expenses. And the rest, as they say, is history.The Choo Choo Barn, as George decided to call his display, opened on Thanksgiving Day in 1961, and was very quickly a hit with local folks and visitors alike. With over 600 square feet of detailed landscaping, 6 trains, and 6 animated figures, people knew they were seeing something special and unique!Over the next few years, the display continued to grow, as George added something new each year. In time, his children began to help out, from collecting tickets to adding their own ideas to the growing display. A gift shop was added to the front of the building, and a picnic grove was constructed to the west of the parking lot (free tickets to the grove were available to all Barn visitors). And the display continued to grow&hellip;When the elder Groffs retired in 1979, their youngest son Thomas, and his wife Linda, became the new owners, builders, and operators of the Choo Choo Barn. In 1983, the second generation business owners opened the Strasburg Train Shop, a model train hobby shop catering to the &ldquo;layout builder&rdquo;. Tom says that &ldquo;detail and originality are what has contributed to the Choo Choo Barn&rsquo;s success and popularity, and other modelers should be able to purchase the same items that are used in the layout.&rdquo; Due to this credo, their train shop has become known far and wide as the place to locate &ldquo;oddball&rdquo; things such as garbage cans and the like.</p>		</div>
		

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											<div>226 Gap Road</div>
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							<span>Strasburg</span>,
							<span>PA</span>
												<span>17579</span>
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										<a href="http://www.choochoobarn.com/" target="_blank">Choo Choo Barn</a>
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												<div><i class="fa fa-phone-square"></i> 717-687-7911</div>
				
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						<p>It all started well before 1961&hellip;actually, the Choo Choo Barn was originally born in 1945, in the basement of the Groff home on Franklin Street in Strasburg. George Groff had just returned from World War II, and was looking for a Christmas present for his two-year-old son Gary. He found a $12.50 Lionel train set, and, as any father would do, he helped his son set it up. One thing led to another, and, within a few years, that simple set had begun to take over a larger and larger portion of the family basement.Word of this train display spread throughout the neighborhood. In the 1950&prime;s, the family began opening their now very elaborate display up for townspeople and local school groups during the Chrismas holidays. And, as the Groff family grew, so did their basement train display.Then, in the early 60&prime;s, George and Florence needed some extra funds to help pay for college. George noticed a small township maintenance facility &mdash; actually, more like a barn &mdash; that became available along Route 741, just to the west of the recently reopened Strasburg Rail Road. Perhaps the trains, scenery, buildings, and animated figures in their basement could be used as a part-time business to help with the added financial burden of college expenses. And the rest, as they say, is history.The Choo Choo Barn, as George decided to call his display, opened on Thanksgiving Day in 1961, and was very quickly a hit with local folks and visitors alike. With over 600 square feet of detailed landscaping, 6 trains, and 6 animated figures, people knew they were seeing something special and unique!Over the next few years, the display continued to grow, as George added something new each year. In time, his children began to help out, from collecting tickets to adding their own ideas to the growing display. A gift shop was added to the front of the building, and a picnic grove was constructed to the west of the parking lot (free tickets to the grove were available to all Barn visitors). And the display continued to grow&hellip;When the elder Groffs retired in 1979, their youngest son Thomas, and his wife Linda, became the new owners, builders, and operators of the Choo Choo Barn. In 1983, the second generation business owners opened the Strasburg Train Shop, a model train hobby shop catering to the &ldquo;layout builder&rdquo;. Tom says that &ldquo;detail and originality are what has contributed to the Choo Choo Barn&rsquo;s success and popularity, and other modelers should be able to purchase the same items that are used in the layout.&rdquo; Due to this credo, their train shop has become known far and wide as the place to locate &ldquo;oddball&rdquo; things such as garbage cans and the like.</p>		</div>
		

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Warning (2): include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.bodyTargeting.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 243]
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											<div>226 Gap Road</div>
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							<span>Strasburg</span>,
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												<span>17579</span>
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										<a href="http://www.choochoobarn.com/" target="_blank">Choo Choo Barn</a>
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												<div><i class="fa fa-phone-square"></i> 717-687-7911</div>
				
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						<p>It all started well before 1961&hellip;actually, the Choo Choo Barn was originally born in 1945, in the basement of the Groff home on Franklin Street in Strasburg. George Groff had just returned from World War II, and was looking for a Christmas present for his two-year-old son Gary. He found a $12.50 Lionel train set, and, as any father would do, he helped his son set it up. One thing led to another, and, within a few years, that simple set had begun to take over a larger and larger portion of the family basement.Word of this train display spread throughout the neighborhood. In the 1950&prime;s, the family began opening their now very elaborate display up for townspeople and local school groups during the Chrismas holidays. And, as the Groff family grew, so did their basement train display.Then, in the early 60&prime;s, George and Florence needed some extra funds to help pay for college. George noticed a small township maintenance facility &mdash; actually, more like a barn &mdash; that became available along Route 741, just to the west of the recently reopened Strasburg Rail Road. Perhaps the trains, scenery, buildings, and animated figures in their basement could be used as a part-time business to help with the added financial burden of college expenses. And the rest, as they say, is history.The Choo Choo Barn, as George decided to call his display, opened on Thanksgiving Day in 1961, and was very quickly a hit with local folks and visitors alike. With over 600 square feet of detailed landscaping, 6 trains, and 6 animated figures, people knew they were seeing something special and unique!Over the next few years, the display continued to grow, as George added something new each year. In time, his children began to help out, from collecting tickets to adding their own ideas to the growing display. A gift shop was added to the front of the building, and a picnic grove was constructed to the west of the parking lot (free tickets to the grove were available to all Barn visitors). And the display continued to grow&hellip;When the elder Groffs retired in 1979, their youngest son Thomas, and his wife Linda, became the new owners, builders, and operators of the Choo Choo Barn. In 1983, the second generation business owners opened the Strasburg Train Shop, a model train hobby shop catering to the &ldquo;layout builder&rdquo;. Tom says that &ldquo;detail and originality are what has contributed to the Choo Choo Barn&rsquo;s success and popularity, and other modelers should be able to purchase the same items that are used in the layout.&rdquo; Due to this credo, their train shop has become known far and wide as the place to locate &ldquo;oddball&rdquo; things such as garbage cans and the like.</p>		</div>
		

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											<div>226 Gap Road</div>
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							<span>Strasburg</span>,
							<span>PA</span>
												<span>17579</span>
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										<a href="http://www.choochoobarn.com/" target="_blank">Choo Choo Barn</a>
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												<div><i class="fa fa-phone-square"></i> 717-687-7911</div>
				
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						<p>It all started well before 1961&hellip;actually, the Choo Choo Barn was originally born in 1945, in the basement of the Groff home on Franklin Street in Strasburg. George Groff had just returned from World War II, and was looking for a Christmas present for his two-year-old son Gary. He found a $12.50 Lionel train set, and, as any father would do, he helped his son set it up. One thing led to another, and, within a few years, that simple set had begun to take over a larger and larger portion of the family basement.Word of this train display spread throughout the neighborhood. In the 1950&prime;s, the family began opening their now very elaborate display up for townspeople and local school groups during the Chrismas holidays. And, as the Groff family grew, so did their basement train display.Then, in the early 60&prime;s, George and Florence needed some extra funds to help pay for college. George noticed a small township maintenance facility &mdash; actually, more like a barn &mdash; that became available along Route 741, just to the west of the recently reopened Strasburg Rail Road. Perhaps the trains, scenery, buildings, and animated figures in their basement could be used as a part-time business to help with the added financial burden of college expenses. And the rest, as they say, is history.The Choo Choo Barn, as George decided to call his display, opened on Thanksgiving Day in 1961, and was very quickly a hit with local folks and visitors alike. With over 600 square feet of detailed landscaping, 6 trains, and 6 animated figures, people knew they were seeing something special and unique!Over the next few years, the display continued to grow, as George added something new each year. In time, his children began to help out, from collecting tickets to adding their own ideas to the growing display. A gift shop was added to the front of the building, and a picnic grove was constructed to the west of the parking lot (free tickets to the grove were available to all Barn visitors). And the display continued to grow&hellip;When the elder Groffs retired in 1979, their youngest son Thomas, and his wife Linda, became the new owners, builders, and operators of the Choo Choo Barn. In 1983, the second generation business owners opened the Strasburg Train Shop, a model train hobby shop catering to the &ldquo;layout builder&rdquo;. Tom says that &ldquo;detail and originality are what has contributed to the Choo Choo Barn&rsquo;s success and popularity, and other modelers should be able to purchase the same items that are used in the layout.&rdquo; Due to this credo, their train shop has become known far and wide as the place to locate &ldquo;oddball&rdquo; things such as garbage cans and the like.</p>		</div>
		

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		<header><h1 class="article-headline">Choo Choo Barn</h1></header>

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											<div>226 Gap Road</div>
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							<span>Strasburg</span>,
							<span>PA</span>
												<span>17579</span>
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										<a href="http://www.choochoobarn.com/" target="_blank">Choo Choo Barn</a>
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												<div><i class="fa fa-phone-square"></i> 717-687-7911</div>
				
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						<p>It all started well before 1961&hellip;actually, the Choo Choo Barn was originally born in 1945, in the basement of the Groff home on Franklin Street in Strasburg. George Groff had just returned from World War II, and was looking for a Christmas present for his two-year-old son Gary. He found a $12.50 Lionel train set, and, as any father would do, he helped his son set it up. One thing led to another, and, within a few years, that simple set had begun to take over a larger and larger portion of the family basement.Word of this train display spread throughout the neighborhood. In the 1950&prime;s, the family began opening their now very elaborate display up for townspeople and local school groups during the Chrismas holidays. And, as the Groff family grew, so did their basement train display.Then, in the early 60&prime;s, George and Florence needed some extra funds to help pay for college. George noticed a small township maintenance facility &mdash; actually, more like a barn &mdash; that became available along Route 741, just to the west of the recently reopened Strasburg Rail Road. Perhaps the trains, scenery, buildings, and animated figures in their basement could be used as a part-time business to help with the added financial burden of college expenses. And the rest, as they say, is history.The Choo Choo Barn, as George decided to call his display, opened on Thanksgiving Day in 1961, and was very quickly a hit with local folks and visitors alike. With over 600 square feet of detailed landscaping, 6 trains, and 6 animated figures, people knew they were seeing something special and unique!Over the next few years, the display continued to grow, as George added something new each year. In time, his children began to help out, from collecting tickets to adding their own ideas to the growing display. A gift shop was added to the front of the building, and a picnic grove was constructed to the west of the parking lot (free tickets to the grove were available to all Barn visitors). And the display continued to grow&hellip;When the elder Groffs retired in 1979, their youngest son Thomas, and his wife Linda, became the new owners, builders, and operators of the Choo Choo Barn. In 1983, the second generation business owners opened the Strasburg Train Shop, a model train hobby shop catering to the &ldquo;layout builder&rdquo;. Tom says that &ldquo;detail and originality are what has contributed to the Choo Choo Barn&rsquo;s success and popularity, and other modelers should be able to purchase the same items that are used in the layout.&rdquo; Due to this credo, their train shop has become known far and wide as the place to locate &ldquo;oddball&rdquo; things such as garbage cans and the like.</p>		</div>
		

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											<div>226 Gap Road</div>
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							<span>Strasburg</span>,
							<span>PA</span>
												<span>17579</span>
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										<a href="http://www.choochoobarn.com/" target="_blank">Choo Choo Barn</a>
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												<div><i class="fa fa-phone-square"></i> 717-687-7911</div>
				
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						<p>It all started well before 1961&hellip;actually, the Choo Choo Barn was originally born in 1945, in the basement of the Groff home on Franklin Street in Strasburg. George Groff had just returned from World War II, and was looking for a Christmas present for his two-year-old son Gary. He found a $12.50 Lionel train set, and, as any father would do, he helped his son set it up. One thing led to another, and, within a few years, that simple set had begun to take over a larger and larger portion of the family basement.Word of this train display spread throughout the neighborhood. In the 1950&prime;s, the family began opening their now very elaborate display up for townspeople and local school groups during the Chrismas holidays. And, as the Groff family grew, so did their basement train display.Then, in the early 60&prime;s, George and Florence needed some extra funds to help pay for college. George noticed a small township maintenance facility &mdash; actually, more like a barn &mdash; that became available along Route 741, just to the west of the recently reopened Strasburg Rail Road. Perhaps the trains, scenery, buildings, and animated figures in their basement could be used as a part-time business to help with the added financial burden of college expenses. And the rest, as they say, is history.The Choo Choo Barn, as George decided to call his display, opened on Thanksgiving Day in 1961, and was very quickly a hit with local folks and visitors alike. With over 600 square feet of detailed landscaping, 6 trains, and 6 animated figures, people knew they were seeing something special and unique!Over the next few years, the display continued to grow, as George added something new each year. In time, his children began to help out, from collecting tickets to adding their own ideas to the growing display. A gift shop was added to the front of the building, and a picnic grove was constructed to the west of the parking lot (free tickets to the grove were available to all Barn visitors). And the display continued to grow&hellip;When the elder Groffs retired in 1979, their youngest son Thomas, and his wife Linda, became the new owners, builders, and operators of the Choo Choo Barn. In 1983, the second generation business owners opened the Strasburg Train Shop, a model train hobby shop catering to the &ldquo;layout builder&rdquo;. Tom says that &ldquo;detail and originality are what has contributed to the Choo Choo Barn&rsquo;s success and popularity, and other modelers should be able to purchase the same items that are used in the layout.&rdquo; Due to this credo, their train shop has become known far and wide as the place to locate &ldquo;oddball&rdquo; things such as garbage cans and the like.</p>		</div>
		

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Warning (2): include() [<a href='http://php.net/function.include'>function.include</a>]: Failed opening '/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/app/Resource/aarp2_master.resource.footer.root.html' for inclusion (include_path='/var/www/vhosts/vcc_staging/lib:.:/usr/share/pear:/usr/share/php') [APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 244]
Code Context
                    include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.footer.html");
                    include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.bodyTargeting.html");
                    include (APP . "Resource/aarp2_master.resource.footer.root.html");
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		<header><h1 class="article-headline">Choo Choo Barn</h1></header>

		<div class="row">
			<div class="col-sm-6 left module-spacer">
				<p>
					<div>
											<div>226 Gap Road</div>
											<div>
							<span>Strasburg</span>,
							<span>PA</span>
												<span>17579</span>
											</div>
					</div>
				</p>
								<div>
					<i class="fa fa-external-link-square"></i> 
										<a href="http://www.choochoobarn.com/" target="_blank">Choo Choo Barn</a>
								</div>
												<div><i class="fa fa-phone-square"></i> 717-687-7911</div>
				
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						<p>It all started well before 1961&hellip;actually, the Choo Choo Barn was originally born in 1945, in the basement of the Groff home on Franklin Street in Strasburg. George Groff had just returned from World War II, and was looking for a Christmas present for his two-year-old son Gary. He found a $12.50 Lionel train set, and, as any father would do, he helped his son set it up. One thing led to another, and, within a few years, that simple set had begun to take over a larger and larger portion of the family basement.Word of this train display spread throughout the neighborhood. In the 1950&prime;s, the family began opening their now very elaborate display up for townspeople and local school groups during the Chrismas holidays. And, as the Groff family grew, so did their basement train display.Then, in the early 60&prime;s, George and Florence needed some extra funds to help pay for college. George noticed a small township maintenance facility &mdash; actually, more like a barn &mdash; that became available along Route 741, just to the west of the recently reopened Strasburg Rail Road. Perhaps the trains, scenery, buildings, and animated figures in their basement could be used as a part-time business to help with the added financial burden of college expenses. And the rest, as they say, is history.The Choo Choo Barn, as George decided to call his display, opened on Thanksgiving Day in 1961, and was very quickly a hit with local folks and visitors alike. With over 600 square feet of detailed landscaping, 6 trains, and 6 animated figures, people knew they were seeing something special and unique!Over the next few years, the display continued to grow, as George added something new each year. In time, his children began to help out, from collecting tickets to adding their own ideas to the growing display. A gift shop was added to the front of the building, and a picnic grove was constructed to the west of the parking lot (free tickets to the grove were available to all Barn visitors). And the display continued to grow&hellip;When the elder Groffs retired in 1979, their youngest son Thomas, and his wife Linda, became the new owners, builders, and operators of the Choo Choo Barn. In 1983, the second generation business owners opened the Strasburg Train Shop, a model train hobby shop catering to the &ldquo;layout builder&rdquo;. Tom says that &ldquo;detail and originality are what has contributed to the Choo Choo Barn&rsquo;s success and popularity, and other modelers should be able to purchase the same items that are used in the layout.&rdquo; Due to this credo, their train shop has become known far and wide as the place to locate &ldquo;oddball&rdquo; things such as garbage cans and the like.</p>		</div>
		

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					<h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-pa-the-three-bs-of-music-the-beatles-11724-l7nft4gph5h.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-THE-THREE-BS-OF-MUSIC-THE-BEATLES">The Three B's of Music - The Beatles</a></h2>
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					<p class="venue">DeSales University</p>
					<p class="loc">Center Valley, PA</p>
					
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					<h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-pa-riverfront-north-partnership-creating-and-maintaining-pollinator-gardens-virtual-session-111224-lyn8ny26btb.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CREATING-A-POLLINATOR-GARDEN">Creating a Pollinator Garden</a></h2>
					<p class="time">Tuesday, Nov 12, 2024 at 5:00&nbsp;p.m. ET</p>
					<p class="venue">Zoom</p>
					<p class="loc">Online Event</p>
					
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			<p><a class="link-red" href="/strasburg-pa/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p>
	
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											<div>226 Gap Road</div>
											<div>
							<span>Strasburg</span>,
							<span>PA</span>
												<span>17579</span>
											</div>
					</div>
				</p>
								<div>
					<i class="fa fa-external-link-square"></i> 
										<a href="http://www.choochoobarn.com/" target="_blank">Choo Choo Barn</a>
								</div>
												<div><i class="fa fa-phone-square"></i> 717-687-7911</div>
				
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				<div class="module-spacer clearfix">
						<p>It all started well before 1961&hellip;actually, the Choo Choo Barn was originally born in 1945, in the basement of the Groff home on Franklin Street in Strasburg. George Groff had just returned from World War II, and was looking for a Christmas present for his two-year-old son Gary. He found a $12.50 Lionel train set, and, as any father would do, he helped his son set it up. One thing led to another, and, within a few years, that simple set had begun to take over a larger and larger portion of the family basement.Word of this train display spread throughout the neighborhood. In the 1950&prime;s, the family began opening their now very elaborate display up for townspeople and local school groups during the Chrismas holidays. And, as the Groff family grew, so did their basement train display.Then, in the early 60&prime;s, George and Florence needed some extra funds to help pay for college. George noticed a small township maintenance facility &mdash; actually, more like a barn &mdash; that became available along Route 741, just to the west of the recently reopened Strasburg Rail Road. Perhaps the trains, scenery, buildings, and animated figures in their basement could be used as a part-time business to help with the added financial burden of college expenses. And the rest, as they say, is history.The Choo Choo Barn, as George decided to call his display, opened on Thanksgiving Day in 1961, and was very quickly a hit with local folks and visitors alike. With over 600 square feet of detailed landscaping, 6 trains, and 6 animated figures, people knew they were seeing something special and unique!Over the next few years, the display continued to grow, as George added something new each year. In time, his children began to help out, from collecting tickets to adding their own ideas to the growing display. A gift shop was added to the front of the building, and a picnic grove was constructed to the west of the parking lot (free tickets to the grove were available to all Barn visitors). And the display continued to grow&hellip;When the elder Groffs retired in 1979, their youngest son Thomas, and his wife Linda, became the new owners, builders, and operators of the Choo Choo Barn. In 1983, the second generation business owners opened the Strasburg Train Shop, a model train hobby shop catering to the &ldquo;layout builder&rdquo;. Tom says that &ldquo;detail and originality are what has contributed to the Choo Choo Barn&rsquo;s success and popularity, and other modelers should be able to purchase the same items that are used in the layout.&rdquo; Due to this credo, their train shop has become known far and wide as the place to locate &ldquo;oddball&rdquo; things such as garbage cans and the like.</p>		</div>
		

	<div class="reportthis" style="margin-bottom: 20px;">
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	alt="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" title="Explore the free AARP HomeFit Guide" 
	src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/touts/HomeFit_750x150.png"></a>
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<!-- module_RHS - AARP Events -->

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										<h3 class="topic">Featured Event</h3>
					
					<h2 class="title"><a href="/aarp-event/aarp-pa-riverfront-north-partnership-creating-and-maintaining-pollinator-gardens-virtual-session-111224-lyn8ny26btb.html" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-EVENTS-CREATING-A-POLLINATOR-GARDEN">Creating a Pollinator Garden</a></h2>
					<p class="time">Tuesday, Nov 12, 2024 at 5:00&nbsp;p.m. ET</p>
					<p class="venue">Zoom</p>
					<p class="loc">Online Event</p>
					
				</li>			</ul>

			<p><a class="link-red" href="/strasburg-pa/aarp-events/" data-formelementid="LOCAL-BTN-CLK-SEEALL-EVENTS">View All AARP Events<i class="ml-1 fas fa-chevron-right"></i></a></p>
	
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<div aria-hidden="true" class="aarpe-ad-wrapper">
                    
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	<div class="title">Only $12 your first year with Automatic Renewal</div>
	<ul class="list">
		<li>Immediate access to your <a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/">member benefits</a></li>
		<li>Discounts on travel and everyday savings</li>
		<li>Subscription to AARP The Magazine</li>
		<li>FREE second membership</li>
	</ul>
	<div class="action">
		<a class="btn" href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid=UAJFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-STRASBURG-PA">Join AARP</a>
		<div class="body">Already a member? <a href="https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid= UARFT3&intcmp=LNK-CSN-AARPLOCAL-JRTOUT-RR-A-STRASBURG-PA">Renew</a> or 
			<a href="https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/my-membership/print-your-card/">Print Card</a></div>
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<div class="ar-basic-box module-spacer">
<header>
<h2>Contact AARP<br />Pennsylvania</h2>
</header>
<div class="wrap">

<div class="ar-quick-list module-spacer">
<ul class="list-unstyled">
<li><i class="list-icon fa fa-envelope" alt="Email icon" title="Email icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="mailto:PAAARP@aarp.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PAAARP@aarp.org</a></li>
<li><i class="list-icon fa fa-globe" alt="Globe icon" title="Globe icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/region/pennsylvania/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AARP Pennsylvania</a></li>
<li><i class="list-icon fa fa-map-marker" alt="Map Marker icon" title="Map Marker icon" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="https://states.aarp.org/your-local-aarp-office/?intcmp=SNG-LNK-AARPLOCAL-CONTACT-20140101-STRASBURG-PA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact Us</a></li>


</ul>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/AARPPA" target="_blank" rel="noopener" aria-label="Open Facebook"><img alt="Facebook icon" title="Facebook icon" src="https://cdn-aarp.americantowns.com/img/responsive/icons/48/facebook-dreamstale25.png"></a>&nbsp;&nbsp;
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include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 244
include - APP/View/Layouts/aarp_2023.ctp, line 244
View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971
View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933
View::renderLayout() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 546
View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 481
Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 963
AppController::renderPage() - APP/Controller/AppController.php, line 136
PlacesController::display() - APP/Controller/PlacesController.php, line 501
ReflectionMethod::invokeArgs() - [internal], line ??
Controller::invokeAction() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 491
Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 193
Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167
[main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 118