2011 Ice Harvest Excursion

Date: November 22, 2010
Contact: Reservations, [phone]

SCRANTON, Pa. – As Old Man Winter takes hold of our region, Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton, Pa., will offer a special mid-winter steam excursion to the annual Ice Harvest Demonstration in Tobyhanna, Pa. On Saturday, January 15, 2011, a historic steam locomotive will travel to the Tobyhanna station, and excursionists will be transported to Mill Pond #1, courtesy of the Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority, where historic tools and equipment will be used to gather blocks of ice from the pond. The replica ice house stores enough ice to last well into the summer months. The Tobyhanna Ice Harvest excursion is scheduled to depart at 10:00 a.m. and return at approximately 3:00 p.m. Tickets are $31 – ages 16-61, $26 – ages 62 and older, $20 – ages 6 to 15 years old. Children to age 5 require a "no charge" ticket. The $6 daily Park Entrance Fee is included in the ticket cost.  Reservations may be made by phoning [phone], 9:15 a.m. – 4:15 p.m. daily (10:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. after January 2, 2011).

Steam-powered train excursions are rare in the winter months, and there is always the chance that the pond may not be frozen. In that event, tours of the village of Tobyhanna and the Mill Pond #1 ice house and restored 1908 boxcar will be conducted as an alternative. The 1908 Tobyhanna station will be open and light refreshments will be available for sale through the Pocono Mountains Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society.

Located in downtown Scranton, Pa., Steamtown National Historic Site is open 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. thru December 31, closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Years Day. Park winter hours are 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. from January 2 – April 9, 2011. From Interstate 81, exit 185 (Central Scranton Expressway), follow signs to the main entrance at Lackawanna Avenue and Cliff Street. Additional details regarding interpretive and educational programs and activities, or by along with weather-related cancellations, may be obtained by calling [phone] or visiting the Steamtown NHS web site at www.nps.gov/stea.

Digital images are available for media releases.

-NPS-