SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA CO. (WOLF) — At the historic Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton weren’t just preparing to board a special train excursion to Jessup; they were boarding these Central Railroad of New Jersey train cars for much more than just a train ride- free ice cream.
It’s one of the most exciting trips of the year for the Iron Horse Society and its President Michael Rinkunas aboard the Ice Cream Express, combining free Ice Cream sundaes with a little bit of what Rinkunas calls “Edu-train-ment”.
“The goal is to help people understand that trains are one of the reasons why Ice Cream and Ice are a major part of our lives today,” Rinkunas said.
Back in the 19th century, trains were a primary method of making things move quicker, faster and cheaper, including the transport of both fresh cream and harvested ice.
“If you’ve ever been up to Tobyhanna, they have the Ice Harvest at the Icehouse; that’s how people used to refrigerate their food or keep their food and preserve it before refrigeration,” Rinkunas said.
After arriving at Jessup Station Park, if folks didn’t already have enough of a sugar rush, the folks at Ice Screamers from Moosic had their Ice Cream truck loaded with all kinds of sweet flavors, including the custom All Aboard Sundae.
“It’s chocolate for coal, white for the smoke of the locomotive, red for the firebox of the cherry. So it’s an homage to railroading while everyone is having a sweet time,” Rinkunas said, describing the components of the All Aboard Sundae.
But what makes this event so sweet to Rinkunas and the Iron Horse Society is not just about everyone having a great time; it’s also about preserving the history of these locomotives.
“The Iron Horse Society we’re actually taking the proceeds from this trip to preserve the equipment to keep it operational, so everyone is having a great time while also preserving Steamtown and our nation’s history,” Rinkunas said.
The Iron Horse Society is a 501c3 corporation and was formed to promote the knowledge, education, & preservation of railroad heritage at Steamtown National Historic Site for generations to come.