Pop Culture Passport - Exploring Quirky & Cool Travel Destinations in the USA
Pop Culture Passport is your guide to quirky and cool travel destinations across the USA. Every other week, we explore unique things to do, from movie and TV filming locations and theme parks to roadside attractions, quirky museums, regional foods, and the fascinating stories behind the places you visit.
If you'd happily add 60 minutes to your trip to visit a filming location, the Jell-O Museum, a legendary roadside attraction, or a local spot with an incredible backstory, this podcast is for you.
I'm Beth Schillaci, aka the Roaming Yeti. I'm a travel content creator, pop culture nerd, and firm believer that the best discoveries happen when you layer a little curiosity on top of wherever you're already headed. I call them side quests: the detours, the unexpected stops, the "wait, THAT'S here?" moments that make any trip unforgettable and personal.
Whether you're planning a dedicated trip or looking for the perfect thing to add to somewhere you're already going, a work trip, a family visit, or a drive through a new city, there's always something worth the detour.
Think of this as traveling with your slightly nerdy, sort-of-cool friend who loves deep dives, unexpected discoveries, and finding the story behind the story.
Explore episodes about:
- Movie & TV filming locations
- Quirky museums & unique attractions
- Road trips & roadside attractions
- Theme parks & themed entertainment
- Regional foods, candy history & food tourism
- Day trips & weekend getaways
- Hidden history, origin stories & local legends
- Pop culture travel across the USA
Grab your Pop Culture Passport — let's roam.
Pop Culture Passport - Exploring Quirky & Cool Travel Destinations in the USA
East Broad Top Railroad: The Pennsylvania Railroad That Refused to Die
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A scrap dealer buys a railroad. The engines start to cry. And he makes them a promise he keeps for the rest of his life.
That's just one of the extraordinary stories inside today's episode, and it only scratches the surface of what makes the East Broad Top Railroad one of the most remarkable places in America.
In this episode, I sit down with Andrew Greene, Director of Sales and a qualified brakeman at the East Broad Top Railroad, America's oldest operating narrow-gauge railroad, tucked into the mountains of south-central Pennsylvania. Andrew is also the founder of what the Washington Post called the premier American ragtime ensemble in the country.
In this episode:
- Why trains feel more alive than any other form of transportation
- The history of the East Broad Top Railroad
- The scrap dealer who bought a railroad and made a promise to a steam engine
- The Smithsonian's extraordinary endorsement
- The belt-driven machine shop, which is the last of its kind in North America
- What to expect on a visit, from plush coaches to the cinder car
- The future of the EBT, including rail bikes, track expansion and a 10-year vision
Plan your visit:
- Website: https://eastbroadtop.com/
- Phone: 814-447-3285
- Location: 20 minutes north of PA Turnpike Exit 180 — Fort Littleton
You ready? Let’s roam.
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