The city of Lancaster in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania is famous for being Amish country with the horse and buggy running on the main highways and streets. The town of Intercourse is a suburb of Lancaster, and it is here where you will find Barry’s Car Barn. What is Barry’s Car Barn? As you arrive, you may find yourself in a different time. You see the old gas pumps from years past. When you go inside, you see rows and rows of the muscle car from the 1950’s to the 1970’s. From the Chevrolet Corvette to the Camaro to the Ford Mustang, you see them all under one roof. Barry’s Car Barn will take you back, and if you were not born in the 1950’s, 1960’s or 1970’s, you will find yourself in a time when you saw muscle cars on the streets of the United States of America.
Some of you are saying, “Oh, I enjoy those old classic cars. It was very cool to see them cars on the streets. However, there is one big problem. This is a car museum, not a railroad museum. Therefore, I will not be roaring into this place.”
Yes, it is not a railroad museum. It is a car museum that is about cars, and their focus is on cars. So what is special about Barry’s Car Barn?
As you arrive at the museum, you see the building that housing museum. You see old gas pumps. You enter into the gift shop, and then you enter into the main hall where you see rows and rows of old classic cars. On the walls, you see advertising from the old gas stations and repair shops. You see classic motorcycles.
Some of you are saying, “Well, duh! That is what you are supposed to see at this museum.”
That is true, but would you expect to see a display of Lionel Trains?
Some of you just fell out of your seat.
There is a display of the old Lionel Trains encased in glass. You see the old classic locomotives from the steam locomotives to the diesel locomotives to the electric locomotives used on the Pennsylvania Railroad. You have the classic passenger cars to box cars. They are all on a wall for you to see.
Barry’s Car Barn is located at 3504 Old Philadelphia Pike (Pennsylvania Route 340) in Intercourse, Pennsylvania. It is open Tuesday to Thursday from 9:00am to 4:00pm and Friday and Saturday from 9:00am to 4:30pm. Parking is on site, and the entire museum is wheelchair accessible. You can get more information about admission at https://www.barryscarbarn.com/.
Next time you are in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, make your way to Intercourse and to Barry’s Car Barn. It is more than just cars.
John Cowgill: Stories of the Railroad 