IT ALL STARTED WITH A DARE.
Donald M. Denlinger, founder and president of the Mill-Bridge Craft Village (now Mill Bridge Village Camp Resort), had just placed a half-hearted bid on nineteen 25-ton N-5 cabooses being sold as surplus from the Pennsylvania Railroad in the summer of 1969. Six months later, during a late January blizzard, he received a phone call that would change his life forever.
475 tons of steel is hard to move in a blizzard, and Denlinger faced many heartaches and red tape along the way. But he remembered that while circumstances seemed humanly hopeless, there is someone above who, when we get to the end of ourselves, will direct circumstances ahead of our mortal minds limited ability to comprehend. Proverbs 3:5-6 states, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” Don was a believer and he drew heavily on his faith in the years that followed as he built the Red Caboose Motel & Restaurant on a parcel of land along the Strasburg Rail Road.
Hard work, sweat, perseverance and prayer paid off and the official grand opening and open house was on Mother’s Day 1970. In just five hours that Sunday, over 4,500 people toured the caboose units and got lost in the nostalgic dream that was The Red Caboose. Tens of thousands of travelers, rail enthusiasts and even locals have stayed since, making The Red Caboose Motel & Restaurant one of the most unique tourist destinations not just in Lancaster County, but in the United States!
The Prickett Family began visiting the Red Caboose Motel in 1989. The charm of the cabooses coupled with the way the property encourages family togetherness and memory making through eating, staing and playing in a unique and memorable environment made such an impact on the Prickett's that on February 1, 2016 the business was bought by Todd, son Tyler, and wives Debbie and Kat.
Under their stewardship, the property has grown significantly. The Red Caboose Motel has seen a resurgance in popularity and has enjoyed lots of new paint and plaster. The Red Caboose Restaurant was renamed Casey Jones' Restaurant after the fabled railorad engineer by the same name and now enjoys expanded dining in two train cars, outdoor seating with a scratch made Pennsylvania Dutch and BBQ cuisine. Most recently in June of 2023, the Family opened the most ambitious venture yet: a fully restored and technologically enhanced wedding and event venue call The Barn at Paradise Station. The Barn, built in 1812, now hosts weddings, concerts, corporate events, patriotic celebrations and more.
In October, 2025, eldest member Todd, hopped a train to Heaven leaving husband-wife team Tyler & Kat at the throttle. Tyler & Kat are excited to usher Paradise Station into a new season of growth and prosperity. Their mission remains the same: To glorify God in everything we do and to create lasting memories for everyone we come in conact with. Exciting things are still to come!
For the full history of The Red Caboose Motel & Restaurant, pick up a copy of “How It All Started” in The Red Caboose Gift Shop.
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