The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania will commemorate 50 years of Conrail during Conrail Days on Saturday and Sunday, May 30 and 31.

Conrail launched on April 1, 1976, stepping in to rebuild the bankrupt northeastern freight rail network. The railroad operated through the heavily populated northeast and served many of the nation's largest cities, from New York and Philadelphia to Chicago. Its legacy endures in the infrastructure it restored, the industries it reconnected, and the railfan community it inspired.

Several special activities are planned for Conrail Days. The Conrail Historical Society will hold a business meeting on May 30 at 10:15 a.m., and Conrail CEO Brian Gorton and Conrail Historical Society president Brock Kerchner will provide remarks at 11 a.m. Additional programs will include "I Carried a Camera at Work" by Larry DeYoung at noon and "The Heart of Conrail" by Doug Lilly at 2 p.m. On May 31, the presentations will be "Modeling Conrail" by Ed Kapuscinski at 12:30 p.m. and "Office Car Special" by Wes Reminder at 2 p.m.

A number of the museum's historic engines and railroad cars will be open to explore, and exhibits and artifacts from the Conrail Historical Society's archives will be on display. The Capital PenNScalers and Lebanon Valley Rail groups will have operating model train layouts, and artist Peter Lerro will be on hand to show and sell his work. Museum visitors also may enjoy the Pennsylvania Middle Division operating HO-scale layout and the "Seeing Double: Pennsylvania's Industrial Revolution in 3D" exhibit in the second-floor gallery.

Conrail Days activities are included in the regular museum admission fee. Tickets may be purchased in advance at http://www.rrmuseumpa.org or on the day of the event at the door. For more information, visit the aforementioned website or call 717-687-8628.