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The MennoHof center in Shipshewana, IN, gives you the evolution of the Amish religion and its various branches and offshoots. Each branch makes a lot of their own rules. What is true for a group in Western PA may be totally different than for the "old order" Amish in Indiana or elsewhere.
When we had dinner at an Amish farmhome, an activity of the 2004 Montana Rally, they had electric milkers in their barn. They had a gasoline powered generator to generate the electricity. At MennoHof we learned the Amish in that area cannot own cars and trucks but they can ride in them. They can take a bus across country. Or train. Or plane. But they cannot drive any of those. On the other hand, they could pilot farm equipment to, for example, harvest crops. But they could not personally own that equipment. MennoHof is very interesting and well worth a visit when you are in the area.
At that same farm where we had dinner Vicki commented to one of the teenaged males of the family about his very nice buggy. With obvious pride he explained it has all the options, such as turn signals. And I'll never forget his comment, stated with a swelling pride, that "it is faster than my brother's!"
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