August 2003 Trip

Day One (Tuesday, August 26th)

      On Tuesday, August 26, 2003, I returned to Altoona, Pennsylvania, on a four-day trip to the Horseshoe Curve area. The trip would be the first trip I'd ever gone on where I was on my own agenda or not with my family.

      I'd headed east to Pittsburgh, getting there around lunchtime. Everything was going okay until I came out of the Fort Pitt Tunnel on I-279 and saw that my exit was closed for construction. As a result, I ended up circling downtown Pittsburgh. I found my way back onto 279 southbound and stopped to get directions (yes, guys do stop and get directions) at a hotel.

      After taking a slight detour, I found my way onto US 22. I thought the trip was back to normal until I got east of Pittsburgh where US 22 was being rebuilt. I was pretty much inching ahead in traffic for well over an hour, having to turn on my car's heater and roll the windows down to keep from overheating my engine. The whole time I was reciting Chevy Chase's lines from National Lampoon's Vacation about how this was no longer a vacation but a quest for fun.

      Traffic finally cleared up, and after stopping to eat lunch, I continued east and arrived at Gallitzin, cheering as I got off onto the exit ramp.

      I arrived at The Tunnel Inn on Jackson Street about the middle of the afternoon. I got there just in time, too. I'd just gotten my bags from the car as a thunderstorm came through, setting off the tornado sirens as I was checking into my room.

      After the storm cleared off enough, I headed down to the Curve, dodging tree limbs and small trees that were blown down all over on Glenwhite Road (aka Horseshoe Curve Road).

The Juniata at The Tunnel Inn. This is one of the two upstairs rooms that faces the tracks outside.		A westbound freight comes uphill around the Curve on track 3 with a pair of helpers shoving hard on the rear. Between the two ends of the train, I got a nice picture of the valley.
An eastbound eases downhill on track 1. Not long after the lead units passed, I saw that there was another eastbound on track 2. The helpers on the rear of the first eastbound passed, shortly followed by the helpers on the other eastbound.
Another westbound heads uphill around the Curve.	This is the GP9 that replaced the K4 steam engine that had been on display at the Curve until 1985, shortly after my last visit.		Another view of the valley taken from next to the top of the funicular at the park.	An eastbound drifts downgrade around the curve on track 1.
Two eastbound intermodals ease downhill as they approach the Curve.		An eastbound train of autoracks comes downhill around the Curve on track 2.		Two units, including an ex-Conrail SD80MAC, head downhill running light on track 2.
A westbound intermodal grinds uphill on track 3 and is met by an eastbound intermodal on track 1. After the eastbound cleared, the helpers on the westbound came around the Curve.
Two helpers come uphill around the Curve on track 3.	Looking east from the Jackson Street bridge at the Allegheny Tunnel with the now closed Gallitzin Tunnel to the left. Track 3 used to use the Gallitzin Tunnel but now shares the Allegheny Tunnel with track 2.	This is the Pennsylvania Railroad caboose on display at the Gallitzin Tunnels Park at Jackson and Convent Street.	Looking west from the Jackson Street bridge over tracks 2 and 3 as the sun begins to set.
A couple views of The Tunnel Inn. In the second picture, you can see just how close you are to the tracks when staying there. Eastbounds are generally quiet, but westbounds coming out of the tunnel will shake your bed.		As the sun sets, and eastbound eases downhill and under the Jackson Street bridge as it approaches Allegheny Tunnel on track 2.

Day Two (Wednesday, August 27th)

      After eating breakfast on the porch at The Tunnel Inn while watching some of trains, I headed down to Altoona to the Altoona Railroaders' Memorial Museum.

Inside the museum, there was so much to see that I didn't take any pictures except for these two of the replica of the inside of a steam locomotive cab.		A Pennsylvania Railroad caboose sits outside the museum.	An impressive 32-wheel depressed-center flatcar also sits outside the museum.	Looking west from across the tracks from the Amtrak platform in Altoona.
Looking east from the uncovered pedestrian overpass as a pair of former Conrail SD40-2s shuffle empty hoppers.	For a few minutes, the two SD40-2s pulled forward, stopping with the lead unit under the pedestrian overpass.
An eastbound freight came into town and went into the yard with a couple helpers on the rear.		After lunch, I went to Alto Tower on the west side of the 17th Street bridge and got some pictures of it and the interlocking there.
The empty hopper train from earlier then pulled out to head west on track 3, stopping with the rear of the train west of the interlocking.		Two helpers then pulled out onto track 3 and coupled onto the rear of the empty hopper train to help shove it over the mountain.
I then went to the Porter Road crossing (also known as "the brickyard"), catching a westbound intermodal rush by on track 3. Shortly after it cleared, I saw that it was meeting an eastbound train of autoracks on track 1.			Looking east at the sign at the entrance to the park at the Curve.	Looking west towards the middle of the curve. Note the traffic signals installed for the tunnel where Glenwhite Road goes under the tracks.
This is the gift shop at the redone park at the Curve.	The new visitor's center. While the park in 1985 had a lot of nostalgia and some may have hated to see it redone, I like the changes.	Heading up to trackside on the funicular. I think this is probably the best improvement to the park, making it easier for people with problems walking to be able to get up to trackside. Plus it beats climbing the steps!	Looking across the valley on the way up on the funicular.	An eastbound freight eases downhill as it approaches the Curve.
The eastbound Amtrak Three Rivers comes downhill around the curve on track 1 and is met by the westbound Pennsylvanian on track 3.			Looking across the valley. At the top right of the picture, you can see where the south leg of the Curve goes around the mountain.	A westbound intermodal grinds uphill on track 3.
Another westbound intermodal comes uphill on track 3 with a pair of helpers shoving on the rear.		Looking down the hill with the funicular in action. As one car comes up, the other goes down, meeting in the middle.	A westbound freight comes up around the Curve on track 3.	A westbound empty hopper train heads uphill on track 2.
A westbound intermodal heads uphill around the Curve on track 3.	Another westbound intermodal in the parade of westbound trains comes around the Curve on track 2.	Map of the area from Cresson to Altoona.	Photos of some of the buildings that used to stand on or near Horseshoe Curve.	Facts and figures about the Curve and the trains that pass by.
Information about the GP9 on display.	Looking east from the top of the mountain at Tunnel Hill on the east side of Gallitzin.
An eastbound intermodal eases downhill on Track 1 past AR Tower and under the South Main Street bridge. At this point, eastbound trains must be going no faster than 10 MPH for their descent down the Slide. In the third and fifth photos, just before the train disappears as it curves to the left, you can see the downhill grade steepen at the top of the Slide.

Day Three (Thursday, August 28th)

Looking out my window at The Tunnel Inn as a westbound comes out of Allegheny Tunnel on track 3.	Looking from the parking lot across the tracks at the Gallitzin Tunnels Park.	A view of the park from across Convent Street.	Informational and greeting signs at the park.
A couple pictures of The Tunnel Inn, Jackson Street bridge, and park and a picture of the tunnels from the park.			A westbound freight exits Allegheny Tunnel on track 3 with a pair of helpers shoving on the rear.
The eastbound Amtrak Pennsylvanian heads downhill through Gallitzin and into Allegheny Tunnel on track 2.		At the South Main Street bridge, a Sperry inspection truck is viewed inspecting the track by AR Tower.	Viewing tracks 2 and 3 from above the tunnels on Foster Street.
From Tunnel Hill, a westbound freight (barely visible through the morning haze, struggles uphill and into Allegheny Tunnel.		Some views of the drive down to the Curve on Glenwhite Road approaching the tunnel and coming out on the inside of the Curve.
An eastbound train of autoracks comes downhill around the Curve on track 1.		An eastbound intermodal with one locomotive still in primer paint comes downhill on track 1.		Another view of the valley in the morning sunshine.
A westbound freight with a pair of ex-Conrail SD40-2 helpers on the head end struggles uphill on track 3 and is met by an eastbound pair of helpers drifting downhill on track 2. Note the door from a Norfolk Southern locomotive on the lead helper on the freight. Another pair of helpers then brings up the rear of the freight.
An eastbound intermodal comes around the Curve on track 1.	Another view of the valley.	A low-angle photo of the GP9 on display.	An interesting shot of the overgrown rock face where the nose of the mountain was cut off when the route was built.
The Sperry inspection truck seen earlier at AR Tower comes around the Curve on track 1. Shortly afterwards, three maintenance trucks come downhill on the empty space that used to originally be track 2. The crews then did some track maintenance on the north side of the Curve by the signal bridge.
The eastbound Three Rivers comes downhill around the Curve on track 2.
A westbound intermodal comes around the Curve on track 3 with a pair of helpers on the rear.			The westbound Pennsylvanian comes around the Curve on track 3.	Another maintenance truck comes around the Curve on what used to be track 2.
A westbound intermodal comes around the Curve on track 3 with a pair of helpers ahead of the road power.		An eastbound intermodal eases downhill on track 1.
A smoking westbound intermodal comes around the Curve on track 3.		An eastbound intermodal comes downhill around the Curve on Track 1.
The eastbound is then met by a westbound freight on track 3 on the north side of the Curve.
On the south side of the Curve, the westbound freight is then met by a short eastbound freight following the intermodal on track 1.			A pair of helpers drifts downhill on track 2.	Another pair of helpers drifts downhill on the south side of the Curve.
A westbound intermodal comes uphill around the Curve on track 3 with a pair of helpers on the rear.		A westbound freight comes uphill on track 2 with a pair of helpers shoving on the rear of the train.
An eastbound freight comes downhill around the Curve on track 1.			A westbound intermodal comes around the Curve on track 3.	A pair of helpers drifts downhill on track 1, passing the westbound intermodal.
A pair of helpers comes downhill on track 2.	An eastbound intermodal comes around the Curve on track 1.	Looking east from Tunnel Hill in the late afternoon. Sorry for the quality of the pictures from Tunnel Hill. The camera I had on this trip didn't have a zoom lens, which would have helped in these pictures.
Three locomotives head east out of New Portage Tunnel on the "Slide" on track 1.
A westbound intermodal struggles uphill on track 2 and into Allegheny Tunnel. There were only two locomotives on the head end, and they were barely moving as they came into view. Even though I was a good distance from the tracks, I could feel the vibrations of the locomotives pulling the train shaking the ground.
Looking west towards AR Tower from ground level below the South Main Street bridge.	Looking eastward down track 1 towards the top of the "Slide".	Looking west toward AR Tower from the South Main Street bridge.	Looking east towards the "Slide" from the South Main Street bridge.
A couple ground-level views looking east under the Jackson Street bridge towards the Gallitzin and Allegheny tunnels.		The sign on the front of The Tunnel Inn.

Day Four (Friday, August 29th)

From my room at The Tunnel Inn, a westbound intermodal exits Allegheny Tunnel and passes under the Jackson Street bridge on track 2.		Arriving at the Curve before or after business hours, the gates are left open, and visitors can get in for free.	Unfortunately, with the funicular not running, that means climbing more than 140 steps to get to trackside.	A maintenance truck heads east down what used to be track 2.
An early morning view of the valley.	A Sperry inspection truck comes downhill around the Curve on track 2. There seemed to be a lot of track maintenance going on during my visit, which was cool as it allowed for a look at what it takes to keep the railroad running smoothly.	The eastbound Amtrak Pennsylvanian comes downhill around the Curve on track 1.
A westbound intermodal with a pair of helpers on the rear comes around the Curve on track 2.		The last train I saw at the Curve on this trip was a pair of helpers heading uphill on track 2.	I then headed west towards Cresson, stopping at the bridge over the tracks on State Route 53. This is the view looking east.	Looking west from the State Route 53 bridge. Cresson is around the curve on the left.
At the railfanning park on Front Street in Cresson, a Pennsy caboose is on display.	A pair of helpers run light eastbound through Cresson, heading back to Altoona to help another train up the hill.	An eastbound intermodal rolls through town.	A pair of helpers sit in the helper engine terminal at Cresson where they are serviced.
An eastbound loaded coal train arrives and eases to a stop at the park for a crew change. The lead two locomotives should look familiar. They were pulling the westbound empty hopper train out of Altoona two days earlier.
Another view of SD40-2 #3349.	While the coal train was stopped, an eastbound train of autoracks rushed past on the adjacent track.
The coal train then throttled up and headed on eastbound.			Two pairs of helpers bring up the rear of the train, staying on to add dynamic braking to the train as it eases down the hill and into Altoona.
As the coal train cleared, it revealed that Amtrak's eastbound Three Rivers had pulled up to the signals to wait for clearance before continuing eastward. It then continued on it's trip to New York a couple minutes after the coal train left.
As I was preparing to leave, I saw the signals light up for another eastbound. I stayed around and caught this freight coming through with a pair of helpers on the rear. The strange looking car is a self-propelled articulated gondola/crane work train. It is made for picking up and dropping off stuff along the right-of-way.

      Needless to say, it had been a fun trip.


Kevin L. Wagner

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