I made my 3rd trip to Altoona last weekend. There is alot to see there- mountain railroading with helpers, a busy mainline hosting 50+ trains per day, the legendary Altoona Works and more. I feel like I'm on sensory overload! It is the best place to see NS in the Northeast, and I'm saying this as a loyal, lifelong NYer. So let's get on with it...
On the way down, I spent a couple hours with the Nittany & Bald Eagle RR, a colorful shortline that operates a former PRR/PC/CR branch. thnax to a tip from a fellow railfan, I caught their local for the 1st time ever.
West 10th Street brdige in Tyrone:
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi857.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fab139%2FErielackawanna%2F2016%2FMay%25202016%2F0527%2520NBER%2FDSCN3173.jpg&hash=bf31ffec1ae05a3ec548d38f8c4188fcc7225a17) (http://s857.photobucket.com/user/Erielackawanna/media/2016/May%202016/0527%20NBER/DSCN3173.jpg.html)
Street running at Washington Avenue in Tyrone:
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi857.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fab139%2FErielackawanna%2F2016%2FMay%25202016%2F0527%2520NBER%2FDSCN3188.jpg&hash=68d3d6f20835cd8002b82123e5e7d91c5b98b713) (http://s857.photobucket.com/user/Erielackawanna/media/2016/May%202016/0527%20NBER/DSCN3188.jpg.html)
Highballing at Main Street in Unionville:
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi857.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fab139%2FErielackawanna%2F2016%2FMay%25202016%2F0527%2520NBER%2FDSCN3211.jpg&hash=4a791226ae7f0da83004ff153f990cdde522ccb5) (http://s857.photobucket.com/user/Erielackawanna/media/2016/May%202016/0527%20NBER/DSCN3211.jpg.html)
For a complete look at my NBER chase, please visit the slide show at:
http://s857.photobucket.com/user/Erielackawanna/slideshow/2016/May%202016/0527%20NBER
All photos in this post and the link were taken by me Friday 5/27/2016 in central Pennsylvania.
Another first, seeing Horseshoe Curve from the west (non-park) side of the tracks.
Eastbound NS intermodal:
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi857.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fab139%2FErielackawanna%2F2016%2FMay%25202016%2F0527%2520PM1%2520Altoona%2520PA%2FDSCN3241.jpg&hash=81e88461374120342aebd458da9ffd4f40ddc93e) (http://s857.photobucket.com/user/Erielackawanna/media/2016/May%202016/0527%20PM1%20Altoona%20PA/DSCN3241.jpg.html)
Westbound hopper train:
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi857.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fab139%2FErielackawanna%2F2016%2FMay%25202016%2F0527%2520PM1%2520Altoona%2520PA%2FDSCN3319.jpg&hash=96f55e1fbe88faccc182788ea3aceb5e47054e27) (http://s857.photobucket.com/user/Erielackawanna/media/2016/May%202016/0527%20PM1%20Altoona%20PA/DSCN3319.jpg.html)
After the hopper train passed, I moved downtown to the 24 1/2 Street bridge.
Westbound NS tank train 66Z:
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi857.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fab139%2FErielackawanna%2F2016%2FMay%25202016%2F0527%2520PM1%2520Altoona%2520PA%2FDSCN3377.jpg&hash=74a6562862e112a5fba1aece5348920b232c6795) (http://s857.photobucket.com/user/Erielackawanna/media/2016/May%202016/0527%20PM1%20Altoona%20PA/DSCN3377.jpg.html)
Westbound Amtrak Pennsylvanian:
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi857.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fab139%2FErielackawanna%2F2016%2FMay%25202016%2F0527%2520PM1%2520Altoona%2520PA%2FDSCN3454.jpg&hash=bd94ea1a3d7c38af7459f03044076de15804c7a2) (http://s857.photobucket.com/user/Erielackawanna/media/2016/May%202016/0527%20PM1%20Altoona%20PA/DSCN3454.jpg.html)
Following dinner, I also caught this westbound NS intermodal from the pedestrian bridge in the center of the city:
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi857.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fab139%2FErielackawanna%2F2016%2FMay%25202016%2F0527%2520PM1%2520Altoona%2520PA%2FDSCN3466.jpg&hash=64eafae41e59076d96d478de3ad9ff7c7697ea16) (http://s857.photobucket.com/user/Erielackawanna/media/2016/May%202016/0527%20PM1%20Altoona%20PA/DSCN3466.jpg.html)
A complete look at Day 1 of this trip:
http://s857.photobucket.com/user/Erielackawanna/slideshow/2016/May%202016/0527%20PM1%20Altoona%20PA
All photos in this post and the link were taken by me Friday 5/27/2016 in Altoona, PA.
Day 2 was just as intense. I spent 3 hours at Horseshoe Curve Park.
Inside the Kahoning Point Museum at the base of the curve:
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi857.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fab139%2FErielackawanna%2F2016%2FMay%25202016%2F0528%2520Altoona%2520PA%2520Horseshoe%2FDSCN3534.jpg&hash=86a7115eabb648c885825c8cdb746ff4f6c3da78) (http://s857.photobucket.com/user/Erielackawanna/media/2016/May%202016/0528%20Altoona%20PA%20Horseshoe/DSCN3534.jpg.html)
Eastbound Amtrak Pennsylvanian:
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi857.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fab139%2FErielackawanna%2F2016%2FMay%25202016%2F0528%2520Altoona%2520PA%2520Horseshoe%2FDSCN3545.jpg&hash=b4b4925982d818c88c6b5d3ff9bc7939f8d52a80) (http://s857.photobucket.com/user/Erielackawanna/media/2016/May%202016/0528%20Altoona%20PA%20Horseshoe/DSCN3545.jpg.html)
A short NS work train meets westbound NS tank train 65R:
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi857.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fab139%2FErielackawanna%2F2016%2FMay%25202016%2F0528%2520Altoona%2520PA%2520Horseshoe%2FDSCN3573.jpg&hash=6d87bbb1e42341e3b07d69eeefc9686bb95d92af) (http://s857.photobucket.com/user/Erielackawanna/media/2016/May%202016/0528%20Altoona%20PA%20Horseshoe/DSCN3573.jpg.html)
Westbound NS intermodal 25Z, which was also the 1st train I saw on my first visit:
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi857.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fab139%2FErielackawanna%2F2016%2FMay%25202016%2F0528%2520Altoona%2520PA%2520Horseshoe%2FDSCN3600.jpg&hash=8e72f55ab375f0b047e8f9df53469251662c880e) (http://s857.photobucket.com/user/Erielackawanna/media/2016/May%202016/0528%20Altoona%20PA%20Horseshoe/DSCN3600.jpg.html)
A slide show of all the trains I saw at Horseshoe Cruve on Day 2, as well as some museum shots:
http://s857.photobucket.com/user/Erielackawanna/slideshow/2016/May%202016/0528%20Altoona%20PA%20Horseshoe
All photos in this post and the link were taken by me Saturday 5/28/2016 in Altoona, PA. The trees on the hillside below the curve have been cut down, so the visibility is much better there now than it was a couple years back.
Moving east in the afternoon, I paid a visit to Altoona works. Among other things, the rebuild program for the ex-UP SD90MACs conitnues:
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi857.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fab139%2FErielackawanna%2F2016%2FMay%25202016%2F0528%2520Altoona%2520PA%2520Juniata%2FDSCN3755.jpg&hash=4d44b6a4609a7efae857914c0fd6ba577f9185da) (http://s857.photobucket.com/user/Erielackawanna/media/2016/May%202016/0528%20Altoona%20PA%20Juniata/DSCN3755.jpg.html)
yard action, as seen from the North 8th Street brdige:
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi857.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fab139%2FErielackawanna%2F2016%2FMay%25202016%2F0528%2520Altoona%2520PA%2520Juniata%2FDSCN3777.jpg&hash=e9c3346bf6e13496285e22f4d0fba72ef6217653) (http://s857.photobucket.com/user/Erielackawanna/media/2016/May%202016/0528%20Altoona%20PA%20Juniata/DSCN3777.jpg.html)
Westbound NS intermodal:
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi857.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fab139%2FErielackawanna%2F2016%2FMay%25202016%2F0528%2520Altoona%2520PA%2520Juniata%2FDSCN3839.jpg&hash=5963c50f61aa87e90c2d8aae2a73cd95c8f3f2b8) (http://s857.photobucket.com/user/Erielackawanna/media/2016/May%202016/0528%20Altoona%20PA%20Juniata/DSCN3839.jpg.html)
Eastbound NS mixed freight departing:
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi857.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fab139%2FErielackawanna%2F2016%2FMay%25202016%2F0528%2520Altoona%2520PA%2520Juniata%2FDSCN3849.jpg&hash=d0a6a1c1f5862f0802705ed08f107e3c03a5b03a) (http://s857.photobucket.com/user/Erielackawanna/media/2016/May%202016/0528%20Altoona%20PA%20Juniata/DSCN3849.jpg.html)
I went back to the shop one more time, and was treated to seeing an SW1001 use the turntable!
(https://www.jreb.org/ns/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi857.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fab139%2FErielackawanna%2F2016%2FMay%25202016%2F0528%2520Altoona%2520PA%2520Juniata%2FDSCN3928.jpg&hash=ce4a8ec65e133ef4d3dc78390ba2c38755b05873) (http://s857.photobucket.com/user/Erielackawanna/media/2016/May%202016/0528%20Altoona%20PA%20Juniata/DSCN3928.jpg.html)
The complete set from Altoona Works and North 8th Street:
http://s857.photobucket.com/user/Erielackawanna/slideshow/2016/May%202016/0528%20Altoona%20PA%20Juniata
All photos in this post and the link were taken by me Saturday 5/28/2016 in Altoona, PA. I can't think of a better place to see mountain railroading or a great locomotive shop.
Looks like a great visit! I was there back in May with my brother and dad. It looks like there is a lot more brush cleared on the east side of the curve in your photos compared to just three weeks ago!
Dan
Thanx! The park received a $50k grant to clear the brush. The west end had been cleared off last fall when I was there with my cousin, but the east end was still covered in brush at that time. I agree it looks much better now.