My visit to the Horseshoe Curve

[nitroboy]

Went real good. Stopped by the railroad museum first in Altoona. Only dissapointment was no steam power on display. I got to step inside a real GG-1, walk on the deck of a crane car, and check out some of the passenger cars there. I hope they put some money into those pieces, they are just rotting away. Then we drove to the end of Juniata in Altoona, and saw the old turntable there. My grandfather worked on the railroad there and my dad said he used to give him rides on that turntable. Pretty neat. Massive building there, got to see it to appreciate it.

At the curve it was cold and raining, so only stayed for about an hour. They had a ballast car tying up the line somewhere so only saw a few engines go by. Hard to believe that thing was built by 450 Irishmen with picks, shovels, blackpowder and wheelbarrows.

The place is a must see for all railroad fans.

[Anonymous]

Any photos?

[Anonymous]

Sorry you didn't see a whole bunch of train action, but it still sounds like a lot of fun!

[Anonymous]

Glad you had a good time! I love going to that area.

[Kozzie]

Dave, thanks very much for the report.

Sad to hear about the passenger cars going 'downhill'. I'm sure the museum would love to restore them, but it sounds like the usual problem of not enough cash.

Talking about money and Horseshoe Curve, I gather from the recent Trains Mag article that there is now three tracks instead of four...is that because of costs that caused one of the four tracks to be taken up? Less traffic than in previous years?

Dave
(Kozzie)

[ajmiller]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Kozzie
Talking about money and Horseshoe Curve, I gather from the recent Trains Mag article that there is now three tracks instead of four...is that because of costs that caused one of the four tracks to be taken up? Less traffic than in previous years?

Dave
(Kozzie)

There are three tracks. Old track 2 was removed in the early 1980's by Conrail. The PRR had 4 tracks for most of the line from Harrisburg to Pittsburgh. Today this line, now the NS Pittsburgh line, is mostly double track except for Tyrone-Johnstown which is still triple track because of the mountain grades. I think the PRR regarded two of the tracks as passenger tracks and the other two as freight. Since so few passenger trains are run today, I guess there is no need to maintain the extra trackage.

[Anonymous]

I believe the Altoona Railroad Museum is a great place to visit with their outstanding exhibits of what life was like in Altoona. I visited it twice. The first time it took me 2-3 hours to appreciate what was there. The second time was about an hour. Nothing new to keep me interested.. I will still stop there when I go to Altoona just to support their efforts.

I've read that attendance is down and they have had to lay off people. If you are in the area for the first time, It is well worth a visit.

By the way, great sight behind the museum with benches to watch the trains.

[Anonymous]

I heard the railroad musuem was looking to put a roundhouse there to hold the cars. I can't rermember the source, anyone hear of this. It would help to prevent weathering and look really neat. Those cars are in horrible shape.
Andrew

[Anonymous]

The museum is great, as is the whole area. Yes, from what their site said for a while at least, the state of Pennsylvania gave them a 2.5 million dollar grant to build a quarter roundhouse in their lot, and I guess restore more trains.

Supposedly other than that grant, the museum is Bankrupt. they finished their current museum in 1998, and that ate up all of their money.

You said the GG1 is back at the museum? I went last september, and here is the shape she was in.

Derailed on a frog for an abandoned warehouse, boarded up, and with fading paint.

[Anonymous]

Cold and rainy? Sounds like you were there friday? You might have seen me zip by if you happened to see something Amtrak between 1-2PM.

[Anonymous]

I went twice in august and the gg1 was back on track but still paint faded and looking sad. I have a pic of it somewhere ini the 300 pics I have stored in my computer from the two trips. I love digital cameras.
Andrew

[MP57313]

Thanks for the info. Definitely sounds like it's worth a visit.

QUOTE: Originally posted by arnstg
The second time was about an hour. Nothing new to keep me interested.. I will still stop there when I go to Altoona just to support their efforts.

That's been my beef with other museums too. Gotta change the exhibits to keep it fresh!
And I understand the money shortage...seems that only the really large, "glamorous" museums have contacts with wealthy contributors to help them prosper. The rest just struggle along.
MP

[railman]

sounds like fun...

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by MP57313

Thanks for the info. Definitely sounds like it's worth a visit.

QUOTE: Originally posted by arnstg
The second time was about an hour. Nothing new to keep me interested.. I will still stop there when I go to Altoona just to support their efforts.

That's been my beef with other museums too. Gotta change the exhibits to keep it fresh!
And I understand the money shortage...seems that only the really large, "glamorous" museums have contacts with wealthy contributors to help them prosper. The rest just struggle along.
MP

Spent 5 years with the local railroad museum. One of the largest in the county, but completely self funded. most other museums get government funding each year, the RR museum asks for it and is turned away for not having enough money (Go figure), but authough there are a few rich folks in town, their donations go to the government funded museums, and the railroad museum struggles to keep its head above water. Now CSX is ripping the only successful fundraiser out from under them...

[tree68]

QUOTE: Originally posted by MP57313

Thanks for the info. Definitely sounds like it's worth a visit.

Originally posted by arnstg
And I understand the money shortage...seems that only the really large, "glamorous" museums have contacts with wealthy contributors to help them prosper. The rest just struggle along.
MP

Alas, too true! I visited the New York Museum of Transportation this past weekend, which, despite its grand name, inhabits an old farm and buildings thereof. I have to give them great marks for effort, but on a cold, rainy Sunday afternoon, it wasn't a real pleasant experience. One highlight of the visit could have been a speeder ride to a nearby NHRS chapter museum, but it was raining and no cover on the passenger trailer. (We drove over to that one - plenty of rolling stock, but still pretty sparse) Of course, the museum is only open one day per week, and then staffed by volunteers.

Larry
Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) 
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