Johnstown-America Corp...Freight Car Manufacturer

[Modelcar]

....Right before you get to the Viaduct from the Garrett side turn left and head up a dirt road for several hundred yards and turn left andf follow that around to the right and it will take you right up to ROW level and you can park right at the edge of the east end. This was 2 or 3 years ago when we did that.
Now it is Pacer basketball time...must exit....until later.

[dwil89]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

...Just this afternoon I decided to pull up some photos over on Google of the Sand Patch area and specifically the tunnel. Lots of good ones to look at. Several are even positioned to allow one to see clear through the tunnel. It does look like rough territory and I'm sure it is....knowing where it is.
Even found some photos taken from up on the former WM Salisbury Viaduct as I did several years ago...A great location to photograph C&O as it passes right under that structure. As you may already know it has been outfitted with a concrete floor and wire mesh sides to serve the walking trail that passes over it....A great view from up there.
Years ago when our High School would head over that way to play basketball at Meyersdale I would look at that structure {it was in use then}, in awe and never could I imagine someday I'd walk across it...!

A couple of years ago, I tried to find the access to walk on that Salisbury Viaduct...after conversion to walking trail....I drove down old 219 and under the viaduct, then up side roads adjacent to the Viaduct...must have spent an hour trying to find where to get on it.....everything dead ended...I never did figure it out, and gave up and left. Dave Williams http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nsaltoonajohnstown

[Modelcar]

...Just this afternoon I decided to pull up some photos over on Google of the Sand Patch area and specifically the tunnel. Lots of good ones to look at. Several are even positioned to allow one to see clear through the tunnel. It does look like rough territory and I'm sure it is....knowing where it is.
Even found some photos taken from up on the former WM Salisbury Viaduct as I did several years ago...A great location to photograph C&O as it passes right under that structure. As you may already know it has been outfitted with a concrete floor and wire mesh sides to serve the walking trail that passes over it....A great view from up there.
Years ago when our High School would head over that way to play basketball at Meyersdale I would look at that structure {it was in use then}, in awe and never could I imagine someday I'd walk across it...!

[dwil89]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

Dave, I've never been right to the Sand Patch tunnel...Is it accessable easily by road, etc....?

The East Portal requires some hiking...If you turn left off of 160 coming South onto the road that leads down to Mance, there is a entrance to a service road on the left,side of that road to Mance. Other Railfans have told me they have hiked into the service rd,to the CSX right of way, then up to the left to get to the Tunnel..its only a couple hundred yards hike up the service road to the CSX Main.....The West Portal was always accessed from the Summit..using an access road that led to the Sand Patch Tower location, the road continued back to the West Portal, perhaps a quarter to half mile from the Summit Bridge..which, by the way, is no longer wooden, it was replaced with a modern concrete span..no high fences though....The access road to the West Portal was gated.the last time I was there...I believe gates might have been recently installed at the time I was last down there, about a year ago, so I don't know what might have changed since then. Dave Williams http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nsaltoonajohnstown

[Modelcar]

Dave, I've never been right to the Sand Patch tunnel...Is it accessable easily by road, etc....?

[dwil89]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

CSXrules4eva....Hop on the Capitol Limited on CSX and come right through Garrett and Sand Patch.

Yeah, you could also hop off at Cumberland, stay at the Holiday Inn, rent a car, and fan Sand Patch. If you took the Pennsylvanian, you'd be 60 miles to the North and would have to drive down to the Patch. Dave Williams http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nsaltoonajohnstown

[Modelcar]

CSXrules4eva....Hop on the Capitol Limited on CSX and come right through Garrett and Sand Patch.

[Modelcar]

...Dave: Yes, I know better I misspoke on 220...I know it is 22...and I remember the old stone arch one passes under going down..{east}, on old 22.
And that's exactly what the old PRR route is doing over on the other side..."wrapping" around the mountain edges to maintain the 1.8% to attain the summit. Great area to see railroad action as it's been for the century plus.

[CSXrules4eva]

QUOTE: Originally posted by The Rat

The way I drive, its 45 minutes to Sandpatch (Garrett, PA) from the Galleria exit. It helps to know where the cops hide on 219 south.

LOL. With the way I drive it'll take me a good 6hrs to get to Garrett, from Philadelphia. However if I hop on the Three Rivers at 30th Street Station (Amtrak) I'll be there sooner! I would hope.

[dwil89]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

....Have been over to Google and picked up a web site for the area: "Railfaning the Pennsylvania's west slope".....Very interesting. Of course that whole area is interesting railroading.
I would have liked to have ridden down {or up}, the route around Mule Shoe Curve when it was still in existence. Too bad it was destroyed but it did give a big help to create a great grade for the "new" 220 Rt.

Actually that's the new 22. 220 is also known as I99 that runs North-South through Altoona, New 22 links up with it at the bottom of the Mountain near Duncansville,and runs West. up the Mountain...However, as you head up the grade, you will start paralleling the NS Main to your right. You can get a great view of trains climbing or descending the grade from new 22, especially when leaves are down. The trains appear to wrap along the edge of the mountain....As far as Muleshoe, the Muleshoe Curve is still in existence as a hiking trail maintained by the Park Service. Now though, it is so treed in along the trail, all it looks like is a trail going around a curve in the woods. If you take Old 22 down the mountain until just where it goes back to 2 lanes from 4, there is an overpass. Park here and hike up onto the trail. The overpass over the road is actually part of the Muleshoe Curve itself. Dave Williams http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nsaltoonajohnstown

[Modelcar]

....aj: 10-4 on the 3-plants.
From what one can read...they are having a pretty good business cycle now.

[ajmiller]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

....Isn't there possibly 3 plants at various locations....

According to their website they have three plants: Franklin Plant, Shell Plant, and Danville Plant.

See for descriptions
http://www.johnstownamerica.com/about/abt_facilities.htm

and see for directions
http://www.johnstownamerica.com/service/ser_drive.htm

The Franklin and Shell plants are both in the Johnstown area.

[Modelcar]

...Yes, with that elapsed time you quote, you should know where they hide....I'm familiar with that area having been born in Stoystown and realize how far it is between those points.

[Anonymous]

The way I drive, its 45 minutes to Sandpatch (Garrett, PA) from the Galleria exit. It helps to know where the cops hide on 219 south.

[Modelcar]

....Isn't there possibly 3 plants at various locations....

[Anonymous]

There's a Johnstown America plant in Danville, IL and they make open top coal hoppers. They can build about 20 cars per day. One of our yard jobs will pull the plant about once a week and then one of crews will haul the new train to its new destination.

[Modelcar]

....Have been over to Google and picked up a web site for the area: "Railfaning the Pennsylvania's west slope".....Very interesting. Of course that whole area is interesting railroading.
I would have liked to have ridden down {or up}, the route around Mule Shoe Curve when it was still in existence. Too bad it was destroyed but it did give a big help to create a great grade for the "new" 220 Rt.

[Modelcar]

...10-4 on the tunnel Dave. Thanks.

[Modelcar]

...Yes, Dave the price sounds about what we paid when we did that run. That's a pretty good bargin for someone who has not been around Horseshoe Curve and through the tunnel, etc....Lots of history in that area for sure.....
I have never been to Stable Bend but sure would like to see it...Have seen pic's at various places but that's all.

[dwil89]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

...Thanks aj.....Is the grade through it such that one can see both ends....?

Yes..it is only several hundred feet long , level and straight...You can see all the way through it through the other end. Dave Williams

[Modelcar]

...Thanks aj.....Is the grade through it such that one can see both ends....?

[dwil89]

.
Schedule used to be one could ride over to Altoona on Amtrak and spend a few hrs. in the museum and catch the westbound back to Johnsown and be back about 4:30 in the afternoon but I know they have messed with that now and probably not possible.
Dave, does Staple Bend have lights in it since it has been reworked and open now...?

[ajmiller]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

...Allow a bit more time to get to Sand Patch from the Galleria area...Surely. I happen to like the downtown area of Johnstown too that's why I suggested the H I Hotel on Market. Like to eat lunch at Johnnie's there on Main st. etc.....and the H I Hotel is really a pretty nice place.
Schedule used to be one could ride over to Altoona on Amtrak and spend a few hrs. in the museum and catch the westbound back to Johnsown and be back about 4:30 in the afternoon but I know they have messed with that now and probably not possible.
Dave, does Staple Bend have lights in it since it has been reworked and open now...?

I walked through Staple Bend Tunnel back in September, and there weren't any lights on. There is a handrail though.

[Modelcar]

...Allow a bit more time to get to Sand Patch from the Galleria area...Surely. I happen to like the downtown area of Johnstown too that's why I suggested the H I Hotel on Market. Like to eat lunch at Johnnie's there on Main st. etc.....and the H I Hotel is really a pretty nice place.
Schedule used to be one could ride over to Altoona on Amtrak and spend a few hrs. in the museum and catch the westbound back to Johnsown and be back about 4:30 in the afternoon but I know they have messed with that now and probably not possible.
Dave, does Staple Bend have lights in it since it has been reworked and open now...?

[dwil89]

QUOTE: Originally posted by The Rat

Actually the yard is in the Woodvale section of Johnstown. Johnstown America is in Franklin Boro.

Here is a link for railfanning around the NS West Slope and Southfork Secondary:

Railfans guide to the West Slope
Address:http://community-2.webtv.net/NS_West_Slope/Railfansguidetothe/

As far as hotels, the best place to stay would be the Super 8 on RT 219 at Galleria Dr. Reason being, You have a 65mph highway to Southfork right outside the hotel, and can be there in 5 minutes. You would also be about 45 minutes from the CSX main on Sandpatch. Also, scanner reception here is exceptional. Including 160.860 the NS Mon Line freq.

Add the mall across the highway with about 20 places to eat and you pretty much see why its better up on the hill.

In the summer months, Conemaugh is a good afternoon/evening spot. In the winter, its useless for photography.

The Rat

The Rat is a resident-expert on the area....He can provide alot of great info on the area, as his guide attests! Dave Williams

[dwil89]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ajmiller

QUOTE: Originally posted by dwil89

Here is a link to a Johnstown/Cambria County Visitors Guide that may provide some general interesting info...Check out the heritage section to get to tasty food recipes...They have recipe for Gobs there. Modelcar and AJmiller should know what those are...I pick them up everytime I'm in...Link: http://www.visitJohnstownpa.com Dave Williams http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nsaltoonajohnstown

Actually I've only been there a few times, so I'm not familiar with Gobs or the local eating establishments.

Staple Bend Tunnel is also another place in the area to visit. There's a parking area for it near Mineral Point, and from there it's about a 2 mile walk or bike ride to the tunnel.

I have hiked out to the Staple Bend Tunnel a number of times, if you hike through it, you'll come out into a nice valley where the slagdumps from the Steel Mills were dumped. Some across the valley shots are possible of a stone arch viaduct, and you can shoot off the now unused Conemaugh and Blacklick Iron Bridge. It is one of my favorite spots to hike to on the West Slope. Dave Williams http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nsaltoonajohnstown

[Anonymous]

Actually the yard is in the Woodvale section of Johnstown. Johnstown America is in Franklin Boro.

Here is a link for railfanning around the NS West Slope and Southfork Secondary:

Railfans guide to the West Slope
Address:http://community-2.webtv.net/NS_West_Slope/Railfansguidetothe/

As far as hotels, the best place to stay would be the Super 8 on RT 219 at Galleria Dr. Reason being, You have a 65mph highway to Southfork right outside the hotel, and can be there in 5 minutes. You would also be about 45 minutes from the CSX main on Sandpatch. Also, scanner reception here is exceptional. Including 160.860 the NS Mon Line freq.

Add the mall across the highway with about 20 places to eat and you pretty much see why its better up on the hill.

In the summer months, Conemaugh is a good afternoon/evening spot. In the winter, its useless for photography.

The Rat

[ajmiller]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dwil89

Here is a link to a Johnstown/Cambria County Visitors Guide that may provide some general interesting info...Check out the heritage section to get to tasty food recipes...They have recipe for Gobs there. Modelcar and AJmiller should know what those are...I pick them up everytime I'm in...Link: http://www.visitJohnstownpa.com Dave Williams http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nsaltoonajohnstown

Actually I've only been there a few times, so I'm not familiar with Gobs or the local eating establishments.

Staple Bend Tunnel is also another place in the area to visit. There's a parking area for it near Mineral Point, and from there it's about a 2 mile walk or bike ride to the tunnel.

[dwil89]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jeaton

Dave

I knew Amtrak had new auto racks in the plan, but the note in January's Trains was the first I had seen that the cars were ordered and under production. Give us a shout if you see anything.

Jay

My plan is to try to make it in sometime in early January....I'll check it out. A good spot to railfan in Conemaugh is 'under the 271 Bridge" On the track 3 side, before you get onto the bridge to cross over to Franklin, and the JA side, turn off onto a side street near a car-wash, then drive back along a road that passes under the bridge..there is a gravel pull off that is next to the tracks...you can look west and get a nice view of the closed C-Tower, and signal bridge. A nice place to shoot in sunny weather, or to hang out and watch them....Dave Williams http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nsaltoonajohnstown