Tomorrow we'll ride Philly-Pittsburgh.
I know we want to be on the south side for Horseshoe. But any suggestion for any other sights along the way, and on which side we need to be, will greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Still in training.
Deleted, you were already gone! Hope you had a great trip!
Gosh, where to begin. I would first consult Google Earth but here are some sights:
Philly: left side for servicing yards and High Line, right for Schuylkill River, Rocky's art museum and cityscape.
Philly suburban: The Main (sniff) Line. Interesting stations both sides. See if you can spot Mortimer or Randolph at Wynnewood, Haverford or Bryn Mawr. Strafford's unique station was relocated from the 1876 Philadelphia Exposition and is on the left.
Coatesville: Lukens (now ArcelorMittal) Steel on the left from a high bridge.
Gap-Lancaster: the Great (i.e. fertile) Valley Is PA Dutch (i.e. German) territory. Spot an Amish/Mennonite horse and buggy or a hex-signed barn. Paradise is the Strasburg RR's interchange and eastward terminus and is on the left.
Highspire/Steelton: Susquehanna River on left. Former USS Steelton works on right where an awful lot of our rails were rolled.
Harrisburg: If this stop is long enough, get off to admire the trainsheds and the brick station house. The restored GG1 used to be at the westward end but I think it was moved to the state museum at Strasburg.
Rockville: on approach be on the left for a side view of the famous bridge. On the bridge I'd suggest the right side for the upriver view of the Blue Mountain gap.
Marysville-Duncannon/Clarks Ferry: stay on the right for the river view, the mid-river miniature Statue of Liberty and the curve into the Juniata Valley. The Juniata will be on your right for a considerable distance.
Denholm: other than the ultra-wide ROW I don't think much remains of the great PRR coaling/watering stages, but see if any foundations or column footers are visible.
Lewistown: nicely preserved station then two Juniata crossings, south-north-south sides.
Mattawana/Mcveytown: station gone but has a possibly former hotel on right that would make my kind of b&b.
Mount Union: you'll barely notice the town due to summer foliage. However, immediately leaving and looking backwards on the left you'll see sidings that were the original PRR main through town where the East Broad Top connection was made. Then it's Jack's Narrows where so many early canal and railroad photos were taken.
Huntingdon: the fine old station is a stop and is on the right. The standard gauge Huntingdon and Broad Top Mountain RR connected here on the left after the station.
Petersburg: you won't see it but this is where the Juniata splits into the Little Juniata and the Frankstown Branch. The present railroad follows the former and the Pennsylvania canal and original main went southwestwardly along the latter to Hollidaysburg. That's where the sectional canal boats were planed over the mountain that the Horseshoe Curve route climbs today. It's also where the Muleshoe Curve line to Galitzin began.
Tyrone: original station is just before the present one, both on the right. Nicely preserved with a viewing deck and occupied by an historical society.
Altoona: right side arriving for most of the NS Juniata shops. Nuff said. At the station switch to the left side to see the Railroaders Memorial Museum and it's outdoor display. That side will also set you up for The Curve. You might want to glance at famous Alto tower on the right when leaving town.
That's as far as my riding experience goes although I've visited a lot of sites to the west. Keep your eyes open and have a great memorable trip!
Rick
rixflix aka Captain Video. Blessed be Jean Shepherd and all His works!!! Hooray for 1939, the all time movie year!!! I took that ride on the Reading but my Baby caught the Katy and left me a mule to ride.
Dang...when I finished typing the above post I found out you had probably cleared Lewistown! No doubt you're too busy looking at the sights to be reading all that.
Anyway, report about your trip. My post may have answered some of your questions and maybe you'll have more.
rixflix Dang...when I finished typing the above post I found out you had probably cleared Lewistown! No doubt you're too busy looking at the sights to be reading all that. Anyway, report about your trip. My post may have answered some of your questions and maybe you'll have more. Rick
Rick, thanks so much! I wish I'd made my appeal sooner.
Totally exhausted. Will write more later. Cheers.
rixflix Dang...when I finished typing the above post I found out you had probably cleared Lewistown! No doubt you're too busy looking at the sights to be reading all that. Rick
The highlights that you pointed to for a rider on the Pennsylvanian were spot on.
I am from Altoona. I lived in NYC for eight years after graduation from Penn State. I rode the train home six to eight times a year. I am familiar with the points that you emphasized.
It sounds like you might be from Altoona or thereabouts, or have traveled on the train to and from Altoona more than once.
Rick, thanks again for your list. I appreciate your going to all that trouble.
I am happy to say that we caught a lot of the sights you mentioned. And much much more.
We loved the trip! Mile for mile, that's the most interesting stretch of RR I've ever been on. There is SO much to look at. Great railroad stuff, and also just a wonderfully slice of America.
And the amout of freight traffic on the NS part (west of Harrisburg) of that line is jaw-dropping. An opposing train seemed to go by every 10-15 minutes! Big time railroading at its best.
The Amtrak crew was friendly, the car (biz class) was quiet, and sometimes the train hauled butt. Alas, we got delayed, so the last hour was in darkness, concealing some sights.
Plans don't call for it, but I'd love to ride it eastbound too.
A great train ride! highly recommended. I've been on lines with more spectacular natural vistas; but for the "stuff" I love, two thumbs up!
Lithonia OperatorAnd the amout of freight traffic on the NS part (west of Harrisburg) of that line is jaw-dropping. An opposing train seemed to go by every 10-15 minutes! Big time railroading at its best.
Catching up on the backlog from the derailment as well, I'm guessing.
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
We saw all the derailed cars uphill from Horseshoe Curve. What a sight. Our train crept by there. (Slow order, or the incline? Our train had one unit) All wrecked were cars on the inside of the curve, so I'm thinking stringlining. Was this recent? I know there were two stringlines a few months ago, one on HS Curve itself. But you don't mean they're still working off THAT backlog, do you?
Lithonia OperatorWe saw all the derailed cars uphill from Horseshoe Curve. What a sight. Our train crept by there. (Slow order, or the incline? Our train had one unit) All wrecked were cars on the inside of the curve, so I'm thinking stringlining. Was this recent? I know there were two stringlines a few months ago, one on HS Curve itself. But you don't mean they're still working off THAT backlog, do you?
I don't know.
Maybe NS's vision of PSR is to leave derailed cars on the ground as it doesn't cost them anything to leave them there. Of course, by leaving the cars there they won't get the income from selling scrap steel.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
I was wondering if they were waiting for a somehow more opportune time. IIRC, there was no cleanup equipment there at all.
Not the incline. Seen and been on the Pennsylvanian many times - always with one unit.
GS
We are really enjoying Pittsburgh, doing lotsa touristy stuff. Never seen so many trains in the course of a day. Trains everywhere.
Great city. Unpretentious, friendly, very interesting. Lots to do.
GeoffSNot the incline. Seen and been on the Pennsylvanian many times - always with one unit. GS
Don't know what Amtrak's standards are for the Pennsylvanian.
On CSX for On Time calculations of Amtrak performance. One unit was expected to maintain On Time schedule performance. If One Unit hauled MORE than 8 cars then a allowance of 10 minutes per check point was added into the calculations.
Auto Train always ran with two units in each direction.
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