I been trying to make a Conrail layout based in Gallitzin, Pennsylvania in 1987-89. I wanted the main line traffic coming from Horseshoe Curve and Altoona, but I also wanted switching in this small town. Does anyone knows what industries are still around that used Conrail or Norfolk Southern today? I'm modeling the tunnel as a passing staging yard.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
Angelob6660,
I don't know if this will answer all of Your questions. But it sure is a start:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallitzin_Tunnel
Frank
Does this town considered to be modeled or not? It just seems like this town is famous for its tunnels and nothing else. What's the deal? I wish almost every town has a loop around it like this one!
If you get tired of looking for industries in Gallitzin, maybe you can count the coal cars going through it. They probably have enough of them going through there:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4j2io0Uvuw
I had been in Gallitzin on many occasion while taking railroad photos around the Altoona area during Conrail. Basically, it's just a hilltop town and the RR tunnels go through that same hill. I don't recall any rail served businesses around Gallitzin proper...but there may have during the PRR days. At one time there was a connection to a secondary just below the east end of the tunnels. I believe that was abandonded years ago. At the time Cresson (just west of Gallitzin) had a small yard and engine service area. Trains would change crews and relay helpers there. There was also a branch line that came in from the north...can't say what that was. I haven't been in that area in over 20 years...couldn't say how much it may have changed.
Mark H
Modeling in HO...Reading and Conrail together in an alternate history.
Just followed that branch line on Google Maps. It ends at a flood loader NE of Prince Gallitzin State Park.
The Wikipedia 1993 photo shows a train coming out of a tunnel that is no longer in service. The other single track bore is now double track, and the portal clearance is HUGE.
The interesting features at Gallatzin are the widely separated tunnel portals and the curved 'looks like a wye' connector between the eastbound and westbound mains - apparently once used (and may still be used) to turn helpers for the trip back down the hill.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
I was through there on Amtrak not too long ago. Wondered why all through the town there were tons of people out taking photos of the train - once I reached my destination I saw why, the locomotive was one of the Amtrak Heritage units. Anyway, not too many sidings in that area. Once you satrt climbing towards the Curve, there's nothing until you are down the other side. Almost missed the Curve, too. I was extremely tired (couldn;t sleep on the Cap Limited through the night, I was too interested in seeing where we were, even in the dark) and it was rather sudden - you're going through trees and brush and suddenly - boom, view. i WAS on the correct side of the train - made a point to get on as quickly as I could so I could pick a seat on the proper side. And I got some video on my phone.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Just did a little seaching on Google Earth checking sat images. Gallitzin has grow a bit. The north tunnel is now trackless, the middle tunnel has two, and the south tunnel is one track though it was originally two. The mainline wye is still there. I don't ever remember helpers using it since they ran/run back to back. Off the small wye in Cresson is the connection with RJ Corman central PA
I had often thought of modeling this area. Dogbone maybe. With Cresson as one loop end and Altoona as the other loop end with Gallitzin exactly what it is as an intermediate point. Good place for hidden storage tracks.
Note: Prototype links here are to North East Rails.
Gallitzin Tunnels at Tunnel Hill are part of the Cresson Mountain Summit "between" Horseshoe Curve to Altoona on the East Slope, and; the West Slope to Johnstown.
Take special note, this was the Pennsy's primary east/west mainline with 4 tracks, now a Norfolk Southern 3 track mainline. As such, PRR's mainline was designed to be "a limited access express lane" across the commonwealth, many times on an elevated roadbed, stopping briefly for Broadway Limited (now Pennsylvanian) passenger stops, or "on/off side spurs" for local industry.
At the bottom of the East Slope: Altoona's major industry was the the massive PRR Yards including full roundhouse operations. At the bottom of the West Slope: Johnstown's major industry had over 20 miles of Bethlehem Steel's Mills, and coal mining hoppers was a major industry between Gallitzin and Johnstown. Many times, the 4 track (thru) mainline had yard spurs for pick-ups and drop-offs.
Gallitzin was and still is "high iron mountain railroading" -- The place to turn around helper engines (see the wye at AR Tower) for the return trip to the base of the East Slope at Altoona. Today, Gallitzin provides just as much railfanning with "tunnel blasts" (see this neat PRR E8) at the Tunnel Hill highway overpass -- As opposed to Horseshoe Curve's train meets.
Thus, Gallitzin's major industries are tunnels, turning helpers, mainline railroading, and railfanning. To the east, it is only mainlining to Altoona, and to the immediate west, it is coal. Altoona and Johnstown would have similar manufacturing support-type industries to model.
If possible, modeling of PRR's towers is important. For example, see AR Tower and MG Tower, and there are other towers, east and west of these towers, as well. Also, Google Maps provides an idea of the helper turnaround wye at Gallitzin.
P.S.: I'm using the Gallitzin Tunnels as inspiration for the top of a helix on the CR&T.
Conemaugh Road & Traction circa 1956
In the Conrail era there was only one local customer in Gallitzin. A spur came off track 4 to the De Gol brothers lumber co. They received boxcars of lumber. Much earlier this spur continued further to a coke plant but that was long gone by the later PRR era. When the loops tracks at Gallitzin were used to fuel helpers they were two tracks wide.A third track a siding was used for teh tank cars suppling diesel . The facility at Cresson replaced this facility in the mid 60's and only one track remains as a loop between UN and AR. ---- Ken