One weekend in February 1999 I packed up my camping gear & mountain bike and headed out to Horseshoe Curve. I parked my car in Gallitzin and headed out on some logging roads that roughly paralleled the tracks until I reached a bluff overlooking the valley. The trains passed about 5' below me. I set up camp, made some ramen noodles, and watched as train after train ascended / decended the mountain grade. The thunder of those locomotives going up, 5' below me, was astounding....
It was a sleepless night thanks to the parade of trains, and a less-than-hospitable camping location, not to mention temps down to 20°F. Nevertheless, I got up the next morning, ate some oatmeal, broke camp & back-tracked up the hill. Then I rode down to the access road for MG tower, got up there & photographed more trains passing through the interlocking. What a beautiful location!
Finally, by day's end, I worked my way up the hill west of Horseshoe Curve where I watched train after train snake through the valley....
Thus, I fulfilled a dream I had since I was a kid. My dad & I always planned to do this very thing, but it never came together
We have been discussing what caused you to be a railfan.
Now, what was your "best" day or most memorable day watching or photographing trains?
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