Rest and Re-creation Altoona Style

The Draw of Humans vs. Gravity

A trip to Altoona that I should have taken in the summer had to wait until Columbus Weekend this year. Altoona is a busy railroad zone all the time but the photo potential is terrific when the leaves are changing color. Though the peak colors had not arrived yet, the colors were far better than summer's solid greens or winter's bare trees. Besides, even the classy but colorless NS paint scheme needs the contrast. The wait was worth it.

I met everyone at Tyrone, well east of Altoona, on Saturday. We converged around noon from 3 directions figuring we might get started quicker that way. The Fiddler and his wife could stick around for the day but I didn't have to leave until Monday. Phil Faudi, guide extraordinaire, led us around for the day and I got to enjoy an additional day on Sunday. The photos here are a few selections from the two days. I'll put them into chronological order but I won't make a full "report" other to make comments on the photos. On Saturday we saw 17 trains at 9 locations from noon to dark. On Sunday, Phil and I saw another 24 from 13 locations from 8am to dark. Despite the constant movement, I thoroughly enjoyed myself and returned home totally recharged mentally.

Starting at Tyrone worked out well. We intercepted a few trains in the area before we even started toward Altoona. The top left photo is 22W at Tipton, just west of Tyrone. Before we left there though, radio traffic indicated something interesting nearby. As you might see from the top right photo, Phil guessed that a recently re-crewed coal train #536 sitting at Gray might cross over to head up the Nittany and Bald Eagle line. This gave us a chance to head back to Tyrone to catch this view of the train on the bridges in town. We got there in time to do what we could given the overcast and tight scene. The wide angle lens was necessary for sure.


From the bridges, the next scenes were just east and out of town at Plummer's crossing (left) where 21E was seen. 36A came by before we headed to Fostoria where we caught a photo (right) of 13G under the combination old and new signals at the crossing. There's something about that new steel holding up old position signals!

We eventually wound our way down the back roads from Fostoria to the yard at Rose. Plenty of activity as might be expected. I just liked the look of 18G sneaking through the middle of the yard for it's re-crew. 13G was behind us on the main doing the same thing and getting helpers attached.

We got our fill of Altoona and headed west. We found some interesting places to view things near the east portals at Gallitzin and the old Portage RR crossover past Cassandra. I'll save those shots for another day. As we headed back to Cresson to wrap up the day, Phil and I caught this shot (right) of 21M at Lilly. We lost the Fiddler somewhere in this chase so he was waiting at the park in Cresson.

Phil wanted to try out a new spot in Cresson so we walked over to check it out. Good for eastbounds but less so for westbounds. In the meantime we caught the #262 Roadrailer (below). At about this time, a helpful railfan across the tracks told us about an RJ Corman train coming to town. We shifted places quickly since it was "westbound". Phil and Fiddler went over to the platform where the switch for RJ Corman is located. It was too close for me so I crossed over to the park parking area. As it turned out, that railfan I mentioned was none other than Doug Keenan of the W.F.P.T.!!! I didn't know that when I shot the photos. It was great to meet him and we saw more of him on Sunday too. Skull would have called it an impromptu summit at the summit of the Alleghenies.

Sunday 10/11

On Sunday morning Phil picked me up from the Motel 6 (Tunnel Inn was booked) at 7:50am and we headed to Alto Tower to see #650 and 25Z meet before our eyes. Meets like this were common on this trip. We actually headed right out to the Sportsman's Club to hike up to the ledges. After 10G (left) passed, we saw another meet with 26T and 227. Phil is really polishing his craft and I believe we missed only one train in two days! Thanks Phil!

Back in Altoona, another meet between 18N (above right) and 591 (left) at Slope. 18N wasn't in a hurry so Phil moved us to Alto to catch it again and the 36A that was behind it. There was a bit of a gap in traffic so it was a good time to head west.

Apparently we were not early enough to hear the light power move that was ahead of us. Ten SD80MAC's had gone west to South Fork before we even left town. We caught up with some of those units in the yard at South Fork (lower left). The place was hopping as it turned out. The remaining 5 MAC's (now designated as train C51) had to wait for 20T and 261 before they could move to Conemaugh. We caught them leaving the yard and waiting at the wye.




We headed east sensing a lull. We stopped at the Route 53 bridge for 20T (left). We traveled by AR tower and Cresson a couple of times. The sun made an appearance for these helpers later in the day. As you can see from this shot of helpers coming out of the Allegheny Tunnel (right), track 2 was out of service as the tunnel was getting some repairs. This put most eastbounds through the Portage Tunnel.

We made our way to the "Tunnel Overlook" over the east portals in Gallitzin. The top photo was from this spot. I have always enjoyed this view in old photographs (with few trees) showing the flyover going over the connection to the now abandoned Hollidaysburg Line. It can still be spectacular when we see a pair like this (20T & 593).

Back through Gallitzin, we stopped by the Route 53 bridge for a few trains. Among those trains was 21M which had KCS and former SP power. Fiddler had called us earlier to warn us that this was headed our way. Most fans trackside had also received similar warnings and so many had the same idea as us: set up for a sunny westbound shot. Doug was at the bridge too. In the process we also saw 20Q, 13G and an eastbound Amtrak.

Coal train #578 came down the branch and gave us reason to return to South Fork. It had a blue leader, which we caught by the yard, and it headed west to a Columbus power plant. A Mechanicsville, NY railfan was in the wye area and we had a nice chat while we waited for 10N to go by - one of the reasons many of us enjoy this activity.

It was getting late in the day so we headed east again. 10N was headed our way, and slowing on the hill, so we got ahead at Carney's Crossing. Here we expected to see a legion of fans but only one was around. That one fan was the W.F.P.T.'s own Doug again. Great minds think alike! We caught 10N and 20R before calling it a day.

Another great adventure in the bag. Phil and I headed back to Altoona for pizza and videos. The final shot is the westbound Amtrak we caught on the way back at the Route 53 bridge. For a shot of Amtrak, I didn't think it turned out too badly. Nice way to end the day.


Till next time,

BC