I have not been to Horseshoe Curve in Altoona PA since 2004, and have plans of visiting the curve this summer, so this leads me on to a question. I heard in a train magazine about a year and a half ago, that on each side of the curve they were cutting trees down so you could see the whole curve with a train on it, possibly showing the whole train coming around it. My question is, As of today of 2010, do they have the trees on each side of the curve cut down now, so you can see the whole train coming and going around the curve?
As of last August 2009, the answer was No. The vegetation limited the visibility to pretty much just alongside the viewing area. I have a few photos that I took from up there, but they’re not great for just that reason.
There’s a chance that I might be out that way sometime in the next couple of weeks - if I do get there, I’ll make it a point to look again and let you know.
- Paul North.
Let’s see if I can post a couple of those photos. First, looking east/ downgrade - note that the brush is almost up to the bottom of the old signal bridge - I read that the new one is in service, but haven’t seen any photos of it yet.
[link]http://lh5.ggpht.com/_o57bVHrFAbQ/So8diuJnEmI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/_kUs4JS5mBM/s720/DSCN7772.JPG[/link]
![http://lh5.ggpht.com/_o57bVHrFAbQ/So8diuJnEmI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/_kUs4JS5mBM/s720/DSCN7772.JPG[/link]](http://lh5.ggpht.com/_o57bVHrFAbQ/So8diuJnEmI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/_kUs4JS5mBM/s720/DSCN7772.JPG%5B/link%5D){kind=link}
The second one is looking east across the fence at the back of the viewing area. The notch in the trees on the far hillside to the right - about midway between the pavilion for the top station of the funicular car, and the big tree at the right side of the photo - is where the tracks round that point heading upgrade. It’s hard from this angle to gauge or see the height of the trees without being able to see that tracks as well - but I couldn’t see anything until the trains got to the viewing area.
[link]http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/rkDDKPXczpoddY_Hc9_0JQ?feat=directlink[/link]
Finally, here’s one showing the brush at the southern side of the viewing area, looking towards MP 242 - you can see how grown-in it is - too bad for us.
[link]http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/sIZABTSwNeyjFmd9FtiLcA?feat=directlink[/link]
- Paul North.
As of 2 weeks ago, no
However, Horseshoe Curve will be featured in the up coming Trains magazine issue, so there may be some news.
I doubt the Altoona Railroaders’ Memorial Musuem has the money for it, not to mention they would have to get NS to co-operate. You would think such a national treasure would have better up keep.
I have more questions to ask. Here’s the first. Is Cassandra a Nice Town or Bad Town or is it something else? In Cassandra for the Railfan Bridge Outlook, Where do you park your vehicle at, so I can watch the trains?, Is it next to the Railfan Bridge?
The reason why I ask these questions is because I’ve never been to Cassandra, but looking at an image map of Cassandra, it doesn’t look in tip top shape, by that it looks like, in my terms, Poor Living, but I could be wrong, so that’s why I ask. The reason why I asked about the parking is because I don’t want to walk a mile to see the train and leave my vehicle alone.
In this map here - http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&…e1=Cassandra%2C%20PA next to the Railfan Birdge Overlook in Cassandra PA, looks like an oval dirt area to park. Is that a spot you can park your car to watch trains, or no?
I have two extra questions now. What Milepost is Cassandra at? What is the mainline road frequency and dispatcher frequency for this line from Altoona, around Horseshoe Curve, to Gallitzin, Cresson, Cassandra, Portage, Wilmore and so on, which I believe this mainline is named NS Pittsburgh Line? Is the Road Frequency 161.070 and the Dispatcher Frequency is 160.800 possibly by chance?
Cassandra, is very railfan friendly; there is a motel in town that caters to railfans. Just follow the signs to the bridge, it may look like you are going down someone’s gravel driveway but it really is taking you to the bridge. The people around are nice, just be respectful of them and their property. Yes, you can park right next to the bridge, although be careful where you park if you do not want your car to end up in the photo.
The bridge has defi
Although I’ve yet to get there myself, I’ve never seen or heard anything negative about Cassandra - either the railfan bridge or the town itself. To the contrary, it seems to be a fine railfan hangout, and has been written up in several publications as such. I would have no hesitation going there myself - hopefully later this summer, like mid-August, will be my initiation. For more info, see - http://www.cassandrarailroadoverlook.com/overlook_facts.html
There’s also a minor tradition there of an annual summer ‘all-nighter’ watching trains, which seems to amuse at least some of the passing NS crews, as they sometimes respond with waves and horn signals, etc. The recent message below by David J. Williams - who also posts here occasionally - from another forum provides the essential details. I believe that John Shuniak is the proprietor of the ‘‘Overlook Motel’’ in Cassandra - see http://www.cassandrarailroadoverlook.com/ and http://www.cassandrarailroadoverlook.com/contact_us.html
"John Shuniak has confirmed the dates for the anuual Cassandra ‘All Nighter’ at the Iron Bridge, MP 255 on the NS > Pittsburgh Line. The event will be held on Saturday evening August 7, 2010 into Sunday morning August 8, 2010. As in previous years, John will be lighting the overlook up with a crank up mast light assembly powered off a tow behind generator…and he will also provide tripod work lights powered off a portable generator… A good night to watch and shoot trains, as well as to m
Fair enough - better to ask than not know. Here’s an excerpt from this Wikipedia article (usual disclaimers apply) on the Borough - that’s Pennsylvania-talk for what would be a Village or Town elsewhere - of Cassandra [emphasis added - PDN]:
“There were no families and 8.2% of the population living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 11.4% of those over 64.”
My family is from nearby Portage, about four miles west of Cassandra. There is plenty of parking adjacent to the railfan bridge, so don’t worry about your car and walking. As to the area remember the mountain was once a rich coal mining area, once that was gone their way life went with it, people struggled. The mining towns and the old company houses still exsist, but don’t judge the book by its cover. You will find they are friendly and are very helpful to give advise and directions to get you around to other nearby rail locations (Sonman tipple, Bens Creek, Portage, Summerhill and its great looking stone viaducts, Wilmore, etc.). Go west on SR53 if want to go to McDonalds in Portage, about 5 minutes away.
As Paul North noted its a well known area and problems are very rare, they welcome railfans!
I just wanted to inform people that when I go to the Altoona area I probably won’t be going to Cassandra, because of the time of day, because I’m making it a day trip. I will be going to Altoona, Horseshoe Curve, Possibly Galitzan, and Possibly Cresson. I’m probably going within the next week or to. I won’t tell when I’m going, because I’ll just go a certain day. Thanks for the help everybody. I bet that new roundhouse at the Museum in Altoona is awesome.
Last I saw, it was just a single, open stall. Nothing impressive. If it were me, I’d skip Gallitzin, and the curve and go to Cassandra. With Gallitzin, you are only seeing half the trains, since the other half use the Allegheny Tunnel. (I think it’s called the Allegheny… I’m drawing a blank)
If the curve is overgrown - and I’ve heard it is, then it’s pretty lousy for any type of train watching… and completely sucks for photography.
If you’re going to Altoona, be sure to check out what’s hanging around the turntable at Juniata Shops.
I do not know when you were to Horseshoe Curve last, but there is a whole museum/visitors center at the bottom. You are right about the photo opportunity, there is extensive over growth on the curve (there are rumors they are going to cut some of it down), but It all depends on what kind of photos and angles, the center areas of the curve can be good for photography. The biggest change at Horseshoe in the last few years, is that the old PRR style signal bridge has been removed and replaced with modern standardized signals (I forget the proper term).
Gallitzin, is a great spot for photography. From the top of the eastern bore of the New Portage Tunnel, you have a great view of the landscape, and the RR; it is just off Tunnelhill street onto an access road to state game lands. If you have a scanner you just have to listen carefully and make sure you have good range to hear the DED at MP 253.1 to catch eastbounds either going down through the New Portage Tunnel on track 1 (just a 1/2 mile south of Tunnels Park) or trains going through the Allegheny Tunnel at Tunnels Park.
There are several spots in the Gallitzin area to take photos of trains, but it is kind of hard to explain since much are off road, I would stop at the Station Inn @ Cresson and ask Tom for advice.
Here’s another question, Are you allowed to take your scanner up on the hill at Horseshoe Curve, or no, or does Horseshoe Curve already have a speaker set up with frequencies, (for telling people while there, that a train is coming) for the mileposts and detectors, so I wouldn’t have to bring up my scanner, or no?
…I know of no restriction taking one’s scanner up to the “Curve” location. And yes, at least the last time I was there…a speaker does relate audio activity on the line thru there.
Take yours along and up the hill. In contrast to Quentin/ modelcar’s experience above, when I was there last August I didn’t see or hear any scanner or speaker other than those carried by other fans - and no restrictions on those, either. In fact, that was one of my ‘Comments’ in the Guest Book/ register - that such a scanner and speaker system be installed. I very much doubt anything has been done about that since then . . .
- Paul North.
That’s surprising…There was a speaker mounted on the small building the incline vehicle stops at topside…It was relaying roughly the same info as was coming across my scanner…This was several years ago.
I just E-Mailed at the Horseshoe Curve Website which is this site - http://www.railroadcity.com/# about this situation about the scanner and speaker, but haven’t got an anwser back yet. Once I get the anwser, I’ll share it here on what they said.
If you’re looking for the overlook in Tunnelhill/Gallitzin, here’s a link:
Not sure how the view is since I haven’t been there since 2004, but looking at some YouTube videos I’ve seen recently, it’s still good.
When I was last at the Curve in 2004, there were speakers at the park at the Curve broadcasting the road channels.
Even if the vegetation is a bit overgrown at the Curve, it’s still a great place to visit as you’re next to the tracks as trains are struggling to get up and down the hill. And with the scenery and history of the area, you’ll have a fun trip. Other spots that I’ve liked to visit when over that way is the station in Altoona, the brickyard, the Curve, the overlook in Tunnelhill, the bridges on Jackson and South Main, the State Route 53 bridge between Gallitzin and Cresson, and then Cresson.
Kevin
Here’s the anwser I got. “You are permitted to bring
your scanner with you to the Horseshoe Curve. There would be no problem with
that. We have an approximate schedule printed out and available in our gift
shop to anyone for free”.
[tup] to what Kevin said above.
Note that the response did not mention that they have a scanner or speaker there . . . [:-^]
The schedule is very approximate - if I recall correctly, generally no more precise than “Morning”, “Afternoon”, “Early Evening”, etc. It kind of looks like the one at this website, whihc is also based on Altoona: