Fellow O gaugers in Altoona, PA?

Classic Toy Trains Forum
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Hi all, this is not strictly a toy-train-related post, but I am posting here because I am looking for kindred spirits. I model in both toy- and hi-rail O gauge. My hi-rail layout is all scale PRR.

My wife and I are seriously considering buying a second home in Altoona, PA. We are looking in town at older homes built between 1900 and 1940. This will be a vacation home now, but eventually when we retire we will move to Altoona. Are there any fellow O gaugers in the area? I would like to meet you. Are there any neighborhoods in Altoona you would recommend or not recommend, and if so, why? We have our eyes on a couple of homes in Highland Park, and we wonder what kind of an area it is. We have no children so the schools are not an issue for us. Thanks for any help.

Joel

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Joel,

I’m from State College, maybe 45 minutes from Altoona. We do much of our shopping there. We were down there this past Saturday. I love Altoona. Most of the city is beautiful, including Highland Park.

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Thanks, LocoPops. Your reply is helpful.

We can’t wait to visit Altoona again, only this time, with a different agenda than train watching! It so happens that we will be in northwest Ohio from Saturday the 28th until the morning of the 3rd for a summer music “camp”, and we’re splitting our return drive to Baltimore so we can meet with a realtor in Altoona on the afternoon of the 3rd and see a few homes. I really like Altoona but I never thought I would live near The Curve. However, the timing is just right and we hope to have a place by the end of summer.

If there were an O gauge club layout in or near Altoona, I would love to hear about it too.

Joel

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Joel,

Good luck in your move. There are several RR clubs in the area. The ones in Bellefonte, State College, and PSU are HO or N. There are 2 in Altoona with O Gauge that I know of, one with a permanent layout:

=> Altoona Area Train Collectors Club

George Thompson, 814-742-7834 Mailing Address: AATCC, RD#5 Box 1031, Altoona PA 16601. Club layouts set up at selected shows.

=> Altoona Association Of Model Railroaders

Frederick Shaefer, 814-942-7453 Mailing Address: AAMR, c/o Frederick Shaefer, 116 Aldrich Ave. Altoona PA 16602. Permanent club layout: 12 Ward Civic Center, at South 10th Avenue and 30th Street.

And of course there is the Horseshoe Curve Chapter www.trainweb.org/horseshoecurve-nrhs/