Hello all, first of all I’m sorry if this is the wrong forum, I put it here since IMO this is prototype info. I am still planning my layout, and I have decided that what I really want in a layout is trains (Mostly coal & passenger) running by/through spectacular scenery, with a bit of operational interest thrown in, more points of ops interest will be thrown in when I get a larger space for a layout. And I was wondering if there are any areas of scenic interest in the Alleghenies. I.E. Someone who is modelling southern Cali may want to depict (or dedicate their entire railroad to) Tehachapi Pass (Sp?) or El Cajon pass. Since I mainly freelance, I can make up my own if there aren’t any, or if you know of one that isn’t in they Alleghenies, but could fit in on my line, tell me! As always, thank you. [bow]
I’m a Pennsylvania man, so my money’s on the Pennsy’s assult on the mountains between Altoona and Gallitzin. Horseshoe Curve, Gallitzin Tunnel, Altoona yards, the Juniata Locomotive Works.
The B&O men will extroll the virtues of Cumberland and Sand Patch.
Nick
When you talk Alleghenies you are talking coal. You could do something on any of the following rairloads with that theme. PRR, NYC, Bethlehem and New England, CNJ, Reading, Western Maryland, C&O, B&O, N&W, Southern, Virginian or several others. My choice aas a diehard PRR modeler would be the Virginian. A first clas railroad with small passenger trains and big coal trains that ran between Norfolk and the West Virginia hills. Used a variety of steam and electrics. Diesels when it happened were all FM trainmasters and baby trainmasters ( who doesn’t or didn’t want a Lionel Vgn trainmaster?).
I always thought that Clearfield PA had lots of modeling possibilities. PRR and NYC both present in a big way, with numerous shortlines nearby. Lots of coal, lots of branches radiating every direction. Tunnels, switchbacks, street running into the 1970s … Lots to offer the modeler.
http://www.wnyrails.org/railroads/davp/davp_industry_1921.htm
http://gustafson.home.westpa.net/wd1.htm
http://www.velocity.net/~geshick/prr/oilcity.htm
http://www.velocity.net/~geshick/prr/prrmain.htm
http://kc.pennsyrr.com/docs/downloads/ett_5504_conemaugh.pdf
http://kc.pennsyrr.com/docs/downloads/ett_5404_northern.pdf
http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/maps/pa/county/
http://historical.maptech.com/index.cfm
http://titchenal.com/trails/allegheny/
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0d/Pennsylvania_Railroad_1911.jpg
Have fun
This is the Alleghenies neighborhood-focus for sure. Norfolk Southern inherited the 4-track Pennsy mainline which is now a 3-track Class I mainline.
[1] Even though it is on the same mainline just minutes apart, Tunnel Hill at Gallitzin arguably has a wider variety of prototype rail-fanning, plus the price of admission is free vs. the Horseshoe Curve historical site which is absolutely jaw-dropping & awe-inspiring when you are there.
Here’s some Alleghenies Pennsy/Penn Central/Conrail prototype…
http://www.northeast.railfan.net/gallitzin.html
http://www.gallitzin.info/index.php
http://www.northeast.railfan.net/horseshoe.html
[2] That being said, not every fallen flag with trackage in the Alleghenies (Pennsylvania, New York Central, Baltimore & Ohio, Erie Lackawanna, etc.) was 3-4 track mainline, or heavy-electric catenary on flatlands (Harrisburg to Philadephia) bordering east of the Alleghenies.
Backtrack to North East Rails (home) for more Eastern prototypes…
http://www.northeast.railfan.net/
[3] Typically overlooked in America’s Alleghenies-heritage is the first railroad constructed through the Alleghenies (the summit’s ridge on U.S. 22 at Cresson between Gallitzin & Horseshoe Curve) which was part of the Pennsylvania Canal, before the Pennsylvania constructed the Horseshoe Curve, also noted for comments written by authors like Charles Dickens.
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The bridge at Glen Lyn, Virginia…Virginian, Norfolk Southern
Alleghany Tunnel, Outside Covington, VA…C&O, CSX
The Shenandoah Valley Line…N&W, Norfolk Southern
Or nything on the Clinchfield RR, N&W or Southern
If Nick doesn’t mind, I’ll add another great stop to his list. Just a short drive from the Gallitzin Tunnel is Cresson, PA. Those folks have erected an observation deck right along side Norfolk Southern’s mainline. It’s also right across from a small NS service facility which sits inside a wye. They have even installed a scanner so railfans can listen in. Personally, I don’t have the foggiest idea what they are talking about most of the time, but I still find it interesting. Great area with lots of traffic.
Tom
I recommend you block out a whole day to drive I-70 from Columbus OH to Harrisburg PA. The interstate goes through Wheeling WV but avoids Pittsburgh PA. There is plenty of interesting scenery to draw the attention of your camera. Take time to get off the highway and look around on the side streets.
Granted, part of the route is Pennsylvania Turnpike which is expensive to get on / off / on / off again. Just drive the legal speeds until you find a good camera shot, then slow down to the legal minimum and have your wife take the pictures.
One detour I do recommend for your purposes is I-99 past Altoona PA to State College. The interstate is not yet finished and you have to take US 221 for a ways in and out of State College. There is a lot of neat scenery (US 221 follows Penns Valley, one of the bigger ones). There are more ideas going from State College to Harrisburg PA, including a neat river-and-highway-between-enclosing-cliffs stretch.
Be aware that during my vacation, about half of the highway mileage in PA was a marked Construction Zone, with increased traffic enforcement and fines. This does not mean there was any construction equipment or activity, however.
I also can recommend the stretch of interstate (I-64?) going north and south from Charleston WV. In town are several big chemical plants, if you need some high-value customers who are worth building through the mountains to reach.
True enough.
Would you believe that for many hours during the day that traffic stops in front of Pittsburgh’s two interstate tunnels (Squirrel Hill & Fort Pitt)? There can be only one reason - the tunnels are holes in the hills on an interstate highway with passing lanes. Go figure - It is one of life’s great frustrating and/or unsolved mysteries!
On I70 about 15 minutes east of Washington, PA, at the Monongehala River in Monessen, there is a large N&W bridge, and; a most unusual local industrial curved trestle on the east river’s shore. It comes quickly just after the Spears Exit if you are going to stop on a road shoulder for some pictures.
If you are planning to see the railfanning at Gallitzin’s Tunnel Hill, the Horseshoe Curve, and/or the Altoona Railroader’s Museum - then you’ll need to get to US22.
So, at the end of I70 where it terminates at US30 (which you also will want to avoid in most cases except perhaps just east of Lancaster) there is a 15-minute turnpike stretch, Route 66, which you will want to take to get to US22.
By the way, one other railroading opportunity you may wish to see apx. one hour east of Altoona off of US22 is the East Broad Top Railroad.
Yes, you can be a way-faring passenger on an operating narrow guage tourist railroad at the eastern edge of Westcentral Pennsylvania’s Alleghenies…
Yes, I would - about 10 years ago we went on vacation to Pittsburgh. We stayed at a hotel on the other side of the mountain from downtown (with a tunnel in between). Our room was right over the kitchen exhaust - our room certainly smelled good ! One particular bridge over the Monongahela River earned itself the nickname “The Bridge of Cursing”. This is because we came out of the tunnel and went back and forth over it three times and could not find an exit in the direction we wanted to go. We kept going straight through downtown and out the other side of the Alleghany River. (At least we got a picture of the stadiums where the Pirates and Steelers used to play…)