Well, just got back from Railfest in Altoona, PA. Despite this being the reports that traffic volumes were lower, NS still had plenty of trains going through the curve.
The highlight of the weekend was riding behind the Juniata Terminal E8s. I paid the extra $30 and rode in the Warior Ridge, definitly worth the extra money as the rest of the train was SEPTA Comet II coaches. The excursion took us up through the curve and the Galitzen Tunnels. We then ran around the little-used loop track just west of Galitzen and back through the Portage Tunnel and down the “slide.”
The E8s and historic coaches were in terrific shape. However, on the excursion that ran before mine some jerks paintballed the train[V]. The fire department had to be called in to wash it off. The two engines, the Warrior Ridge and several of the SEPTA cars all got hit. Thankfully the perp was aprehended shortly thereafter but I am still galled by complete lack of respect some people have.
The railroaders museum has added to its collection since the last time I was there including GG1 #4913 and Charles Schwabb’s private car, which is undergoing restoration. They have also completed a turntable and one stall of a roundhouse that will evetualy house the K4 at Steamtown.
The rest of the time was spent either up at Horseshoe Curve, Cresson or in Cassandra, where the have an awsome overlook park where an old bridge spands all three tracks. There is a curve, a hill and a rock cut. I highly recomend this spot if you’re in the area.
Thanks for the excellent report. I now have a shot of what could have been your train with the E-8’s leading as my laptop background picture for a while. I think we should have the moron who paint balled the train stand in front of a wall with their hands tied behind their backs and have each person who was riding the train shoot indelible paint balls at them for an hour (the train and fire department personnel get two hours each for the extra hassle they handled).
I was out there chasing the E’s all weekend…A group of us shot them at Tipton, Pa on their way in from Harrisburg. After shooting them upon arrival at the Altoona Station, I zipped up to Gallitzin and shot them from a bluff overlooking AR Tower as they went around the loop track between UN and AR…Shot the power running light to WORKS at Altoona as the E’s ran back around to the West end of the train for the second excursion…I shot the 2nd Saturday excursion at ALTO upon its departure and return…On Saturday evening, I shot the Westbound excursion at Portage, Pa as it went West to Pittsburgh. Sunday morning, I grabbed a nice shot of the Eastbound return from Pittsburgh from a rock ledge just East of Summerhill (shown on homepage pic of YahooGroup link) I then shot them again at AR, Altoona, and then shot them from above the West portal of the New Portage Tunnel…All in all, a great weekend with the E’s and glad to see their return to Altoona after a few year absence from excursion duty there.
The report I heard was that the paintball incident happened at the Brickyard Crossing just West of SLOPE…After catching the train going around the loop track at AR, I was driving down Sugar Run Road between Tunnelhill and Altoona and heard the crew on the scanner talking about getting hit with yellow paintballs…I shot the train again from the 24th St bridge at SLOPE but got a straight-on shot as the sidewalk was filled with other photographers, so I couldn’t get a side angle.