Rounding World Famous Horseshoe Curve Aboard Amtrak’s Pennsylvanian, Altoona to Cresson, PA. 

My dad ran steam over horseshoe curve. He ran out of Pittsburgh to Altoona many times. He started as a fireman, and got his engineers papers just before being furloughed for the last time on 1954. I love his stories.

Great to see your channel has taken off; Russ You deserve all the success - Steve Demboske

Very pleasant viewing it through your camera.

One of these days, I'll make it through Horseshoe curve when it's both day and nice out. Until then, great video!

Track 3 was removed and TCS installed on Track 1 and Track 4 in the 1980s under Conrail. Analysis of the traffic actually hauled showed that the 4th track wasn't justified if there were 3 TCS tracks. Welded rail and remote control of all interlockings was also done. At least 90% of the relays used for the new signalling system were existing ones serviced at Columbus Signal Shop. That system lasted over 30 years. NS replaced it with electronic track circuits in the 2010s.

Nice video, good info and narration. Thanks!

My mother told the story of her trip through Horseshoe Curve. She was on her way to see her sister and family who had recently moved to Holidaysburg for a preaching post. It was the early 1950s and evening when the train stopped at the Altoona station. She said it was ,"funny to look across the valley and see the engines. " Also, at the station, the wheels were "glowing red hot" from friction from slowing the load while coming down the hill.

Nice video! Unfortunately not many go to Horseshoe Curve anymore to watch trains due to them charging admission to the curve now. I go to Cresson to film. Used to go to the curve for free. Sad they made it a tourist attraction 😔

Great video!!!

Lived in the Altoona area, Ebensburg in the 1960’s. Loved the Allegheny Mountains.

In 1997 Conrail Altoona shops open house over the curve with m a r c gp40 ph and GP 39 -2 what a great time

Horseshoe Curve is on my bucket list

Rode through there in the 90s but in the dark iirc. Three Rivers I think the train was called. Chicago to Philly. Took a break from the Capitol Limited, which split from the Broadway Limited in Pittsburgh about 4:00 or 4:30 a.m. Getting to B'mo from Washington DC or Philly was about a horse apiece. Thanks.

You would think Amtrak would have a domed observation car.

did horseshoe curve used to be four track all the way?

i know some ppl onf 42/43 mandiec darlene and ken. used to know another person but he is retired. i rode 43 from altoona to jtown on my buddies last run west. he was retiring on the return trip east the next day. he was a rr man for around 30yrs, started with freight and ended with passenger rr. i have a video of that wkd on my channel. i also have a short video from my quick round trip from lewistown to harrisburg and back as well. i first road three rivers and the psennsylvanian as a kid in either 95 or 96. round trip as a family trip from hbg to pbgh and back. btw the tracks were made bidirectional around 2yrs ago. i have photos of the old brick yard building before they redid the building you see today. if you are in the altoona area i highly recommend a the galltizin tunnel inn.

As nice as the curve is, it’s hard to beat the Tehachapi circle.

At about the 3 minute point, you mention the rail dispatcher being located in Pittsburgh, PA. I do believe that, much like CSX, having theirs located in Jacksonville, FL., NS has theirs (from what I saw in a different video) located in Atlanta, GA

nice video. I worked with Tom Davis on the Black River & Western who started the Station Inn after he "retired". He was an amazing railroader and educator. He has since passed away though. I wonder who is running it now?

Why did they take out the 4th track?

The name of city is Altoona😢

Tracks look ratty compared to Conrail days.

UTZ makes pretzels and chips but they are horrible. I never knew where they were located. They make everything there ? Or is that the corporate office ? There used to be good local snack companies but they were bought up and shut down by Pepsi Co and the Anheuser Busch A few little companies like UTZ survived but I don't know why. I guess the big companies only wanted the better product companies shut down. I still remember the summer of 96 when the big hot dog manufacturing company that makes almost every hot dog brand bought out Ball Park Franks They were the best hot dog ever made. In the Spring of 96 they stopped arriving at stores and they were not available all summer long. In the fall they started shipping then again. I was so happy to see them I bought 2 packs and went home to grill them up. As soon as I opened the package I knew something was wrong. They smelled like all the other brands and the consistency was different and the first bite I knew they had been replaced by the awful hot dog manufacturing company I don't know why companies don't just leave a good product made by a small company alone. They want the entire market Bacon is the same thing The boxes that the hot dogs and the bacon come in are exactly the same. The same plant makes them

Can you sound less interested?