In a message dated 02/15/2004 5:30:21 PM Eastern Standard Time, PKMac101 -AT- aol.com writes:
List,
One wonders what the weather was like February15,1854,but today it was cold but sunny with loads of snow on the ground with plenty of good train watching at the Horseshoe Curve and also at the recently widened Allegheny Tunnel at Gallitzin, which also celebreates its 150th anniversary of opening to through traffic.
Visted the curve in the early morning, about 8:30am,to catch the 12G eastbound on 2 track and got some good pictures from the bottom of the curve and alas the 12G got the sliding wheel detector at MP241. There was no one else around at the time but Scott Cessna, David Seidel, Jody Kinsel, Dick Charlesworth along with Dan Cupper ventured up to the top a little later for a morning of train watching.
Got back to old "SF" on the east side of the Allegheny Tunnel about noon and met Dan Cupper. Got to see eastbound Amtrak No.40. Eastbound Amtrak No. 40 was a little late but looked spectacular coming through the east portal of the Allegheny Tunnel. Would have looked just as spectacular on the Horseshoe but can not be two places at the same time. Down to the Curve about 1pm and walked up the ice crusted deep snow covered steps to the top. Got pictures of a westbound doublestack,westbound Amtrak No.45,an eastbound mixed freight and a eastbound NS 536 loaded coal train.
There were others trains headed in both the eastward and westward directions when I left and they should have made more good opportunities for Dan Cupper,Bob Airhart,his friend Phill and an diehard railfan family of 4 that walked to the top to witness train movement 150 years after the opening of the Pennsylvania Railroads through route.
Of course the Pittsburgh East train dispatcher more than likely had no idea of what was being celebrated today by the few that ventured up to the Horseshoe Curve to see this magnificent engineering achievement. To him, it was probably just another routine day and could not wait to go home. I'll talk to him later to find out.
Pat McKinney
Altoona,Pa.
Hi Pat;
Shortly after Charlesworth, Jody and I pulled in at HC, an suv stopped behind us and it turned out to be Peter Barton with his wife and daughter. They stopped for about 10 minutes but did not venture in as they had to return to Boston. Were in town for his wife's mother's funeral.
After I got back down into town, I spent a nice hour or so on the 8th St Juniata bridge. Observed a nice BNSF unit do a set-off there. Actually used "film" in the camera today.
Had a great day in the outdoors.
dave
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