Resuming Operations

Heavy Traffic

Busy day at the top of The Hill. The westbound local from Hollidaysburg holds on the New Portage branch as a westbound passenger train clears the FS interlocking. An L2 helper is on the loop to return to Altoona. The helper has just finished assisting a westbound mixed freight.  Above on the eastward mains a passenger train headed to Philadelphia overtakes a coal train bound for Altoona yard. Since Tunnel Hill is still to be constructed both SF and Gallitzin are visible to the camera. Helper loop was unfinished when the photo was taken. The turnout and track to complete the connection to the eastward mains is now installed.

New Portage Bridge

Local from Hollidaysburg passes under eastward mainline as an L1s helper drifts down to Altoona. AP20 is heading up a Philadelphia bound passenger train on the Track 2. Bridges are cobbled together from Atlas viaducts and girder kits.

Bennington

Another L1s with a local freight climbs west while the passenger train drops down the grade at "Benny".  The tracks are separated vertically and the eastward mains are dropping down a 1.5% grade from the New Portage bridge to just west of Horseshoe Curve.Modeling in N scale on a larger layout allows you to put some distance between scenes. Gallitzin is almost fifteen feet west from this point, a bit under half a scale mile. Altoona lies about a scale mile in the other direction.

Glen White Interchange

At left the Glen White Shay  trundles off to the mines with two empties that a local freight has just dropped. The Glen White track runs along Burgoon Run and disappears behind Kittaning Point. When the cars are filled the Shay will drop them off to be picked up by another local heading east to Altoona.

Altoona Northern Interchange

At right an Altoona Northern crew drops a couple of empties on the interchange track in Altoona. The AN interchange is on the passenger mains and Pennsy switchers have to perform a tricky bit of maneuvering to pickup and set out cars here.

Altoona Yard

EMD demonstrator switches cars in the westbound yard as two freights "meet" on the freight main. Passenger main is just visible beyond tank car. Pennsy's multiple track mainline allows trains to meet without stopping. First of the five eastbound yard tracks is visible at the left hand side of the photo.