I've also been warned of copperhead snakes occupying the curve.

KL

It's definitely prime country for them.

When I was in college I worked as a section hand on a line not too far from there. They'd done a rail relay and finally got around to picking up the old rails with a crane.

The boss warned us to be careful rolling the rails over. Sure enough, half had mice nests under them, the other half had snakes, including some copperheads. Nothing like 39 feet of ticked off snakes to get you motivated. All for the princely pay of $3 per hour.

Too bad the college coach wasn't around that day, I probably could have gotten a scholarship for standing broad jump...

Hello,

All this hand wringing, you all will not have any skin left on your hands until mid August!

The ultimate assistant for the 765 on the Curve is quietly waiting for a savior in McKees Rocks.....low drivers, booster and a tender dog house to boot. Not PRR and not an I-hog but is a local girl. You would need a longer train though....the 765 would need to do some work! :-)

Regardless, on the 765 westbound, I'll bet the engineer's rear will off the seat box more than once!

Per Wayne's comment, the ultimate stall would be hard to beat.....611 on Saluda.....see 3:45 on the video clock.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUPIynJq7tg


Cheers!

Randy

Page 1, System Section, NS Northern Region Timetable:



The same restriction is in my copy of an NS Southern Region Eastern Division ETT from 1987.

Despite the 40mph systemwide restriction, one wonders how long it will take until a division officer wants to stretch her legs. The Fort Wayne and Pittsburgh Lines are 60mph railroad, and truck (intermodal) trains are the hot ticket.

I know from experience that dispatchers will want to get lower priority trains over the railroad as quick as possible, or out of the way entirely, as to not interfere in the path of said truck trains.

Who knows. Stranger things have happened...

But with NS, it'll be a division superintendent or higher authorizing it from in the cab to a FWRHS engineer, not some hot-rodding engineer taking matters into his own hands. And there will probably be a good reason for it, not "let's see how fast this thing'll go...."

"I've also been warned of copperhead snakes occupying the curve."

I've heard of foamers being called a great many things.. oh never mind..

Agkistrodon contortrix isn't aquatic, I can imagine most will drown.

Of greater concern, Bite symptoms include extreme pain, tingling, throbbing, swelling, and severe nausea.

I assume many will already be experiencing tingling, throbbing and swelling and might not know they were bit.

and, unlike a RattleSnake (also common to the area)
a CopperHead will give you NO warning!
and boy, do they blend in very nicely with fallen leaves and sticks!

I wouldn't expect to see a Cobra, but, never say never.

As for the !@#$% helicopters buzzing in and spoiling everybody's AUDIO,
I would HOPE that the few who can afford and choose that means of ''chase'', will show some courtesy to the rest of us stuck down on the earth.

I very nearly launched my tripod at a chopper that swooped down at the last minute and ruined my shot (and everyone else's on the bridge) of 261 at Cotton Hill, on New River Train '94.

Considering the season, I think a good view might be obtained by wading or rowing, depending on the state of the drought, out into the Susquehanna River to watch the train come over Rockville bridge.

I was at Horseshoe Curve on July 9th and 10th. My 10 year old begged me to take him there for vacation....no really.

Tree growth is the main issue for any photographs. Even from the legal viewing area inside the fence its difficult to see the trains other than directly adjacent to the viewing area itself. The scrub trees are growing like crazy on the inside of the curve and a substantial cleanout is needed again to get a photo of the train stretched out through it.

The rock outcrop on the uphill side of the tracks would require trespassing as far as I know but it was barely visible from the park. My guess would be even with that additional elevation you may only get the roof or upper half of the cars and steamer.

By the way, I stayed at the Altoona HI Express and paid $135.00 (including tax) for one night. That included their free breakfast.

I believe our enemy in this case may be the thoroughly-misnamed "tree of heaven," or Ailanthus altissima: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ailanthus_altissima

http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/aial1.htm



Knock off that first digit and you'll have what I was paying along "Happy Valley" in the early 1990s. [rolls eyes]

While in college back in 1980 I rented a room (w/o breakfast) for $150... per month.

Giggle.

The hotel pricing should be expected to be higher. I have travelled for business for over 15 years to every corner of the Midwest, Northeast, and New England. Prices have more than doubled in many places. I consider $200 a night to be the normal...unless you are staying in a hotel that still has decor from the 1980's. I can imagine getting rooms near Horseshoe being pretty hard to find. The trips are occurring while people are still on vacation for summer...and there isn't a glut of hotels available in the first place.

2nd Giggle.

Breakfast at a hotel...blah. I threw up in my mouth again. Judging from the waist line of many of the photogs and rail fans that are lining up to shoot and see the steam locomotives run, maybe you guys should just consider drinking a cup of coffee and having a simple cup of fruit or yogurt?

3rd Giggle.

I will save money by looking/watching all of the video/photos that will spring up on youtube. Saves me TONS of money.

Kind of a low blow, wasn't that?

OK I got a chuckle out of that one... But when I was there last week it was with my three sons with me, 12, 10 and 7. So I gotta get my money's worth!

I never thought of Altoona as a huge summer attraction for vacationers? But I have paid between $120 - $140 per night in various hotels in PA over the last few years.

One other item to note, the fernicular at the curve runs on the half hours, so if you can't walk the umpteen steps, get there with plenty of time to spare.

There were a couple of families that were camped out at the park all day, bringing coolers, board games, and blankets to lay on. So that may be an option for some.