Still in rather preliminary stages with Norfolk Southern as to exactly what we will be able to do but - the Railroaders Memorial Museum is busy planning the Horseshoe Curve's 150th birthday celebration for 2004. We are currently talking with OSRAM Sylvania about the possibility of recreating the famous picture of the Curve from the 100th anniversary in 1954 when Sylvania lit it with thousands of flashbulbs. They are leaning towards doing something with fiberoptics and/or rope light this time around.

What we are also interested in starting to assemble is a list of motive power and private varnish that might be interested in some sort of parade for the celebration. My guess is the event would be in late spring/early summer of 2004. Please send notice of any interest and certainly feel free to forward your questions to me at the email address above or at the Museum - 814-946-0834 ext 224.

Thanks,

Scott Cessna
Director
Railroaders Memorial Museum
Horseshoe Curve National Historic Landmark

director@railroadcity.com

Might this include a trip over the Horseshoe Curve with K4s 1361? Yes, I realize that the idea does sound far-fetched. NS should at least allow it on a swing around the Curve for a big anniversary event, can't they?

I just wish the railroad execs would at least see the public relations value and community good-will building that could come from such a partnership. NS seems awfully rigid and militaristic when it comes to doing such things.

> Still in rather preliminary stages with
> Norfolk Southern as to exactly what we will
> be able to do but - the Railroaders Memorial
> Museum is busy planning the Horseshoe
> Curve's 150th birthday celebration for 2004.
> We are currently talking with OSRAM Sylvania
> about the possibility of recreating the
> famous picture of the Curve from the 100th
> anniversary in 1954 when Sylvania lit it
> with thousands of flashbulbs. They are
> leaning towards doing something with
> fiberoptics and/or rope light this time
> around.

> What we are also interested in starting to
> assemble is a list of motive power and
> private varnish that might be interested in
> some sort of parade for the celebration. My
> guess is the event would be in late
> spring/early summer of 2004. Please send
> notice of any interest and certainly feel
> free to forward your questions to me at the
> email address above or at the Museum -
> 814-946-0834 ext 224.

> Thanks,

> Scott Cessna
> Director
> Railroaders Memorial Museum
> Horseshoe Curve National Historic Landmark

We would actually like to bring the K4 home from Steamtown via the RJ Corman trackage. This would allow us to bring the loco into Altoona via the Curve. I do not yet know whether NS will allow it or not. We were hoping to at least bring it down with a couple of NS helpers at the end of the consist to provide dynamic braking and satisfy the rightful NS concern for safety.

> Might this include a trip over the Horseshoe
> Curve with K4s 1361? Yes, I realize that the
> idea does sound far-fetched. NS should at
> least allow it on a swing around the Curve
> for a big anniversary event, can't they?

NS has become very good partners with the Museum over the past 9 months or so and they have always allowed us to run Curve Excursions with Bennett's E8s as part of our annual Railfest event. If they seem rigid and militaristic about the Curve it really is a matter of that stretch of track being some of the most difficult track over which to operate on the east coast. An accident there reallllly ties up freight traffic on a major artery. By the way, a recent addition to our board at the Railroaders Memorial Museum is Rudy Husband, NS Director of Public Relations for our area. He is based in Philly and held the same position with Conrail.

> I just wish the railroad execs would at
> least see the public relations value and
> community good-will building that could come
> from such a partnership. NS seems awfully
> rigid and militaristic when it comes to
> doing such things.


director@railroadcity.com

Scott,
One of the complaints I hear about Horseshoe Curve is that the trees have grown high enough to block the sight lines. I had heard Conrail liked the trees because they stabilised the embankments.

Would it be possible to have PSU Extension Service find out if there's a better plant to stabilise the embankments and not block the sight lines (and as a carrot to NS, also not fall across the track)


Electric City Trolley Museum Association

> Scott,
> One of the complaints I hear about Horseshoe
> Curve is that the trees have grown high
> enough to block the sight lines. I had heard
> Conrail liked the trees because they
> stabilised the embankments.

> Would it be possible to have PSU Extension
> Service find out if there's a better plant
> to stabilise the embankments and not block
> the sight lines (and as a carrot to NS, also
> not fall across the track)

It might be possible to find another planting to stabilize the embankment. We recently completed a tree cutting at the Curve that cut 2 windows on either side of the viewing area. THis is most likely all that would be done. It was VERY expensive to ave this accomplished and the Dept of Environmental Protection is mighty mighty proud of the watershed renewal project up there that was just finished. they are not about to take a chance on all that ash, dirt, and cinder coming down the hill.

THanks

Scott


director@railroadcity.com