December 28th, 2006
D&H 7303 led on CP Galt sub on the 27th, but we were on our way south at the time and could do nothing about it. We spent the 28th in Altoona picking up NS trains, catching 17 Conrail-painted units including one SD80MAC among many trains, stopping to see Horseshoe Curve, Cresson, and surrounding sites... More to come!
Cresson, Pennsylvania
(map) Cresson is the summit of the hill for which Horseshoe Curve exists. There is an engine facility where several sets of helper units park, the SD80MACs that work in nearby South Fork spend their weekends there, and NS interchanges with R. J. Corman on the wye. There is even a city-owned railfan observation platform at the tracks across from the wye.
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A westbound manifest freight passes the railfan platform at Cresson with two units on the head end and two helpers on the tail end.
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A three unit intermodal heads eastward up the last bit of the hill by Cresson with an SD70M-2.
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Two units pull and two units push an eastbound up the hill through Cresson.
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A unit autorack train makes the hill look easy.
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A helper set heads down the hill.
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A two unit eastbound autorack train meets a four unit westbound intermodal train at Cresson.
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The camera cuts out at an inconvenient moment as an eastbound manifest freight with several farm tractor loads passes a westbound intermodal train at Cresson.
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Two units bring coal empties down the hill.
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Another intermodal train approaches the crest of the hill at Cresson.
December 29th, 2006
We took off from Altoona northward searching for shortlines, stopping to check the NS/Nittany and Bald Eagle interchange at Tyrone and their base at Lock Haven, shot the RDCs at Bellefonte, and returned to the other side of Altoona to hunt for the Everett at Hollidaysburg, following their tracks until we found them switching at Roaring Spring before heading to Gallitzin for one coming out of the tunnel and wrapping up the day at Cresson and Lilly.
December 30th, 2006
We headed for Horseshoe Curve to start the day catching two there, moved to Cresson for the Amtrak and a few trains, and migrated toward South Fork in hopes of finding the SD80MACs. We didn't immediately, but did meet an SD80 nut named Dan who we chased while he chased a coal train the short hop up to Summerville, and then headed up to Creslo Station to shoot coal train C90 coming from the mines -- with 5 SD80MACs for power (3 at the head end, 2 pushing). After spending an unholy amount of time chasing and watching the SD80s, we returned to Altoona to see the museum, which closed the week before for the season, and then spent some time exploring the area around the museum and Amtrak station.
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Amtrak heads under the highway 53 overpass just outside of Cresson.
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Two SD40-2s help slow two C40-9Ws and their trash train down on the hill.
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An SD70M-2, a C40-9W, an SD40-2, a P42dc, lots of manifest freight, and two more SD40-2s approach the summit.
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Two SD70M-2s climb the grade with an intermodal train.