Altoona trip - 3

Hi, Dale and I spent Sunday morning photographing in Altoona. The first part of the morning was spent on the 17th Street overpass looking down on Alto Tower. Though no longer used to control the interlocking here it is used by maintenance of way people and remains in good condition.

First up was an eastbound intermodal

followed by a pair of light helpers returning to Altoona.

Continuing the parade was a loaded coal train (above and below).

The coal train met a local headed down the branch to Holidaysburg (above and below).

The final moves through area we photographed were four light engines and

the eastbound Pennsylvanian (above and below).

We then moved to "the brickyard" at the Wicker Street grade crossing. This string of coal cars had three SD80MACs on the point and

four SD40Es pushing.

An eastbound tank train was next

with a pair of SD40E helpers still attached.

Last up was an eastbound stack train. Thanks for looking.

Altoona trip - 2

Hi, Saturday, September 21 was dedicated to two trips on the Everett Railroad powered by their classic 2-6-0 #11.

Dale and I started our day by exploring the line. This provided an opportunity for Dale to get a sense of possible photo locations and for me to reacquaint myself with the railroad. While we were exploring we came upon #11 moving from the railroad's shop at Claysburg, PA to Holidaysburg where the excursions would start.

The morning excursion departed Holidaysburg at 11:00 AM for a one hour round trip to Brooks Rd.

After passing Loop Road

the train arrived at Brooks Blvd. where the locomotive ran around the train and pulled it back to Holidaysburg tender first. We went for lunch.

The afternoon train departed Hollidaysburg at 1:00 PM for a round trip to Martinsburg.

We again caught it at Loop Road

and then at Roaring Spring,

crossing State Route 2006,

off Frederick Road,

and arriving at Martinsburg.

After the engine was wyed

it coupled to the other end of the train for the return trip to Hollidaysburg.

Some houses made a nice backdrop on the east side of Roaring Spring

as did the paper mill on the west side of town.

Our final location was off Monastery Rd. Thanks for looking.

Altoona trip - 1

Hi, On Friday, September 20 friend Dale Diacont and I spent the weekend in the Altoona, PA area. Our principal interest was a steam powered excursion on the Everett Railroad which would cover the entire line the next afternoon.

Our photography began in Johnstown, PA. We spotted this pristine caboose spotted on a siding as we drove into town and immediately set about finding it. We believe it is used as a shoving platform by crews coming up the branch from the connection to the former B&O (now CSX) main at Rockwood, PA when they work in town.

We then set up to shoot the bridge over the Conemaugh River and got this westbound. The light on the bridge was getting a little rakish so we decided to move on.

Dale wanted to visit South Fork so we stopped there and photographed a number of trains. First up was this stack train (above and below)

with helpers still attached.

I wanted the westbound shot without the ties plates. This hopper train filled the bill.

An eastbound stack train resulted in these images (above and below). We photographed a number of other trains here before moving on up the West Slope.

Summerhill, about 2 miles east of South Fork, was our next stop (above and below).

The shot just isn't the same without the signal bridge and its position light signals which came down a few months ago. The remains of the bridge are at the right edge of the photo.

We continued up hill checking out locations until we finally settled on the new PA 53 bridge between Cresson and Gallitzin. Again, the signal bridge that was located here is gone. First up was a westbound Stack train.

Another westbound stack train then appeared on an adjacent track passing the first train. While all this was going on an eastbound tank train climbed the hill.

The eastbound tank train had pushers (above and below).

At this point we called it a day. Thanks for looking.

Fall railfan trip - 7, Western New York & Pennsylvania

Hi, As the final three days of our trip were relatively unproductive I have combined the results into this, the final blog.

Thursday morning began with a chase of the westbound Olean Slingshot. This train runs as a turn to Falconer, NY where it meets its counterpart the Meadville Slingshot. We caught it

at Allegany

Vandallia

off the US 219 bridge on the east side of Carrollton

at Randolph (above and below)

and at Kenney, NY (above and below).

We never did see the Meadville Slingshot. In an effort to avoid being left behind in Jamestown, NY traffic we left town before it arrived in Falconer. The train passed us eastbound as we headed west looking for a spot to shoot it. We did not realize this even though we continually checked the rail for signs of use. Our last photo of the day was in Meadville, PA of this former Belt Rwy of Chicago locomotive.

Friday was scheduled to be a Bessemer and Lake Erie day. However, once again, unknown to us, the train passed us at some point as we headed north from Harmar, PA looking for a photo spot. Finally in late afternoon we found a Pittsburgh and Ohio Central gen set working on Neville Island in Pittsburgh (above and below).

On Saturday we followed the NS Conemaugh Line from Pittsburgh to Vandergrift, PA where the photo above was taken. We found very few photo spots and even fewer trains. This was our only photo on the Conemaugh.

We got a couple of trains in Johnstown before heading home above and below).

Both Jim and I wanted to be home for dinner on Sunday giving us only a half day on Sunday for photography. With the cost of motels we would be willing to stay in being well over $100 per night we thought it best to head on home on Saturday.

Thanks for looking.