Work Caboose

Views Railway Gallitzin, Pennsylvania

Little more than a speck of Pennsylvania Allegheny Mountain region, offers an attractive Gallitzin important for the railways and history buffs. These are the same mountains that surround it, once conquered the track, prompting the engineering feats you see today.

Located midway between Altoona in the east and west in Johnstown was the right way, designated "Gallitzin" exit U.S. Route 22, the same city, a city surrounded by Gallitzin Township and Cambria County Tunnelhill was incorporated in 1872 and named after the prince Loretto founded nearby.

Round development of coal and coke production, which ranks as the tenth highest city in the state, its topography sort by the same tunnel that is now known as the prohibitive level, then maturity beyond current design, there is very little choice in the railways "Pursuit of westward expansion.

Three tunnels were bored in the area ultimately, through the peaks of Gallitzin. The first Portage the new and located in Tunnelhill to 2167 meters elevation, was completed on December 10, 1852 after E. Rutter and Sons, hired for the project $ 500,000, dirt manually attacked and rock with picks and shovels with 300 team members. The second, Allegheny 3605 meters long and located at mile 248, was completed in 1854 and first used on 6 February. Along with the Gallitizin is considered one of the "Twin Tunnels". The latter, built between 1902 and 1904, was hired, along with his brother Allegheny, the Pennsylvania Railroad. They were the highest and engineering of the time, allowing the railroad, after negotiating the curve of a horseshoe, to continue their journey westward from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh.

Its use, however, was no longer needed the $ 25 million Settlement Conrail Pennsylvania Improvement Project, which started because of progressive loss of been avoiding rail traffic, lowered its floor to provide authorization to double-stack cars and widened to accommodate two-way two-track. The use of technologically advanced construction means its 19th century counterpart of the crew, the team of 90 troops completed the job in August 1995, this tunnel once Gallitzin like rails and abandoned.

Gallitzin property of the railway line parallel changes in ownership of railways. The short life of Penn Central, formed in 1968 as a result of the merger between Pennsylvania Railroad quasi-institutional and New York Central, surrendered to Conrail through the bankruptcy process, was created by merging several tentative lines northeast Erie Lackawanna and the Lehigh Valley and Reading. A purchase of two of Conrail by Norfolk Southern and CSX Transportation in 1999 said their routes of Pennsylvania, who sail Gallitzin through the tunnel were maintained by Norfolk Southern Pittsburgh Line. Most of its trains to this use of a track through the tunnel Portage New, while the track use the three westward through the Allegheny Tunnel. Two of the latter route can be used for both.

Tunnels facilitate both passengers and freight. Amtrak, for example, the routes of four trains a day through them. Cars of coal destined for power plants, travel east and return empty to the replacement of the coal mines of Pennsylvania, while half of its operations for the transfer of intermodal shipments to the Midwest, particularly Chicago, St. Louis and Kansas City.

Gallitzin Tunnels Park and Museum

The area of ​​railway heritage movement can be experienced in Gallitzin Tunnels Park and Museum.

Your Heritage Museum in the Community, sharing the city center with offices, library and police station displays objects and rail model trains and displays the "Once Upon a Mountain" movie theater in your living room of 24 places.

The park, located across the street, between the museum and tunnels, has a restored 1942 railroad caboose NSC. Originally built in Stores Conrail Juniata and acquired the car with the number CR23081, has a length of 36 feet, width of three meters, height of 15 feet and 40 inches of wheel width and was restored by volunteers from the Pennsylvania Railroad. Inside, live radio broadcasts of trains in tunnels, the lights of the sports of the signal an air brake system, bedrooms, a sitting area, a fire-bellied stove and cooking, and caboose feature-dome.

An observation deck with views of the tunnels, the identical twin Gallitzin turn left, wearing his original height and width, but only now roadless bed of dirt, and Allegheny, to the right, showing its highest and broadest "mouth" and the projection of two ways.

Operations frequent and detailed by the Norfolk Southern train schedule available at the museum and the time of contribution, the origins and destinations, and types of goods, ensure identification of the train, while the tunnel near-echo effects to extend their power, sending vibrations through the ground, right at the feet of the observer.

Allegheny Portage Railroad

Only a mile from the Gallitzin Tunnels Park and Museum is another important show, the railway Allegheny Portage. As the tunnels, which was a major engineering feats of the 19th century.

Despite the nascent United States to provide significant opportunities, their size and lack of infrastructure also offer significant obstacles, including most European immigrants who had entered the country through their traditional New York, Ellis Island and now desired threshold westward journey. Roads, in any form, its layout of roads along the east coast, but were separated by the imposing mountains of Appalachia, whose natural barrier was practically impenetrable. One of them in Pennsylvania, Allegheny, rose as a control of road between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the few primitive roads over them, covered, rough mud-drowned often by foot, horse and cart traffic laboriously inching over them.

Strung across the state and thousands of feet higher, the mountains challenged engineers to conquer. Technology however - in just over an advanced state that the country itself - was almost nonexistent.

However, challenging Conestoga wagons crossing the mountains, the against dirt, rocks, gravel, and excessive growth, took 23 days to close the gap between east and west in the most ideal conditions, dry roads conditions. Something had to be done.

Waterways travel, provide more rapid and unimpeded transport barges, showed a remarkable improvement in the speed, ease and comfort, but the essential element method-channels themselves are not in abundance, and never in the desired locations. The solution, therefore Therefore, continued to dredge them, resulting in the optimal duration and direction.

In mid 1820, the State of New York did just that, the creation of the Ontario and Erie Canal in 1825, was brought to four effects:

1). Facilitated transport of passengers and cargo.

2). Reduced time travel.

Three). Resulting in an increase in trade, through its new route.

4). This caused a corresponding reduction in the tradition Philadelphia associated with strong trade, and was diverted to Western markets through the Erie Canal.

The viability of transportation have made it clear a line of life, like an artery pumping blood, a city, and the lack of it caused it to die.

Alarmingly awakened by this reality, the Pennsylvania Legislature authorized the Public Works main line to begin construction of a water artery of trans-Pennsylvania, running east, west and designated as the "Canal Main Line," connecting the two cities. However, the stretch of 36.65 km through the Allegheny Mountains, needed to close the gap between both sides proved to be an engineering obstacle.

A solution originally planned - a four-kilometer tunnel through the base of the mountain - it was expensive, and the experience was considered insufficient to even try. Issues relating to a water-content tunnel also rose. While his vision forward, the technology was not.

Inspired by a hybrid system, intermodal transportation British ultimately decided to design their own mix of networks to link the Canal Basin in eastern Hollidaysburg to Johnstown in western one through ten, mountains negotiating inclined planes and constant elevation of the channels to serve as the core of the entire Canal main line connection. Was designated as the "Allegheny Portage Railroad."

Along with the already developed, state canal system, including aqueducts, tunnels, reservoirs, dams, 82 kilometers of railways and 276 miles of waterways, which would considerably reduce travel time for passengers and goods and restore lost trade competitiveness of the Erie Canal.

The three-year project construction ended March 18, 1834, marked the rail tunnel first, called curve staples, and sent over the ridge at the top of the inclined plane number one, reducing by 2.5 kilometers, the distance the court would otherwise have had to cover if they had adhered to the natural route of the valley, while the aircraft was 1608 feet long and had a corresponding, 150 foot elevation gain.

Project costs include $ 16.5 million for the public works and $ 1.8 million for the railroad.

"Portage," defined as "land transport between water bodies," became the missing link in the waterway stretches almost 400 km between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

Although it is technologically feasible and successful, water and rail, several elevation system that offers a slow pace. Passengers and cargo, originating in the east and across the Channel from the main line on the boats were transferred Basin Hollidaysburg Rail Car, which were drawn horses in the first degree. Engaged in a continuous cable, which moved on rollers between the rails, was hoisted up the slope at a speed of four kilometers per hour, powered by one of the two stationary engines, steam 35 hp installed under the floor of the engine shed at the top of the slope, often in conjunction with cars down for a counterbalance between the two. The steam engine was a second backup.

Lowering speed, with the help of gravity, reduced the minimum amount of water pulley brake installed.

Up to six trains per hour could overcome the slope.

Of the ten, the number three was the shortest, to 1,480 feet elevation with a corresponding increase of 131 feet, while the number eight was the longest in 3117 and 308 meters respectively.

Making his way through the Allegheny Portage 36.65 km stretch of mountain railways, barges and 1,172 feet up 1398 feet down before being refloated Johnstown in the basin of the Western Canal Main Line trip to Pittsburgh.

Several improvements, the incorporation of technological advances, have introduced progressively.

Traditional locomotive at the beginning lacked sufficient power to propel vehicles transporting goods loaded up the ramps, which require stationary steam engines in place. But a year later the Allegheny Portage Railroad came into operation, Horses were replaced by locomotives to propel level. The first, "Boston", performs the equivalent work of 18 horses and 16 others joined the fleet.

The "Intermodal" nature of the operation took on new meaning when the ships section of packages, each weighing about 7,000 kilos, introduced the division, as well as the huge cargo containers, and floating in an upward incline railway carriages, whether in Hollidaysburg and Johnstown basins, three continuous cable hooked to both the ship bottom. The agreement tri-section, equipped with a spring brake friction behind him to avoid the conditions were control greatly reduces the discomfort inherent in the method and initial transfer, repackaging, and provided continuous cohesion transport from origin to destination, regardless of the mode of water or train intermittently negotiated.

The 3.5-inch hemp rope originally used for towing, subject to wear persistent and last minute, was replaced by a tougher line wire.

In fact, in 1840, the above ground, trip trans-Pennsylvania was reduced from 23 days to just four.

The pace of technology, soon demonstrated faster than rail, ultimately overcome and led to its demise, as more and more powerful engines and advanced construction techniques dressage topography provided more comfortable Fast, continuous-track competition, which avoided the slow exchange system.

Trying to close the gap between Hollidaysburg inefficiency Canal and river Johnstown, Pennsylvania began to replace the inclined plane with a bed with a permanent destination, track routed through a tunnel Gallitzin proximity, called "New Portage Railroad," relegating the original system and the concept, name, "Old Portage Railroad."

Victim, yes, technologically behind our competitors, which was acquired on June 15, 1857 for $ 7.5 million for the Pennsylvania Railroad after the legislature had approved the sale of major public works Line Canal, and joined his own track network. After completing its all-rail link between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh via the Horseshoe Curve and new Gallitzin tunnels on 15 February that deviated progressively slower business and less convenient, and now outdated system, which operated at a loss. And after two decades, which was suspended-a relatively short period of time, but very long to advance and dismantled.

The success of the Allegheny Portage Railroad might say. Currently using technology that was innovative for its time and based on contemporary engineering techniques to overcome topographic obstacles lying between two major cities of the state. Although they failed to capture Western market expected, significantly reduced travel times, offering greater convenience, facilitated trade among coal producers in municipalities the west and the largest cities in the east, west promoted the expansion of population, business revived temporarily lost to the Erie Canal route, provided a living laboratory for emerging transportation technologies, and assisted by Pennsylvania in its development as an industrial state characterized by coal, iron, steel, and rail.

A small portion of once-innovative, intermodal, mountain-fence transport system can be experienced in the Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site.

Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site

Like all attractions National Historic country, Allegheny Portage Railroad is a pocket-preserved history, which in the present tense and not between the covers of a book. When had served its purpose, was hidden in the annals of memory, having been one of the steps necessary to increase the earthly man during his rise.

Its Visitors Center, with artifacts, exhibits, and the appropriate name "Allegheny Portage Railroad" movie, shows a model locomotive full size "Lafayette", built by the engineer José York and have previously appeared in the Baltimore and Ohio Exposition in Chicago in 1893 and the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis in 1904.

Adapted in 1832 by Edward Bury British locomotive design, the 29 630-pound "Lafayette", with a diameter cylinder of 12.5 inches, the stroke of 20 inches and 13 inches in diameter of the chimney, was a 4-2 configuration-0-wheel and was ideally suited for Allegheny Portage Railroad. In 1840, the guy pulled almost two-thirds of all U.S. trains.

A boardwalk leads from the Visitor Center to the number of six to incline through a forest inhabited by squirrels and a stone quarry. Although there is well in good faith was never found, the archaeologists discovered two stones abundant stone broken and needed to cut the railroad culverts, bridges, viaducts, engine house foundations and stone sleepers. Holes created by the hand exercises said the breaking of the stone would be straight.

The tour ends at the inclined plane, which was 2713 feet long and had a corresponding 267 meters of altitude, which results in a rating of 9.7 percent. A reconstruction, with the mountain trails ascending the ropes with the help of pulleys installed at intervals 24 feet, leading to the summit of the mountain and therefore served as the last aircraft during ascent or early during the descent, depending the direction of travel.

At the foot of the slope, a "Highway to Hell" appendage wagons west to the main line, while a second one off the top of the roundhouse after the short climb, allowing them to be pulled by horses through the summit. Hemp rope the plane was 2.23 inches thick here, but later was replaced by the type of cable.

Although exposure of the house itself is an engine rebuild, however, serves to protect your original foundation and is one of the ten structures located along the railway line intermodal. With the exception of the boilers, most of the machinery used for lifting and lowering the train is under the ground, the tow rope itself just on the surface so they can pass through it in the roundhouse.

The machine itself includes the weight well, a steam engine of two cylinders located both sides of the drive pulleys, three brick lined boilers originally installed in the side of the house the motor and pulleys, ropes and equipment, the latter of which actually took the train connected to the rope. Steam boilers provide both engines.

Assistants wagons hooked and unhooked, lying on the engines and boilers, and lubricates the gears and bearings.

Also within the building is a model full-size steam engine.

Brand Summit Cresson the point where trains first crossed the Allegheny Portage Railroad in 1834.

The stone, two lemon trees House, located along the track level, represents one of many such inns provided by the railway to meet the needs of passengers en route for drinks, meals and lodging.

Born in 1793 in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, himself Lemon Samuel bought his first 268 acres of land in 1826, building a record for this inn two the top floors of the Allegheny Mountains "in northern turnpike and got the current stone structure in 1832. One of the many entrepreneurs who had the vision to anticipate passenger needs and solicit their business savvy to meet them, which is also used in the tavern and inn in his home.

Submitted several restorations, including the south and east porch renovations, removal of the garage, reinforced the development, restoration of the main entrance, and repointed exterior walls, the Lemon House, reopened in 1997, sports a furnished apartment in the first place, representing the summer 1840 appearance.

Following the path or grass always lean in the opposite direction, visitors today can access the arch bridge tilt. The only road bridge purpose built for the Allegheny Portage Railroad, it was stipulated as "a stone bridge that is required to pass the toll on the railroad in the number of section 36 for the Portage "by his original contract, although their specifications were modified in 1833 to provide a bend in the Huntington, Cambria, and Indiana Turnpike.

Rising to a height 22.2 meters and built of broken stone and sleepers of a railway section today - by hand placed in a diagonal pattern without adhering mortar - which has arcades and taxes were compensated and is installed directly in the form of each other, producing respectively, 54.11 and 60.5 his feet long north and south elevations. Contrary to its name, have a sloping top.

The 901-foot long fiber tunnel curve, also inside the park created by the Irish and Welsh workers between 1831 and 1833, is the country's oldest railway tunnel such, and was used until 1854, when the Pennsylvania Railroad Track his career elsewhere. Today, walkers are invited through their entry stone lines and detailed features of the sandstone arch.

About the Author

A graduate of Long Island University-C.W. Post Campus with a summa-cum-laude Bachelor of Arts Degree in Comparative Languages and Journalism, I have subsequently earned the Associate in Applied Science Degree in Aerospace Technology at the State University of New York - College of Technology at Farmingdale.  I have also earned the Continuing Community Education Teaching Certificate from the Nassau Association for Continuing Community Education (NACCE) at Molloy College, the Travel Career Development Certificate from the Institute of Certified Travel Agents (ICTA) at LIU, the Art and Science of Teaching Certificate at Long Island University, and completed a Multi-Genre Writing Program at Hofstra University.  At SUNY Farmingdale Aerospace I completed some 30 hours of Private Pilot Flight Training in Cessna C-152 and -172 aircraft.

Having amassed almost three decades in the airline industry, I managed the New York-JFK and Washington-Dulles stations at Austrian Airlines, created the North American Station Training Program, served as an Aviation Advisor to Farmingdale State University of New York, and devised and taught the Airline Management Certificate Program at the Long Island Educational Opportunity Center.

A freelance author, I have written some 70 books of the short story, novel, nonfiction, essay, poetry, article, log, curriculum, training manual, and textbook genre in English, German, and Spanish, having principally focused on aviation and travel, and I have been published in book, magazine, newsletter, and electronic Web site form. I am a writer for Cole Palen's Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in New York. I have made some 350 lifetime trips by air, sea, rail, and road.

HD: MBTA Work Train with Caboose Leading at Ballardvale