The 1946 Walter Snow Fighter
This page was last updated onMarch 05, 2017!
Background
This vehicle was Service Truck No. 18 of the Altoona & Logan Valley Electric Railway and is the only surviving operational equipment from Altoona's trolley operations which concluded street-rail operations in August, 1954.
From 1997 through May 1999, the Chapter restored the vehicle. Members Frank Givler (assisted by Jody Kinsel), Leonard Alwine, and Joe Harella headed up the project which included fabrication and replacement of major sections of the truck body and windows, as well as installation of all new lamps and lights. The truck was painted into the colorful and historic Logan Valley paint scheme, a bright orange finish, adorned with the company's distinctive "belt" logo. Funds for the project were raised by the Chapter through the production and sale of a videotape about the Logan valley system.
On May 22, 1999, the Horseshoe Curve Chapter NRHS participated in Altoona's sesquicentennial parade by producing the inaugural run of the 1946 Walter SnowFighter truck recently restored by the Chapter.
Enroute to the parade staging area, A&LVERy Service Truck No. 18 visited the old trolley car barn, now the site of AMTRAN (Altoona Metropolitan Transit Authority) where it posed for photos under the triangle logo sign from the original car barn. The "official portrait photo session," was attended by President Frank Givler, Secretary Karin Givler, Historian Dave Seidel, A&LVERy historian Leonard Alwine and Diane Alwine, and Denny Walls, videographer. President Givler had letterboards prepared for the truck bed sides proclaiming the Chapters name. Service Truck 18 was in the 1st Division, spot No. 8 and was well received by the citizens of Altoona as a nostalgic reminder of the trolley era in Altoona.
Photographs
News Article from the 2-15-98 Altoona Mirror concerning the restoration of the A&LVERy Walters Snow Plow.
On Display at Railfest '99,10/2/99 and 10/3/99
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Altoona & Logan Valley Electric Railway service truck No. 18 re-visiting the old car barn May, 1999 enroute to Altoona sesquicentennial parade. This truck, a 1946 Walter Snow Fighter is now owned by the Horseshoe Curve Chapter, National Railway Historical Society. The car barn building in the background has been converted to a bus garage for Altoona Metropolitan Transit Authority (AMTRAN). The structure is original but is now a flat-roof building rather than a peaked open air building. The triangle building sign is also original and is dated 1902. Photo by David Seidel. |
6-29-2005 Installation of Nose Plow Blade and Scraper Blades
 Denny Walls, Neil Myers and Frank Givler |
 Neil Myers and Frank Givler above and below. |
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 Scott Houseman |
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2Photos by David Seidel.2
5-5-07 - Paint work on the NOSE PLOW following steel sheeting repairs over the winter months.
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 Frank Givler, Dan Moringiello, Joe Harella |
 Frank Givler, Dan Moringiello, Joe Harella |
 Frank Givler, Dan Moringiello, Joe Harella |
 Frank Givler, Dan Moringiello, Joe Harella |
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 Dave Seidel, Dan Moringiello |
 Dave Seidel, Dan Moringiello, Frank Givler |
 Mid-chassis scraper blade |
 Mid-chassis scraper blade |
 Mid-chassis scraper blade |
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Photos by David Seidel.
July 2008
 Service truck # 18 from the Altoona & Logan Valley Electric Railway. 1946 Walter SnowFighter. On display at Railroader's Memorial Museum, July 10, 2008 |
Photos by David Seidel.
Also See:
Jerry's W-I-D-E World of Walters - Dedicated to the Walters Trucks
