January 2009 - HORSESHOE
CURVE CHAPTER ANNUAL REPORT 2008
The Horseshoe Curve Chapter began their 41st year of
service to the preservation of railroad heritage in the greater Altoona
area by celebrating the 40th anniversary in May. The emphasis of
chapter activities this year was stabilization and painting of rolling
stock either owned by the chapter or the equipment of Railroader’s
Memorial Museum in Altoona. Specifically, re-painting was
accomplished on the museum’s N-5C PRR caboose near the museum’s entrance
as well as PRR office car Duquesne, PRR RPO “Robert E. Hannegan”, the
three ex-Erie Lackawanna coaches (in service on the Everett RR) and
started the repainting of the “Loretto”, private car of industrialist of
Charles M. Schwab. The latter was interrupted by the advance of cold
weather. Work has continued throughout the year on the restoration
of a 1940 Chevrolet Railway Express Agency truck for Railroader’s Memorial
Museum and is about 85% complete. Finish painting has been completed with
wiring, instrumentation, glazing remaining to be done, as well as doors
and fenders (which are ready for installation).
On June
2nd, the chapter received from the family of deceased member Wayne T.
(Tim) Reese, a maintenance-of-way “speeder” car which will be a future
restoration project of the Chapter.
Social events for the year included a February
meeting at the Alto Model Train Museum; celebration of the chapter’s 40th
anniversary at a banquet at Geeseytown Fire Hall on May 17th (40th
Anniversary Logo designed by Joe DeFrancesco); bus trips to Washington DC
on May 3rd and in October to visit: Dulles Air & Space Museum, Mt. Vernon,
Washington Union Station followed by a trip on the Capitol Limited from DC
to Cumberland MD; participation with the annual Railfest excursions as
train or station hosts (we have enjoyed working the railfest trains with
Amtrak Conductor Dale Secker these several years and welcome him as a
chapter member in 2008); a trip on the Potomac Eagle on August 2nd; the
annual picnic hosted by Diane and Will Teeter at their lodge near
Hollidaysburg, PA; provided assistance to the Conrail Historical Society
for their convention in Altoona in October; Operation of an October train
to benefit Veterans in October; Operation of two Santa Train weekends in
November; and the annual Christmas dinner at Deer Hollow B&B hosted by
Joseph DeFrancesco & his grandparents, Harold (Dink) & Rachel Gensimore.
Chapter Director M. Richard Charlesworth is recognized for organizing all
field trips and train excursion ticket operations.
Chapter
Historian David Seidel authored a book entitled “Horseshoe Curve”, a
photographic essay via
www.arcadiapublishing.com,
and has donated all royalties from the book to benefit Railroader’s
Memorial Museum, Altoona, PA (to maintain the private car “Loretto” of
industrialist Charles M. Schwab). The book is available at the museum and
all national book outlets for $19.99.
With sadness we note the passing of Chapter Member
Marjorie “Marge” Goebbel of Roaring Spring. Her contributions and
participation in the many chapter activities is deeply missed and
condolences are extended to husband and chapter member, Don Goebbel.
In addition, the mother of Chapter Historian David Seidel, Catherine M.
Seidel, (grandmother of webmaster Christopher Behe; mother-in-law of
member David G. Behe) passed away on Easter Sunday. Mrs. Seidel was
an ardent supporter and participant of chapter activities in the early
years, which included hosting many chapter picnics, as well as projects
for Railroader’s Memorial Museum.
Horseshoe Curve Chapter
sponsored member Joseph DeFrancesco to RailCamp in Ely, NV this summer,
building on his attendance at RailCamp/Steamtown in 2007. Joe
presented a very impressive audio/visual program on his experience at
the August meeting in the theatre of Railroader’s Memorial Museum.
Chapter webmaster Chris Behe
with wife Kelly and daughter Morgan, were able to visit Washington DC’s
Union Station the weekend of October 4-5 for the centennial celebration
of this palace to transportation. The weekend was host to the best
varnish from fallen-flag railroads, not seen in such grandeur in
decades. Many of the locomotives came directly from museum’s in
their finest museum-quality paint. The chapter newsletter “Coal Bucket”
carried a full report in November.
March 2009 Update
Winter finally seems to be
leaving us behind and we can now look forward to new activities for
2009.
On the immediate horizon, is a train show/meet at
the Pinecroft Firehall for Sunday, March 8 from 9 AM to 2 PM sponsored
by the Alto Model Train Museum Association. This newsletter will
not be out in time, but it’s just one of those signs of Spring that
re-energize us.
Look for new announcements and schedules from
Railroader’s Memorial Museum. Although their website is lagging
behind, new changes are in the works for that as well as their
newsletter “The Standard” which will now be edited by Bill Deasy of
Pittsburgh.
ALTOONA ASSOCIATION OF MODEL
RAILROADERS TO CELEBRATE 60TH ANNIVERSARY
The Altoona Association of Model Railroader’s is
celebrating their 60th Anniversary in 2009. Their anniversary
banquet will be celebrated on April 25, 2009 at Railroader’s Memorial
Museum. The keynote speaker will be Mr. Bennett Levin of Juniata
Terminal Company, Philadelphia, PA, whom we all know from the Railfest
trains and other venues. We offer our sincerest congratulations to
the Altoona Association of Model Railroader’s on this noteworthy
milestone. Locally, we all know this organization for their
excellent model railroading in all gauges, as well as their RARE
collection of PRR memorabilia, which includes badge and number plates of
very noteworthy PRR steam locomotives, as well as an extensive reference
library. At this writing the Altoona Association of Model
Railroaders is re-building the interpretive model railroad at
Railroader’s Memorial Museum on the third floor. There are many
improvements which will certainly make this one of the keynote
attractions in the museum.
RAILWAY
EXPRESS AGENCY TRUCK PROJECT - 1940 Chevrolet
Work continues as seen in the
photos below, on the restoration of this vehicle for Railroader’s
Memorial Museum. At the present time, the glass is being installed
as is the wiring harness. The dash instruments have been restored
and installed.
Remaining to be done is the installation of the
front fenders (ready to go) and lighting and installation of the rear
cargo doors. The truck should be ready to show this summer,
possibly for Railfest as well as the annual Antique Truck and Machinery
Show at lakemont Park the last weekend in July. Signage and
lettering will be a specialty task which may or may not be completed by
that time.
DID YOU KNOW ?
February 15th was the
155th anniversary of Horseshoe Curve.
February 18th was the 62nd anniversary of the
Wreck of the Red Arrow at Bennington Curve.
March 17th 2009 is the 73rd anniversary of the St.
Patrick’s Day Flood of 1936 which devastated the entire PRR system.
Following are some images
from the flood damage near here at Tyrone, PA:
(Above and below:) Natural Gas storage tank washed
up against the old Lewisburg & Tyrone RR bridge (Fairbrook Branch) east
of town.
The Pennsylvania Railroad published the “History
of the Floods of March, 1936 and January, 1937”, compiled by Charles W.
Garrett, which documents the damage to the PRR system. The text includes
photographs of the damage to stations and facilities which is
supplemented by maps and meteorological data from the period.
The St. Patrick’s day floods
of 1936 was the result of early spring rainfall, accompanied by a rapid
thaw of the winter snows which overwhelmed all rivers, streams, &
tributaries. Washouts were commonplace. Train transportation
was suspended with trains stranded in standing water; bear in mind this
was the day of friction bearing equipment, whose lubrication cellars
became water-logged. The damage ran into the millions of dollars in 1936
currency, but was not limited to the state of Pennsylvania and was
complicated by downed telephone and telegraph lines*. The floods were
unique in “that all streams would rise almost simultaneously and by
their confluence bring their united waters to new heights, as for
instance at Pittsburgh, Sunbury and Harrisburg, PA.” Note:
the downed telephone and telegraph lines were relieved by amateur
battery operated short wave radio broadcasts.
Addendum: Tyrone has sustained many floods
in its history because of it’s proximity to the Little Juniata River.
Unfortunately, another chapter is currently unfolding as the Tyrone
YMCA, with roots in the PRR, is to be razed this summer. The final
blow was from flood damage from Hurricane Ivan, as well as other safety
issues. The “Y” ended activities December 2004, closing a facility that
began in 1914. The Tyrone Historical Society’s newsletter
“Tyrone PastTimes”, Winter 2009, carries a superior 14 page history of
the YMCA and the PRR by Charlie Hoyer. Visit:
www.Tyronehistory.org.
CHAPTER MEETINGS
The January 27th meeting was
held at Railroader’s Memorial Museum as will be the March 24th meeting
(7:30 PM in the museum theatre).
However, the Chapter enjoyed a very pleasant
social meeting for February as guests of the Alto Model Train Museum
Association at their headquarters at Beale Ave and 29th St (rear).
Their hospitality is always a pleasure, and we sure did enjoy the pie
and cake supplied by Joyce and George Thompson; good coffee too !
It was a great evening of conversation and train-watching…and tall
tales.
MEET TYLER
We would like to introduce
Tyler Martynuska, age 14. Tyler has been interested in trains and
railroading for much of his young life, and found the Horseshoe Curve
Chapter and the National Railway Historical Society on the internet.
We first met Tyler at the January meeting, accompanied by his mother and
grandfather, as he had written a very succinct letter seeking
sponsorship to go to Railcamp. The Chapter voted unanimously to
send Tyler to Railcamp at Steamtown for the 2009 class, and a
reservation was immediately made. In this photo Tyler is seen at
the February social meeting at the Alto Model Train Museum Association
with his Mom. WELCOME ABOARD TYLER !
CHAPTER BUS TRIP
Chapter
Director Dick Charlesworth is working on a proposal for an overnight bus
trip to the Buffalo, NY area July 18-19. Plans are only tentative
at this writing, but plans are to tour railroad sites in and
around Buffalo and Hamburg, New York such as the former New York Central
Terminal, the Pennsylvania RR I-1 locomotive and related equipment owned
by the Western New York Railway Historical Society as well as a ride on
the Arcade & Attica RR and a boat trip on the Niagara River.. Due
to time and distance an overnight stop will be included, returning via
Salamanca, NY (no, NOT the Indian Casino). Ticket price is in the
$200.pp range. More information will be forthcoming, but if you
are potentially interested, stay in touch with Dick Charlesworth at
(814) 695-2201 or via
charlesworth2@verizon.net.
RAILROADER’S MEMORIAL MUSEUM by Joe DeFrancesco
The Altoona Railroaders Memorial
Museum. Many ask why is this place so important to you? The fact is I
love the history of the railroad that served our area. The museum is a
place where I can go to learn and explore the past and what it has to
tell us. This museum captures the whole story of a place that people
loved and worked for. Through the storyboards and exhibits through out
the museum, this story is told. This is not a place where you can go and
visit and walk through in an hour. The museum is much more in-depth. In
order to fully understand the purpose of the institution you must spend
many hours there analyzing what is being presented to you. Once the
information is digested, perhaps you too can fully understand the
greatness of the heritage behind the Pennsylvania Railroad and its
people.
The Altoona
Railroaders Memorial Museum exhibits illustrate the many jobs required
for railroad work. For generations, lives that were employed by the
Pennsylvania Railroad were defined by the schedules of railroad work. At
this museum you can find out how the families were affected by the
schedules. You can find out if you have a relative who worked for the
railroad, by using the museum online database for former employees. Many
visitors leave with a sense of connection to the museum when they find
out their loved one is being honored.
This museum
offers a first hand look at railroading in the past with a yard filled
with former railroad equipment. Many are only restored for display
purposes. But few are capable going back onto the rails to relive their
former lives. Through these rare events, the general public can have a
first hand view of railroading’s past. For many this can be viewed right
in their back yard.
The
Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum has allowed me to become apart of
the organization in many ways, as a Volunteer, as an Employee, and as a
Member. For me personally the museum is more that what it was designed
to be. For me it is a place for many rewards. As a volunteer I have the
ability to work with a great group of people who share my visions. As an
employee I can be apart of the inter workings of the museum to help
provide a better experience for the visitors, along with collaborating
with the other employees who also take pride in their work. As a member
I can discuss concerns with fellow members at meetings and once again
work with people who share the same visions.
Joe is a senior at Juniata Valley High School and
a member of the National Honor Society. He will graduate in June
and will attend Penn State Altoona. He is an alumnus of Railcamp at
Steamtown and Ely, NV.
MARCH MEETING
Tuesday, March 24, 2009, 7:30 PM in the theatre of
Railroader’s Memorial Museum. Please note that March has 5
Tuesdays and our meeting is always on the FOURTH Tuesday of every month
unless a special event is scheduled.
The April meeting will by April 28, 2009; same
time and location. Post your calendars now.
March 2009 Update
The March meeting will be held
on Tuesday, March 24, 2009 at the usual 7:30 PM, in the theatre of
Railroader's Memorial Museum, 1300 9th Avenue, Altoona, PA.
The March meeting will
feature special guests Andrea and Bob Vibbert of Portsmouth, NH.
As many of us know, Andrea and Bob have a long association with GG-1 #
4913 and were married aboard a train powered by this locomotive.
Andrea, particularly, had much influence on this locomotive coming to
Railroader's Memorial Museum in 1980. Both Andrea and Bob have had
careers with Amtrak and are now retired.
They are bringing some vintage 8mm movies of the
Altoona area and we are scrambling to locate, and test vintage 8 mm
projectors for the purpose. We HOPE everything will come together
with this vintage technology so we can show some film that hasn't seen
the light of day in a quarter-century. It won't be the best
display of modern technology but should be entertaining; and, we
hope to have some light refreshments.
We hope you'll be able to visit us at the March
meeting.
May 2009
UNDER THE WIRE by Leonard
E. Alwine
In the “Under the Wire” stories, we usually cover
some item about the Logan Valley Trolley system. In this segment,
we go way under the wire, to the basement of the generator room where
the power for the electric trolleys was made (in Altoona).
The Logan Valley shop complex
was quite large for a small town system. In future articles we may
cover some of the other buildings in the complex, but for now we will
look at the basement of the one building. Note: If you have
a copy of “Altoona and Logan Valley Electric Railway” as published by
Arcadia Publishing Co. (all proceeds benefit Horseshoe Curve Chapter
NRHS), you can follow along visually.
Most of the buildings except the car barn were
sold off sometime in the 1950’s. Norman Glucroft bought most of them and
moved his business, Roaring River Mills fabric store, into the old bus
garage. Several extensions were added to this building, eventually
connecting it with the Machine Shop building. In the early 1970’s,
the Pump House, Generator or Engine Room, and the Boiler Room buildings
were razed (including the smokestack) in an effort to make space for
future expansion of his store. This never happened and eventually
he went out of business and put the property up for sale. In 2008,
Amtran purchased the property and began plans to renovate the Carpenter
Shop, Machine Shop, and Transformer Room buildings. The bus garage
and additions by Roaring river Mills were to be torn down and a future
office complex built in it’s place.
In early January 2009, Earthmovers Inc. began the
demolition process. By February, the buildings were gone and the cement
floor of the Generator Room building which had set for about 40 years
without a structure on it was next to be torn up. It was half
covered with dirt and small trees and weeds. As the dirt was
removed and the first concrete broken up, a basement was discovered.
Further investigation revealed many large pillars used to support the
generators and other equipment which at one time made the electric power
for the trolley system. After a couple weeks of contemplation, it
was decided that these sleeping giants had to be removed.
On February 20th, Dave Seidel
and I were invited to take a tour of this basement before demotion began
the next day. It was a chance to see something that no one had
seen for over 40 yeas and most of us living today did not even know
existed.
As we made our way into the basement with John
Palko of Amtran (Altoona Metropolitan Transit Authority, successor to
the Altoona & Logan Valley Electric Railway and the Logan Valley Bus
Company), the feeling of excitement was soon replaced by a feeling of
awe. The basement was massive – 150 ft by 75 ft wide. It ran from
the Transformer Room building near 5th Ave all the way to the sidewalk
at 6th avenue. The ceiling was 10 ft high and the walls were made
out of poured concrete a foot thick. It was about a zero
temperature day outside, but inside the basement it was at a guess about
32 degrees as there were some icicles hanging but they were melting.
There was some water on the cement floor but we were told that this had
happened during the last two weeks after the first floor/ceiling area
had been breached. When first discovered, it had been dry.
Looking at the walls, you could see where rust stains from leaking over
the past 40 years had happened but there were no high water marks on the
walls or pillars to suggest any flooding at any time. This seemed
amazing to think that something built in 1891, taken out of use in the
1950’s, and torn down in the 1970’s could still have a dry basement in
2009 !
The feeling of
awe only increased as we made our way through the hallways between the
pillars all the way back to 6th Ave. (we entered at the hole in the
ceiling ner 5th ave.) Near 5th ave. the pillars were smaller but
still rather large. The first ones were only about 3 ft thick by
about 8 ft long and as high as the ceiling, about 8-9 ft. They
were also poured concrete. The next three were more pyramid shaped
and were made to support something big and of an unusual shape. They
also had small vent spaces throughout them. We do not know what
these were used for. The next two going towards 6th ave.
were very big. The one at sixth ave. being the largest. These were about
10 to 12 ft wide by at least 20 ft long and again 9 – 10 ft high. These
two also had crawl spaces large enough for a person to crawl-through
from one side to the other as well as the many small vent spaces through
them. These, we feel, must have supported the generators
themselves although this is just a guess. There were also some
cement ledges between these two pillars which were oil-stained and
several oil drums were also in this area, which we feel may have been
used to lubricate things; again, just a guess.
As darkness increased (we toured
from approximately 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.) we had to use flash lights
and camera flash to be able to see. Because of the quickness in
which we were given the opportunity to tour this before it was
destroyed, we did not get to actually measure objects or distances in
detail. [Arrangements were made about 3:30 p.m. that same day to see
this piece of history]. We did not find many things left in the
basement [artifacts] as they were most likely sold for scrap at the time
Logan Valley stopped using the power plant. Several small insulators and
a few bricks from the walls near 5th ave. were preserved for future
generations to see as well as the photos taken that day. It was amazing
that most of the photos were acceptable given the darkness of the
basement area.
Beginning the next day and for
the next month, I traveled out to the site to watch the progress made
daily razing this old landmark. These trips gave me a chance to
take many more photographs of the pillars after the ceiling (grade level
floor) was completely removed. It also showed me the way these were
constructed which made me appreciate this basement even more.
The largest pillar (as were all
of them) was solid concrete. One alone was estimated to have some 55
yards of concrete in it, based on it’s size. It was estimated that
nearly 225 yards were used in all the pillars. Add to that the
walls, basement floor, and ceiling, it is possible that number could be
doubled or tripled. Remember that in 1891 there were no cement
trucks. This concrete mostly likely was mixed on-site, maybe with a
steam powered mixer, but placed by men pushing wheelbarrows out wooden
ramps and dumping it into forms for the pillars and walls. Also,
inside the pillars were supports which went from the basement floor to
the ceiling and probably bolted the machinery in place at grade level.
These were rods with bolts and nuts at the bottom buried in the cement
which were 3 inches across. There were many in each pillar and
these too had to be placed by men using strings and plumb-bobs as lazer-guided
transits were not available in 1891 ! The neatest thing about
these rods were the bases, made of 1.5-inch steel which held them in the
basement floor. On the bottoms of them was stenciled “Altoona &
the Logan Valley Electric Railway”. I made sure one of these 200
pound items was preserved.
To get the pillars and basement
razed, a large excavator with a hydraulic hack-hammer was used to break
through the ceiling and then with a bucket would pull the pieces up and
out of the basement, and pile them towards 5th ave. to await the time
the grinder would come and grind the cement and bricks up into ballast
to be hauled away. Thea cement was old (about 100 years) and very
hard. They worked from sun-up to sun-down pounding on the pillars
and walls. It seemed as if the pillars were fighting back, not
wanting to be removed. The jack-hammer seemed to just make dust
many times. March 4th, a new and larger jack-hammer was brought
in, and it made more progress but still at a slow pace. It would
have been nice to save at least one pillar for historic purposes, but
they could not be moved and could lnot be left in place either.
For over a month, the sound of the hammer could be heard working on the
cement and during that time I was able to record on film some of the
hidden secrets of the Power House basement. Holders for cables and
steam lines and doors to other basements, and the extreme rigidness
built into the construction (1.5” re-bars), etc It was like
getting to know a friend inside and out, but yet much could not be found
out due to a deadline for the demolition. It would have been nice
to have a month to explore and measure every nook and cranny, but time
and weather (it was very cold in February and March) did not permit.
By April 1st, the basement as gone and many untold or unfound secrets
went with it (no blueprints are known to exist).
By April 2nd, all the pillars
were removed as well as the walls. The cement was ground-up on
site and then hauled away by truck. The area was bulldozed and
seeded. I will have to admit that I was saddened when this was
done as another Altoona landmark was now gone. After spending so
much time at the site, it had become like a friend and now it was gone.
But, I was so happy that I received the chance to see this piece of
Logan Valley Railway and record it’s demise on film for future
preservation. Thank you, Amtran, for that opportunity. More
about the other buildings in future “Under The Wires”.
Post-Script: Penna Dept
of Transportation recently (week of May 4) removed the asphalt surface
of PA Rte 36 on Penn St. in Hollidaysburg, PA …revealing the old trolley
right-of-way.
More in the next issue of “Under The Wire” …and a
report on Tyrone’s trolley service which became part of the Altoona &
Logan Valley Electric Railway.
- In the next issue, more on the Tyrone Trolley
system and the "Home Electric and Steam Generating Company.
A CHANCE TO SEE “BIG-FILL” CURVE
- By Leonard E. Alwine
On April 6, 2009, I was assigned the work-job of
transporting two septic tanks and installing them at a hunting cabin
“way back in the woods”. I have done this many times in the past,
but this time it turned into a rare chance to travel abandoned PRR
right-of-way and see something that most living today have only seen in
photos.
The man who owns the hunting cabin (whom I do not
know) is supposed-to own about 500 acres in this area including the old
right-of-way which he uses for the access to his cabins – actually built
on the former right-of-way, just past “big fill curve”.
I left the hard road several
miles from Bald Eagle (north of Tyrone, PA) and turned onto the old
railroad bed. Although the tracks and ties were removed
who-knows-when, traveling on this roadbed was still very bumpy. It
seemed like the ties were still under the ballast/shale now in use for
the road. From the time I left the hard road, it was 2.6 miles to
the “curve” and travel was limited to about 10 mph. I kept hoping
not to see a train coming at me because there wee no places to pull
over. For most of the way, it was a high rock ledge to my left (10
to 30 feet high) and to my right a cliff which went down (I am guessing)
50 to 100 feet. It seemed to be upgrade to the “big fill curve”.
In a vintage postcard view,
the area is known as the “Deep Fill”.
Once at the “curve”, it reminded me of Horseshoe
Curve – only not quite as big or wide. It seemed just as high
though. What was fascinating, was to think that this was built by
pick and shovel to bring coal down the mountain (from Clearfield,
Philipsburg, Osceola Mills to Tyrone and the Jct with the mainline).
Looking closely at the area around the curve, you could see ledges cut
into the mountainsides at different levels used to get the fill for the
curve. As the curve reached that height, another ledge was cut
higher to get the fill using down hill travel to the curve site.
Five different levels of cuts were visible yet today. I am sure
that others have been grown over also.
The stream that runs under the “curve” has a
cement culvert built over it. If it would ever collapse, the water
would build up and most likely wash out the vill and cause a flood
somewhere. Also, at the bottom of the curve fill, near the stream,
is a cement house which I was told by the contractor – was used to house
workers who built the fill. They were supposedly prisoners who
were kept in this house at night. It is said to still have bars on
the inside of the windows. The day I was there, it was raining and
since it was about 150-200 feet down a slippery slope, I did not go down
to get a closer look.
I had to make two trips to the site, and on my
second trip I took a camera and took a few photos. The area is
still very much covered with coal and ash dust, deeper than you would
think, once we got to excavating.
By days-end, I was tired from the work and on the
second return trip out, we found a flock of turkeys and also a deer
along the right-of-way. It was one of those days at work when you
got a “non-monetary bonus” ! End.
Addendum by David Seidel: As many of us who
live locally know, this is also the line used by the Walter L. Main
Circus Train on Memorial Day – May 30, 1893, passing over the locations
illustrated above, which tragically resulted in a major train
wreck at the bottom of the mountain near Vail, a history documented and
recounted by author Paul Zitzler with Susie O’Brien, entitled
“Unscheduled Stop – The Town of Tyrone and the Wreck of the Walter l.
Main Circus Train”. Mrs. O’Brien lives directly opposite that
point on the former rail line (a subsidiary of the Pennsylvania
Railroad) where the wreck occurred, and her home is built on the ground
used to bury some of the circus animals.
Five people, including a brakeman, were killed,
but over 125 people on the train escaped serioud harm. Over 50 horses
died in the calamity and dozens of other animals escaped their cages for
the woods of this Pennsylvania region. One Bengal Tiger was shot
by Alfred Thomas hear his home. The citizens of Tyrone came to the
rescue of the circus people and lodged them in their homes for almost 9
days until the train (repaired by the Pennsylvania Railroad shops) could
resume it's journey. The cause of the wreck? We won't spoil
that part for you...it's in the book a very pleasant and easy "read".
There is a monument at the
wreck location today, and each year, as near the anniversary date as is
possible, a memorial service is held. 2009 was a particularly
poignant anniversary and the memorial service was moved one month
forward to Wednesday, April 8, 2009 for a special observance which
coincided with the annual circus at the Jaffa Shrine facility in
Altoona. In honor of the occasion, arrangements were made for two
Asian elephants, Lulu and Chang, to visit the Memorial Site and place a
wreath at the monument, after which they were treated to an
elephant-sized lunch of fresh produce and fruits on the lawn of the
O’Brien residence. And yes, to the amusement of all, they left
elephant-sized footprints on the lawn. The event resulted in a
record turnout for the event. When the elephants arrived by truck,
they were heard to bleat as they stepped off the truck. Larry
McKee reports he talked to the handler about this and was informed that
the elephants could sense that animals were buried here which unsettled
them.
“Unscheduled Stop” in paperback, may be purchased
in Tyrone at the Tyrone Area Historical Society in the Tyrone Railroad
Station on Wednesday and Sunday afternoons, and at nearby Gardner’s
Candy Store & Ice Cream Parlor on Tenth St at other times. It is a
fascinating story of tragedy and triumph to put the circus train back on
the rails to resume it’s itinerary.
ALTOONA ASSOCIATION OF MODEL
RAILROADER’S CELEBRATES 60TH ANNIVERSARY
The Horseshoe Curve Chapter,
NRHS cordially extends their congratulations to the Altoona Association
of Model Railroaders, who celebrated their 60th anniversary on April 25,
2009 with a banquet at Railroader’s Memorial Museum. Mr.Bennett Levin of
Philadelphia was the keynote speaker and presented a slide program on
his Juniata Terminal operations, especially the “Liberty Limited” trips
for wounded military veterans.
One of two model railroad clubs in Altoona, it is
the oldest of all organizations, as most of us who live locally know,
& the club is known for it’s spectacular model railroad “and” their
collection of historic railroad artifacts from the PRR which represent
the BEST examples of badge and number plates to be found anywhere, as
well as an excellent reference library and photograph collection.
The club meets Friday evenings and visitors are welcome at any time.
We thank them for their commitment and service to the greater Altoona
area these many years and the enjoyment they provide, not only to
members, but guests as well.
RAILWAY EXPRESS AGENCY TRUCK UPDATE - 1940 Chevrolet
The windshield glass
installation was completed on Monday, April 27, 2009 and most all of the
wiring and lighting is complete. In the next week the front
fenders will be installed as well as the hood sheet metal.
Research is currently underway regarding lettering the truck.
Inquiries have been made to the North Carolina Transportation Museum at
Spencer, NC as they have an almost identical truck (1939) and they have
graciously supplied digital photos of that work for us to use as a
guideline. Once these finish elements are complete, final
photographs will be taken and an application will be filed for antique
licensing.
RAILFEST
As previously announced,
RAILFEST will be the last weekend in June, 2009 with Saturday and Sunday
excursions over Horseshoe Curve and Gallitzin Tunnels (Eastern
Continental Divide); three trips daily. The major change this year
is simply that there will be no Saturday evening trip to Pittsburgh.
All Chapter members who are
available may volunteer as coach or station attendance for the train.
Contact Dick Charlesworth at 695-2201. More information closer to
the time.
NRHS
The National Office has announced that “national”
dues will increase by $3.00 (to $36.00 from $33.00) starting with 2010.
This is attributable to steadily increasing costs associated with
the high-quality national publications (including postage) and the rate
of inflation in relation to the present economy.
NOTES
As
reported previously, the Chapter’s work on the restoration of the
Railway Express Agency truck is nearing completion. For a more
comprehensive look at the entire project, a photo-album is available at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/prrdave/RAILWAYEXPRESSAGENCYRESTORATIONPROJECTSHORSESHOECURVECHAPTERNRHS?feat=directlink
Work
projects will be shifting to Saturday mornings at Railroader’s Memorial
Museum to start work on the rolling stock there, especially the LORETTO.
Also, installation of windows in the DUQUESNE is probable.
Saturday mornings often start with breakfast at Tom & Joe’s (optional).
Remember, if we arrive at the museum ahead of opening hours, there are
service gates in the fence along the Station Medical Center sidewalk and
along 12th St walkway. Wear old clothes and have some work gloves
for the paint smears. These projects are often on for Monday
evenings also while the daylight is with us. Questions: call Frank
at the garage: (814) 943-4942 prior to 4:30 PM weekdays.
A CHAPTER
PICNIC is being planned for this summer hosted by President &
Mrs. Frank Givler. Details will be announced soon.
25 Year Memberships
We are tardy with this
“official” announcement, but congratulations go to members Chris Behe
and H. Wayne (Harley) Burket for their QUARTER-CENTURY MEMERSHIP and
service to the Horseshoe Curve Chapter and the National Railway
Historical Society. They were awarded their 25 year pins by the
NRHS (silver) in February. Congratulations guyz ! As most of us
know, Chris Behe is our webmaster and does an excellent job from afar as
he lives near Washington DC for his occupation in the Naval NCIS.
Harley Burket is one of our ‘original’ members, but had interrupted
service due to family circumstances in the early years. The “pin”
may say 25, but the friendship is 41, and counting !
CHAPTER TRIP TO BUFFALO
The planned Chapter bus trip
to the Buffalo area on July 18-19 is almost full. If you are
interested, you can add your name to the waiting list as last-minute
cancellations invariably occur. Call Dick Charlesworth at (814)
695-2201.
EAST BROAD TOP RAILROAD
ANNOUNCEMENT
PRESERVATION ASSOCIATION SIGNS THREE-YEAR DEAL TO
OPERATE - EAST BROAD TOP AS NON-PROFIT
Rockhill Furnace, Pa. - A new nonprofit organization
has signed an agreement to operate the East Broad Top Railroad for three
years, and the organization hopes to attract enough grant money during
that time to buy the Pennsylvania narrow gauge from its longtime owners,
Joe and Judy Kovalchick. The railroad was designated a National Historic
Landmark in 1964.
The new organization, the East Broad Top Railroad
Preservation Association, was put together by Larry Salone, who is also
executive director of the Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum. Mr.
Salone announced the preservation association's creation during a May 8
press conference at the railroad that was attended by State Rep. Mike
Fleck, who represents Orbisonia and Rockhill Furnace in the Pennsylvania
House of Representatives; State Rep. Rick Geist, who represents Altoona
and is chairman of the House Transportation Committee; and by
representatives of State Sen. John H. Eichelberger, Jr., and Congressman
Bill Shuster.
Mr. Salone is a restaurant- and engineering-company
owner who says he took his first train ride as a kid on the East Broad
Top, which the Kovalchick family has operated as a tourist railroad
since 1960. Joe Kovalchick's father, Nick, was a salvage dealer who
bought the railroad after its last common-carrier runs, in April 1956.
Mr. Salone said that the railroad's current employees
would remain on the payroll, and that the schedule for the coming year
would remain largely unchanged. But he said he hoped that riders would
begin to notice small improvements as soon as the EBT opens, on June 6.
The railroad will accept credit cards for the first time, he said, and
shuttle buses will run between the East Broad Top and the Altoona museum
during the museum's annual railfest weekend, June 27-28.
He said he planned to begin seeking money to reopen
about six miles of track from the current end of operations into Mount
Union, where the railroad transferred coal and other freight to the
Pennsylvania Railroad in a dual-gauge yard. Mr. Salone also discussed
putting a second EBT steam engine back in service — most likely No. 14,
a 1912 Baldwin Mikado that is nearly identical to the only engine
currently operating, No. 15. In addition, he talked about converting
additional freight cars for passenger service so that the line's
19th-century coaches could be reserved for special occasions.
The East Broad Top began operating in 1873 along a
main line roughly 33 miles long, of which about five miles are currently
in service. The rest of the railroad is almost entirely intact but is
badly overgrown. In addition to six narrow-gauge 2-8-2s in three sizes,
the EBT has a unique 1927 Brill gas-electric car in operating condition,
a standard-gauge 0-6-0 in Mount Union, and a sprawling machine-shop
complex that is being restored by a volunteer organization, the Friends
of the East Broad Top. The Rockhill Trolley Museum operates on a portion
of the railroad's old Shade Gap branch.
Miscellaneous News
Congratulations to Amtrak Trainman Rob Hammer who,
with Amtrak Conductor Dale Secker, worked with us on last year’s
Railfest train. Rob has just been accepted into Amtrak’s
Locomotive Engineer training program and will report to Wilmington in
June. Congratulations, Rob ! We look forward to seeing Dale
again this year during Railfest. As some of us know, Dale joined
Horseshoe Curve Chapter NRHS last year.
August 2009
September 2009 Update
In Memoriam
Marjorie A. Goebel
Dec 12, 1938 - May 21, 2008
The Chapter is in the process of placing a picnic table at the top of
Horseshoe Curve park in her honor.
At tonight's
monthly meeting, we moved the Chapter Memorial Plaque from the Grimshaw
Room in the old building to the Master Mechanics Building. The old
building is essentially out-of-service due to a need for storage at this
time. For example:
On 9/21/2009
Railroader's Memorial Museum took delivery of an official Norfolk
Southern locomotive simulator with all accessory and support equipment
(computer, generators, programs, hydraulic equipment etc) which is based
on an SD-60 locomotive. Eventually it will move to the new
roundhouse when completed and be used as part of the new curriculum
being developed by Penn State Altoona.
On 9/1/2009
Railroader's memorial Museum received the signal bridge from the
Horseshoe Curve which was removed August 31, 2009. It will be
re-erected on the museum grounds after restoration, at a later date.
Chapter
excursions:
Oct 10 -
Charter for Hollidaysburg YMCA.. Three trips departing from Canal
Basin Park. Autumn foliate with a theme. Tickets via YMCA.
SANTA Trains:
November 21,
2009 Three trips
November 28,
2009 Three trips
December 2009 Update
