Horseshoe curve

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Ralph

Remember...it's for fun!
Jun 18, 2002
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The August issue of TRAINS just arrived at my house with its cover story of the 150th anniversary of Horeshoe curve. Some nice pics in the article; wish there had been even more! Anyone visited this famous site? Anyone have pics ? Anyone modelling this landmark? I wasn't intending to mimic Horseshoe curve on my layout but this two track curve in a corner of my layout is one of my favorite scenes (still being developed).
Ralph
 

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I rode through it on Amtrak in April Ralph. I posted some pictures, but they were from inside the observation car. Fred
 
No, the Cheif and it goes through in the afternoon. Thankfully the night part of the trip both ways was in Kansas. :) Fred

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And better hurry? I was chatting with the conductor and she said that the BNSF was considering adbandoning the line. No traffic except AmTraK left on it. From Colorado on we didn't stop or pass no other trains other than the Cheif going the other way. It will be a sad day if they do. :( Fred
 
ddavidv said:
You know, I live here in PA and I haven't seen it yet. I think I need to work on that. :)
I did, however, head to Maryland yesterday and checked out the WM's version, Helmstetter's Curve. Not my image...hope it fits:
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Nice Pic!1

You have no excuse - I live near Phila & I've been there 3 times - 5 hour Drive each way. :) :)

It's breathtaking - even when there is no train there! :)
 
When I was 7 years old I went to the curve with my Dad..We shall a lot of trains and some was pulled by steam locomotives..I never will forget that experience..I can still smell the smoke from the steamers working their way upgrade around the curve..Thanks Dad!
 
One of my fondest memories with my late Father. We went with some of his bus driving buddies for a day trip. Saw the shops at Altoona, the tunnel at Galitzen, even went thru the tunnel under the Curve. When we went they had removed the K4 the year before (this was '88) and put a GP7 (9?) in its place. There were big plans to relandscape the park and put in an elevator in the works. The only disappointment to the whole trip was Altoona's R.R. Museum...what a sad junkyard that was becoming. I did get to walk thru the GG1 and a little Plymouth 4 wheel critter so all was not lost. A pretty good day's visit, sorry no pics survived and I took plenty.

Cool shot on your layout. Should I ever have the oppurtunity to own a larger layout, an ersatz Curve is a priority. I'll model it about a third of the way up the valley with tree cover going the rest of the way near the ceiling. Gotta have that K4 in its fenced setting, the fenced in mainline, the stairway up and at least part of the flat park on top. Can't forget the tunnel either....
 
shaygetz said:
One of my fondest memories with my late Father. We went with some of his bus driving buddies for a day trip. Saw the shops at Altoona, the tunnel at Galitzen, even went thru the tunnel under the Curve. When we went they had removed the K4 the year before (this was '88) and put a GP7 (9?) in its place. There were big plans to relandscape the park and put in an elevator in the works. The only disappointment to the whole trip was Altoona's R.R. Museum...what a sad junkyard that was becoming. I did get to walk thru the GG1 and a little Plymouth 4 wheel critter so all was not lost. A pretty good day's visit, sorry no pics survived and I took plenty.
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Well - now I'll have to get my pics out :) I have pics of the inside of that GG1 as I was walking through it & The Museum is way way better now & the Gp7(9) is looking good too. They installed a conveyer type set of cars that you can ride up & down. But you should walk to the top "once" it's like a right of passage. :) :) It's only 5 stories!!!! :) :) I did it twice before they installed the cars. The 3rd time - I took the car up & walked down :D :D :D
 
There was an article in the local paper today about the recreation of the 1954 light up that used 6,000 flash bulbs and aluminum pie pans as reflectors. This time though they are using 45 search lights each capable of 7,000 watts to light up the mountainsides and 31 intermodal well cars outfited with 575 watt theatrical lights and 99 strobe lights. The engine will be adorned with red LED's. As the train enters the center of the curve the mountainsides will be iluminated in red white and blue colors. Plus there will be fireworks. Should be a great photo.

If you have never been there, Horseshoe Curve is about the closest thing to hallowed ground there is and if you are a Pennsy fan it IS hallowed ground. A great place to railfan as nothing moves fast on the mountain either up or down. Very common to see two trains at once on the curve and even three trains is not a rarity. Last time I was there was two years ago and the vegetation then needed to be cut back to allow better visibility of trains coming down the moutain. Pennsy and Conrail used to keep the vegetation in check but Norfolk Southern doesn't seem to care.

To the East and opposite Horseshoe Curve and almost a mirror image of it was Muleshoe curve. Now abandoned it was used by Pennsy, Penn Central and even Conrail when traffic density on the curve became too great. It was a secondary line more or less paralleling the mainline. It was only double tracked and never attained the publicity of Horseshoe Curve with its four track mainline. Today the Curve has only three tracks.
 
inkaneer said:
A great place to railfan as nothing moves fast on the mountain either up or down. Very common to see two trains at once on the curve and even three trains is not a rarity.
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And to hear off in the distance a 6 unit lashup with two pushers as they start to dig in for the climb...ahhh, sweet music to my ears (sigh)
 
N Gauger said:
You have no excuse - I live near Phila & I've been there 3 times - % hour Drive each way. :) :)
It's breathtaking - even when there is no train there! :)
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Forgive me, for I are a lame train buff. :sleeping:
Heck, here in the great central PA area I'm only a few hours drive from the Curve, Steamtown, EBT and any number of other things (I've successfully completed the RR Museum of PA in Strasburg, since it's only 30 minutes away). Just too much to do on the weekends. I like spending time with the missus but she doesn't quite share the drive of watching trains that I have. Puzzling, I know. ;)
My neighbor's wife took him to Horseshoe Curve for his birthday on an overnight trip. Now that's true love. :)
 
Oops, I was talking about horseshoe bend on the old ATSF in New Mexico. Sorry, Fred
 
Thanks for the pics, Ray. No model, compressed or otherwise, would be complete without the country's most understated roadside attraction sign :thumb:
 
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