Amtrak Pennsylvanian from Pittsburgh to NYC - Apparently a Trip Report

[@kevinunland]

I’m sorry to hear about Aleena’s Grandpa’s passing. It sounds like he was a great man. It’s nice you dedicated this trip report to him.

[@ashenAshley]

eventually every single phrase uttered in these videos will be accompanied by a jingle or sound effect and I think that's beautiful

[@Hale444]

Videos with Aleena in them are S tier

[@MakeItWithCalvin]

So sorry about the loss of Aleena's grandfather 😢. It is awesome that he was able to live through Miles and his awesome content.

[@ClassyWhale]

I'm glad you appreciate our farmland! Also Aleena's blanket is such a vibe. Condolences to her family.

[@HelloIAmJo]

RIP James. I'm glad he's had an impact on the channel. I appreciate Miles mentioning accessibility (most prominently in Least Used Station videos) as someone who goes around with friends in wheelchairs. More folks who are able to walk bringing attention to accessibility is important!

[@CheeseMasterSports]

5:16 I didn’t think I was going to shed a tear from a Miles In Transit video, that Horseshoe Curve is awesome. RIP

[@ardendarling5613]

Your videos are some of my favorite transit content because they manage to find a balance between being transit nerd content about the way the system operates and being travel vlog content and that's very important for me

[@MilesinTransit]

Thanks so much!!

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

Not even a minute in and we have the Foamer Meter lol. Yup, there was an attempt by the Germans to target Horseshoe Curve under Operation Pastorius, as part of a big plan to also target hydroelectric plants at Niagara Falls, the Aluminum Company of America's plants in Illinois, Tennessee, and New York, locks on the Ohio River near Louisville, Pennsalt Chemicals/then the Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Company in Cornwells Heights, the Pennsalt cryolite plant in Philly, NYC's Hell Gate Bridge, and Newark Penn Station. They actually first ended up on the LIRR Montauk Branch in Amagansett after landing there in June 1942. A submarine carried George John Dasch and three other saboteurs (Ernest Peter Burger, Richard Quirin, and Heinrich Heinck). They reached the train thanks to bribing the Coast Guard. They were caught in Manhattan because two of the eight-member crew (another four-member team landed in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida) defected to the FBI, as George John Dasch told Ernest Peter Burger that he had no intention of going through with the mission as he hated Nazism and was going to report to the FBI and Burger agreed. As a result, a tribunal sentenced all eight to death, however Burger and Dasch were both pardoned by President Truman in 1948 for their role in stopping it. This is one of the facts I mentioned in an "audio tour" vid on the Montauk Branch on my channel with Classy Whale The Horseshoe Curve is absolutely an engineering feat, it was done without heavy equipment, just men with picks and shovels, horses and drags. It was created as a way to reduce the westbound grade to the summit of the Allegheny Mountains, replacing the Allegheny Portage Railroad, which was time-consuming and the only other route across the mountains for large vehicles. Engineers built an earth fill over the first ravine encountered while ascending, formed by Kittanning Run, cut the point of the mountain between the ravines, and filled in the second ravine, formed by Glenwhite Run. After it was completed in 1854, in 1879, the remaining part of the mountain inside the curve was leveled to allow the construction of a park and observation area, the first built for viewing trains. As demand for train travel increased, a third track was added to the curve in 1898 and a fourth was added two years later (the last time it had four tracks was in the 1980s). I'm sorry to hear about her grandpa passing, it warms my heart that he was such a big fan of this channel, and people like him shows just how much we must fight and care for accessibility, especially speaking as someone else who has a disability. Greater accessibility on transit gives us wings, the more stations that have elevators, ramps, level boarding, or the more trains that have wider doors, open gangways, and flip seats for wheelchairs, the better. The more places we can go! My grandpa on my dad's side (Irish/Russian side of the family) passed the same year as my dad in 2009, and my grandpa served in WWII on the Western Front. He wasn't a train guy like her's, but he was a coin collector and he passed down his coin collection from his WWII travels to me before his passing. He's a big reason why coin collecting is one of my hobbies. And yeah the Johnstown Inclined Plane is awesome, stands out since it carries both automobiles and passengers! It connects Johnstown with the borough of Westmont on the top of Yoder Hill, at a grade of 71.9%. It was created because of a flood! After a catastrophic flood in 1889, it was completed in 1891 to serve as an escape route from floods in the valley, as well as a convenient mode of transportation for residents of the new communities above the valley. It was operated by Cambria Iron Company and its successor Bethlehem Steel until 1935, when it was sold to the borough of Westmont. The incline was briefly shut down in January 1962 when its supply of power from Bethlehem Steel was terminated. Because of public pressure to keep the incline operating, it was reopened in July 1962 after extensive renovation, in which the electric motor was rewound, ties were replaced, and the cars were repainted. The Johnstown Inclined Plane has fulfilled its role as a means of evacuation from floods in 1936 and again in 1977. In 1936, nearly 4,000 people were evacuated from Johnstown to higher ground via the incline as the Stoneycreek and Conemaugh Rivers overflowed their banks. The floodwaters continued downstream and eventually reached Pittsburgh. From February 1938 to July 1953, the Johnstown Traction Company operated transit buses from Johnstown to Westmont with the fully loaded public buses being carried by the incline. It was designed by Hungarian-American engineer Samuel Diescher, who also designed the current Duquesne incline, and the former Castle Shannon and Fort Pitt Inclines in Pittsburgh. Operation of the incline is controlled via a foot pedal located in a booth in the upper station. Other interesting funiculars include the Ikoma Cable Line in Ikoma, Nara, Japan, which is made up of two lines, Hōzanji Line and Sanjō Line. The former is the oldest funicular in Japan and goes to a Shingon Buddhist temple. The other goes to an amusement park. In 2000, these two lines got new cars decorated as cats, dogs (they bark and meow), organ (as in like a pipe organ), and cake! The Stoosbahn in Switzerland opened in 2017, replacing the older 1933 Schwyz-Stoos funicular. The carriages are barrel-shaped and rotate to maintain a level floor surface. The new line has a maximum gradient of 110%, making it the steepest funicular railway in Europe, and the second steepest in the world! Valparaíso, Chile is home to 16 funiculars, 15 public, and one private at the Hospital Carlos van Buren (yes, a hospital has its own funicular) and was once home to 30 funiculars! These ascensores or elevators as they call them, are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2003! The Carmelit in Haifa is the oldest subway in the Middle East, and the shortest subway system in the world with a 1.8 km-long tunnel and six stations. Connecting neighborhoods on the religiously important Mount Carmel with downtown Haifa. Istanbul's Tünel was created by French engineer Eugène-Henri Gavand after noticing people struggling up and down Yüksek Kaldırım Avenue. Opened in January 1875, the second-oldest fully underground urban railway in the world after the London Underground, and oldest in continental Europe. Rubber-tyred! The Great Orme Tramway in Llandudno, Wales looks like a San Francisco cable car, but it's a funicular as it's still permanently attached! It is Great Britain's only remaining cable-operated street tramway, operating in two sections. One with its own ROW to Great Orme summit, and the other as street-running.

[@VincentLander]

In September 1942, Nazi subs sunk two iron ore carriers off the coast of Bell Island in Conception Bay, Newfoundland.

[@KC3YCU]

I'm sorry for Aleena's loss. Taking the hijinks down a couple of notches was very supportive of you

[@SupremeLeaderKimJong-un]

Here's a bit of history on the Mini Statue of Liberty on the Susquehanna River: It's a 25-foot-tall replica of the original, though technically it is a replica of a replica. The current statue is the second little Lady Liberty to hold her torch high above an old railway piling in the middle of the river. The first was 18 foot tall and made of plywood and venetian blinds. It was erected in 1986 as a patriotic prank to commemorate the centennial of the original Statue of Liberty. No one knew who made it or how it got there, and no one would come forward to take the credit/blame. This first replica was blown off her pedestal and destroyed in 1992, a surprisingly long run considering its construction materials. However, in the six years since she first appeared, the people of Dauphin Township had grown rather fond of her. Money was raised to erect a heavier, sturdier 25-foot version of the statue, this time constructed from metal. This one was put in place in 1997 by a helicopter and lashed to the piling. It still stands today. It wasn't until years later in 2011 that local lawyer, Gene Stilp finally owned up to not only orchestrating the making of the statue but also taking the daring trip into the dangerous river water to climb the piling and help erect the statue. Little did he know his prank would become a permanent monument for the people of Harrisburg. Being a lawyer Stilp also pointed out that the statute of limitations for prosecuting the crime of illegal statue placement has long since passed. The MLK Jr East Busway was originally a Pennsylvania Railroad line, and planning for the East Busway began shortly after the Port Authority of Allegheny County purchased the Pittsburgh Railways Company in 1964. The original segment of the busway opened in February 1983, running between Downtown Pittsburgh and Edgewood for 6.8 miles, before expanding to 9.1 miles in 2002. Greensburg's station was designed by William Holmes Cookman who also worked on SEPTA's Chester Transportation Center in 1903, Dover, Delaware's former Pennsylvania Railroad station, and the former Edmondson station building (now West Baltimore station). From March to November 1981, the station was the eastern terminus of PennDOT's Parkway Limited train, which took commuters to Pittsburgh. There used to be an Amtrak service along the route called the Three Rivers, which ran between NYC and Chicago via Philly, Pittsburgh, Youngstown, and Akron between 1995 and 2005 to replace the Broadway Limited. The Three Rivers ended when Amtrak cancelled a contract with the USPS that was specific to the train. In 1852, Oliver Barnes (a civil engineer for the Pennsylvania Railroad) laid out the plans for the community that was incorporated in 1854 as the Borough of Latrobe. Barnes named the town for his best friend and college classmate, Benjamin Henry Latrobe II, who was chief engineer for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. His father, Benjamin Henry Latrobe, was the architect who rebuilt the US Capitol after the War of 1812. Latrobe is known for being the birthplace of the legendary Fred Rogers, golfer Arnold Palmer, and the banana split! It was invented in 1904 by David Evans Strickler at the pharmacy that later became named Strickler's Drug Store. David started experimenting with different ice cream combinations. He cut a banana lengthwise, added three scoops of ice cream, typically vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry, and then topped it with sweet syrups, marshmallow, chopped nuts, whipped cream, and a maraschino cherry. It was an instant hit! In 2004, the National Ice Cream Retailers Association certified Latrobe as the birthplace of the banana split. The town holds an annual festival in honor of the dessert. Harrisburg became the state capital in 1812 after it was relocated from Philly to Lancaster in 1799 and finally to Harrisburg in 1812. Harrisburg was chosen because of its strategic location and centrality. It was a good location accessible by land and water with the Susquehanna River, generally flowing west to east at this location, providing a route for boat traffic from the east. It being central made the trip by horse/horse-drawn carriage easier for those travelling to the state capital. Harrisburg was originally settled as a trading post, it assumed importance as a provisioning stop at the point where westward bound pioneers transitioned from river travel to overland travel. Harrisburg was named for John Harris, Jr, who built a mansion overlooking the Susquehanna River in 1766. He chose the site for his mansion to keep it safe from periodic flooding. In addition to operating Harris’ Ferry to transport goods across the river, Harris, Jr. championed for the creation of a new county near his home, established in 1785 as Dauphin County. Teddy Roosevelt deemed the Pennsylvania State Capitol Building "the handsomest" building he’d ever seen. The facade of the capitol is constructed out of granite from Hardwick, Vermont. The dome features bright green Ludowici tiles and weighs 26,000 short tons and was architecturally inspired by St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. After its completion in 1906, the capitol project was the subject of a graft scandal. The construction and subsequent furnishing cost three times more than the General Assembly had appropriated for the design and construction, architect Joseph Huston and four others were convicted of graft for price gouging. The Rockville Bridge in Harrisburg is the longest stone masonry arch railroad bridge in the world. 48 majestic arches measuring 70 feet each span the Susquehanna River. During the first part of the 19th century, Harrisburg was a notable stopping place along the Underground Railroad, as persons escaping slavery utilized the Susquehanna River to access food and supplies before heading north towards Canada. During the Civil War, Harrisburg was a significant training center for the Union Army, with tens of thousands of troops passing through Camp Curtin. It was also a major rail center for the Union and a vital link between the Atlantic coast and the Midwest, with several railroads running through the city and spanning the Susquehanna River. As a result of this importance, it was a target of General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia during its two invasions.

[@bkark0935]

The MLK East Busway or any Busway (like the EL Monte) just boils my blood! They all should have light rail tracks built into them! The most busiest or most regular route should be made into a light rail route. Especially in both LA and Pittsburgh, since they have a uniform light rail network!

[@isaacrawlings1651]

Thanks for imparting your wisdom upon us supreme leader

[@ck4426]

My deepest sympathy to both of you and I know you are and will cherish his memory always. “In life, as in art, the beautiful moves in curves.”

[@paulwisniewski8328]

Thanks for another great video! And for a shot of nostalgia, too. Condolences to Aleena after the loss of her grandfather . I rode Amtrak from Pittsburgh to Philly regularly in the late 80's. I'm surprised at how much is the same, including the Horseshoe Curve mini-history. The seats on Amtrak's heritage coaches (Broadway Limited) were the best I've ever ridden, way better than what you had. When I was riding, the eastbound schedule was the Pennsylvanian left Pittsburgh about 9 am, the Broadway Limited left about 7 am, and the Capitol Limited (to DC) left about midnight. Those were the only trains serving Pittsburgh at the time.

[@lizardon]

This was the final leg of my journey from San Francisco to New York City by rail. I took the Zephyr and the Capitol Limited before finally boarding the Pennsylvanian. Greetings from Singapore! I traveled halfway across the world for this and am so thrilled to finally see the Pennsylvanian featured, I watched all your rail videos in advance to prep myself for the journey

[@MilesinTransit]

Wow, Singapore!! That's amazing, I hope you had a great trip and I'm so glad you enjoyed this video!

[@italiana626sc]

Condolences going out to Aleena and family. So cool that he watched and commented! Sounds like he was pretty special. ❤

[@RealCrimsonPeach_TSFTWDTFTL]

It's good to see Aleena back on the channel again, and I'm very sorry about her grandfather's passing.

[@jeroenl8352]

My condolences to Aleena and her family

[@NoTimeForNoodles]

1:16 Miles, there is no need to pit bus foaming and train foaming against each other! There’s always room in every video for a healthy amount of both 😅

[@feedtheflameforfacts]

Aleena, I'm so sorry about your grandfather. I appreciated hearing your memories of him. May his memory be a blessing to you both. (Horseshoe Curve is so dope).

[@johnlinn]

Aleena in transit!😂

[@ceoofmemes1967]

Wake up babe, new miles in transit train video

[@Ryan_Hecht]

The first Apparent Trip Report since you actually _were_ in a trip report with Jeb -- that line in the intro hits different now

[@jordansegall4484]

Seriously as a train loving man from the Philadelphia area, this channel could not be more perfect god bless

[@MilesinTransit]

Thank you!

[@tybaltus07]

So sorry to hear about your loss. Its a cool thing he was a fan of your channel and engaged in the comments But Im also wanting to say Im so happy to have found your channel and been enjoying catching up with your content over these past couple months. You always have a great and fun way of presenting, so Im happy that youve garnered quite the following and fanbase. You deserve it

[@MilesinTransit]

Thanks so much, I really appreciate the kind words.

[@DuluthTW]

A nice tribute to a loved one - especially with the beautiful farmland scenery. My condolences to Aleena and her loved ones. Thanks for sharing.

[@Weslovestone]

Condolences to Aleena and her fam. Great video. Also thank you for the 3 hour video from earlier I watched the whole thing on a layover in Copenhagen

[@MilesinTransit]

Thanks for watching!

[@hackman-hackman]

Aleena's presence is always fun!

[@CatsPajamas23]

My condolences. Thanks for sharing your trip with us.

[@StateRailfan2008]

Hey Miles Great Video, Have a great rest of your week and Happy new Year

[@MilesinTransit]

You as well!

[@jonathanstensberg]

A dedicated high speed line from Pittsburgh to roughly Chambersburg is the only way to make train travel between the Midwest and MidAtlantic a reasonable option.

[@thevioletgirl4506]

I love your videos! I just made a $55 donation to MSAA, thank you for the link. Happy New Year.

[@MilesinTransit]

WOW, thank you so much, that really means a lot. I love the synergy between that and the train ticket price, too!

[@SunsetVeryLimited]

I am sorry for the loss in her family but Aleena is the best part of this channel

[@camtyto0777]

Happy to see the "housing stock" graphic! One of my favorite Miles soundbites, cause I also say that one (even before I started watching the channel, lol). And when I visited the Lancaster area years ago for a college visit, the postcard-worthy farmland views definitely endeared me. Love seeing it whenever I pull in or out of that station. PENNSYLVANIA SUPREMACY

[@MilesinTransit]

I'm glad it has a graphic to go with it now!

[@chrisvvvv]

Grandpa sounded awesome, he will be missed.❤ Also enjoying the new housing stock graphic!

[@officialmcdeath]

Aleena's grandad comes across like someone who might eventually have made a welcome cameo appearance onscreen as part of the Miles in Transit Extended Universe - at least we have his comments to cherish him by. Condolences to his family and friends and thanks to you both for sharing the clearly emotional tribute ride \m/

[@dominicfrancesconi1656]

sorry to hear about Aleenas Grandfather. I'm happy you were able to honor him with a route that he always talked about! Thank you for this video I have been looking for zz video about this route as I will be taking it from Philly to Pitt in March and your the first one that actually answered the questions I had! great video as always!

[@MilesinTransit]

Oh fun, have a great trip! Really glad this could help!

[@joebehrdenver]

When I lived outside D.C. one of our vendors was near Lancaster. I spent a lot of time there and Miles is correct - the "tamed" countryside/farmland is gorgeous, more like Europe than the rest of the US. Lancaster is fun too, some nice urbanism there.

[@MilesinTransit]

That's a really good analogy, it does feel very European! And yeah, I love Lancaster, especially the central market!

[@Whaliam]

Thanks for the New Year's gift!

[@MilesinTransit]

Thank you for watching!

[@alexanderhitch5786]

great video and tribute, Miles and Aleena! I am sure Aleena's grandpa will enjoy this video a lot from whereever he is now! :D

[@de-fault_de-fault]

5:05 alongside the foamer meter, my brain adds a “nostalgia for when this was the only fact I knew about Altoona” meter

[@blaisebaileyfinnegan]

Today's episode was brought to you by the phrase,"Housing Stock"!

[@29downtheline]

Nice video! The route of the Pennsylvanian looks a lot more scenic than what you’d get on just the northeast corridor. 15:08 Here’s a fun fact about Virginia Northeast Regional ticket checks: on northbound (so all) trains out of Newport News, they sometimes won’t check your ticket until after Williamsburg-but sometimes they check it before!

[@charlesbaran1106]

I've been on that route going west, once on the Three Rivers and once on the Pennsylvanian. I thought the passenger near me was kidding when he said that we were approaching the Statue of Liberty! One notable function of Amtrak trains (both long and short distance) not acknowledged by the naysayers is the turnover of passengers at stations along the route. When I rode from New York to Pittsburgh on the Pennsylvanian, the seat across from me was occupied by three different people, with the changeover at Philadelphia and at Lancaster. Sad to hear about Grandpa, but you and Aleena turned it into a nice tribute.

[@66crash]

I appreciate you talking about Aleena's grandpa, I lost my last remaining grandparent last year and it really sucks no matter how expected it is. my sincere condolences to Aleena and her family. ❤

[@MilesinTransit]

I'm so sorry to hear that. Our condolences to you as well.

[@michaelthereinboston]

0:49 now that’s is a Fun Fact

[@fenderbender4294]

I just took the pennsylvanian about 3 weeks ago coming back from school in pittsburgh! I think that it's a really beautiful route, especially going through the hills in western pa. horseshoe curve is awesome, but I love the early stops at greensburg and johnstown! also sorry to hear about aleena's grandfather, my condolences.

[@partofjessica]

my sincere condolences to Aleena and her family. that horsehoe curve was really neat!

[@AdamKlimchock]

The town you pass through at 3:39 is Derry, my hometown! I was thrilled to see that pop up while watching. I've shot The Pennsylvanian many many times in my neck of the railfan woods. Thanks for a great video, really enjoy your content! You should try taking the westbound Pennsylvanian sometime. It's notorious for being at least a half hour late on a good day out here. Norfolk Southern's dispatching leaves a lot to be desired at times. Curious to see how it'll play out when they put the second Pennsylvanian in the mix.

[@MilesinTransit]

I've taken the westbound several times as well, but I always wanted the trip report to be on the eastbound to maximize daylight! Thanks for watching, and that's awesome your town got caught on camera!

[@nathanjiang100]

I’m sorry to hear about Aleena’s grandfather. The time I took the Pennsylvanian past Harrisburg the train broke down there and we were 4 1/2 hours late while they sent a replacement engine over from Philly so we ran in darkness the whole way. conductor still announced horseshoe curve even though it was dark out. between Harrisburg and New York I’ve used both directions many times as like a cheat code for premium seats at the same price. also 100% agree about the statement on Pennsylvania farmland. western NY up around Lake Erie gives it a run for its money though, it’s dark during the westbound Lake Shore Run but light for the eastbound. they used to run a regional train from pittsburgh to altoona as an experiment by turning around the Pennsylvanian’s equipment after it arrived in Pittsburgh, but it didn’t get enough ridership and was forced to cease operation. thankfully a second round-trip between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh is one of Amtrak’s top expansion priorities though and seems to be moving along for now, but the NS main line is really freaking busy so I can kinda see why it’s hard for them to snake a second Amtrak train through after Conrail tore up the third and fourth track in most areas.

[@Ben-nh4vj]

wait did that happen in like March of 2023 because I had the same thing happen then lol

[@nathanjiang100]

@@Ben-nh4vj yeah March 11, 2023, were we on the same train? lol

[@MilesinTransit]

Aleena's friend Kyle (who appeared in the "craziest bus route" video) was ALSO on that train! Aleena had to promise him it's not usually like that! That regional train sounds like a great idea, shame it didn't get a lot of ridership.

[@nathanjiang100]

​@@MilesinTransit it was the weekend at the beginning of spring break so I could see how the train would have an abnormally high proportion of students. I actually remember seeing that delay make local news somewhere which I thought was pretty cool, even though arriving at 12:30am was not as cool. what ended up happening is that the P42s are such mechanical pieces of garbage after 20 years that not only did our engine break down, but they didn't have a protect engine in Harrisburg like they normally do because that broke down too, so they took the eastbound's engine (happened to be the 46, a foamer engine) once the train arrived in philly and turned it around and sent it as a lite power move all the way back to harrisburg before backing onto our train. at least they kept power on the train during the layover by attaching an ACS-64 to supply HEP. if only the line was electrified past Harrisburg...

[@GWVillager]

Very sorry to hear about Aleena’s Grandpa, it’s always hard to deal with. At least the route has potential, though - I imagine ridership could go through the roof with some pretty minor upgrades!

[@thrildmedia8798]

Grew up near Horseshoe Curve! Foamer moment!

[@JBERRY603]

Great job team. RIP Aleena GP! Just back from vacation to Bermuda. Decent bus system, rail trail!?, Golden Dragon Electric buses good foam material! Great views!

[@railsand]

if you though that one bus at the beginning was boring, wait until you see norwalk transit district's new gilligs... and of course, my condolences to aleena ❤

[@mats7492]

That Harrisburg skyline is beautiful 😂

[@blaisebaileyfinnegan]

It's apparently the quickest I've ever clicked on a Miles in Transit video!

[@Beard271]

Indeed

[@jonat_gabl]

Condolences to Aleena and her family. Accessibility in mass transit is always a big deal and it can always use advocacy.

[@mashintotters858]

I hope you guys are a couple. You have the chemistry that matters.

[@MilesinTransit]

We are!

[@phronsiekeys]

I'm sorry to hear about Aleen's grandfather. This looks like a nice trip, one I haven't really considered before. I agree about the PA farms. Very neat and tidy in their rolling scenery. Happy New Year to you both.

[@MilesinTransit]

Happy New Year to you as well, thanks for the kind comment.

[@joermnyc]

I’m sorry to hear about Aleena’s grandfather. My daughter has special needs and uses a wheelchair. Having good accessibility for her is really important to me… and the MTA here in NYC needs to do so much better. (Current “goal” with not enough funding is half the system has elevators or ramps by 2055! 30 years. And only half because the disabled “can just go to the next stop” which could be too far away depending on a person’s disability. That is criminal.) Her grandparents live near a station on the list for an elevator, but COVID and then Congestion Pricing delays keep pushing the project back.

[@MilesinTransit]

I'm grateful they're finally implementing Congestion Pricing, albeit in a much flimsier way than originally intended...hoping the funding can come into place to build elevators at her grandparents' station soon! The NYC Subway is so widespread but its accessibility is atrocious.

[@AviaRayne2]

You passed through my town! Glad you got to see Horseshoe Curve! 😊

[@jmharper60]

Rode this route 40 (!) years ago quite a few times between college in Chicago and home in NJ on the Broadway Limited. A real breakfast in the dining car while going through the PA mountains eastbound was always a treat!

[@MilesinTransit]

Oh wow, that sounds amazing!

[@iWanderingJay]

The Pennsylvanian was the first Amtrak route I took on my own. I took the capitol limited from SKY and then was beside myself at the absolute beauty i saw while riding on the Pennsylvanian. This video brought ALLLLL those memories back. Thank you, Miles and Aleena!

[@MilesinTransit]

Thanks so much for watching, I'm so glad we could help relive those memories!

[@michaelthereinboston]

12:32 Now it’s time for a bathroom review. Ooh!

[@lloydyan5348]

Wohoo! A new year and a new epic video!

[@nitehawk86]

Fun fact, the Susquehanna River is the largest non-navagatable river in the world.

[@MilesinTransit]

THIS IS SUCH A FUN FACT!!!

[@RD743033]

Just took the Pennsylvanian for the first time! I really enjoyed it, and glad you did this review. 2 things: 1. Sorry to hear about Aleena’s grandfather. 2. Love that you called out the Coatesville’s housing stock. I with the Pennsylvanian stopped there as well.

[@koga115]

Condolences to Aleena and her family!

[@maddyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy]

i love the pennsylvanian!!! my second favorite sight along it is a wooden sign that says "foamer's point" along the part that runs parallel to the east busway in pittsburgh, it's on the right on an eastbound train!

[@MilesinTransit]

Oh wow, I'll have to keep an eye out for that next time!

[@alexmaylef]

Great review, sorry to hear about Aleena’s grandpa. This was a nice tribute

[@michaelbilgen2976]

Happy New Year Miles!

[@MilesinTransit]

You as well!

[@eclipseurban]

loving the bus spotting in the first few minutes

[@JustAnotherPoorSlob]

Condolences to Aleena on the loss of her Grandfather.

[@chibivesicle9612]

I rode the Pennsylvanian a few times when I was at Penn State! I did have to get someone to give me a ride to the Tyrone station and I was so excited going through the Horseshoe Curve. When I arrived in Alliance, Ohio - oh about 5 hours late, one of the first things my 19 year old self told my mom was that I went through the Horseshoe Curve. For some reason my mom knew about it so it was already in my brain. Also took it from Alliance all the way to Harrisburg to meet up with friends there. Ah the memories!

[@VincentLander]

My sympathies and condolences to Aleena.

[@uniontpke772]

Send Condolences to Aleena on my behalf. I am sorry about your loss.

[@runningguy98]

I never knew what a foamer was until I watched your videos. I am sorry to hear about Aleena's grandfather. He sounds like a great guy. He probably would've liked Aleena sleeping through miles geeking out/foaming over the latest Greyhound bus, powered by Flixbus.

[@paulw.woodring7304]

I was hoping you'd be looking out for passing the end of the Strasburg Railroad at Leaman Place, where sometimes there is one of their steam trains changing ends when Amtrak passes, and occasionally the Eastbound and Westbound "Pennsylvanians" pass each other there (I think one or both have to be late for that to happen). Amfleet coach doors often do that bounce thing when the train banks into a curve towards the opening direction of the door. The mechanisms are kind of old and worn and don't close tightly anymore. As a former Amtrak LSA from over 25 years ago I'm also very curious as to why the cafe was closed so much of the trip, especially in the middle of the trip!? The current menu prices never cease to be a shock to me compared to when I started with them almost 40 years ago. I can't imagine that one of those nasty, microwave cheeseburgers is now eight freaking dollars, and a drink with a shot of booze in it is now $9. I know Amtrak used to pay less than a $1 for a miniature of alcohol. I'm sure it's more now, but there is still a huge markup on that item (to be somewhat fair, food service providers make most of their money on booze, appetizers, beverages and desserts, so if you're cheap and all you get in a restaurant is the "special" and a glass of water they are probably losing money on you - even at post-pandemic inflated prices).

[@ade2382]

...not me thinking Allena was someone else in the beginning (but seriously, though, I'm sorry to hear about the loss of her grandfather. May the Horseshoe Curve and the Pennsylvanian live on for him)

[@funkkyfresh232]

Good link up with Noel! Always good to see you with a cross over with the UK guys

[@MilesinTransit]

Thanks!

[@jbreezy101]

7:07 Tyrone and Lewistown are the closest stops to Penn state. Huntington is a direct route to state college via 26 but is further than the other two. There is a railway in centre county but mostly freight and local excursion trains. Especially toward bellefonte

[@Perseverance1987x]

$7.50 for beef jerky is very amtrak like, $9.50 for a twisted tea is wild. I'd just pregame on the amtrak platform with a 4Loko at that point. Also, give Aleena a headpat for me. I had something similar happen recently too.

[@MilesinTransit]

I'm sorry for your loss as well. Headpat has been administered!

[@acarr506]

Happy New Years 2025 Everyone. My favorite KZbinr for Transit.

[@MilesinTransit]

Happy 2025 to you as well!

[@b.griffin317]

Always more trains bro. ✌ Thanks for showing me this train. I might be taking it later this year when I bike the GAP/B&O trail.

[@Ethan-gk4eq]

Best way to break in the new year is with a new miles in transit video

[@PositionLight]

The most impressive bit is at 5:10 where you can see the height of the track at the other side of the curve. People don't quite get that's why the curve exists, to provide extra distance for the trains to climb the Allegheny escarpment. It's still a 2.3% grade!

[@J-Bahn]

Intro is gold! May or may not be taking notes for upcoming trip report video- wish me luck! Also the part between Altoona and Harrisburg reminds me a lot of the line between Stuttgart and Switzerland, (which has an electric train every two hours).

[@MilesinTransit]

Ooh, good luck with your trip report! Thanks so much!

[@cabbie4788]

What a great tribute, hopefully we can see a fully accessible amtrak national network in the future!

[@MilesinTransit]

They're making great progress in upgrading all their stations!

[@Dearest.Allison]

Sorry to hear about Aleena's Grandpa. May his memory be a blessing to her now and always. As a relatively new foamer, I had to look up the horseshoe curve, and the history is so interesting! Thanks for sharing! Thanks to my deep dive into this transit community, my goal this year is to use my car less and public transit more. Thanks for inspiring that! 🎉🎉

[@MilesinTransit]

That's an amazing goal, thank you so much for watching! (I really enjoyed that Amtrak trip report you guys did!)

[@Dearest.Allison]

@@MilesinTransit I can say with certainty that if the KZbin algorithm didn't show your video to me, we would not have taken the train! So thank you again for inspiring this new obsession with rail and public transit! As the fellow youths say "u da best"

[@nicholasthompson7690]

Awesome. Sorry to hear about her grandfather's passing. I had grandparents pass away several times when I was younger

[@TheRoadTripChannel]

Sorry to hear about Alenna's grandpa. My condolences 🙏😔. Happy 2025.

[@MilesinTransit]

You as well, thank you.

[@trav8028]

Sorry about her Grandpa passing away, he definitely watching from the Heavens smiling down as y’all going through this journey for sure❤

[@nro337]

I grew up going there and then to Curve games! Super cool place to visit, for all ages!

[@rubyfoxall1656]

i'm now very inspired to haul out to pittsburgh - i have some friends out there and the ride looks lovely :) my condolences to aleena & family, her grandfather sounds like he was a wonderful guy.

[@williamchristian8389]

So sorry for your loss Aleena

[@nithinvejendla2851]

Condolences to Aleena and family for her grandfather's passing. I took the Pennsylvanian for the first time over the Christmas holidays to/from Philly. I'd still prefer it over driving if the timing works. I don't like driving, and I find the Harrisburg - Pittsburgh part of the trip really charming, with all the little cities in the hills. The ride also feels historic - it's interesting to think about how you're riding on the former main line of what was once the largest corporation in the world, and you can see the vestiges of America's industrial might along the route. Though I imagine I might wax less poetically about it if I was taking it regularly. It is frustrating that NS does not allow more trips between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, especially because I think the line is at least triple tracked for that entire stretch. Some of the changes that NS required were quite interesting (like a passing track at Pittsburgh Union Station for freight trains?). When the state studied improvements for the line, they evaluated (and quickly dismissed) a $40bn proposal to construct a new HSR along the PA Turnpike that would cut Harrisburg - Pittsburgh travel times down to 1.5 hours.

[@MilesinTransit]

These are some wonderfully poetic waxes! Aleena still looks out for the Horseshoe Curve even if it's a pretty regular commute for her, so there's some magic left! (also that HSR proposal sounds amazing, cost be damned)

[@KMonRails]

This is a nice, beautiful tribute to Aleena's grandpa. My condolences. He would probably love The Tim Traveller's vlog summaries! How does a bus trip compare between Pitt & Philly/NYC now that Meganbus is RIP and Greyhound got Felix's?

[@MilesinTransit]

There's four Greyhounds a day from Philly to Pittsburgh ranging from under 6 hours to over 9 hours: a nonstop overnight one, two daytime ones with minimal stops, and a milk run via State College and a bunch of the Amtrak stops. There are also two Greyhounds a day between New York and Pittsburgh that go directly via I-78. It's a lot less service than before, especially with Megabus gone!

[@GeneralWPPR]

@@MilesinTransit Not only is Megabus gone, in mid-December, Frontier Airlines discontinued the Pit - Phl route it had just started in May.

[@TylerJuranovich]

Farmland in eastern Kentucky around Lexington is the most picturesque I've seen. Eastern Pennsylvania looks pretty as well!.

[@MrMatteNWk]

It would have been neat if PRR did extend electrification west of Harrisburg to Pgh. Imagine the Horseshoe Curve with the PRR-style 138 kV / catenary structures around the bends.

[@RailRide]

Conrail did actually look into this. I read their study awhile back. Basically there's nowhere near enough traffic on the route to justify the pricetag (That's both building it and maintaining it afterward). They basically concluded "No wonder PRR didn't do it".

[@TheOneKEA]

@@RailRide I have also read that World War II also played a part. Most of the PRR Eastern Division south of Wilmington and west of Paoli was electrified using government loans, and if WWII hadn’t happened, it’s been speculated that PRR would have tried to get another loan to electrify the Middle Division as far as Altoona, but no further.

[@jonathankleinow2073]

It was good to see Aleena again, although I wish it was under better circumstances. Her grandpa sounds like a great guy. FYI, I bought a Manta sleep mask. It wouldn't take the POORBID code since it was already 15% off, but I called you out specifically in the little "Where did you hear about us?" section when ordering.

[@MilesinTransit]

Thanks so much. And that's too bad about the Manta mask, but it sounds like you got a better deal than I could give!

[@danadnauseam]

6:45 Tired Elena is tired