HORSESHOE CURVE the FIRST curved Railroad in the Allegheny

When a problem crossing the terrain of the Allegheny Mountains arose, we as a people took the challenge and brought our love of technology to the table, ringing in a new era of transcontinental transportation.
Horseshoe Curve in Altoona Pennsylvania
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Special Thanks to Jack Servello for the new rendition of the Intro Music
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[@markpalaszewski9712]

I used to visit the curve at least once per year when visiting my Dad in Altoona. It's a beautiful place and to hear the sound of a heavy train climbing the mountain is like nothing else. It just fills the entire valley with the roar of the engines and sounds of the wheels rolling! I love your drone footage and the story from your teacher was a good spin of history.

[@MarcusToroian]

I’ve lived in Altoona my entire life, and all my favorite places around here are related to either the curve, or the water works surrounding it. There are some amazing spots in the woods where tunnels for water just come out of the side of the mountain into a man made waterfall. Truly amazing constructions.

[@jeremylando40]

1361 is in fact being restored in Altoona to run passengers up to the curve and throughout Pennsylvania

[@ODDySEEy]

Good deal

[@RedoubtProductions1754]

If you ever get a chance, you should take a peak at the other Horsehoe Curve on the Allegheny Mountain. The Muleshoe Curve is now abandoned but one must past under it if you are taking the older alignment of 22 from Cresson over the mountain and into Hollidaysburg. It was used for a secondary route created initially as part of the 'New' Portage Railroad the PRR briefly used in the 1850s over old Portage RR route aquired. Saw most of its service in the early 20th century as a bypass between Gallitzin and Spruce Creek.

[@ODDySEEy]

ADDING IT TO MY LIST... Always wondered what that bridge was for :D

[@brucesheehe6305]

From Hollidaysburg (Frankstown Br.) to Gallitzin without going over the Horseshoe Curve.

[@jamescrawford9883]

That is a massive curve for sure! Cheers from Australia.

[@ODDySEEy]

It really is impressive to see up front. And thanks for watching from down under!

[@brianwalter7387]

Great scott..I never knew canals and railroads were at one time in competition..looking great scott..your the best history teacher

[@ODDySEEy]

Cool, thanks!

[@Echowhiskeyone]

I knew that canals and rail were in competition, but the do not teach it in school. I learned by visiting places and reading, well before KZbin and the internet.

[@stephenpowstinger733]

You’re not your - English teacher. The canals are quite interesting and they also operated in England.

[@johnwhite4880]

Not only were they in competition, but in many cases, the canals helped seal their own doom! Management used the canals to ship materials for building the railroads that would replace them. Also, filled-in canals often provided flat, reasonably straight beds for new rails.

[@brianwalter7387]

@@johnwhite4880 that's so amazing, especially, if the USA were being prepared for in their minds or they automatically knew the railroads were going to go forward , especially before the civil war

[@johnlearn1425]

When I was there on a school trip in 1973 the stairs were straight up with no turns or landings and made of stone. I had wrote in my diary how many steps there were but can’t find it. Another interesting fact; in 1954, for the curve centennial, Sylvania provided over 6,500 flash bulbs to be wired along the tracks for a spectacular nighttime photograph of the curve. In 2004 it was illuminated again for the 150th anniversary using more modern lighting methods.

[@ODDySEEy]

I did find some pictures that had some sort of fireworks illumination, but didn't use it because it was watermarked and flagged for copyright.

[@zachfarr6457]

As a railfan and history buff I've always wanted to visit the Horeshoe Curve for the trains and the history of it

[@Rayzor66]

Another great video. Dad took me there a few years ago, we road our motorcycles. It was a great day and we got to see 3 trains make the curve. Wonderful 👍

[@ODDySEEy]

Very cool!

[@rogergarman]

Thanks again Scott. Great as usual. When I was a kid we took many trips to Horseshoe Curve. Was very exciting, since my Dad worked for the Railroad. Keep up the Great Work!!!

[@ODDySEEy]

That is awesome!

[@tompanettiere8976]

Been there many times either on or off the train. A great place to visit and truly a historic marvel. Thank you for posting.

[@ODDySEEy]

Yeah, I take a trip up every year at a different time of the year just to watch how the whole area changes.

[@runningintohistory]

Great video! I mentioned this somewhere else but my great, great uncle was the first engineer to travel around the Horseshoe Curve. I keep the newspaper article from it. I also remember my school field trip back when it was free.. Lol

[@ODDySEEy]

Very cool!

[@perrydiehl7177]

Excellent as always Scott and I wish you a speedy recovery!

[@ODDySEEy]

Thank you kindly!

[@rla1000]

Great video. I was born in Altoona and my grandfather worked in the shops his whole life. My grandmother once took me on a train ride around the Horseshoe Curve as a child (PRR passenger service?). They lived in Juniata Gap.

[@ODDySEEy]

Very cool!

[@rla1000]

@@ODDySEEy Yeah, thanks, miss those days. Actually looked up their house again on street view last night. Fond memories. Thanks again for a great video, very well done.

[@paul-andrelarose3389]

Beautiful and reflecting an era when visionary entrepreneurs overcame great challenges while fulfilling a beneficial social purpose. 2022/08/17. Ontario, Canada.

[@ODDySEEy]

Agreed, but let's not forget that those visionary entrepreneurs that overcame great challenges did it on the backs of tens of thousands of hard working and innocent every day people.

[@zigman8550]

Another little history tidbit from this area is there used to be a PRR tower called UN just west of the Gallitzin tunnels and before MO tower in Cresson.My Grandfather worked as a block operator there until 1936 when he retired after 50 years.He started working for the PRR in 1886 when he was 14 years old.My mom said the tower was destroyed by a derailment in the 1930's and they never rebuilt it.My Aunt still lives in her childhood home in Cresson.She just turned 101 years old in Jan.2021

[@ODDySEEy]

Sorry this sat in the spam bin for a week. Gotta watch the lack of "spaces" between "." It gets auto flagged as "URL Links" to web pages which get filtered out of the Published comments for the safety of me, the channel, and the viewers. ;) Thank you for that great information :D

[@dwightminnich2722]

The best way to preserve history is to present it in an interesting but factual way. Railroads built this country and in doing so created their own special history. Horseshoe curve is a chapter of history that is still being written. Thank you for another great adventure.

[@ODDySEEy]

Interesting and Factual... yeah, I like that!

[@OutInLeftField2]

Excellent video! The drone footage at the end was the perfect touch. Still waiting for the Centralia episode! Lol...in all seriousness please take care of your heart...your family needs you, and of course we wanna keep seeing these awesome history lessons of “who we once were!”

[@ODDySEEy]

Centralia... yeah... in my "circles" it has become sort of an ongoing joke. No worries, I will get there, I just need the hype to calm down a bit so that I do not have to contend with police or random idiots out at the site.

[@albertjones1386]

Glad I was last there in the early 1980s when there were four tracks and no fees to climb the stairs. I have seen four trains on the curve at the same time. Was able to drive in a car to the edge of the curve and the K4 was still there. Well it has change but I am glad I saw it then.

[@terrclymac]

I love the music that you include to accompany your vlog. Again, another very enjoyable video. And I live in Altoona. Thank you.

[@ODDySEEy]

There was a recent KZbin Creator Meetup that took place... keep an eye out for a couple more videos in Altoona.

[@milanomaker]

Thanks for this video. My Father pointed the curve out to us every summer on our way to Blairsville. It parallels Route 22

[@ODDySEEy]

For the most part that is true. Neat to see it when crossing over the mountain into Gallitzin.

[@Counselor77]

I have a photo that I took of the K-4 Pacific Class steam engine 1361 that sat on the curve for over thirty years. I love Horseshoe curve, we used to make the trek up to the curve at least once a year.

[@ODDySEEy]

Very Cool!

[@FORTRAN4ever]

Great presentation! It is amazing to see how the diesel locomotive displaced the steam locomotive changed the work population in Altoona, PA.

[@ODDySEEy]

I was blown away at how a city as big as Altoona ultimately became a ghost town and then rebirthed into a "generational" city. BTW - Love the name "FORTRAN4ever"... it gives me nightmares of writing programs on how to overcome gravity and calculate a slingshot maneuver to get beyond the Moon. Only thing that could give me worse nightmares would be a name like THERMODYNAMICS4theWin. LOL

[@Davidmwalter]

Excellent Video... I don't know when, but I plan on visiting the "Horseshoe Curve" in Altoona Pa. sometime. I have seen pictures of it and heard about the train going around this curve. I find it very interesting. I would love to fly my drone over there and get a shot of a train going around that curve. Love the history story you gave. Keep up the good work.

[@ODDySEEy]

When you do visit, remember to keep drone flight restrictions in mind. The rails and some, not all, of the property surrounding it is an off limits no fly zone, but you are good for about 200 yards of air space and the ability to use the museums property for operation. That is why the drone was positioned where it was... and fortunately, it captures probably the best perspective of the site. :)

[@Counselor77]

Hey Scott, once I found your channel by accident, I was hooked, then I just had'ta subscribe. Had'ta is now an official word.

[@ODDySEEy]

Welcome to the ODDySEEy. Hope you had'a good time while here (Had'a, also an official word).

[@travelingman484]

Awesome as always

[@ODDySEEy]

Thanks again!

[@tonymac7272]

Very cool video and really interesting! Great work, Scott!

[@ODDySEEy]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@joebe5875]

Great video thank you

[@ODDySEEy]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@JamieMakin]

Excellent video on both the history of Horseshoe Curve and the city of Altoona. It was nice meeting you at Lakemont Park a few weeks ago.

[@ODDySEEy]

Pleasure was all mine :) Wanna know the fun part? I live in them there woods...LOL

[@JamieMakin]

@@ODDySEEy nice!

[@barrykery1175]

You went down the steps. Try going up them. I did at the age of 70 and I can tell you for a fact, I was worn out by the time I got to the top. But I'm glad I did it. Barry

[@ODDySEEy]

Umm... you cannot go down the steps without going up them. The Funicular was out of order.

[@SimplyExploVenturing]

Sorry it took so long to subscribe to your channel since we met at the Lakemont meetup Very well done and informative video!

[@ODDySEEy]

Welcome aboard, Luis.

[@alshotrodsandratrods8780]

Great video. It's nice to see Horseshoe curve again. When I was a kid in the early 60s my uncle who worked for Sylvania gave me a big poster of Horseshoe curve. It was taken at night with three trains on the curve. They lit up the entire curve with flashbulbs on poles. It was made to promote Sylvania flashbulbs. I'm going to google it to see if that picture is there.

[@ODDySEEy]

I saw that picture at the Library of Congress while finding background information for the video. If you cannot find it on the internet in a search, go hit the Library of Congress online. ;)

[@alshotrodsandratrods8780]

@@ODDySEEy Thanks. I'll go check it out.

[@gregmilliken5538]

I am in hopes of visiting there, and the Kinzua Viaduct in the next few years.

[@ODDySEEy]

Do the curve first, then the Viaduct. BOTH are more than worthy.

[@Dragon204]

i love the horseshoe curve but prefer going to tunnels or cassanda overlook since they are free to watch trains

[@wesleystrainsandfiretrucks833]

Sure but it’s a good experience at all don’t get me wrong 😂😁

[@ODDySEEy]

I am not a Railfan in the true sense of the word, but the site and its history is what I was into...that and bringing all the other videos together, which I am sure you caught.

[@nicholmansgarage3501]

Same lol. I never even knew about Cassandra until I saw one of those "blue signs" at Cresson. Dad and I went to all of the places in one day. It was awesome!

[@wesleystrainsandfiretrucks833]

@@nicholmansgarage3501 same!

[@stephenpowstinger733]

I can afford the $8 but I hate getting nickel-and-dimed when traveling and touring.

[@B-and-O-Operator-Fairmont]

While HSC is quite historic and important to railroading, the simple fact is "curves" have been a part of railroading since the beginning, probably going all the way back to horse-drawn trams in British coal mines. Richard Trevithick's prototype steam locomotive ran on a complete circle of track, much like a simple train set. While not the nation's first railroad, the Baltimore and Ohio was the first licensed as a common carrier and had curve after curve upon leaving Baltimore and heading down the Patapsco Valley circa 1830. B&O's eventual arrival in Wheeling, (West) Virginia in 1852 certainly encountered not only hundreds of degrees of curvature but steep grades to boot. 1852 predates HSC by about two years. Horseshoe Curve is notable for allowing the railroad to gain a lot of elevation in a confined geographic area, but to say it was the FIRST curved railroad is nothing more than a folk tale. By the way, those waterways were built by the railroad before the fills were constructed to support the tracks. When building a fill, always be sure the water has a controlled way to get through. According to Charles Roberts in "Triumph I" (one), originally HSC was shaped more like a flat tire than a Horseshoe; the famous curve shape would develop over time as the fills were extended and tracks added.

[@ODDySEEy]

Thank you for the information. I am restrained to making videos of a particular length ( 10-30 mins ) and I need to make sure I maintain my focus on the oddity or the unknowns or the mysterious or the "didja know that" information for my videos. But, I do absolutely love going down the rabbit holes.

[@send2gl]

Very interesting video, am based in UK but often view the live video of Horseshoe Curve.

[@ODDySEEy]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@marinescott7790]

Great video as usual, great information too.

[@ODDySEEy]

I appreciate that

[@WilliamWeicht]

During WWII Hitler sent agents to the US to sabotage a few places in the US and the Horseshoe Curve was one of them. Have you been to the Lemon House near Gallitzin? It is along the Allegheny Portage Railroad also not far from the Gallitzin Tunnels.

[@ODDySEEy]

I talk about WWII, Nazi, and Russian activities for the Red Arrow Train Wreck kzbin.info/www/bejne/m3PIeGenp7polZY

[@3bar]

While I'm not a hardcore train aficionado, I can understand why those that immerse themselves in it are. Excellent information Scott.

[@ODDySEEy]

Same here, honestly. I am not a railfan, but there are aspects of it that I can truly appreciate.

[@spuds6423]

@@ODDySEEy There is a lot to Railroads...you may find yourself addicted, eventually! 😃 I know I am!!!😀😀

[@ODDySEEy]

@@spuds6423 I am learning to truly appreciate a lot of different aspects, especially of the older ones, BUT... I am an Aerospace Engineer on paper... so I went the route of Bigger, Better, Faster, More Power, Shoot for the STARS in engineering. ;)

[@spuds6423]

@@ODDySEEy Those are cool things as well!👍👍👍

[@rougeneon1997]

Nice video. I have a handful of flying my fpv/rc airplane up there. I live in Altoona and can hear trains heading to and coming from the H.S Curve as I watch your video! 👍

[@ODDySEEy]

I think I need to pick up some Occs and an FPV... I won't use it with the ODDySEEy because many of the viewers say they get motion sickness with the parallax shots already. But with an FPV I could get some much more interesting old building shots.

[@rougeneon1997]

@@ODDySEEy Its SO MUCH fun! A few people I have given extra goggles to have experienced some dizzines. When I first started I had to be sitting down while flying. lol I dont fly any DJI stuff just homemade analogue / low latency gear. Check out one of my vids sometime if you are bored.

[@rougeneon1997]

@@ODDySEEy Also. If you ever wanted to "ride along" during a fpv flight of mine to "feel it out" let me know. I realize meeting "internet people" can be a crapshoot but Im no weirdo lol. I realize an actual weirdo would probably say the same thing. 👀

[@ODDySEEy]

@@rougeneon1997 Good thing you corrected your, "Im no weirdo lol"... then again, I think most of my viewers are weirdo's if they actually like my stuff... I mean, I am a weirdo, so maybe you should be afraid of me" :D

[@rougeneon1997]

@@ODDySEEy "mutual acquired weirdness"? haha

[@Echowhiskeyone]

Last time I was there, 1361 was still there. Where did the time go? It's time to start planning to travel PA again to see what has changed. Thank you for your wonderful channel showing PA and its history.

[@Dragon204]

it is being "restored" by the railroaders museum in Altoona but it is a very slow work in progress

[@ODDySEEy]

Fortunately, a lot of the sites I bring you should remain mostly untouched by the time we can actually live. ;)

[@ODDySEEy]

Wade, I did a check and there are pieces in Scranton, Bethlehem, Pittsburgh, and only some of it has made it back to the EBT who will put it all back together before they bring it back to Altoona.

[@stephenpowstinger733]

It’s all very foreign to this Floridian but I hope to get up there when this silly epidemic subsides.

[@stephenpowstinger733]

And where did 1361 go and why was it moved?

[@walterlangston4484]

here in west virginia we have so manny towns build just for minning coal mines shut down so now there lots of ghost towns here in west virginia

[@ODDySEEy]

I love WV. Heck, the stories that could be told by the old towns lost in the Fernow Forest or in the center of the Monongahela Forest. Heck, when I did work at the NASA facility in WV, I was more interested in the remnants of the old town behind the main facility than that actual NASA building.

[@bobgallo2178]

Cool post, I was there last October, because of covid-19, part of the attraction was closed.

[@ODDySEEy]

Most of it was closed when I stopped in... except the museum "with restrictions". I really wanted to show off the Funicular, but we will get that in another video eventually.

[@tattooedtactical6667]

Great video scott

[@ODDySEEy]

Thanks 👍

[@iiigraghu]

Excellent Enterprising Endeavour. Greetings from India 🎉🙏

[@ODDySEEy]

Thank you so much 😀

[@DpacLynnShakur]

That staircase! Phew!

[@ODDySEEy]

There is a project I have been avoiding because of the staircase. It is called 1,000 Steps (it is more than 1,000) and each step has a short tread (horizontal) with a high riser (vertical) and it is a really tough climb, even for the experienced and fit.

[@FortWorthMobileMechanic]

Great history of the horseshoe curve, you need to hike up the other side of the curve to the old steam water tower no one has every documented it nor the old lumber and coal private rail lines that at each corner of the curve itself that has been tore up. History in railroads needs to be documented before its all gone.

[@ODDySEEy]

If you are talking about the MG Tower Railroad Switch Station, I am pretty sure it has been demolished in the past month or two (just past the Horseshoe curve and before the curve that takes you to the Bennington curve). If that is NOT the same one, please give me an email or jump over onto FB and give me a PM with more information :)

[@adamcounterman7028]

@@ODDySEEy there is a water tower east end of the curve, its hard to see when the leaves are on the trees. during the winter its visible.

[@anthonybatulis6516]

i have hiked in these areas you talk about. If you are at the HSC look to the right and there was a rail line in that gap. I assumed it went to coal mines. You can see the line in the old picures and videos.

[@roberthuron9160]

I went to high school,near Harrisburg, right on the Susquehanna River,(East End,of the Middle Division),and remember when the trains from Pittsburgh would run late(2 hrs),that the GG-1's would make up the time,and arrive only 20 minutes late! So if the diesels improved the steam times,I would doubt it! The NYC,had their problems with Erie Canal,as during the winter,the New York State legislation made the railroads charge canal rates on cargos,so the revenue from the canal wouldn't be undercut! Different situation,but the corruption problem was also present! See also,"On The Mainline", a book covering the PRR during the 1850's through to the 1890's,fascinating 📚reading! Thank you for your attention ☺! 🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂🚋🚋🚋🚋🚋🚆🚆🚆🚆🚇🚇🚆🚇

[@ODDySEEy]

You are the second person to recommend that book. Looks like I will have to pick it up, especially when I start hitting sites further east in PA. Thanks for the informational comment and recommendation.

[@MLampner]

Enjoyed your video. I don't know if you limit your travels to PA, but if you do go beyond two places that could in fact be shot on the same day would be Point of Rocks, where what your teacher told you actually took place the C&O Canal and the B&O Railway navys fought battles blasting deliberately to maim the others as they raced toward the Ohio River. Just about 15 miles further wast is Harpers Ferry, an interesting Railroad junction and of course the site of John Brown's raid on the US arsenal located there. Still slightly more a field is the Paw Paw Tunnel again a fascinating story.

[@ODDySEEy]

Current limits is PA due to financial constraints. I am sure I will eventually be able to expand outward into other states as time and money permit (I was actually doing some serious continental travel previous to this channel start and the things I saw around the US are what kicked off the concept for the channel).

[@philipstein1359]

Those were the days eh? Got a job mate? Sure, when do you wanna start? Great video btw - new subscriber from the UK 👍

[@ODDySEEy]

Back when men were men and boys were men and women were... well, men. Unlike today when Men, Women, and Boys are now all girls. Rhetorically of course. And thanks for joining from the other side of the pond. Hope all is well over there. Cheers!

[@glloyd1987]

Fascinating!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@ODDySEEy]

Glad you liked it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@jamiesuter3606]

Staple Field trip for every Western PA student. Well since the 80's and 90's any way. Not sure about now an days.

[@ODDySEEy]

It was a trip for those of us here in Central PA as well... but not really knowing or understanding it fully was the problem with the school trip. To me it was just a stupid curved train rail.

[@Elios0000]

some correction the issue wasnt that railroads had to be straight as much as they couldnt have much of a grade. what Horseshoe curve did was maintain the the 2% grade

[@ODDySEEy]

That was my original thought on the matter, but the grade from one side to the other is only 1.76%... same as the Bennington Curve... this curve only dropped it down to 1.45% when built and when Norfolk Southern took over they got it down to 1.34%. So it was not built for a "grade" issue. And all of the documentation regarding the building of this conduit was specifically stated as an issue for keeping the rail straight at the time is was built.

[@adamcounterman7028]

ns didnt change anything on the railroad grade wise. its approximately 1.8% from altoona to the curve 1.4 around horseshoe, and back to 1.8 again. at the slide on the east side of the new portage tunnel at gallitzin, it increases to 2.7% the grades have been the same ever since they were built.

[@Counselor77]

I never could figure out how to get on the little road that was on the other side of the tracks and I remember seeing people over there in years past. You can even catch a glimpse of it at the 15:55 mark.

[@ODDySEEy]

You actually have to go out to Gallitzin, then take the SGL out to the ghost town of Bennington, and then you can find the road that goes down from there... LONG WALK/HIKE.

[@Counselor77]

@@ODDySEEy Thank You so much.

[@NS-yo7fw]

I didn't know the horseshoe curve went right over the canal as they were building the canal. Pretty cool. How did they plan to keep water in the canal if they did finish it? Glenwhite run is pretty steep.

[@ODDySEEy]

Maybe I spoke too fast in the video. That was the story my History teacher told us when we went on a bus trip to that location. In actuality, and I think I mention it in the video, that channel was made in order to control the flow of the Glenwhite Run from about 1/4 mile above the rail all the way down to the second lake. It was the FIRST Waterworks of Altoona. As for the steepness of Glenwhite... it wasn't always (it had about 3 plateau's... the steepness of the hill is moreso on the road).

[@stephenpowstinger733]

That funicular thing flashes by in 0.5 seconds. I hope to travel north from my Florida before long. FL, of course, has none of this type history, but historically engineers did have challenges with bridges like the keys. I follow railroading and RR history. Too bad it was overcast during filming. I hope the drone shoots didn’t encounter resistance.

[@ODDySEEy]

Florida has some really good stuff... especially if you walk the small creeks throughout the entire state... full of fossils from the times of the Mastodon. It is always a matter of looking a little deeper ;)

[@jeffaurand2345]

Restoration of locomotive 1361 has recently resumed; part of your $8.00 goes to finance it.

[@ODDySEEy]

I appreciate that information Jeff. I know the fees are not total fraud, but I also know the donations are not without overhead. My opinion is that all things historically kept are the rights of the people and concerns of the people and therefore should be paid through conservation taxation with limits and defined capacity as well as a defined "daylight". Unfortunately, the system is broken on all side. :(

[@GWAYGWAY1]

I always wondered why the locos never pulled the middle of the train off the track the drag of the rear end and the pull in front. Do they place locos in the actual train as well and at the back to push.?

[@ODDySEEy]

The big one that went through in the drone footage had three in the front and two in the back. I do not know if the two in the back were actually pushing (I would assume they would to stop the speed differentiation) and now I am curious as to if a loco in the middle would be good or bad. If nothing else, it would make it quite complicated to keep track of without automation in play.

[@thomasfreeman7770]

The units that you spoke of are called DPU’s( distributed power units).They are radio controlled by the engineer in the lead unit by a system called “locotrol”.Units also can be placed mid-train.A train as long as what you saw needs all the power seen, but if placed all on the head end they risk breaking couplers resulting in train separation .The designers of the railroad will engineer the curves to prevent cars from being pulled over . In places were curvature is very tight operational procedures are in place to prevent cars from being pulled over sideways . However there has been accidents where it has happened.

[@GWAYGWAY1]

@@thomasfreeman7770 You have such long and heavy trains over there, our in the UK are shorter and maybe faster but are limited by bridges and tunnels.

[@thomasfreeman7770]

Yes we do Graham. Freightrail is where the money is in American railroading . Intercity passenger service is provided by a government agency called Amtrak. American railroads say they can transport one ton 450 miles using 1 gallon of diesel fuel. A train like you saw can transport tens of thousands of tons with a two person crew. The same amount of shipping by truck(I believe our friends in the UK call them lorrys), would take hundreds each with a driver and nowhere near the fuel economy. I believe the record here inthe US was set by the Union Pacific Railroad. I believe the train was 3.5 miles long and had a total of 9 power units at lead , several places mid-train and also on the rear.

[@brianwiest4940]

Do you do anything on the wreck of the red arrow?

[@ODDySEEy]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/m3PIeGenp7polZY

[@brianwalter7387]

Scott..how is hollidaysburg rail shops integtegrated with altoona railroad shops..along west loop road ?? Or is it different railroad system??

[@RedoubtProductions1754]

There is a spur that runs from Altoona into Hollidaysburg, I believe its called the Cove Secondary. One will cross over the tracks of this secondary while taking US 22 through town. You can also see it at the cloverleaf interchanges between 220/22/99.

[@ODDySEEy]

When Hollidaysburg saw how well Altoona was doing and when the Canal shut down, they quickly jumped in on the action. That was sometime in the later part of the 1880s-1890s but they were kinda stomped on by the fact that the PRR was so big and powerful.

[@susanj.walterspowers6860]

We have to pay? We lost family that worked for the PRR and we pay? I don't need the elevator, I'll die walking those steps before I pay.

[@ODDySEEy]

You have to pay just to get into the area where the steps are located.

[@T1_Productions]

Altoona is a city in Blair County, Pennsylvania.

[@ODDySEEy]

Yep.

[@jamy8575]

Should have gone down road and EYEspied the Tipton reservoir. HOW the heck did men get those huge stones in place?

[@ODDySEEy]

More on that LATER ;)

[@JLK_Yo]

How long is that train? Around a mile?

[@ODDySEEy]

I just google earthed a measurement. About 2.25 miles long.

[@JLK_Yo]

@@ODDySEEy I wonder if that is about the average size for fright trains?

[@LRM135]

If you do an episode about the Daniel Boone Homestead, let me know. I'll buy ya lunch. It would be great to catch up. Plus, my great, great, great, great (whatever) Grandmother or great Aunt (I haven't figured that one out yet) was Squire Boone's 3rd wife. I believe that Mordecai Lincoln's, Abe's dad, house is in the next town up. Exeter. Tie them together.

[@ODDySEEy]

My deceased aunt and uncle lived in the Boone home in the Homestead :)

[@conniewaldby5524]

Abe's father was Thomas

[@MissRailfan]

I've never heard anyone call that a canal. I've been going to The hsc area for yrs n lived few mtns away. The canal system was a Railway over the mtn called Allegheny Portage Railroad. That was located 2 mtns south of there. The rr follwed an old Indian path up and over the mtn. Gallitzin tunnel was a location that the confederate rr was going to blow up. Hsc was the location the Nazis wanted to do the same. Not far away in PA, Renovo was also a single industry town. It was the 2nd largest prr shop, those shops were closed n moved to Altoona. My Mom was there in the 80s n it was nothing like it is today. Lil general store looking building. The 1361 is in a long process of being restored in Altoona. Rr museum is a joke but cool history on display. I rem when it was free as a kid. N before the junk funicular.

[@ODDySEEy]

I am assuming you are not watching the videos all the way through and have a lot to speculate on without information. I clearly identify that it is NOT a canal. Also, the Gallitzin tunnel was NOT a civil war target nor did the Nazis seek to destroy anything along the PRR (not even the curve). That is 100% fairy tail speculation. Now the Russians, on the other hand, did have a plan for the curve. All this is documented. And I agree, the museum at the curve is a tourist attraction with a junk funicular.

[@traxiii]

Nice video, but I thought you'd get more into the engineering of curved track and why they didn't just build a bridge across where the horseshoe is to straighten out the track instead? I subscribed anyway, I like trains.

[@ODDySEEy]

I had that information prepared, believe me... it is fascinating as you probably already know... the issue was a matter of time over footage over effort over constraints placed by the platform. You see, there is an MTV attention span for the KZbin platform and they really do enforce this process by pushing these types of longer videos down to the bottom. Perhaps, upon some form of monetization in the future, I can focus more on the documentum than on the algorithmic constraints. The whole curve from an engineering standpoint makes people like me foam at the edges of my mouth when speaking... but, that is not what the majority wish to hear about... they wanted to know about the "odd" location and a touch on why they should visit and learn about it.

[@traxiii]

@@ODDySEEy Thanks for that. The famous Tehachapi Loop is halfway between where I used to live L.A., and where I live now S.F. Bay. I've spent many an afternoon eating lunch while watching the trains run up and down the loop. In that location the loop was the only way to get the elevation at the rate they could safely run trains on, in the narrow canyon pass it traverses. Guess I can always check wiki for more Horseshoe details. LOL!

[@JLK_Yo]

Is that the James Railroad?

[@ODDySEEy]

You should watch the video to find out.

[@JLK_Yo]

@@ODDySEEy I did watch it. What stood out was that horrible noise coming from that long train and the blue and orange amongst all that black. It's a cool video though. Anyway to get off that train?

[@museumjunkie9317]

I still don't get it. Why is this so significant?

[@ODDySEEy]

For the first time in history, instead of build a rail that went 80 miles out of its way or building a trestle that would have been 80 stories tall, they CURVED the rail. During this time all other rails were straight as an arrow.

[@museumjunkie9317]

@@ODDySEEy Oh, I see. Thank You

[@subadventures]

The canals were completed before the railroad was in the area.

[@ODDySEEy]

No... they were not. As a matter of fact, the railroad was the ONLY way the canals could get over the Alleghenies. That is the whole point of the Portage historic sites. But you may not realize that the Portage portion of the canal was rail road with stationary trains at the top of each mountain. It is a common error when people think that the Allegheny Portage Railroad meant mobile trains.

[@subadventures]

ODDySEEy I was referring to the Pennsylvania Railroad.

[@subadventures]

ODDySEEy also... Were there not curved sections of railroad on the Allegheny Portage Railroad to transport the canal boats on cars to each inclined plane?

[@ODDySEEy]

@@subadventures I think I am going to have to make another video because of this actual question. You see, it is not that the railroads had "no" curves, it was that none of them had ever done a Horseshoe... a really big deal when it came to having a train on a line have to make at least 3 and with this location up to 4 curves in opposite directions all at the same time and the big part of this curve is not the big curve in the middle but the two curves on the ends (the horseshoe portion). Just before the Horseshoe Curve was made there was another curve just down the road (4 miles) called the Muleshoe Curve which was an even tighter curve on its "big" curve.

[@ODDySEEy]

@@subadventures On another note, in regards to the canals (which I will hopefully be getting to soon) the Horseshoe Curve actually did something that made a historic change, that everyone seems to miss... it really did bring about the END of the Canals. It was a nail in the coffin. The canals were already plagued with flood and freeze issues to the point where PRR was going to just use trains and then do a junction and cargo change at the Incline Planes. The Horseshoe traversed a mountain in such a way as to make it a viable replacement to an Incline with no need to build a Viaduct. And because of the workhorse known as the Canals... the railroads now had enough Iron to build rails for the price of dirt.

[@garrietaylor9519]

use of the Fast Forward Button is highly recommended

[@ODDySEEy]

I'll be sure to put a chapter in so people with short attention spans and not interested in learning about the site can fast forward to looking at a train go around a curve.

[@michaeljoyce813]

In your videos You have good images and maps, aerial views etc. and only flash them to the viewer briefly. Might be better to show less of you talking and more of the content and give the viewer time to see it.

[@ODDySEEy]

Hey, thanks for watching. I will let you know if I need a manager or a show director in order to make "a better show" so people like you can keep telling those of us who actually create these videos how to do it. :)

[@combatrailfanfilms848]

Scott Scott Scott. It was not the 1st curved railroad. Give me a break dude. Do some research.

[@ODDySEEy]

Instead of making offhanded unfounded comments based on the video title... maybe you should watch the video and learn.