Rounding World Famous Horseshoe Curve on Amtrak’s Pennsylvanian east, Cresson, PA east on 5-10-2022

Russell Sharp

[@JoeyLovesTrains]

It's folk like you and retired railfan, that I could just sit for hours on hours and listen to you guys talk about what each track is, and some random story from when you were a kid seeing a train, I absolutely love the commentary!

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Joey, that’s great 😃! Russ

[@tracyruth4247]

Thank you for taking us along! I always wondered what it looked like going around Horseshoe Curve!😊👍

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Tracy, great 👍!

[@tomy.1846]

Excellent video! I was just at Horseshoe Curve and Gallitzen Tunnels. Great to see it from this perspective, I didn't know about the "Slide" track until watching your video. Thanks for posting!

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Tom, thanks 😊! And you’re most welcome! Russ

[@crazybobc1]

Wow, great video and information! Thanks for posting. I watch The Curve live here on KZbin a lot.

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Jon, thanks 😊! Russ

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Jon, thanks 🙏 Russ

[@BDFDJOE]

Love watching yore Coverages. I'm 15 miles west of Boston Ma in town of Bedford...

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Thanks 😊! Russ

[@joer9946]

Great Video! I've been to the Horseshoe Curve multiple times but never had the opportunity to RIDE through it! Great experience! Again, Thanks!

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Joe, thanks 🙏! And you’re most welcome! And I’ll be back there toward the end of next month. Russ

[@peterrothwell1116]

That was a great view of the Horseshoe curve also liked the tunnel thanks for sharing

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Peter, you’re most welcome! Russ

[@davidburman451]

Nice video. Very informative. Thanks from Canada for preparing this.

[@icosthop9998]

Thank you for the ride along the wonderful narration. . *"Appreciate it"* 👍

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Great 👍!

[@mattjacobus3005]

Great video always wondered what things looked from a Amtrak car going around and into Altoona thanks for for the answer. keep up the good work.

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Matt, thanks 😊! Glad 😀 you enjoyed the video! Russ

[@bobkruleski7630]

Sure looks better from your vantage point then the one we get along the side of the track! Thanks for the video.

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

You’re most welcome! Russ

[@Nethanel773]

Nice ride and good commentary! Thanks for putting this up.

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Early Riser, Glad you enjoyed it! Russ

[@Terry19330]

Thank you for this, friend~ it’s like a dream come true riding along on the back of train through Cresson to HSC🧡

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Terry, great 👍!

[@Neal_Schier]

Thank you for these. We visited Horseshoe Curve for the first time today and it was fantastic. Look forward to riding Amtrack from Harrisburg to Pittsburgh later this year. Really enjoy you narration. The perfect amount 👍

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Neal. you’re most welcome!

[@anthonyhindley2095]

Just beautiful scenery

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Anthony, you betcha! Russ

[@davrober48]

most excellent Mr Sharp

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Kingman, thanks 😊! Russ

[@royfrye333]

I grew up in Altoona. My friends and I would ride our bicycles up to the Curve in the summertime.

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Roy, I’ll be back there next month. Russ

[@johnkemas7344]

My father (William J. Samek) was a regular supervisor on the Railway Mail Service car on the Red Arrow. The night the Red Arrow went over the edge my father had been home sick that night and fortunately missed that trip. His friends and associates weren't so lucky that night. I believe he told me that most or all the mail services guys died that night in that wreck.

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

John, that was one bad wreck. I’ve walked down the track to the curve at Bennington where the Red Arrow went off a year or so ago. Russ

[@johnkemas7344]

Hi Russ, I bought the book "Wreck of The Red Arrow" at the Horseshoe Curve Museum a number of years ago for our family history collection. Very detailed and well worth the read. Lots of photos too. That was one nasty wreck. I've never had the opportunity to walk the line down to the wreck sight but always wanted to. My legs can't do it anymore!! The Railway Museum in Altoona has a lot of history of the PRR and I entered a short history of my father working on that train on the railway service into the computer archives. Nice video of the trip. Our amateur radio club takes a trip on that train every year from Pittsburgh to NYC then on up to Newington CT. to visit the ARRL amateur radio head quarters. Always a lot of fun!!

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

@@johnkemas7344 John, I’ll be taking the Pennsylvanian late next month from Philadelphia to Altoona after giving a Denver and Rio Grande Western narrow gauge presentation to the West Jersey Chapter NRHS in Audubon, New Jersey, stay at the Station Inn in Cresson, Pennsylvania for a week or so, then the Pennsylvanian from Altoona to Pittsburgh, connecting there to the Capitol Limited to Chicago. Russ

[@johnkemas7344]

@@russellsharptrainvideos sounds like a great trip!! Have fun!!

[@leonardvernon7176]

Blessings 🙏

[@craigs7181]

Great video!! I really appreciated the information you provided. That grade was far longer than I thought!

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Craig, thanks 🙏! Russ

[@parkertherailfan]

I needed this video, so much. Thank you!

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

You’re most welcome 🤗! Russ

[@finalizedtrains]

Nice video! That's a unique perspective.

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Thanks 😊! Russ

[@stephenrichmond917]

Thank you, Russ. I've never ridden the Great Broad Way of Steel west of Lancaster. It's eye-opening.

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Stephen, you’re most welcome!

[@cherylbrigid5781]

This is very informative. Thank you for sharing.

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Cheryl, great 👍! And you’re most welcome! Russ

[@PRR4800]

Nice video. Thanks!

[@johnball3487]

Thank you for sharing!

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

John, you’re most welcome 🙏! Russ

[@CaptainRon542]

Very nice I railfanned many spots along this line from horseshoe curve to the Gallizen tunnels

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Captain Ron, I love ❤️ that area in the Allegheny Mountains! Russ

[@niasnebraska]

Going through the tunnel was like turning off the tube tv.

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

That’s for sure! Russ

[@bobavon6048]

Good video with narration.

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Bob, thanks 😊! Russ

[@robertsinick2180]

I'M FROM PENNA AND AS I WATCH THIS VIDEO I FELT I WAS A PASSENGER ON THIS TRAIN BEFORE MY DAYS ARE OVER I HOPE TO TAKE A LONG TRAIN RIDE THANKS FOR THE TRIP I DID ENJOYED THE TRIP. ROBBIE FISHTOWN PHILADELPHIA PA

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Robbie, you’re most welcome 🙏! Russ

[@bigrod_li]

Very Cool! Thanks for sharing!!!

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Big Rod, you’re most welcome!

[@ricksadler797]

Nice 😊 video thank you

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Rick, you’re most welcome 🤗! Russ

[@russs7574]

If you're a railfan, like I am, the trip up to see the Horseshoe Curve, the Gallitzen Tunnels and the Allegheny Portage Railroad Historic Site makes for a very nice day trip. There's plenty to see, but not so much that you can take in all three in one day. If you have an extra day, the Railroaders Memorial Museum is another good stop, as is the Neil Armstrong Planetarium. Both are in Downtown Altoona....and then after that, you can head up to Blair County Ballpark to watch the Altoona Curve, who plays in the AA Eastern League...very entertaining.

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Russ, thanks for the advice! I’ll be back in that area including the Horseshoe Curve, late next month. Russ

[@robadams5799]

That expression "he's had his last supper" was chilling--until he said it again.

[@dangunn6961]

Great video. I live about an hour drive from Cresson and Cassandra PA. I watch trains from there a few times per year.

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Dan, thanks! Cool 😎! Russ

[@MesquiteBelt]

Thanks Russell for taking us along!

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Mesquite, it was a pleasure taking you along! Russ

[@MesquiteBelt]

@@russellsharptrainvideos I had no idea Amtrak takes that route, so next trip in Pennsy, we will ride that route for sure!

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

@@MesquiteBelt Great 👍! Russ

[@SMichaelDeHart]

Cool beans. Great video. Hope you enjoyed your Florida trek of the trip.

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

S. Michael DeHart, thanks 😊! The Florida trek was my best trip EVER! Russ

[@davidjackson7281]

what duz cool beans mean?

[@SMichaelDeHart]

@@davidjackson7281 it's a saying from the 70's and mean better than cool, wow, terrific or excellent. Lol

[@SMichaelDeHart]

@@russellsharptrainvideos I'm so glad that you really enjoyed your trip.

[@davidjackson7281]

@@SMichaelDeHart That's funny. Thanks. I guess on the East Coast, perhaps. I grew up in the Bay Area on the left coast.

[@Alcochaser]

Sweet, you got to ride down "The Slide", the time I got to ride this, we took the other tunnel, and the grade on that is the mentioned 1.8%.. however this side faces a 2.27% downgrade out of the tunnel. Hence why it got the nickname "The Slide"

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Alco chaser, thanks 😊 for your comment! Russ

[@CoasterQ]

Have fun at the PRRT&HS convention. Wish I was there.

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Steve, thanks 😊! Will do! Russ

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

@Chicago's Trains & Train Sim World 2 Guy Cool 😎! Russ

[@IIBLaCKBeaRDII]

It's crazy how much work, steel, and wood it took to build these tracks that go on forever. Imagine being the first train trying out the new track.

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Amazing!

[@peterp1158]

Lots of questions raised: Why do 2 tracks run separately from the track you're on? Why did CR remove the 4th track on the Curve ( to allow rubber tired vehicles access to derailed trains?) Why didn't someone pick up the derailed stack cars? What is that infernal squeaking?

[@chris6743]

Those 2 tracks are the tracks to the Gallitzin tunnel as this train used the original Allegheny tunnel, 4th track was removed due to passenger rail decline from what I have read, no rush to clean it up I gather waiting for Hulcher or Corman to be able to clean it up.

[@conrail666]

When it was prr it was abs signaling. So basically a 1 way signaling system. Now with ctc tracks can be bi directional

[@dzymslizzy3641]

Just before you announced you were coming into horseshoe curve, for a bit it looked (and continued to look) as though a 4th track has been removed at some point, to the camera's left.

[@joshuametzl1420]

There was a fourth track there but it got removed a while ago.

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Joshua, that’s correct. Russ

[@zigman8550]

This used to be the PRR's four track mainline. Conrail tore up the fourth track in the earily 1980's

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

@@zigman8550 That’s right. Russ

[@RevDogg]

That coach car wasn't the only thing squeaking... 9:10 😁

[@harolds1559]

Couple of solid wet farts

[@ernestyeagley512]

You heard that too, huh? Ha!

[@christopherscarpino8994]

Nice video. How do they remove all those derailed cars and their cargos?

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Christopher, thanks! Re removing all those cars, they probably would have a sub-contractor by the name of Hulcher remove them with their specialized derailment equipment. Russ

[@2themoon863]

I’ve heard that there were four tracks on this stretch; was one removed because the cars and engines were getting longer, economic reasons, or something else?

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Fewer trains due to longer freight trains and many fewer passenger trains. Russ

[@davidjackson7281]

Great commentary. Very informative. A beautiful ride. Thanks Russ. I guess at the curve, one could look out the window from the middle of the train and see both ends, or so I believe I was once to told. And might you know if that is also true with California's Cresta Grade horseshoe curve? I hope that isn't a stupid question. I wish I had had a RR career. It's 13:00 hours here in Rio Vista and we are experiencing some rain and hail. Perhaps it will delay this summer's drought and prevent some forest fires. Haha. Have a nice convention.

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

David, yes, you can see both ends at Horseshoe Curve and also the horseshoe curve on Cuesta Grade. Russ

[@robertgift]

Nice! Thank you. 5:29 Was that cut originally two tracks? Why slowing? 11:30 Cause of the derailment? 17:10 I believe another track went right from there manyears ago. 17:17 I remember that building from when I was 5 years old. What was it?

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Robert, which cut?

[@robertgift]

@@russellsharptrainvideos 5:29

[@brucesheehe6305]

You must have gone through the New Portage Tunnel. I recently visited Bennington Cemetery through the State Game Lands past old coke ovens. Ghost town of Bennington.

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Bruce, correct.

[@anthonyhindley2095]

How does that work if it goes to a single track?

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Probably train orders or track warrants would be required. Russ

[@joeshaboo9112]

Great video and information. However, I turned it off at the 9 minute mark due to that squeaking in the background......sorry.

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Joe, no problem! Not to worry! Russ

[@daveporter8351]

I used to film....lolyhanna hillside derry.... but I like to film lake erie div now ..north Kingsville oh.....track 1 n. 2 csx

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Dave, Gotcha!

[@slashmaster2]

Didn't know about that derailment on the left. Guess that guy had his last supper?🤔

[@TheLewistownTrainspotter8102]

11:20 Derailed cars

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Karen, that’s right. Russ

[@mattmcchesney5673]

How fast you think you're going?

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Matt, maybe 30 mph. Russ

[@oriolesfan7807]

How fast were you going ?

[@davidrichie9570]

Speed could be calculated by counting the RPM of the wheels (which should be possible since there seems to be a flat) and knowing the diameter of the wheels.

[@anb740]

I see they had yet another derailment up there thanks to trying run 3+ mile long trains through mountainous territory. That looked like another stringline flip over.

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

anb740, I think you have it figured out correctly! Russ

[@hifijohn]

Rename it derailment curve.

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

@@hifijohn Good idea! Russ

[@nycsguy]

I enjoyed your video, including your narration. Please leave the zoom alone.

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Fredo, that’s great 😃! And good 👍 advice! Russ

[@davidrichie9570]

One or more flat wheels?

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

David, perhaps. Russ

[@hifijohn]

another derailment??

[@wb4514]

Sounds like you got a flat wheel on your car. That stack train must have been 20k feet long .

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

W B, as I recall, you’re most likely right. Russ

[@stuartsaunders2876]

Hey NS! Where's my Fedex?

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Stuart Saunders, right! Those FedEx containers have been sitting there for months! Russ

[@vidam9067]

There empty

[@jayskicksnfits9372]

@@vidam9067 *They're*

[@TK-ec5bv]

NS track maintenance looks much worse than Conrail. 4:50 serious mud in ballast, among other rough looking spots.

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

You betcha!

[@GRADE8BOLT]

17:00 just before curve

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Gotcha!

[@herbalvey9267]

your voice. sounds like Johnny Cash.

[@stuartlee6622]

Why is it so famous?? What's a Red Arrow??

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Stuart, because the fill between the two mountains was done with picks and shovels and blasting powder. Russ

[@GRADE8BOLT]

5:30 just before tunnel

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Gotcha!

[@GRADE8BOLT]

@@russellsharptrainvideos my house right on rxr parking lot altoona 3 generation worked in shops I never was lucky to get hired I drive truck /run heavy equipment

[@GRADE8BOLT]

@russellsharptrainvideos in summer my windows open I get to hear a rebuilt engine getting test run they leave high idle and check Temps and leaks I love it

[@johnbacon104]

Norfolk and Western got their revenge.

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

John, you betcha!

[@herbalvey9267]

you shhouuldddo Folsom prison blues

[@harrygoldun5779]

World famous? Honestly never heard of it and I'm a Railfan.

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

Harry, the sign at the highway entrance actually says “World Famous.” Russ

[@harrygoldun5779]

@@russellsharptrainvideos well someone has delusions of grandeur. Probably no one outside of that area has heard of it either!!!

[@westrich54]

The Nazis heard of it. It was a target of the spy ring from Germany in early WW2. Their plan was to destroy it. Before they got caught.

[@russellsharptrainvideos]

@@westrich54 That’s right! Russ

[@geoandy2717]

Seriously?