the mountain train towers

In this video, Lastadventurer takes to the woods and rails of central Pennsylvania and explores two railroad switch towers, which have been abandoned for several decades. What a perfect, snowy day for such an exploration!
In the first half of the video, Mid-Grade or MG tower for short is explored. It starts with Lastadventurer waiting for a train approaching from the Horseshoe Curve to pass, then he sets off for the tower, which was made entirely out of brick. Interestingly, this very fact is what led the tower to withstand decades of decay and the threat of fires, which was the Achilles heel of many wooden towers.
In the second half of the video, we travel a few miles up the road to the town of Gallitzin, PA. Here, we explore a tower called AR tower, which stands for Allegheny Ridge tower. What makes this tower interesting is the fact that there are three floors: a basement, first floor, and second floor. It was discovered based on the account of a local, that railroad workers actually used to live here!
Finally, I thought it would good to include this for those who are curious: railroad towers were buildings that typically had analog controls that would control railroad switches and signals, but they’ve become obsolete with the modernization of the railroad industry. It is quite remarkable how far technology has come in the last hundred years.
Where will we be 100 years from now?
Note: I apologize about the unstable nature of the footage. I realized this after the fact, and I think the most likely cause can be attributed to a setting for image stabilization on my camera. I considered re-recording the video, but I wanted to keep the authentic, raw vibe that I strive for.
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Music:
Incompetech:
Kevin Macleod - Brain Dead
Kevin Macleod - Vibing Over Venus
Kevin Macleod - Laserpack
Kevin Macleod - Frozen Star
incompetech.com/
#adventure #explore #abandoned #railroad #urbex #urbanexploration #urbandrcay #photography #nature #history #centralpa #pennsylvania

[@jenniferrhodes6821]

Years ago i had a Power move from Conway to Altoona. I was working with my favorite young Conductor. They sent us down 1 track following a Tonnage Train (slow speed down). Needless to say...we had time to kill on the way down. I said do you want me to stop at MG tower for you to check it out. "Hell yes" was his answer. It was in the dark we-hours of the morning. He runs over to the back of the Tower with his lit lantern in his hand. With in seconds...here he comes running like a frightened little girl. Some animal made MG its home and did not take kind to the invasion. Spooked him the fluck out.

[@lastadventurer]

That's super cool, love hearing personal stories like that!! Thank you for sharing! 😃

[@NS6677]

That sounds like Newman (His last name). I think i heard this story!

[@legus9684]

That's a pretty dope video. Thanks for sharing, friend.

[@user-gg1se7fx2b]

Насколько вся начинка поста хорошо сохранилась спустя 80 лет... У нас бы моментально всё вырезали и сдали в металлолом...

[@ronnyvonallmen6892]

Looks like it would be worth a Remodel and turn it into a Home…

[@incognitiveincognito]

Sick little spot. Glad I found this channel

[@lastadventurer]

Thank you so much🤘🎸

[@Langevloei-NL]

I never knew you could call a switch box a train tower. Seems a bit strange to call a one-story building a tower. Love the snowy scenery. 😃

[@lastadventurer]

hahaha, that's fair!! thanks so much! :D

[@fleotusbing]

Fantastic exploration! Great channel you have!

[@lastadventurer]

Thanks so much bro, I appreciate it! 🤘😃

[@MissRailfan]

I myself was in both towers but those photos are never to be posted to the public, you can get in trouble for posting photos and video of rr property. The rr took down the stair for ppl like you to climb into. AR is falling in on itself last i knew, the basement is falling apart. the gallitzin tunnel isnt near track 1 where AR is next to btw.

[@mattcrowley3075]

Great video!

[@lastadventurer]

Thank you 🙏🤘😃

[@tomt9543]

The line from Binghamton, NY to Scranton, Pa. has several old concrete structures including a station and interlocking tower.

[@lastadventurer]

That’s super interesting, I’ll have to look into them and maybe check them out sometimes. I want to get back up to NY soon and explore some missile silos and waterfalls!

[@tomt9543]

@@lastadventurer If you’ve never seen the Tunkhannock viaduct in Nicholson, Pa., it’s well worth a trip, and the line I mentioned goes over this insanely high and massive concrete structure! The abandoned structures I spoke of are near this bridge. And there’s probably more that I don’t know about.

[@lasalleman6792]

Wondering if it could be turned into a residence. For someone who REALLY likes trains.

[@markpimlott2879]

'Very interesting exploration! I like your videography and commentary style! I'll check out more of your channel since this was my introduction. Those interior walls with the holes bashed through them are a form of either stucco and mesh or of an updated (modern?) version of plaster and lath walls; probably the former. Both were used prior to gypsum wallboard came into wide use; the former usually on exterior walls but here in what's basically a heavy duty residential/industrial setting! 🇨🇦 🍁 🇨🇦 🇺🇸 🌎 🛤 🚦 🛤 🌎 🇺🇲 🇨🇦 🍁 🇨🇦

[@lastadventurer]

Thank you, comments like these mean the world, man!! I appreciate you explaining what those walls were made out of too, I always love learning new things! 😄

[@blainenodes8182]

we use wasp& hornet in MN 🥶 75 yr old railfan/ snoop/ investigator on all things r.r.related,1954-2000 in MSP,w/ you every step👀🕊️

[@spaceflight1019]

Curious about the WJAS sticker. WJAS is a Pittsburgh radio station, AM 1320.

[@lastadventurer]

Hmm, that’s super interesting!!!

[@5thman677]

No graffiti, it must be back in the woods a bit. Cool video and thanx for picking up the train going by.

[@lastadventurer]

Thank you, I appreciate it!! I’m glad I was able to grab that shot of the train 😄

[@markpimlott2879]

'Barred Owl 🦉 feather 🪶 @ 06:20 in the basement of the second AR Switching Tower building! Barn Owls 🦉 may roost here too; probably both species would choose the more secure upper levels! 🇨🇦 🍁 🇨🇦 🇺🇸 🌎 🦉 🦉 🌎 🇺🇲 🇨🇦 🍁 🇨🇦

[@lastadventurer]

That’s super cool, thanks for pointing that out man!!! 😄🤘

[@jameshennighan8193]

BASEMENT Pretty dumb going down the stairs into the basement. Given the age of the tower and it being abandoned you could have been trapped there had the stairs collapsed...... James Hennighan Yorkshire, England

[@laurashero528]

👏👏👏

[@XtremeXploring]

Someone should make an indie game documenting lastadventurer’s locations and let you walk around and interact with it

[@lastadventurer]

Thank you!! 🙏

[@spaceflight1019]

Gallitzin Tunnel is on the old Pennsylvania Railroad mainline, located, strangely enough, near the town of Gallitzin, PA.

[@EllieMaes-Grandad]

An 'old' tower, built in the forties. In UK, that might be the 1840s . . .

[@lastadventurer]

Would love to see one of those in person!!

[@brucesheehe6305]

What does AR stand for?

[@lastadventurer]

It stands for Allegheny Ridge, since the tower sits on the ridge of the mountain! 😃

[@bluegrassman3040]

That would be the initials of the interlock tower that the railroad used. Each tower had different initials to distinguish each tower from the other on timetables and for train orders, etc.

[@paulrickman7549]

Whippets.

[@kevinhorning3624]

very cool guy.

[@lastadventurer]

thank you!!! :D

[@andysnashall6140]

Signal boxes in the UK.

[@user-kq8cb3le2j]

How about cleaning and fixings it up !

[@bluegrassman3040]

He would likely have a special agent from the railroad arrest him for trespassing. They still own the tower, even though it’s no longer in use. Surprised NS has not demolished it.