Altoona ALTO

Alto Tower will soon be history. The switches and signals will be set via computer from Pittsburgh. With the use of modern technology, manned towers have outlived their usefulness.

 

The old PRR position light signals are being replaced with modern signals. They are more reliable and cheaper to maintain.

It is my understanding that Alto itself will be disassembled and moved to the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg, while its components (switchboards, handles and such) will go to the Railroaders Museum in Altoona.

From my viewpoint as a conductor, while color lights may be cheaper to maintain, I've always found position light aspects and indications easier to read and understand. Some color light stuff can be downright confusing at times. Besides, I never liked those dang color lights anyway. Guess that's what happens when you grow up in Pennsy country. 

i think the interlocking was simplified to remote it. i had seen on the trainorders site that the museum in town was suppose to get ALTO tower moved to their grounds. i hope it fares better than #1361 did.

 i had spent many hours at alto during my visits in the 1980's and 90's.sad to see it go ,but it was a matter of time. downtown altoona is still a good place to hang out with the overhead enclosed walkway connecting to the amtrak station.-jim

Even if it is out of service and awaiting disposition, I just hope that Alto tower is still standing in August when steam goes by.

Uh-oh...now you've done it, Wayne.

 

You've let the cat out of the bag... 

Rich, maybe you know this question. Sometime in the future, will NS put back in the 4th track from Altoona around Horseshoe Curve and onto Johnstown or will it stay 3 tracks?

I doubt that you will ever see 4 tracks around the curve again. In today's world of railroading, there is simply no need for a fourth track.

While the dads were at home for fathers day NS tore down the signal bridges at Alto   My buddy Dave caught them in the act  he didn't bring me any scrape either.

Here is the carnage Sorry I'm out kf town on a remote and can't post properly.


http://www.rrpicturearchives.n...thumbs.aspx?id=80667
Jamie

Ah yes; SO much better now without those unsightly PRR position light bridges. * 

 

At least position lights are still the signal of choice on my little piece of PRR in the basement.

 

Curt

 

*Sarcasm intended.

Here is a link to a newspaper story on the June 16 decommissioning of Altoona's ALTO tower.

http://www.altoonamirror.com/p...-decommissioned.html