Excellent video guide to Altoona area railfanning

Haven't watched the video yet but agree on the railfaning between South Fork and Altoona. If you have never done it, you should try it.

HA! I was just there! Great stuff.. 

My absolute favorite areas for railfanning. Between Harrisburg and Johnstown, Pa.

Ouch! WAY too many eye-popping effects for me. Makes it very hard to watch. What is wrong with a simple cut or dissolve?

I got about 2 minutes into it and that was enough. Started to get a headache.

I have never been to Altoona but if you are a railfan and are ever in the Kansas City area, you can see 400 trains per day. In Kansas City and environs I once saw six trains moving at the same time, three on a triple flyover by the Santa Fe interlocking tracks.

KC is amazing. See the shots on my website.

Eliot

Well worth watching. I've been to many of the spots, but learned about a few new ones to check out.

The visual effects didn't bother me at all. I really enjoyed the trains and locales. What makes this area so special is the challenging and beautiful terrain. It is awesome to watch and hear long coal trains hammer up the hills at 10 mph, see the long views at Cassandra and the tunnels at Gallitzin.

I enjoyed watching it and the visual effects didn't bother me. I have been to all those spots and quite a few more. Their stay at some were too short and those guys were fixated on food. I ate when the trains weren't running. They really shorted South Fork, I have gotten some great photos and video there.  The NS police also gave me a ticket but I got out of it-somehow. Have met some really nice locals who just come out to watch trains and people from all over at the various spots, especially Cassandra. The pedestrian bridge is an old highway bridge and the rock cut is a daylighted tunnel. Great place, I plan to go up there soon.

Several years ago my wife and I stayed at The Tunnel Inn, (IIRC It is no longer open to the general public as a lodging facility).  It is right next to the NS Main in Gallitzin, PA.  It afforded a wonderful view of the Tunnel Hill west portal with plenty of action.  You didn't even have to leave the building because there was an elevated deck adjoining the building right next to the tracks.  Too bad it's no longer available for lodging.  My wife and I still try to get back to Gallitzin at least once or twice a year as it's not far from our home just outside of Cleveland Ohio.  This whole area is a train watcher's dream come true.

Chief Bob (Retired)

Altoona to Cassandra has a ton of awesome places to watch trains!

Thanks for posting the video, Ed.

Tom seems to enjoy what he does.

Though I am only the most casual of "railfans," a couple of nights at the Station Inn this fall seems like it would be a fun experience.

Right on the bridge, wrong on the daylighted tunnel.

A local I met there on the bridge one day told me it had been a tunnel. I love maps, bought one of the old Portage RR at the museum and have had some fun looking at the portions of the right of way that still exist.

Triumph I is pretty clear that the deep cut was built in the 1890s as part of PRRs 4-track project.

Thanks for posting.   Wonderful video.  Summer job, 1969, was as a TV cable lineman/installer working Cresson and Gallitzin. At the time it was definitely an old railroad community.  We frequented an after work bar in both Cresson and Gallitzin.  I was thinking the Cresson bar was very close to the location of the Inn.  I've been back to Gallitzin a couple of time since then, the place is still fascinating.   

I remember climbing poles at the mouth of Gallitzin tunnel and having to wait, quite a while, until we got an all clear from the railroad to install lines over the RR right of way.  

The one thing that has changed since then, IMO, is that the coal mining seems to have decreased dramatically.   You might note that the small two lane road from Horseshoe Curve to Gallitzin has some small beehive ovens still visible.  Good chance those coal trains may have low sulfur/ much lower BTU, coal from Montana.   

Thanks for the info. I have looked at the TRIUMPH books but seemed pricy at the time. Might have to look again. Definitely an historic, scenic and fascinating are.