What's the go with Horseshoe Bend??

Internet message sent.  Between Cheyenne and the Mississippi River you might consider stopping at North Platte, Nebraska.  The UP observation tower at Bailey Yard provides a spectacular view.   John

Thank you John......just got the wife to add this location to our trip planner.

Is there a difference between the "Horseshoe Bend" location, and Horseshoe Curve" location???

Peter....Buco Australia

Hi Peter,

  Horseshoe Curve is one of the great wonders of railroad engineering and well worth the visit. Horseshoe Curve (not Bend!) is located in Altoona, PA. It is currently closed for the Winter Season...go here for an email address and maybe they can share the months of operation.

https://www.railroadcity.org/curve.html

It reopens April 18, 2023 from what I see (you may want to confirm).

In the meantime, you can enjoy the live webcam:

  Enjoy if you go and post your pictures!

  Best wishes,

  Tom

Much of the UP steam fleet has moved to Silvis Illinois.  They don't seem to be open for visitors all the time there yet but you might check.  They have the 3985, the DD40, another UP steamer, some of their passenger cars, etc.  Unless you can get on a tour often there's not much to see going on at the Cheyenne steam shop.  The Cheyenne depot museum is nice, and the are always trains going through as well as the big boy in the park, but you may not see any steam activity.  Follow old US 30 across Nebraska for maximum UP train viewing. 

Here are a couple of links to help plan your trip.

The Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society.

- I actually bought a book from this site " The Pennsylvania Railroad's Mueshoe, Horseshoe, Altoona and Beyond"

  by Ken Kobus and Gary C. Rauch

http://www.prrths.com/

The Gallitzin Tunnels

http://www.gallitzin.info/index.php

Enjoy

Peter - you didn’t mention it, but, if you’re getting as far east as Pennsylvania, keep heading east and be sure to see one of the Wonders of the (Model Train) World, the New Jersey HiRailers layout in Paterson, NJ, and don’t forget the NYC Subway Museum. On a more serious note, the WTC Memorial is not to be missed.

Peter- I believe you can get up to the observation area at Horseshoe Curve weather it's open or not. Again, check with them.

If you've come this far, then add Strasburg Pa, The Strasburg Railroad and the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania to your trip. The Choo-choo Barn is right nearby and is one of the best O gauge model layouts you will ever see.

Bob

Best viewing times are early spring, winter and late fall.

Other times the view is obscured by trees and foliage.

@rattler21 posted:

Internet message sent.  Between Cheyenne and the Mississippi River you might consider stopping at North Platte, Nebraska.  The UP observation at Bailey Yard provides a spectacular view.   John

Plus one on North Platte and the Golden Spike Tower.  We stopped there on our trip west and enjoyed it.

Not railroad related, but if you find yourself driving east on I-80 from North Platte, about 100 miles you will see this arch crossing the highway.  I would have driven right passed it if a worker at the Nebraska visitors center did not tell me about it and encourage us to visit.  It is a walking self-guided tour and history of the Oregon trail, which is now I-80.  You could do the tour in 30 minutes or 3 hours depending on how much you wanted to read or listen to the guide recordings.

https://archway.org/

Have Fun.
Ron

The arch is worth a stop.  Of course, you have to stop at the Missouri river in Omaha and walk up to the big boy and DD40 on the bluff overlooking I-80.  If you happen to catch a glimpse of 4014, then stop in the park in Cheyenne, when you see the big boy in Omaha you'll have seen 3 of the 25 built. 

While we are planning Buco and Sue’s itinerary, why not stay a night at the Bridgeview B&B in Marysville, PA so you can sit on the back deck and watch trains traverse the world’s longest stone masonry arch railroad viaduct.

There have been a lot of good sites mentioned here but you can also add Steamtown Historical Site in Scranton PA to the list. That’s going to be some trip. Have fun!

The Illinois Railway Museum and Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry are points of Interest in Illinois.  John

If you get to Harrisburg and strasburg, you are only about 2 hours from Steamtown in Scranton which has a collection of preserved (non-operating for the most part) steamers also.  

And The western Maryland Scenic RR is now operation the restored 2-6-6-2 thursday through saturday.    It is only about 2 hours from Harrisburg.  

Driving across Interstate 70 if you come that way, there is a really nice large streetcar museum in Washington Pennsylvania (not to be confused with Washington DC).    it is only about a mile off the interstate and they run the cars.    The East Broad Top narrow gauge will probable have a steamer running and also offer shop tours of the original shop with all the original tools and machines still in place.

Around Altoona there are lots of good railfan sites.    Cassandra has a nice pedestrian bridge over the tracks at one of a large cut.    Lilly has some nice open viewing.    There is a highway bridgewith sidewalks at the Westend of Altoona that is right over the yard throat.     Cresson has a viewing platform and a Railfan B&B called the station Inn.   

In Ohio there are Railfan viewing platforms at Deshler, Fostoria, and Bellevue, all with an hour of each other and not too far south of I80/90    Deshler is on CSX, Bellevue is NS, and Fostoria has both.  

@Buco posted:

My wife (Sue) and I are planning our next invasion of "The United States", and are planning our road trip as I speak. Going to follow the rail line from Sacramento up through Carson City, to Reno, over to Ogden, and then down to Cheyenne to see the UP head quarters (and possibly??? "The Big Boy").

Peter.....Buco Australia

Peter,

Carson City isn't on the I-80 route between Sacramento and Reno.  You have to go to Reno and then drive about 30 miles south to Carson City.  There is so much history along your route that it will be hard to choose places to see.  You travel  through Donner Pass between Sacramento and Reno.  I suggest that you stop in Truckee and visit Donner National Park.  This is where the Donner party was stuck in the snow during the winter of 1846 - 47.  The surviving Donner members were alleged to have eaten their dead comrades to stay alive.  You will also be very close to Lake Tahoe.  It is one of the deepest and most beautiful lakes in the world.

Carson City is well worth seeing as is nearby Virginia City.  Both cities will give you the flavor of the old west.  Promontory Point is between Reno and Ogden but a ways off the direct I-80 route.  This is where the Union Pacific and Central Pacific rails were joined in 1869 complete the transcontinental railroad.  The park reenacts the golden spike ceremony with live steam engines.  

Ogden Union Station is another site to see.  The station has been converted into a museum that displays UP motive power and the railroad history of the area.  Utah's capital, Salt Lake City, is worth seeing also.  The Daughter's of the Utah Pioneer Museum is especially interesting.  It is next to the Capitol building.

It sounds as if you are planning a great trip.  Good luck.  NH Joe

Maybe going the route of Captain Obvious here, but Carson City has the Nevada State Railroad Museum. Worth a good chunk of a morning or afternoon to visit.

@RSJB18 posted:

Peter- I believe you can get up to the observation area at Horseshoe Curve weather it's open or not. Again, check with them.

If you've come this far, then add Strasburg Pa, The Strasburg Railroad and the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania to your trip. The Choo-choo Barn is right nearby and is one of the best O gauge model layouts you will ever see.

Bob

And if you're driving from Altoona to Strasburg, try to visit the East Broad Top Railroad (about a half hour southeast of Altoona).  On the way to the EBT, the Swigart auto museum near Huntingdon is a nice stop to stretch your legs.

I haven't seen a bad suggestion in any of the preceding posts.  By the time you visit all of our suggestions, you might as well stay around for the York meet in October.

Nice little winter vacation you're planning.

@Buco, if you're traveling through Pennsylvania be sure to let folks know.   Your trip won't bring here during the York show, but there are lots of forum members along the route.  And as you saw above,  lots of fun railroading sights to see.

Thank you guys, one and all.

All of your suggestions have been duly noted, and presented to the "tour organizer" for her consideration, and hopeful inclusion into the official "travel document".

We will be on a tight timeframe by the time we get over to Pennsylvania, as "she who must be obeyed" has made plans to catch a flight out of LaGuardia, to get us over to London, leaving 16th July for a "long week-end" to visit "Buckinghuge Palace". She has been trying for the past 4 years to get inside this large building, and every time her ticket has been cancelled due to a wedding?? (Kate & William), COVID, and just recently, Queenie falling off the perch!!! Sue is a true royalist, but for me....what can I say!!! I just do as I'm told.

We will leave the rental car at the airport, fly to England, visit the palace for afternoon tea, and fly back to the US on 18th July. We then will drive south to Florida (Kissimmee) to catch-up with our friends who now live down there (they moved from Weehawken, New Jersey), then across to Tampa (more friends we know), up to Talladega to see the raceway (I'm a muscle car freak as well), then over to San Antonio to see "The Alamo".

We will then drive up to Santa Fe, stay in Albuquerque (another train museum to see) then on to Williams on the old Route 66. We have tickets to travel on the tourist train that goes to the south rim of the Grand Canyon, and then take us back to Williams. I have read about this train trip here on the OGR Forum, and I want to experience this as well. We will then drive over to Barstow to see the BNSF freight yard (hopefully), and then over Cajian Pass to watch the freight trains navigate this famous climb.

Arrive back in Los Angles on 2nd August in time to ditch the rental car, and catch the big bird back to "the land down-under".   LOOK OUT AMERICA......HERE WE COME (again)!!!!!

Peter (& Sue)......Buco Australia.

Just a thought,  America doesn't have great train service throughout much of the country,  but the East Coast is an exception.   When you get back to NYC from jolly Ole England,  you could take a train from NYC to Philadelphia and then an overnight train from Philly to Florida.   The roomette accommodations aren't bad and you don't have to drive unless you are planning to sight see along the way. 

That is quite the itinerary Peter. I don't think I could do half of that in twice the time.

While you are at LaGuardia, make sure you take a peak to the northwest and catch a glimpse of the Hellgate Bridge too.

Take a look at the Amtrak Autotrain as an option to get to Florida too. It's a 5 hour drive from NY to Lorton Va. (just south of DC), they load your car on the train and you take a nice ride (I use "nice" loosely)  down to Sanford Fla. It's a direct train with no stops (unscheduled at least).  Sanford is right off I-4 about an hour north of Kissimmee. We've ridden it many times and it's not luxurious, but for us train nuts who cares. You can travel coach or get a private roomette with beds.

Bob

Hi BUCO,

  If you are going to see the ROCKVILLE BRIDGE, there is a great little restaurants about a half mile down from the bridge for your viewing pleasure.  They have an outdoor area that is protected with big garage doors that open and close so you can view the trains going over the bridge.  The place is called The BORO Restaurant.  Here is there website.

https://borobar.com

Thanks for the suggestion jhz563, but the rental car company (Alamo) may not take too kindly with us abandoning their car on the east coast, when we hired it in Los Angeles. The "relocation fee" to get it back to L A can be a real bi..h!!! (ask me how I know)

RSJB 18 (Bob): Haven't thought about putting the car on the train and getting it to Florida.....maybe something we can do.....but I did want to go to a small town in Georgia (Flowery Branch) on the way down. This is where the "Marty Bird" house is that was used in the Netflix series "Ozark". I am a big fan of "Ozark", and we will also be visiting the "Blue Cat Lodge" at the Lake Of The Ozarks in Missouri, on our way over to the east coast.

Sue also wants to see the "Dutton Ranch" up in Montana, in a place called Darby, where the Netflix series "Yellowstone" was shot, so we will be taking a "small" drive up from Salt Lake City to the bottom of Montana,   before we head down to Cheyenne.

We love our road trips, and on the last visit to the USA we put 14,000 miles on the rental car.....lucky we get unlimited miles when we rent. Had to get the car serviced in Washington DC, as it was up for its 10,000 mile regular service. When you live in Australia, distance is not a big thing....we take it for granted.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions, and Sue has now added most of them where she could on our way over from the west coast......HAPPY DAYS!!!!

Peter......Buco Australia

You're forgetting Hawaii, Alaska, and Canada.

I'm exhausted just from reading your itinerary.

@Buco, While you are at the Horseshoe Curve, you might want to check out the Allegheny Portage RR site. 

it's very close by and has a neat history of how they got over the mountains before the main RR was built.  As a hint - part of it could float!

Of course, you aren't far from the East Broad Top either.  An amazing history lesson in narrow gauge.

Peter - Bob’s (RSJB18) suggestion is a good one. Taking the Car Train relieves one of what is basically a long, boring, unscenic drive down I-95. Just bear in mind, if you take the train, cars are loaded and unloaded in FILO (first in, last out). You may have a long wait if you arrive early for embarkation.

@Mark V. Spadaro posted:

Peter - Bob’s (RSJB18) suggestion is a good one. Taking the Car Train relieves one of what is basically a long, boring, unscenic drive down I-95. Just bear in mind, if you take the train, cars are loaded and unloaded in FILO (first in, last out). You may have a long wait if you arrive early for embarkation.

I can personally attest to the FILO principal. One one trip we were car 297 of 300 to come off the train. It's almost like hitting the lottery if your car is one of the first 20-30 off.
They do offer preferred loading now which puts your car as one of the first to be unloaded.

Bob

Horseshoe bend is in Arizona.

Mallard4468: Sue and I have been to all 50 States during our many "expeditions" to America since 2006. You have one of the best countries in the world....so much to see and do in every State!!!

Eddie g: Thank you for the clarification....what can I say but just another "dumb" Aussie getting the lingo wrong. I have amended my ways. Might try and see "Horseshoe Bend" on our way back to L.A. time permitting.

Peter.....Buco Australia

Buco, thank you for sharing your incredible plans and former trip details. 14K on a rental car is quite something. If you ever make it through Rhode  Island, we would like to treat you and  your wife to home made lobster rolls and chowdah. (that's chowder for those outside our little part of the world.)

FYI - Rhode Island chowder is clear - not tomato or cream based and we serve lobster rolls with only lobster on a buttered split top bun - just the way God intended.

Please continue to share your adventures and safe travels.

Paul

Buco,

If you are going to be in the Salt Lake Area, check into stopping at the "Golden Spike National Historic Park"

https://www.nps.gov/gosp/index.htm

It is just north of Salt Lake City and can be caught on the "short drive" to Darby.  I have been through Darby before, not much to see there.  Instead of the ranch where Yellowstone is filmed, you should try the actual park. 

NWL

Yow, here's another one for Buco and Sue: since you are starting in Sacramento, don't miss California State Railway Museum, outstanding for both real and model trains (https://www.californiarailroad.museum/) and the Western Pacific Railroad Museum, less fancy, but not far from Sacramento (https://wplives.org/visitwprm.html). If you rent a car to drive out the Portola for the Western Pacific Museum, you get to go through the Donner State Park and even pass the unfortunately, but hilariously-named Donner Picnic Area. If you cannot make both, the California State Railway Museum is outstanding for model railroaders.

See, now we have a full year's itinerary for you.  Oh, yes, the long distance Amtrak trains are not grand, but the food is improving and the scenery is awe-inspiring.  From experience many times over, I find that among all three routes from Chicago to the West Coast, the Empire Builder is to me the scenery champion, but the California Zephyr is a very close second. Have fun!

Paul (Railrunnin).....Now you tell me about your famous lobster rolls and chowdah 😢 after we have the trip locked-in!! Been to Rhode Island on two (2) occasions now, and just love the "old mansions", and the marina prescient. Bought a neat Rhode Island polo shirt there the last time around, and I wear it with pride here in Australia!!!

Best clam chowder we ever had was in San Francisco, at Pier 39 on Fisherman's Wharf. Been back there three (3) times now, just to get their clam chowder in the sourdough bowl!!!!

Best lobster we ever had was up in Maine, at a small restaurant called "The Oceans Garden".  Three lobsters for $19.99 (during the season). And that hot butter sauce to dip the lobster in.....what can I say 😊

Sorry we can't darken your doorstep this time round, but look out on our next trip over!!!.

NWL......."Golden Spike National Historic Park".....got that one locked-in already, and looking forward to seeing it!!  Been to Yellowstone National Park on two (2) occasions now, and loved it each time!!! Once on a guided bus tour, and the other time just driving ourselves.

Ed (Golden Prairie Railroad)......Been to the California State Railway Museum on a previous excursion to the States. That is where I saw my first "Cab Forward" locomotive on display (climbed up into the cab), and my desire to have one of my own on, my layout. Thank you MTH RailKing!!!

Unfortunately our route won't be taking us up through the "Doner Pass" after we leave Sacramento. We are heading directly to South Lake Tahoe (always wanted to see this famous lake), then on up to Carson City, and then onto Reno (the biggest little town in the west).

Because we are renting a car in Los Angles, and need to get it back to Los Angles at the end of the epic journey (re-location fees in America are a real bit.h, ask me how I know!!!), we can't leave the car just anywhere to continue on using the train to travel. Sorta restricts our mobility to get to weird and wonderful places!!!

Thank you again guys for all of your suggestions......some are already on the list of things to see and do.

Peter........Buco Australia   

Horseshoe curve site is open,  but its all stairs to the top.  I hope you have a great trip.

Thanks jhz563........stairs will be no problem to these two seasoned travelers!!

Lift-off is in two (2) weeks time, and we are counting the days.

I have my list of "quires" I am going to discuss with MTH (Don, and hopefully Jon) about my non-running Baldwin AS-616 PS1 loco's, when we are in Maryland. Spending a few hours in the morning of that same day at GunrunnerJohn's place in Pennsylvania. Looking forward to seeing his layout and workshop, and hopefully getting some clues on these pesky early PS1 boards.

Lock-up your wives and daughters, we are about to invade!!

Peter......Buco Australia

Missed this thread,

have a great trip and we are all looking forward to your posts in route!