Nostalgia & History > CONRAIL, Horseshoe Curve, March 1990

On a hurried trip over spring break, I allocated two hours to shooting at Horseshoe Curve. Hiking up from behind the curve I assumed a position near the apex. In light rain CONRAIL did not disappoint. I was back in the car and headed for Muskegon in 90 minutes.

1. Dash 9-40C #6037 rounds the curve with westbound tonnage. 301155 March

2. SD60 #6820, eastbound coming down the grade from Gallitzin. 301225 March

3. A shot I had always wanted to get in multiple visits. SD40-2 #6508 powers upgrade, meeting eastbound SD60 #6820 drifting downgrade at the apex of the curve.

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Nice stuff!!! Thanks for sharing.

4, 5. SD40-2 #6304 lead unit on rear set of helpers assisting eastbound downgrade. 301230 March

6. Another set helpers, running light, drifts downgrade as westbound continues upgrade. 301233 March

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Great photos! Wish I'd made the trip.

Any of these locations accessible nowadays?

* JB *

w.f.p.t. | w.l.s.

captrr,
Thanks for the memories. I remember the "good old days" too.

Steve

Yeah thanks for the photos. Good angles that you really can't get now.

I've only been there once, it was last year. I didn't get a chance to shoot from that side of the tracks. It was early June and there were reports of rattlesnakes on the scanner from crews so we decided not to take a chance. Nice photos!!!

George Cataulin
San Diego, CA
Left Coast Rail Videos

Love the two 45-2s drifting down!!

Worth a visit whether you are a railfan or not. Museum in Altoona is also very good.

Neat oldschool Conrail stuff! It's amazing how much brighter the trains were with blue locomotives.

Here's a 2010 view from the "Ledge" area to the south west of the curve, accessed as noted from the back of the curve, hiking up from the road. NS 26T here is working east, downhill; these are helper locomotives that are on the back of the train adding to the braking effort.

Hard to beat this spot to soak in some mountain railroading!

~RGDave

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prr4828 Wrote:
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> Great photos! Wish I'd made the trip.
>
> Any of these locations accessible nowadays?
>
> * JB *
>
> w.f.p.t. | w.l.s.

Yes, but ever so briefly. Only until the constabulary arrives.

That and the trees have really grown in.

yankee15 Wrote:
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> prr4828 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Great photos! Wish I'd made the trip.
> >
> > Any of these locations accessible nowadays?
> >
> > * JB *
> >
> > w.f.p.t. | w.l.s.
>
> Yes, but ever so briefly. Only until the
> constabulary arrives.

RGDave Wrote:
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> It's amazing how
> much brighter the trains were with blue
> locomotives.

>
> ~RGDave

It really is, isn't it? Even though even the pre-whiteface Conrail paint scheme was, "on paper" unremarkable, it really made the power photograph very well in pretty much any setting with that splash of bright blue.

I mourn the passing of that paint scheme like I would the ATSF warbaonnet one.

One thing I like about some of those photo's is you can see the freight cars in the train.

I can't tell you how discrouaging it is when looking at older photo's - esp from the 70's and I want to see the freight cars better and I can't because all people photographed was the power set at the front end, or the caboose maybe.

I think you are saying the freight cars are covered in graffiti filth? No those photo locations are now taboo under the NS ownership.
gonut

Thanks, captrr, for sharing these and all your great pictures from all of the country!
Todd Montgomery
Springfield OR