Eastern Railroad Discussion > NS /Sylvania July 4th Big Shoot for Horshoe's 150th

Nice article just came across my desk from NS jointly announcing a 6,500 Sylvania big shoot the night of July 4th celerating the 150th anniversary of the curve reminicent of the original Sylvania big shoot of 1954. Maybe someone with mor computer savy than me can cut and paste the article from NSINFO.
-Rich S.

this is straight off the site:

March 11, 2004

150th Anniversary Of "Horseshoe Curve"
Features Major Fourth Of July Tribute
Norfolk Southern and OSRAM SYLVANIA Engineer Lighting Extravaganza;
This Year's Event Will Trump the 1954 "SYLVANIA Big Shot"
ALTOONA, PA - With the commemoration of Horseshoe Curve's 150th anniversary this year, the Railroaders Heritage Corporation today announced that it will "pull out all the stops" with a major evening spectacular on July 4th. This extraordinary event will be reminiscent of the famous 1954 "SYLVANIA Big Shot," which featured the simultaneous deployment of more than 6,500 SYLVANIA Blue Dot flashbulbs to light Horseshoe Curve. This time, OSRAM SYLVANIA and Norfolk Southern will provide technology, equipment and sizzle for the celebration of this major transportation and engineering milestone in American history.

"We are excited to once again help bring notice to such an important moment in American history," said Scott Cessna, executive director of the Railroaders Memorial Museum in Altoona. "In 1854, an enterprising young civil engineer named J. Edgar Thomson opened the first railway to scale the mighty Allegheny Mountains in Central Pennsylvania. To avoid a sharp incline, which would be impossible for heavy steam trains to manage, Thomson routed the right-of-way in a horseshoe shape, so the rise would be gradual. The feat was considered a major engineering masterpiece at the time and was pivotal to opening commerce across the continental U.S."

The American Society of Civil Engineers recently recognized Horseshoe Curve as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark during a ceremony in Altoona.

"Horseshoe Curve is a vital component of Norfolk Southern's 22-state freight rail network," said David R. Goode, Norfolk Southern's chairman, president and chief executive officer. "The 150th year of operation of this American industrial and engineering landmark, its role in the westward expansion of the U.S. and its continuing importance to the national economy are certainly deserving of celebration."

Today, an average of 60 Norfolk Southern freight trains and four Amtrak passenger trains operate over Horseshoe Curve daily. This volume translates into more than 100 million gross tons of freight annually. Commodities coming through Horseshoe Curve include mail, consumer goods, coal, finished automobiles, construction material and agricultural products.

SYLVANIA technology continues to focus public awareness on the remarkable feat of engineering that Horseshoe Curve represents. In 1954, SYLVANIA and the Pennsylvania Railroad captured the imagination of children and adults alike with the illumination of Horseshoe Curve, which was the sixth in a series of 18 photographic achievements known as Big Shots. All 18 Big Shots were illuminated using SYLVANIA flashbulb technology. Photographs of the 1954 event can be found at www.railroadcity.com/hsc1954.

"We recognize the historical significance of the anniversary of the construction of Horseshoe Curve and are pleased to support the recreation of the spectacle of the first lighting. As we did in the past, we will be using the most innovative products available on the market today," said Charlie Jerabek, president and CEO of OSRAM SYLVANIA. "Many of the lighting products available through OSRAM SYLVANIA today were developed within the last five years."

In order to provide the safest and most comfortable atmosphere for the celebration, the event will be ticketed. Entertainment will be provided the entire day both at the Railroaders Memorial Museum in Altoona and Horseshoe Curve, culminating with the lighting of Horseshoe Curve and a display from Zambelli Fireworks Internationale - the "First Family of Fireworks." Ticket information is available by contacting the Railroaders Memorial Museum at 1-888-4ALTOONA.

Hopefully the brush will be cut down around the curve. Good PR for all parties concerned. Sounds like one heck of a neat event!

Wonder when it will be held and how much i will cost. But i will be there. And i am bettig those penssy E8's will be there too. Possible a 1361 too I hope??

Wow! That is an amazing picture!! Thanks for sharing that link. I never realized a photo of that magnatude could be attained! And here I am just trying to figure out how to get my stupid digital camera to flash only ONCE a picture...

DTIDave


conrailsd8 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> SYLVANIA technology continues to focus public
> awareness on the remarkable feat of engineering
> that Horseshoe Curve represents. In 1954, SYLVANIA
> and the Pennsylvania Railroad captured the
> imagination of children and adults alike with the
> illumination of Horseshoe Curve, which was the
> sixth in a series of 18 photographic achievements
> known as Big Shots. All 18 Big Shots were
> illuminated using SYLVANIA flashbulb technology.
> Photographs of the 1954 event can be found at
> www.railroadcity.com/hsc1954.
>

That picture looks like a painting. The fireworks look goofey.

--Dan

The fireworks were airbrushed in but that picture is the real thing colorized. We have many many original black and whites of the event in the Museum collection.

If CSX owned Horsehoe, good luck getting them to do something like this.

Does that mean someone is out there cutting the brush and trees now?!?!?!?