Eastern Railroad Discussion > Some thoughts on my recent trip "back east..."

To all the nice TO members east of the Mississippi,

My wife and I spent much of June on an 18-day, 7000-plus mile long driving trip from Salt Lake City to the East which we enjoyed thoroughly. Our sincerest thanks to those here on TO who helped with answers to my questions back in May as we prepared for this trip! Although I had been around both NS and CSX for years back to my own railroad days, I really enjoyed seeing both on this trip, and in areas I had never before visited in many cases. The purpose of the trip (aside from it being a vacation) was to allow me to do operations research and photography of Ohio River barge traffic, as well as the dams, locks and bridges that span that famous inland waterway. We were also able to visit a number of famous rail locations and museums as a part of our travels... The following are some observations I have from a selection of those experiences that I thought you might find of interest, and any feedback or additional info would be appreciated!

Our route was Salt Lake City to (in the following order) Cheyenne, Omaha, Boone (IA), Clinton (IA), Rochelle (IL), Chicago, Toledo, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Cincinnati/Covington, along the Ohio to Huntington, Charleston (WV), Cumberland (MD), had a great stay with friends near Harpers Ferry with side trips to Strasburg (PA) and Altoona (PA), then returning home via Roanoke, Beckley (WV), the New River Gorge, Charleston (again), Marietta (OH), then along the upper Ohio to Pittsburgh, then west via Columbus, Louisville, Evansville and Paducah to Metropolis, continuing to Cairo, St. Louis, Kansas City, Omaha, North Platte, Cheyenne, and home. Our longest day was Cheyenne to Clinton at 871 miles...

Some thoughts and observations: Just like the kind folk here on TO who helped before our trip, almost everyone we met back east was very friendly and helpful, but one location really stands out on the entire trip, and that was the wonderful Pennsylvania Railroad Museum in Strasburg! I have been to many rail museums over the years, (and many railroad hobby shops as well), and all too often they are staffed by people who like trains, but who don't like, or don't know how to interact with people... However, not only was everyone working (volunteering) at the Pennsy Museum very friendly and professional, they went out of their way to anticipate how to make the most of your time there. As a result of their thoughtful ideas and suggestions we were able to have time to ride the Strasburg Railway and still see all of the equipment and displays at the museum. I was VERY impressed by the beautiful condition of the PRR E-7A and E44C inside the main building, and it was fun (though a bit poignant for a former Amtrak official) to see an E60C and an AEM-7 outside awaiting restoration. (I remember when both were introduced! Am I really getting that old???)

However, the best part of the museum was its fantastic gift shop and the nice ladies who staffed it! Not only did it have much more than any museum gift shop I have seen (including the one at the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento), but the ladies were very helpful to my wife and I as we hurriedly perused the shops vast selection in the time remaining before it closed. I spent more money there than at all the other museums we visited put together, and the selection, they way it is presented, and the staff were the reason why... I would go back in a heartbeat, and would recommend that any railroader, railfan, or parents with children who like trains should visit both the museum and its gift shop! This was my first-ever visit there, and I hope it will not be my last...

The museum and gift shop at the Horseshoe Curve was also very nice with a friendly and helpful staff and a nice selection of books and other items about real trains. The only comment here is that the Venicular Railway up to the tracks needs to operate far more often than it does. Running only every 30 minutes (as I recall) leaves the elderly and handicapped "stuck" below or above for a long time in either hot or cold weather, and many of us can no longer make it up all those steps (and we should not have to try...). This operation should run every ten to fifteen minutes at a minimum...

The Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke was another very nice museum, and I enjoyed the sections on the other modes of transportation along with its many railroad displays. A very friendly elderly gentleman who used to drive for Greyhound made that part of the museum most enjoyable, but there was no one around with the rail displays. The gift shop here had much, but unlike in Strasburg where every book in the store had a copy that was open for potential customers to look through it, all of the books were sealed in plastic at Roanoke, and the staff did not seem interested in helping. I asked one young man working there a question twice and got no response either time. As such, rather than buying $100.00-plus in books on the Virginian or the N&W, I left with only a few postcards, which was a big disappointment...

(Special note: In this day when most color railroad books are over $60.00 per copy, I for one am not going to buy it if I can't see what it covers and whether or not it is worth the investment. Railroad museums and hobby shops please take note...)

En route home we stopped by the National Museum of Transportation near St. Louis, MO. I had been to this museum several times in the past going back to 1972, and it always had a great gift shop. However, I was very disappointed again here since what passes for a gift shop had way too much "Thomas the Tank Engine" and not nearly enough about real railroads and locomotives. We left without buying anything and got on I-70 for Kansas City where Doc's Hobby Shop (I think that's the name) took care of us nicely... This museum is a long way from the main highways, and based on this experience, I probably would not take the time to stop there again... I include these comments not to offend anyone, but museums (and hobby shops) need to understand that it is on issues like this that economic success or failure often hinges...

As far as the trains we saw, well, both CSX and NS seemed rather quiet whenever we were along their lines, though we did enjoy Conway Yard, the Horseshoe Curve, Altoona Shops, Roanoke Shops, trains on the big bridges at Cincinnati, and seeing the Beaver, PA Bridge and the Sciotoville Bridge even if no trains were seen crossing them. We had made some of our hotel reservations ahead of time thanks to an eastern TO member referring me to the railfanmotels.com website (Thanks!). Also, there is a relatively new Marriott property overlooking the Ohio River (and the NS just east of Conway Yard) along I-79 on Neville Island just downriver from Pittsburgh!

Finally, a question for you eastern rail aficionados... While at the Altoona Shops, amidst rows of former UP SD90MACS and lots of NS power, we saw a "New Haven" painted P32DC and an ex-Conrail E33 electric still wearing ratty Conrail blue and wearing its CR number 4601. Does anyone know what is going on with that E33? I was hoping it was going to the museum at Strasburg, perhaps painted NH or Penn Central. I was glad to see the E33 in Virginian paint in Roanoke, but having one in Strasburg with the GG-1's and the E44 would be nice. Thanks in advance for any info you can provide!

I want to keep this "trip report" brief, and again those who helped here on TO have my sincerest thanks. I hope my comments and observations will be helpful to the museums mentioned as well... Finally, it was nice to be in all those rolling hills, green trees, and along BIG rivers once again, and getting to see areas along the NS and CSX that are rarely visited. Now if only the "Broadway Limited" and "Powhatan Arrow" still ran...

Best wishes to all,

ShastaDaylight



 

The "New Haven" painted Genesis unit is one of the ones Metro-North uses that belongs to the Connecticut Department of Transportation, and was probably there for overhaul.

I believe the E33 is headed to the Illinois Railway Museum after cosmetic restoration. I have not heard whose paint it's supposed to get. There is history on this reported on Trainorders.
 

Not sure but the NH P32DC might have been a CDOT unit (Conneticut Dept. of Transportation)

Ed Stewart
Jacksonville, FL

I think you'd have been happier in Roanoke had you visited the gift shop of the Winston Link Museum.  They've always opened any book I wanted to look at.  And they have a very good selection of N&W, Virginian and NS titles.

KG

I will second your observations about the gift shop at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania.  They understand both the "railfan" and the general tourist and have a great selection to please both, plus knowledgable people to answer questions.  While not every gift shop can be as large, they should be thoughtful, both in selection and service.

Tim

To all:

Thanks for your comments and for the info on the E33! A second thank you to those here on TO who helped us plan our trip!

Sincerely,

ShastaDaylight

 

Quite a trip.

I was at Horseshoe Curve recently this year as they had the brush cutting project underway.  I couldn't agree more with the comment on the funicular.  It is hard to fathom why it only runs every 30 minutes, but it certainly is not freindly to the visitors.  In trying to imagine why the infrequent schedule, I can come up with a couple of scenarios:   Wear and tear on the equipment (this is a lame excuse if this is part of it) or staffing issues.  In any case, 30 minutes is a long time to wait and there are many people, particularly elderly folks, who just cannot take the stairs.