Eastern Railroad Discussion > Stream name near HorseShoe Curve, Altoona..

Between the ‘Curve’ and Altoona city limits there’s a creek that runs
Under the tracks, about a mile before the Curve viewing area...

Railroaders called it ‘Scotch Run’ ..
On maps I’ve seen it identified under a more formal Scottish
surname... Now, I’m curious..

Anybody know that creek’s formal, Scottish name..?

W.

Posted from iPhone

USGS identifies it as Scotch Gap Run. I've always heard the curve above it identified simplay as Scotch Run Curve.

A Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources map and Google Maps labels the stream as "Scotch Gap Run."



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/22/20 08:13 by RuleG.

PennDOT's Type 5 map for Logan Township also identifies it as "Scotch Gap Run".
/Ted

I've heard it called "Scot's Run". 

Conrail Track Charts call it Scotts Run (MP 240.7 PGH Line), they also have the area listed as Millers Curve. That being said, I've always heard it referred to and know it as Scotch Run.  There is another little creek that runs under the tracks just east of Scotch Run known as McGarveys Run (MP 239.8 PGH Line).

Naming practices in the older parts of the east are a bit fuzzy, but by and large, a “gap” is a valley, a low spot in the hills, especially the long, linear hills that are common in the Valley and Ridge country of the central Appalachians. As in the Delaware Water Gap, Indiantown Gap, etc. A “run” ( as in Bull Run, the civil war battlefield) is the waterbody that flows through there. 

Farther northeast, in Dutch America, the stream will be callled a “ kill”.