Eastern Railroad Discussion > PA: A Gallitzin / tunnels question

How accessible is the area above the eastern side of the runnels in Gallitzin?  

I don't know if it's still possible, but you used to be able to park behind erculiani's restaurant on TunneHill Road in Gallitzin, and walk down thru the field to the area above the eastern side of the tunnels. The Portage tunnel was off to the right as you looked out. Enormous amount of noise as locomotives worked their way up the grade toward you.   The area above the Portage tunnels still had many artfifacts of the Main Line of the Pennsylvania Canal company's planes, etc.  The right of way for the abandoned New Portage branch and its underpass was visible.

The Google map of the area now shows the field largely forested, but shows Bird Eye road coming off TunnelHill, and curving around to a pull-off.  And then continuing down to track level to eventually reach (abandoned?) Bennington Cemetery. I'm guessing this in in the immediate vicinity of Bennigton Curve and the Red Arrow disaster.  Pennsy Triumph I goes into detail about the one time bustling town of Bennington, its high quality coal mine, and its coke ovens employed a lot of people. And shipped a lot of coal on the Pennsy.

 

Unfortunately the view from behind the restaurant is almost completely treed in at this point. There is a road that indeed descends down to a gamelands parking area and down to track level. There theoretically is public access to the cemetery along 3 track, although it is essentially on the access road and very close to the track. Just past the cemetery the road heads up the hill and a short walk accesses the rock ledge at Bennington Curve. The road down to track level is steep and not maintained in winter, and even 4wd vehicles have been known to get stuck.

Posted from iPhone



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/02/25 20:40 by DJ-12.

If you have a decent vehicle with ground clearance, you can definitely get down this road.  Be very careful in rain, snow, and/or ice.
I had to get a tow out of there one time... it was easy to get down but not so easy to get back up!

Thank you both for the info.  That eastern overlook used to be a nice location. Decades ago.

Yep, can definitely confirm that the overview off tunnel hill looking down onto the tracks is completely blocked by brush/vegetation. The access road is doable, judging by my performance with a 2012 camry this summer. It is however quite narrow and the curves are very sharp, not to mention numerous obstacles along the access road toward the cemetary. Luckily, now that it is closer to winter, it should be more easier to view things from the top overview without making the trip down the road. I will say that there is another access road that is much safer along Sugar Run Rd, cutting off and going under the Portage Tunnel and granting trackside access to the mainline. I did not see any tresspassing signs when I was there previously.

Posted from Android



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/04/25 04:37 by 4157335910.

The road down to track level was regraveled between last year and this year. But no doubt it's still gravel and not pavement. I got down to the tracks and down to the cemertary parking with my Ford Fusion, although I was driving very slow once i was along the ROW. It was summer as well. 

Marc L