Railfan Trip Reports > PA wanderings in the mountains

see image in media area

http://www.trainorders.com/media/image-new/img.php?im_id=155

wanted to make image a bit larger, but this is 800 wide :-(

Beatiful weather, got new vehicle back from dealer (\'99 CRV), so just had to test in the mountains ... driving is fun again (conversion van was NOT fun, especially in moutains - bad brakes :-( that dealer did not try to fix - dump the Dodge :-(

I know, I passed up the wings on 203 for 2 days of driving all over the mountains chasing boring old NS and CSX trains :-)

Started out at Sandpatch, but with track work, it appeared it was gonna be dead after 137 went west, so I headed north up PA 160 looking for MACs ... none found, called the Smurf to see if he could come out and play :-) Spent the rest of the day wandering around the west slope, mostly looking at new (for me) locations (wanted to see the overlook north on South Fork, but the access road was a creek :-( Wound up at CP Ryans with the Smurf, the Rat and Mrs. Rat, good day.

Went back to Sandpatch May 25 as the clouds were closing in on the west slope Friday morning. Was at Mance early, then headed down to Foley (could drive down to the point south of Foley now :-) After a long dead spell, headed east to Fairhope. Had been there many times, but I guess always in the middle of the day, and had never climbed the rocks north of the tracks KEWL. This place will HAVE to be investigated in the early AM. The shots here are after the sun had swung to the other side of the tracks.

Left for home after the 3 hour late Amtrak passed, and actually saw him again at Shendoah Junction - gettin\' pretty bad when a Honda can beat the Amtrak :-(

Images are top to bottom, left to right:

Lucky #7 downgrade at Mance about 7 AM, very little light (May 25);

134 downgrade at Foley, May 25

Westbound pigs at Cassandra, was really dead in mid afternoon, track 1 was out of service, May 24, only 3 trains in 2 hours ... Mayor, you gotta work on that :-)

Capitol May 24 at Fairhope

May 25 parade of leasor power (didn\'t take palm pilot, so don\'t have train numbers) at Foley

Point Park in Johnstown - in the foreground is the sign picturing the PRR brisge that weathered the flood, while 18G passes over the bridge in the background. (May 24)

Westbound pigs from the north side of the tracks in Johnstown, late in the afternoon (May 24)

Capitol 3 hrs late at Fairhope May 25

Sandpatch has turned "John Deere" green, saw JDs on both 24th and 25th. The trees to the north of the tracks at Foley, and some at Cassandra, are still not green, only buds.

W042 ... was doing all of 12 mph, and I knew he was close, but didn\'t hear much noise (expected a loaded ballast train), then a ballast cleaner comes \'round the point south of FO Tower, May 25

Westbound crossing the Johnstown bridge, seen from a park to the west (road up here looks like 4wd only - I had walked from Point Park).

May 24, 134 at FO tower. I knew I could not get to the overlook in time, this is my first shot at this bridge. Later in the year with less water in the creek, you may get a better reflection.

V605 at Fairhope May 25. 80MAC 807 in trailing position. (May 25)

#7 again at Mance from the overlook ... I may have to pass up this morning shot for Fairhope :-)

Another pic of the westbound on the bridge, only with telephoto as he passes under the signal bridge. (May 24)

Q137 at the point below FO on May 24

too bad you weren`t at Salisbury Jct. to see V-605 come off the Shaw Branch with the 80MAC.

Tom