NS Pittsburgh Sub East Route Summary

This new route/region for Run8 starts west of Johnstown and runs roughly 60 plus miles to Tyrone east of Altoona. Until reaching Altoona, the Pittsburgh Sub is a double-track mainline from Duncannon. Once at Altoona, a third track is added for the climb up the Allegheny Mountains.

On the east slope of the Alleghenies, the tracks traverse remote mountainous terrain at a grade of about 1.8%. Roughly halfway up the westward ascent lies the Horseshoe Curve. Originally constructed by the PRR in 1854, the 220-degree curve was the solution for the railroad to gain enough elevation around a valley to reach the higher land across to continue west. Constructed mainly by immigrants, the curve was built by cutting into the hillside around Kittanning Point and filling in the necessary places for the railroad right-of-way to be laid.

Past the curve, the Pittsburgh Sub continues west to Gallitzin, passing through MG Interlocking a mile west of Horseshoe Curve, whose old PRR interlocking tower is also on the historic register, though off-limits to the public. East of Gallitzin, the railroad passes through Bennington Curve, the site of a PRR passenger wreck in 1947 killing 16 people and injuring over 100. Past Bennington Curve at a railroad timetable station called "SF", the three tracks split. Tracks 2 (bi-directional) and 3 (westward) continue on towards Gallitzin at their same ascent, while Track 1 (eastward) diverges up a 2.46% grade known as "The Slide", which is a downhill-only track restricting trains to traveling no more than 12 miles per hour (19 km/h) over its steep grade. Both sets of main tracks pass through tunnels to exit and crest in the town of Gallitzin. Tracks 2 and 3 pass through the new Allegheny Tunnel, while Track 1 passes through the New Portage Tunnel.

LATE NIGHT MEET OF TWO NS TRAINS AT THE OLD PRR MG INTERLOCKING TOWER AT CP-MG

NS Pittsburgh Sub East Route Summary Continued

Past Gallitzin, the railroad passes through the small town of Cresson, where all of the Pittsburgh Sub's tracks come back together. Here is also where a locomotive helper base is located, as well as interchange(s) with the RJ Corman Railroad.

Past Cresson, the railroad passes down the Alleghenies' west slope, through the towns of Lilly, Cassandra, Portage, Wilmore, Summerhill, South Fork, Mineral Point, Parkhill, and East Conemaugh before reaching Johnstown and Woodvale Yard at the bottom of the mountain.

Helper Operations

Helper locomotives are used by Norfolk Southern to assist heavy trains over mountainous portions of the Pittsburgh Sub. Helper crews are mainly based in Altoona and Johnstown.

Passenger Operations

Today, Amtrak's Pennsylvanian (PO42 EB and PO43 WB) is the only daily passenger service that remains in operation on the Pittsburgh Sub, making stops on our route at Tyrone, Altoona and Johnstown.

THE AMTRAK PENNSYLVANIAN STOPPED AT ALTOONA PA

Route Features:

• Over 60 Miles of NS Mainline Operations

• A PDF that lists all of the trains over the NS Pittsburgh Sub

• Rose Yard

• Woodvale Yard

• Conemaugh & Black Lick RR at Johnstown PA

• RJ Corrman Pennsylvania at Cresson PA

• Nittany & Bald Eagle RR at Altoona PA

• Many Road and Local Operations

• 45 Industries

• Amtrak Operations

• And Much Much More

THE JUNIATA LOCOMOTIVE AND CAR REPAIR SHOPS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF ROSE YARD