| Laurel Highlands/Southern Alleghenies
It must have seemed like an insurmountable obstacle to the early
pioneers looking to expand Pennsylvania's canal system west - a
1200-foot ridge rising above the Altoona and Hollidaysburg area.
But in feats of engineering that would come to symbolize American
technical prowess and the emergence of Pennsylvania as an industrial
giant, the Allegheny Portage Railroad and later, the Horseshoe Curve
were constructed to conquer the Allegheny Ridge and open the west
for canal boats, and eventually, the railroad.
Horseshoe
Curve Visitors Center/Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum
Railroading's engineering marvel helped spark the nation's westward
expansion. Tourists can view the curve from a visitor's center at
the site, but to ride on the rails visitors must board an Amtrak
train at either Altoona (voice 814-946-1100) or Johnstown (voice
814-535-3313). The museum allows visitors to look at and listen
to the lives of railroad workers.
East
Broad Top Railroad
Visitors take a one-and-a-half hour trip through mountain valleys
and wooded areas. Passengers ride in cars that have been in operation
since 1882, and the line still uses two steam engines from 1911
and 1918. The Rockhill Trolley Museum is adjacent to the railroad.
Laurel
Highlands Railroad
Passengers can board in Scottdale for a two-and-a-half hour ride
or in Mt. Pleasant for a one hour ride. The "Highlander,"
as it is known, travels through the scenic Laurel Highlands valley.
Rock
Hill Trolley Museum
Ride one of nine fully restored and operational trolleys. Tours
run on weekends from Memorial Day through mid October.
Johnstown
Incline
The steepest incline in the world at 71.9 degrees. Cars run every
15 minutes from 7 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week. The Amtrak
station, where passengers can board a train which passes through
the Horseshoe Curve, is four blocks away.
Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum and Horseshoe Curve Visitors
Center
See info for Horseshoe Curve
Allegheny
Portage Railroad National Historic Site
Information and artifacts from the Allegheny Portage Railroad, which
used a series of inclines and levels to carry boats up and down
the Allegheny Mountains.
Youngwood
Railroad Museum
History and memorabilia have been collected at this restored Pennsylvania
Railroad station. The museum has an operating model train layout.
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