the most inspiring states to railfans are.....
My January 2007 Trains Magazine has an interesting article saying the most inspiring states to railfans are Illinois, Pennsylvania and California, in that order.
Apparently they did an online survey of 1,000 Trains readers (I was not one) who said as much.
I don’t know about Illinois, having never really been there — only once as a teenager in 1960 during a family vacation. I suppose it’s all the trackage out of Chicago; a place where all railroads seem to gravitate.
Pennsylvania and California I agree about. New York is far down the list, but I’ve pursued trains hundreds of times in Pennsylvania.
Primarily there is the mighty Curve in Altoona, Pennsylvania — I’ve been there hundreds of times; once with mighty Jack, which was rather cool.
Political advisor James Carville said Pennsylvania is only Philadelphia and Pittsburgh and Alabama in between.
But that misses Harrisburg and Scranton and Johnstown — and even Williamsport.
To a railfan there is also Strasburg and Steamtown, although the Strasburg is rather wussy. The railroad isn’t much, and the trains are only doing 10-20 mph. (Strasburg is also the location of the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, where the old Pennsy collection of antique steamers [including the Lindbergh engine; E6 Atlantic #460] ended up.)
Steamtown had a steam-excursion where the train was doing 25-35 mph.
And it was on tracks that were once a mainline railroad (the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western), and it was uphill all the way out. The engine was working steam, whereas there isn’t much challenge on Strasburg.
Pennsylvania is also the location of three of the rail-pilgrimage stops; one of course being the the mighty Curve, the others being Starrucca Viaduct and giant Tunkhannock Viaduct.
Pennsylvania also has Rockville Bridge and all that old Pennsy electrification. Philly to Harrisburg on the Keystone Corridor is still electrified, and rebuilt for 110 mph.
I also long ago traced the Pennsy to all the way down the Susquehanna to Port Deposit; flyovers all over.
There also is all that Corridor trackage, Zoo Interlocking, and that high bridge over 30th Street.
California has two pilgrimage-stops: Cajon Pass and Tehachapi Loop (or Tehachapi Loop if ya can stand the music); and I’ve been to both.
Cajon was fielding trains willy-nilly — it’s the old Santa Fe access to Los Angeles off the high desert. Union Pacific also has a line through the pass now; ex Southern Pacific. (UP had trackage-rights over AT&SF, and may still have them.)
Tehachapi is the incredible line from the south end of the San Joaquin Valley up through the Tehachapi Mountains to the high desert.
The line is mind-blowing; but I’ve hardly seen any trains — maybe one years ago. It’s 2.5%, has lots of tunnels, Tehachapi Loop, and even a web-cam. (But I don’t think it’s running constantly like the Curve web-cam.)
I’ve seen trains approaching the Loop, but hardly ever on it (once; years ago). The terrain is incredible — a 10 mph highway through the hummocks. (There is a newer expressway [Highway 58], but that misses the Loop.)
The railroad was built in the 1870s (1875, I think) — wags thought it would never be built.
Illinois seems a waste — it has the old three-track Chicago, Burlington & Quincy racetrack (which Chicago’s Metra commuter-agency uses [may even own]), but there are too many unknowns.
Pennsylvania I know; I’m sure I’ll return to the mighty Curve. And K4 #1361 is supposed to be returning operable to Altoona — that was where it was built (1361 was at the Curve for years — I have pictures).
Apparently they did an online survey of 1,000 Trains readers (I was not one) who said as much.
I don’t know about Illinois, having never really been there — only once as a teenager in 1960 during a family vacation. I suppose it’s all the trackage out of Chicago; a place where all railroads seem to gravitate.
Pennsylvania and California I agree about. New York is far down the list, but I’ve pursued trains hundreds of times in Pennsylvania.
 |
| The Keed. |
| The mighty Curve; 2006 |
Political advisor James Carville said Pennsylvania is only Philadelphia and Pittsburgh and Alabama in between.
But that misses Harrisburg and Scranton and Johnstown — and even Williamsport.
To a railfan there is also Strasburg and Steamtown, although the Strasburg is rather wussy. The railroad isn’t much, and the trains are only doing 10-20 mph. (Strasburg is also the location of the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, where the old Pennsy collection of antique steamers [including the Lindbergh engine; E6 Atlantic #460] ended up.)
Steamtown had a steam-excursion where the train was doing 25-35 mph.
And it was on tracks that were once a mainline railroad (the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western), and it was uphill all the way out. The engine was working steam, whereas there isn’t much challenge on Strasburg.
Pennsylvania is also the location of three of the rail-pilgrimage stops; one of course being the the mighty Curve, the others being Starrucca Viaduct and giant Tunkhannock Viaduct.
Pennsylvania also has Rockville Bridge and all that old Pennsy electrification. Philly to Harrisburg on the Keystone Corridor is still electrified, and rebuilt for 110 mph.
I also long ago traced the Pennsy to all the way down the Susquehanna to Port Deposit; flyovers all over.
There also is all that Corridor trackage, Zoo Interlocking, and that high bridge over 30th Street.
California has two pilgrimage-stops: Cajon Pass and Tehachapi Loop (or Tehachapi Loop if ya can stand the music); and I’ve been to both.
Cajon was fielding trains willy-nilly — it’s the old Santa Fe access to Los Angeles off the high desert. Union Pacific also has a line through the pass now; ex Southern Pacific. (UP had trackage-rights over AT&SF, and may still have them.)
 |
| The Keed. |
| About 1968. |
The line is mind-blowing; but I’ve hardly seen any trains — maybe one years ago. It’s 2.5%, has lots of tunnels, Tehachapi Loop, and even a web-cam. (But I don’t think it’s running constantly like the Curve web-cam.)
I’ve seen trains approaching the Loop, but hardly ever on it (once; years ago). The terrain is incredible — a 10 mph highway through the hummocks. (There is a newer expressway [Highway 58], but that misses the Loop.)
The railroad was built in the 1870s (1875, I think) — wags thought it would never be built.
Illinois seems a waste — it has the old three-track Chicago, Burlington & Quincy racetrack (which Chicago’s Metra commuter-agency uses [may even own]), but there are too many unknowns.
Pennsylvania I know; I’m sure I’ll return to the mighty Curve. And K4 #1361 is supposed to be returning operable to Altoona — that was where it was built (1361 was at the Curve for years — I have pictures).
posted by BobbaLew at 9:31 AM
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