“Lemme Fix My Hair”

Years ago, from the Curve webcam.

Years ago the Mighty Curve (Horseshoe Curve) had a streaming video webcam.
Anyone who reads this blog knows Horseshoe Curve was a trick by Pennsylvania Railroad to conquer Allegheny Mountain without steep grades.
The Alleghenies were a barrier to trade from Philadelphia to the nation’s interior. The Alleghenies didn’t go into NY state, so NY could build its Erie Canal. Allegheny Mountain couldn’t be canaled.


The Mighty Curve. (Norfolk Southern photo.)

A railroad historical museum put in the webcam so railfans could watch trains assault The Mighty Curve.
That museum, Railroaders Memorial Museum, is based in Altoona (PA), once the center of Pennsylvania Railroad operations. Altoona is at the base of Allegheny Mountain, and Horseshoe Curve became a historical engineering landmark.
People visit Horseshoe Curve as a tourist destination. As a railfan I’ve seen it many times. I consider it the BEST railfan pilgrimage spot I’ve ever been to.
It has a viewing-area smack in the apex of the curve. Trains are right in your face.
The railroad is one of two that serve the east-coast megalopolis.
The other is the old New Central line across NY state. That line is now CSX; the old Pennsy is Norfolk Southern.
It’s very busy. “Wait 20 minutes and you’ll see a train,” I say. Although it can go dead. Like if tracks were out-of-service for maintenance.
But usually at some time of day, like after the maintenance-guys finish, a burst of trains will pass. Every 5-10 minutes a train. “They’re fleetin’ ‘em,” I say.
Perhaps 5-8 years ago the Curve webcam was deactivated. I guess it became troublesome, too costly to maintain. Railroaders Memorial Museum is volunteer, I think.
Another streaming video webcam is at Station-Inn in Cresson (“KRESS-in”) PA, not far from Horseshoe Curve.
Station Inn is an old trackside hotel, now a bed-and-breakfast for railfans. Station Inn’s webcam is also a private business, not the Inn. All they provided was a camera location.
Cresson is on the west slope of the mountain, whereas Horseshoe is east slope. The west slope isn’t as challenging as the east slope, but it’s the same railroad, so just as busy.


From the Station Inn webcam.

Cresson isn’t as scenic as The Mighty Curve, but worth visiting. I’ve stayed at Station Inn occasionally, plus it broadcasts local railroad-radio over the Internet.
So now instead of my classical-music radio-station’s opera on Saturday afternoons, which I can’t stand, I watch and listen to railfan stuff from Station Inn.
E.g.: “Norfolk Southern milepost 253.1, Track One, no defects,” instead of 350-pound stringy-haired blonds in horned helmets screaming “Ride of the Valkyries” at the top of their lungs. (“They goosed her again!”)
Years ago, while the Curve webcam was still working, my wife and I visited The Mighty Curve.
I looked for the actual video camera, and found it atop a park-building.
“What’s that you’re pointing at?” a lady asked.
“The Curve webcam,” I said. “It broadcasts all over the Internet.”
“Nothing is private any more,” she whined.
I called my brother’s cellphone. He was at work at a Boston power-station.
“Fire up the Curve webcam,” I shouted; “on your computer.”
I moved to within the webcam’s view, and started waving.
“Hup-hup!” my brother said. “Get to work!”
The tourist lady was in awe.
“Come over here, and you can be on it too,” I said.
“Wait a minute,” she said. “Lemme fix my hair.”

• My beloved wife of over 44 years died of cancer April 17th, 2012. I miss her immensely. Best friend I ever had, and after my childhood I sure needed one. She actually liked me.