Central PA March 26-29 2008
Wednesday March 26
- Shoved off from Harlansburg about noon. Pit stops for money, gas, lunch. 3:00 arrival at the Schmidt House.
- Picked up Shel Bard and headed out to the . . .
Little Juniata Natural Area
- Surplus Outlet visit.
- Stopped to see the 2002 Suzuki Smitty is buying from the Kurtzes.
- Pizza Hut dinner.
- Stop by Spriggles to talk over trips the next couple of days.
Thursday March 27
- Breakfast at The Cafe.
- Drove thru Donation to Yocum Road to prove we could find it again.
- Headed over Tussey Mountain to check out Graziers Mill. Got lost, gave up, returned to pick up Jim Spriggle.
- On to Orbisonia and Rockhill Furnace . . .
East Broad Top Railroad & Coal Co.
A National Historic Landmark
40.2404N 77.9000W
Passenger Station
Freight Station
Store House
Engine House (Roundhouse)
A National Historic Landmark
40.2404N 77.9000W
Passenger Station
Freight Station
Store House
Engine House (Roundhouse)
- Lunch at Path Valley Restaurant in Spring Run.
Butler Knob on Jacks Mountain.
40.2935N 77.9665W 2317 feet
40.2935N 77.9665W 2317 feet
- Delicious dinner at the Spriggles'.
Friday March 28
- Breakfast at Donna's, Larry's cappuccino from The Cafe.
-
Pickup Jim and Jeannie for Allegheny Portage Railroad visit.
The Allegheny Portage Railroad is a National Historic Landmark.
We traced its full length from Hollidaysburg to Johnstown . . .
Hollidaysburg Canal Basin
At this site, passengers and freight were transferred from the
Pennsylvania Mainline Canal to the Allegheny Portage Railroad.
At this site, passengers and freight were transferred from the
Pennsylvania Mainline Canal to the Allegheny Portage Railroad.
- Drove the length of Foot of Ten Road looking for any APRR remnants. Especially around the bend in the road, which is roughly where the foot of incline 10 was located. Nothing sighted.
- Then on up Old US-22 to . . .
New Portage Railroad bridge over Old US-22.
The bridge is in the middle of the Muleshoe Curve. 40.4341N 78.5201W 1515feet
It was built in the 1850's as part of the New Portage Railroad,
a RAIL route commissioned by the state to bypass the Allegheny Portage.
East Face.
West Face.
Path across top.
The bridge is in the middle of the Muleshoe Curve. 40.4341N 78.5201W 1515feet
It was built in the 1850's as part of the New Portage Railroad,
a RAIL route commissioned by the state to bypass the Allegheny Portage.
East Face.
West Face.
Path across top.
- We continued on Old US-22. At the top of the Allegheny Front, in Summit, we found . . .
PA2019
The street signs say Portage Rd.
The PennDOT Cambria County map shows it as Level Road.
Either way, it's the route the APRR followed into Lily.
We drove its full length to Lilly.
The photo to the left is the eastern end at the edge of the
National Park Service's APRR National Historic Site.
PA53 bridge over Burgoon Run in Lilly Borough.
The bridge was built for the Allegheny Portage Railroad.
It's in the National Register of Historic Places.
The bridge was built for the Allegheny Portage Railroad.
It's in the National Register of Historic Places.
PA53 bridge over Bens Creek in Cassandra Borough.
The bridge was built for the Allegheny Portage Railroad.
It's in the National Register of Historic Places.
The bridge was built for the Allegheny Portage Railroad.
It's in the National Register of Historic Places.
- Under the watchful eye of one of the residents, we took a tour of Oil City, a small residential area adjacent to Bens Creek Bridge.
- Between Wilmore and Summer Hill, we followed Old Route 53/Bridge Street which crossed under the Norfolk Southern tracks 4 times. All old, massive stone bridges.
- Took a tour of the borough of South Fork. This is one of the towns that was wiped out when the dam just up stream broke, causing the Johnstown flood.
- We crossed over the Little Conemaugh River and found what is shown on the map as a dirt road following the river. It's now a bike trail. So Gene opted to not follow it.
- Continued on to Mineral Point via paved roads. Just south of town is the Staple Bend Tunnel Trail parking lot. Staple Bend Tunnel is another National Historic Landmark, being the first railroad tunnel constructed in the U.S.
- Ate lunch at the Rose Bud Inn on William Penn Ave. The meal quality was uneven.
- And then on into . . .
Johnstown
Lower Works
Gautier Plant
Franklin Plant
Gamesa
wind turbine blade manufacturing facility in Ebensburg.
Those are the 139 foot long blades laying on the ground around the building.
The Gamesa web site says they are installing 40 wind turbines on the Allegheny Front.
Each turbine will generate 2 megawatts. As I type, my house is using 2 kilowatts.
Those are the 139 foot long blades laying on the ground around the building.
The Gamesa web site says they are installing 40 wind turbines on the Allegheny Front.
Each turbine will generate 2 megawatts. As I type, my house is using 2 kilowatts.
Saturday March 29
- Breakfast at The Cafe.
- Stone Creek Ridge drive looking for Tyrone view. Couldn't see it.
- Chilcote Hollow/Colerain Rd over Tussey Mountain . . .
View north from Colerain Road on Tussey Mountain
- Graziers Mill review. Not much change, only some new concrete to apparently handle road drainage.
- Followed back road into Birmingham and toured the village.
- Checked out the silver barn on Silver Barn Road.
- Lunch, divorce agreement review.
-
Larry shoves off slightly before 2:00, home at 4:35. Light traffic.
Gene takes a nap.