Ok - here's the deal. I have the last week of July off. Preliminary plan is: From Michigan - go across Ohio and Pennsylvania up to New York (Watkins Glen) - maybe over to Vermont (Rutland) - back through Pennsylvania to Gettysburg and then back to Michigan. Watkins Glen, NY and Gettysburg, PA are the only "must stops" along the way. Help me figure out some great railfanning - like Horseshoe Curve, Summit of Alleghenies, Sand Patch Grade, etc. Which way should I go - what should I see???
Looking at the sheer number of trains per day (100+), I'd recommend a stop in Fostoria, OH. The scenery isn't much, but if you want to watch a CSX/NS parade, this is it. Fostoria's probably 30-40 minutes south of the turnpike on Rt. 23.
Heading into D&H areas where there is a great deal of history that includes the D&H Canal (Honesdale/Carbondale). I can get you in touch with some great railfans in the area between Albany and Montreal in you think you might head that way. Keep in mind Scranton PA (Steamtown), Harpers Ferry (Both Railroad & Civil War), Conway Scenic Railroad, Green Mountain Railroad, Shelburn Museum, and many, many other Civil War sites given your Gettysburg statement. Keep in mind the B&O Museum is closed currently from major damage.
I grew up in Garrett, IN - when I was a kid, my dad took me to Willard, OH, but I don't remember it (or Fostoria). I drove a truck my first year out of high school, and used to go from Auburn, IN to Bryan, OH, and sometimes as far as Defiance. I hear that there is a cool place to visit in Deshler - Crossroads Park?
Kevdog 77- I forgot - welcome aboard.! Stourbridge Lion - I love D&H PAs! I was kinda thinking about hitting Ticonderoga and Saratoga Natl. Historic Park - not sure how much time I can spend east - actually thought about cutting down 87 (through Albany) and maybe detouring over to Danbury, CT where I lived for a few years. Really want to try get to Conway.
Conway's really hard to railfan. No good vantage points except the employee-only overpass. Not a whole lot of vantage points right near the yard - unlike Enola. I was on Amtrak a couple weeks ago and they said that they were closing the WAMPUM bridge on the Cleveland line and there would be a lot of detours and traffic planned over the P&LE line - not sure how you do that out of Conway, either. The bridge over the river at WAMPUM is a great junction - I plan to go back there. Depends what you like - if it is train density it's hard to beat the Cleveland-Buffalo corridor, particulary near Erie, PA and Northeast, PA (Lake Shore RR Museum is a good hangout to watch from). The GE plant site is not railfan friendly but the test track runs about five miles parallel to the NS main out of the plant, and there are some public-road vantage points. Personally I think one of the best spots to railfan near the Curve is near the museum - the new pedestrian overpass right by ALTO tower and near the RR museum. The helper pocket is right there and so is the Amtrak depot.
Randgust - aww nuts. Someone told me Coway had an FA2 and a BL2 - was hoping to get some great shots with hills in the background - doesn't sound like that's going to be easy to do - that's why I'm asking!
Check out my Conway Scenic Railroad photos from my trip in October 2003. Well worth the time and $$$... I hope to get more images out of my video later too but won't be done before your trip - Sorry.
Stourbridge - great photos! You went at the time of year I really want to go on vacation - oh well, two more years and I bet my youngest son will want to move out on his own and then we'll be taking at least one week of vacation in October.
Hey, I'm from PA and CONWAY is Conway yard outside of Pittsburgh!!!!! Conway Scenic is Conway Scenic! I suppose Altoona, WI is on your route, too? (smile!)
Thanks for the link, it looks like a nice railfanning site that I might just have to check out some day myself too.
Remembering back from my Y2K trip, Marion OH was great, (went there on the way out and the way back!) Fostoria was quiet when we visited but had great potential. Would also second the lake shore museum in Northeast PA, worth a drop in (they have a CSS&SB Little Joe for starters!), and it being right on the NS and CSX main lines doesn't hurt either... Conway Yard? Yeah, I remember talking to a nice NS policeman there...
If you do the Sand Patch/Cumberland thing, stop by to see me. I'll be in the area July 24-27. Send me a PM this week if you're interested.
To miss the Pennsy Horseshoe Curve would be a mistake. If you get to CSX's Sand Patch area, don't miss the old Western Maryland Salisbury Viaduct. It's been "rail to trailed", and you can walk across it now...wife and I did 7/18/04. Saw three trains in 45 minutes. Here are some pics. This is the south approach First train, looking west of south end viaduct These are the helpers of the above, hammering uphill towards Myersdale. South end of viaduct, looking east. Amtrak's Capital Limited, North end, looking east. Beautiful day, cloudy bright, 74 with a breeze. Ed [ 21. July 2004, 00:47: Message edited by: WM734 ]
Ed, I was looking at that last photo & thought they had only put a handrail one side! But then I saw the shadow on the walkway! Doh!
