A 4 pack of helpers wait to enter Rose Yard after assisting a heavy eastbound mixed freight over the mountain. A westbound mixed freight can be seen making its run on the hill in the foreground.

Helpers push a westbound stack train past the closed Alto tower.

Loads for pickup. The Altoona, Pennsylvania Juniata Locomotive Shops and adjoining yard of Norfolk Southern were loaded with engines of all kinds on Saturday, November 2, 2019. Of note are the A-B... (more)

As 39Q patiently waits for its turn to head west, a higher priority intermodal train passes by at CP Altoona.

Midway between the apex of Horseshoe Curve and MG Interlocking, an SD45/SD40 helper duo lends a strong assist to symbol freight PG-3 as it climbs the mountain on No.3 track in McGinley's Curve. Th... (more)

A pair of SD40-2 "snappers" are coupled ahead of the road power on Conrail Mail 9 (Morrisville, PA-Chicago) as the train rounds the most famous bend in railroading at Horseshoe Curve. Hi... (more)

LMS 724, one of the GE lease units painted for Big Blue, drops downgrade past the westward home signals for MG on an autumn afternoon. STES (Sterling, MI to Harrington, DE) has auto parts for Newa... (more)

Patience is a Virtue

A short, unidentified intermodal train fills the center arc of the Horseshoe Curve above Altoona, PA. On the east leg, if you squint hard enough, you'll see the ... (more)

What we have here is a discouraging matter of timing in that the 6406, a train of empty PPLX hoppers, had stalled at MG and had to await rescue helpers to come up from Altoona to shove. It got mov... (more)

A string of SD60s await their fate outside of the Juniata Shops.

It's a chilly morning on the mountain as symbol PIMO for Morrisville, PA eases downgrade just past the westward home signals for MG. The 135 car tonnage outfit had five locomotives on the point pl... (more)

NS Lehigh Valley Heritage Unit eases off the brakes after rolling down the grade into Downtown Altoona on its way to New Jersey.