The Pittsburgh line is Norfolk Southern Primary east west artery the Pittsburgh line is former Pennsylvania Railroad property the Pittsburgh line spans 248 miles between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh crossing the Allegheny Mountains through the Gallitzin tunnels and the famous Horseshoe Curve the Pittsburgh line is arguably Norfolk Southern busiest freight corridor where 50 to 70 trains traverse the line daily Altoona is the site of Norfolk Southern Juniata Shops the largest locomotive repair facility on the NS system Originally constructed by the PRR in 1850, this large complex of shops is what gave the city of Altoona its worth and structure Leaving Altoona the railroad travels at a 1.76% grade up the east slope of the Alleghenies, negotiating the famous Horseshoe Curve during that climb past the curve the Pittsburgh line continues to climb a grade of 1.86% to the small town Gallitzin where the main line reaches the top of it's climb at 2,167 feet above sea level the total westward climb amounting to 12 miles from there the railroad descends the Alleghenies west slope down to Johnstown a total distance of about 25 miles,until reaching Altoona the Pittsburgh line is a double track mainline from Duncannon once to Altoona a third track is added for the climb up the Allegheny Mountains the line goes back two at Conpit Junction where the Conemaugh Line remains a single track route the east slope traverses remote mountainous terrain at a grade of about 1.8% roughly halfway up the westward ascent lies the Horseshoe Curve originally constructed by the PRR in 1854 the 220 degree curve was the solution for the railroad to gain enough elevation around a valley to reach the higher land across to continue west it currently is on the list of National Historic sites and boasts a visitors park in apex of the curve adjacent to the Pittsburgh line tracks past the curve the Pittsburgh line continues west to Gallitzin past Bennington Curve the three tracks split tracks 2 and 3 westward continue on towards Gallitzin at the same ascent while track 1 eastward diverges up 2.46% grade know as the Slide which is a downhill only track restricting trains to traveling no more than 12 miles per hour over it's steep grade both sets of main tracks pass through tunnels to exit and crest in the town of Gallitzin tracks 2 and 3 pass through the new Allegheny tunnel while track 1 passes through the New Portage Tunnel a third tunnel can be seen the Gallitzin Tunnel which used to house track 3 before the Allegheny tunnel was heightened and widened to house tracks 2 and 3 as well as intermodal trains in 1994 upon it's completion in 1995 the Gallitzin tunnel was officially closed Helper locomotives are used by Norfolk Southern to assist heavy trains over mountainous portions of the Pittsburgh line Helper crews are mainly based in Altoona and Conemaugh/Johnstown though some helper are called as far away as Pittsburgh for many years EMD SD40-2's locomotives held down pusher duties in Altoona helper pool until 2009 where newer SD40E locomotives constructed by Junita began to phase out the older locomotive models the SD40Es finally filled the ranks of the SD40-2's in the summer of 2010 I think the Norfolk Southern Pittsburgh line would make a excellent addition for a future US route in TSW for both fright and passenger it would include intermodal trains coal trains oil/ethanol trains mixed trains auto racks and Amtrak for locomotives I'd like to see for freight includes SD70ACE's,SD40E's for helper service and SD80MAC's for Amtrak the P42DC with Amfleets
Cool idea. Maybe we could get a 3GS21B or GP38-2 for switching in Conway Yard. The SD40E would be cool, too. I'd also like to see SD70ACes, ET44ACs, SD60Es, and/or SD80MACs. We definitely need the Genesis P42DCs and Amfleet cars. We also get Horseshoe Curve and Gallitzin Tunnel in this route. I really want the Conway Yard and the Juniata Shops.
maybe also get some SD70ACU's and I would like to see the 80MACS get put in before they get rebuilt into SD80ACU's