My Amtrak Trip Today

LAST EDITED ON Nov-02-02 AT 04:55 PM (EST)

Well today me and my Dad went on the Amtrak Pennsylvanian from Johnstown, PA to Altoona, PA and back to Johnstown. We are thinking about going a little further out from Altoona now. This train has good time, the only late time was it was about 20 minutes late getting to Johnstown. It was a nice smooth ride except the engineer taking us back to Johnstown ran the slack together on the couplers quite a few times and when you go over switches it's a little rough. Them freights sound weird when they fly past you at high speed because when we were going to Altoona we had a track like two inches from us and when the freights went by they sounded like a superbike (racing motorcycle) going past at full throttle. On the freights that are going toward Horseshoe Curve through the Altoona station, two or three diesels sit there and wait for the train and then they start chasing it as it goes toward Horseshoe Curve.I got three questions...Everytime we stopped on the train and got out I saw the conductor opening up a high voltage box under one of the passenger cars and threw a couple switches. What's he doing?We saw a loaded coal freight sitting up a really steep hill as we went by it. How do they get it going like that, does the engineer have to throttle up then release the brakes?Also I never rode past Johnstown going out West so I don't know if the tracks intersect or what but when we got back to Johnstown a freight that was beside us stopped and waited for the Amtrak train to go before the freight left. The freight left immediately after the Amtrak train got out of sight. Does the engineer do that stuff out of the kindness of his own heart?Thanks in advance for answers!That's all I can think of to tell you right now. Any questions, please ask them to me!Adam-------------------------------Operation Lifesaver Organization -- http://www.oli.org/
Striving to save lives at railroad crossings

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RE: My Amtrak Trip Today......, I_totally_love_trains, Nov-03-02, 04:26 PM, (1) RE: My Amtrak Trip Today......, Macster, Nov-03-02, 05:24 PM, (2) RE: My Amtrak Trip Today......, TrainTrak5000, Nov-03-02, 05:35 PM, (3) RE: My Amtrak Trip Today......, Xacto, Nov-03-02, 07:22 PM, (4) RE: My Amtrak Trip Today......, I_totally_love_trains, Nov-03-02, 07:58 PM, (5) RE: My Amtrak Trip Today......, Silversides, Nov-03-02, 07:58 PM, (6) RE: My Amtrak Trip Today......, I_totally_love_trains, Nov-03-02, 08:14 PM, (7) RE: My Amtrak Trip Today......, McDeth, Nov-04-02, 04:13 AM, (8)

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Hello, can anyone answer my questions I had?Adam-------------------------------Operation Lifesaver Organization -- http://www.oli.org/
Striving to save lives at railroad crossings

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Helps if you have a bit more patiences instead of waiting just 20 minutes.....Brian E. Bundridge
Founder - Evergreen Tracks
Seattle, WashingtonLaying Rail on The UP Main Line between West Siding and Black River, BNSF Main Between Tacoma and Puyallup. 23%ish

Starting the Rail America, Cascade and Columbia River Route 0%ish

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LAST EDITED ON Nov-03-02 AT 05:36 PM (EST)

>Everytime we stopped on the train and got out I
>saw the conductor opening up a high voltage box
>under one of the passenger cars and threw a couple
>switches. What's he doing?I dunno. You should have asked him.>We saw a loaded coal freight sitting up a really steep hill as we
>went by it. How do they get it going like that, does the engineer
>have to throttle up then release the brakes?He probably has to release the brakes while throttling up and use some sand.>Also I never rode past Johnstown going out West so I don't know if
>the tracks intersect or what but when we got back to Johnstown a
>freight that was beside us stopped and waited for the Amtrak train
>to go before the freight left. The freight left immediately after
>the Amtrak train got out of sight. Does the engineer do that stuff
>out of the kindness of his own heart?Probably not. Either there was a red signal, a rule about going in between a stopped passenger train and a platform, or a crew change.

Mike Karlik

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Maybe next time you can take the same train west of Altoona and get to see the climb over the Alleghenies with Horseshoe curve and the tunnels at the summit. I don't know what the next westbound station stop is, but it would be worth the trip.Cliff

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I went east (I think) and went through the tunnels and went around Horseshoe Curve. We are thinking about going past Altoona some more, we think the next station ahead is Tyrone.Doesn't freight have priority though so they would go before the stopped passenger train?On Amtrak Cars on the Pennsylvanian the conductor has to put a platform down in the door way which brings up the steps and he has to put his weight up and down on it to snap it into place. Can't they leave the steps down because someone might try to jump in?Adam-------------------------------Operation Lifesaver Organization -- http://www.oli.org/
Striving to save lives at railroad crossings

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Say Cliff;I guess you're not from Pennsylvania, but FYI,the train heading east from Johnstown to Altoona does go through the Gallitzin Tunnels and around Horseshoe Curve.
Going west out of Johnstown takes you to Pittsburgh.Daniel

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Cliff is from Pennsylvania, he just got his directions mixed up maybe.Anyway, I got another question. When I see freight trains and/or passenger trains leave from a parked position right before they start moving I hear air whistling and hissing. If letting air out of the system activates the brakes on a train why are they letting air out when going from a stop to a moving position?Adam-------------------------------Operation Lifesaver Organization -- http://www.oli.org/
Striving to save lives at railroad crossings

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cuse if u have air thats not in the system its gonna make noise goin back in

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