MG Tower Area

Hello:
I am planning a trip down to HSC and the Gallitzin area. I have seen most of the usual areas and I have a question.
I think that I know how to get to MG Tower and to the HSC side of the Gallitzin Tunnels. If I wander down there do you think the railroad police will have a problem if I stay away from the tracks?
Is this a no venture zone or are the railroad police looking for bigger problems?
Thanks for your comments...
Jerry Kelley

Going to MG and the east portal at Galitzen means you are going on to railroad property, and as you can probably guess this is frowned upon. I don't venture up to those places that often these days, but I have in the past and haven't been bothered, this is not to say that you won't be though. There is at least one cop that normally works out of Altoona and gets up around there every once in a while. If he would come upon you there, depending on where exactly you were at the locations, it might be a little tricky to talk your way out of it with the old "I made a wrong turn" or "I didn't see any signs saying I couldn't be here". So with that in mind, unless you know something good is coming and the weather is nice, I wouldn't risk it. There are some other people on here that may have more up to date info on what to do here. However, there are A LOT of other places on the east and west slopes of the mountain to get some really nice shots with out going on rr property, so while the ultimate decision is up to you, I would have to say skip it. On a side note there is a nice shot from off the top of Tunnel Hill looking down at the east end of the tunnels.
http://railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=162097
I would recommend this shot instead of MG and going in for the east portal. Hope this helps you.

Scooter

MG tower and its locale are RR property. If you go there, do so at your
own risk. I walked up to the location some years ago and was stopped
by a CR cop. I used an excuse that the surrounding area was state land
and I was not tresspassing on RR property. He didn't buy it and told me to
leave.
The tower was open at the time for tunnel clearance project in Gallitzin. I did catch 43 going west through the interlocking before the
cop stopped me.
To get any Horse Shoe pics on the hill would reqiure some bit of
hiking. I don't think RR police would bother you here.

I have been to Horseshoe Curve and Gallitzin several times. I am also going out there in July for Railfest. Within Gallitzin, I have photographed from the Jackson Street bridge and the park side by the caboose. I have heard several people reference Tunnel Hill, but am not sure where it is. What street would you use between the curve and Gallitzin?

At Horseshoe Curve I typically see people on ATVs on the eastern leg of the curve. It appears that there are trails they use, but don't know anything more than that.

The best way (in my opinion) to see MG tower is while on a train. Here's a photo from October 2002 taken from inside an Amfleet car on one of the Railfest 2002 excursions.

http://octrainguy.com/MGtower.jpg

Whatever way one uses to get to MG will require hiking...There is a gated access road that leads up from Sugar Run Road.... if you use this, you are on Railroad property....I have spoken to a group of railfans that drove up to MG several years ago on this access road(gate must have been opened at the time) and were subsequently called in by either a trackcar or traincrew when they were seen shooting at MG....They heard some chatter on the scanner and made a hasty retreat before the RR Police arrived. There is a network of trails that run between Bennington and Horseshoe on the North side (Track 3 side)and on down toward the Brickyard....which ATV'ers and hikers use....The trails are sometimes within yards of the mainline and at other times are well up on the Mountain above the Mainline....Debate exists that certain sections of the trail are on Railroad property as some of these trails (such as the trail at Horseshoe that ATV'ers use on the hillside near the 241 signals) are located on old Railroad spur line right of ways.... The trails between Gallitzin and Bennington Cemetary are located on what is now State Gameland Commission Land. To sum up...if you are unsure of it, don't take the risk.

I have heard several people reference Tunnel Hill, but am not sure where it is. What street would you use between the curve and Gallitzin?

Tunnelhill is at the top of the hill from Gallitzin. From the park, make a right on Jackson St. and make the next right on Church St. Take that to the top of the hill and make a right. A short distance you will see telegraph poles crossing the road. To the left is a dirt road that takes you to a spot about 100 yards in, that overlooks the east side of the tunnels although you can't see the tunnels themselves.

To get to Horseshoe from Gallitzin, take the same route but when you get to the top of the hill on Church Street, make a left and go about a mile or so and make a right onto Glenwhite Rd. There used to be an animal park or zoo or something there. And a bar used to be on the left before the turn, not sure it's open, but the building's there. This drops you right down under the tracks at Horseshoe.

jimk wrote:

I have heard several people reference Tunnel Hill, but am not sure where it is. What street would you use between the curve and Gallitzin?

Tunnelhill is at the top of the hill from Gallitzin. From the park, make a right on Jackson St. and make the next right on Church St. Take that to the top of the hill and make a right. A short distance you will see telegraph poles crossing the road. To the left is a dirt road that takes you to a spot about 100 yards in, that overlooks the east side of the tunnels although you can't see the tunnels themselves.

To get to Horseshoe from Gallitzin, take the same route but when you get to the top of the hill on Church Street, make a left and go about a mile or so and make a right onto Glenwhite Rd. There used to be an animal park or zoo or something there. And a bar used to be on the left before the turn, not sure it's open, but the building's there. This drops you right down under the tracks at Horseshoe.

That old bar building was up for sale ther last time I was in...I am at The Station Inn in Cresson right now...I'll see if it still is up for sale tomorrow...Tunnelhill is also referenced sometimes as the location for Track 1 near AR where the track passes into the New Portage Tunnel....

jimk wrote:

I have heard several people reference Tunnel Hill, but am not sure where it is. What street would you use between the curve and Gallitzin?

Tunnelhill is at the top of the hill from Gallitzin. From the park, make a right on Jackson St. and make the next right on Church St. Take that to the top of the hill and make a right. A short distance you will see telegraph poles crossing the road. To the left is a dirt road that takes you to a spot about 100 yards in, that overlooks the east side of the tunnels although you can't see the tunnels themselves.

To get to Horseshoe from Gallitzin, take the same route but when you get to the top of the hill on Church Street, make a left and go about a mile or so and make a right onto Glenwhite Rd. There used to be an animal park or zoo or something there. And a bar used to be on the left before the turn, not sure it's open, but the building's there. This drops you right down under the tracks at Horseshoe.

That old bar building was up for sale ther last time I was in...I am at The Station Inn in Cresson right now...I'll see if it still is up for sale tomorrow...Tunnelhill is also referenced sometimes as the location for Track 1 near AR where the track passes into the New Portage Tunnel....

Thanks for the information. I will check it out during my next trip to the Altoona area.

I'll give you a tip... the older helper crews are turning in tresspassers VERY frequently as of late. And most of the time its with a cell phone directly to the dispatcher, so a scanner won't give you a heads up.

Be safe, be wise, and dont come on railroad property... NS isn't known for mercy.

jgallaway81 wrote:I'll give you a tip... the older helper crews are turning in tresspassers VERY frequently as of late. And most of the time its with a cell phone directly to the dispatcher, so a scanner won't give you a heads up.

Be safe, be wise, and dont come on railroad property... NS isn't known for mercy.

Thanks for the heads up.
I just came back from the area and I never made it to MG.
BUT.... I was suprised to see a couple of railfans on the outside part of the curve over by where the road tunnel is. They no doubt climbed the hill from the outside of the curve.
I was told that they were there the better part of the day.
Several trains and a trackcar came by and not a word was said on the radio.
Go figure....
Thanks
Jerry

jkrail wrote:

jgallaway81 wrote:I'll give you a tip... the older helper crews are turning in tresspassers VERY frequently as of late. And most of the time its with a cell phone directly to the dispatcher, so a scanner won't give you a heads up.

Be safe, be wise, and dont come on railroad property... NS isn't known for mercy.

Thanks for the heads up.
I just came back from the area and I never made it to MG.
BUT.... I was suprised to see a couple of railfans on the outside part of the curve over by where the road tunnel is. They no doubt climbed the hill from the outside of the curve.
I was told that they were there the better part of the day.
Several trains and a trackcar came by and not a word was said on the radio.
Go figure....
Thanks
Jerry

There was some discussion on Trainorders about that very topic of railfans up on the outside of the curve. Rudy Husband, from NS responded that at the Curve itself, NS property extends back abut 100-150 yards from Track 3, which places some of the trails, etc. within NS property. Apparently, the width of the property boundary varies.

And that is interesting. In my trips to the curve, I have seen ATVs on the eastern leg of the curve, but haven't seen anyone on the western side. I am sure the public/private area in question will be debated for quite some time...

On top of tunnel hill, there is a road that is open and is state land by he looks of it. It goes right down to track level. Im not sure how much of the RR owns but i was there a couple of weeks ago and didnt have any problem. You can see the trains going into the tunnels and the trains coming out of the eastbound tunnel and on the slide.

dutchboy wrote:On top of tunnel hill, there is a road that is open and is state land by he looks of it. It goes right down to track level. Im not sure how much of the RR owns but i was there a couple of weeks ago and didnt have any problem. You can see the trains going into the tunnels and the trains coming out of the eastbound tunnel and on the slide.

Yes..I've been down that road a number of times...The state bought the land in that area and posted as State Gameland Commision now....road leads down to a turnaround near the railroad....as long as you don't venture beyond the yellow railroad access gates down at the bottom, you are okay.