Transportation: The Canal Era & Railroad Marvels
In the early 19th century, the Allegheny Ridge presented a nearly insurmountable obstacle rising nearly 1,200 feet standing in the way of expansion to the west. To conquer the Ridge - and cross it with roads, canals and rail - was a challenge that mustered American ingenuity and established Pennsylvania as an industrial giant.
The Pennsylvania Mainline Canal, completed in 1830, was the first route connecting Philadelphia with Pittsburgh and shortened the journey from three weeks by wagon to four days by railroad and canal. The Pennsylvania Railroad leaped the mountains with an all-rail route, sparking the development of the region’s iron, steel and coal industries. Civil engineering masterpieces such as the Horseshoe Curve and the Gallitzin Tunnels, as well as the vast Pennsylvania Railroad locomotive and car shops in Altoona, established the Ridge area as an early testing and research laboratory for railroading.
- Renaissance Trolley in front of Inclined Plane
Transportation Attractions
- View from top of Inclined Plane. Photo credit: Roxann Jones
Ride the world’s steepest vehicular Inclined Plane! The Incline cars carry passengers and automobiles up and down a 71.9% grade hillside measuring 900 feet from the river valley below. Enjoy a breathtaking view of the city from our observation deck. Stroll through the souvenir shop. Cable cars can transport you and your car to the top or the bottom of the mountain! Observation platform, visitor center, City View Bar Grill, exhibits, gift shop, and Centennial Flag. Open daily year-round. phone or check website for hours. Closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Adults, $4.00. Children 2-12, $2.50. Seniors 65 & older and children under 2 ride free. Group rates available. 711 Edgehill Drive or take skywalk off of Johns Street, Johnstown. 814-536-1816. www.inclinedplane.com
- Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site
The construction and operation of the Allegheny Portage Railroad was one of the greatest engineering feats of the 19th century. Stop by the Visitor Center, the restored historic Lemon House tavern and see the hands-on exhibits and full-scale models in the Engine House Interpretive Building. The park features a picnic area and hiking and cross-country ski trails. Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, year round except winter federal holidays. Gallitzin Exit off U.S. Route 22. 110 Federal Park Road, Gallitzin, PA. 814-886-6150. www.nps.gov/alpo
- Gallitzin Tunnels
Railroad buffs have identified the Gallitzin Tunnels as a “must see” stopover! The Portage Tunnel, situated under Tunnelhill, took more than 300 immigrants to build. The twin tunnels, the Allegheny and the Gallitzin, are the highest and longest tunnels on what was once the Pennsylvania Railroad. The first tunnel completed the railroad west, after passing around the Horseshoe Curve, and made the tunnels so valuable that they were guarded by the Pennsylvania Railroad Police during war times. Visit the historic railroad museum adjacent to Norfolk Southern’s mainline. Catch our video in the theater. View many RR and mining artifacts in the museum. Walk through a restored PRR caboose. Public restrooms available. Open 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. No charge.
** TRAIN WATCHING: See trains emerge from the Allegheny Tunnel every day! Stop along the Route 53 Corridor for train watching and photo opportunities from Gallitzin to Portage. 814-886-8871. www.gallitzin.info
- Staple Bend Tunnel
The Staple Bend Tunnel is a 901-foot tunnel and is the first railroad tunnel built in the United States and is now part of the Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site. In operation from 1833 until 1852 when the Pennsylvania Railroad bypassed it, restorations to the tunnel have revitalized it into part of a five-mile biking/walking trail that will one day run from Pittsburgh to Harrisburg. The grand entrances, detailed stonework and marvelous sandstone-arched liners greet visitors as they explore the national historic site. 814-886-6150. www.nps.gov/alpo
- Arial view of Horseshoe Curve
Horseshoe Curve National Historic Landmark is one of the World’s most incredible engineering feats, displays and exhibits detail how workers overcame rough terrain to build this railroad marvel. Train watching, funicular ride, picnic area. Altoona, PA 16601. 814-946-0834. www.railroadcity.com
- Johnstown Amtrak Station. Photo credit: Kevin J. Slonka
The Johnstown Train Station (JST) was built in 1915-1916 by the Pennsylvania Railroad at a cost of $3 million. Architect Kenneth M. Murchison of New York designed the station incorporating Beaux Arts schemes with Neoclassical elements. The present building is Johnstown’s second railroad station and was built in order to provide a more up-to-date structure that addressed safety concerns and reflected the “industrial strength” of Johnstown while serving as a “tribute to the intellectual and social and spiritual values that find expression in [the] city’s life,” as described by Reverend Walter Everett Burnett during the station’s dedication on October 12, 1916.
The building contains a central Guastavino vaulted ceiling, sandstone columns, terrazzo flooring with marble accents, terra cotta rondels, ornamental windows with decorative metalwork, and many dramatic elements. The marble-based oak benches in the waiting room are original. The only significant alteration to the station was performed in June 1976 when the passenger platform was removed in order to accommodate Amtrak trains.
The station was owned and occupied by the Pennsylvania Railroad until 1977 and is currently under private ownership.47 Walnut Street, Johnstown, PA 15901. 814-535-3313
