posted
When I took this train in spring of 2004, I traveled backwards from NYC to Philly, then forwards the rest of the way. The trip west of Philly was rather nice and quite interesting to me--after seeing the city of Philadelphia as you come in and go out, you go through Main Line (including Bryn Mawr) lahdeedah, then Amish country (I saw deer and other wildlife as well as Amish farmers ploughing "the old way"), then Harrisburg (and 3 Mile Island around here), then cross the Susquehanna, then along lots of water (more visible in April when I did it than now when trees are all leafed in), Altoona seemed fairly cute for a bigger place and had lots of interesting freight activity, and the most important site of all, the Horseshoe Curve. There are also a lot of onion dome churches, shades of Deer Hunter (but that is Cleveland). Johnstown was really sad looking, and thinking of the floodwaters washing down made it even sadder. The city one or two before Pittsburgh was more attractive, and there was an interesting clock at the train staiton, as I vaguely recall. There was also at least one very old Penn RR train station we went through, though I think maybe that was a whistle stop and we didn't stop? Sorry I don't remember for sure.
For me, the view on both sides was interesting. In Harrisburg you want to make sure you see the dome of the capitol going in at least one direction. But most of all you want to get a good view of the Horseshoe Curve. I believe to get your good view of it (it's west of Altoona) you want to be on the south side (left side heading west, right side heading east) but my memory is bad with left and right so someone else should tell you more. . . . Anyway, the train I was on wasn't so busy between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, so I was able to change seats for different views, left and right, when I wanted.
Be sure to see (or re-see) the great Harrison Ford film WITNESS before you make the trip. If you can get up to see 30th St station in Philly, do so; it's a very nice station! You can see the Witness statue upstairs (and the Witness toilet, where the murder took place, if you are male). (BTW, there is also a Witness museum in Lancaster now I hear)
One more thing: When you leave in Pittsburgh, that Amtrak area is very modern and simple BUT the adjoining old Pennsylvania RR station is quite a nice building also worth seeing.
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
