| 17th Street. Here is the first of two successive original photos by Olev Taremae that were taken at the old Pennsylvania Railroad engine ladder near the 17th Street Bridge in Altoona, Pennsylvania, on 27 June 2009. Any hints of the concentrated steam locomotive action that once occurred here are long gone. Now, diesel-electric locomotives rule the rails. Shown here (L to R) are ex-Pennsylvania Railroad engines #5711 and #5809. Both are EP-22's built by GM-EMD and rated at 2,250 horsepower each. #5711 was constructed in October of 1952, while #5809 was built in January of 1951. In this context, they're about to depart the Altoona Passenger Station for Pittsburgh after pulling a railfan excursion up the Allegheny Mountains and around the Horseshoe Curve to Gallitzin and then back down "The Mountain" to Altoona. Photo taken from the 17th Street Bridge. |