# End of an Era on the NS Pittsburgh Line



## Acela150 (Jun 17, 2012)

On Saturday ALTO Tower closed.  It is truly the end of an era as it was the last manned tower on the Pittsburgh Line. The PRR signals are now replaced, and the interlocking changed and handed over to NS CETC. The signal bridges have been dismantled as well. The interlocking is now CP Altoona.

If you have a Facebook page, Altoona Works fan page covered most of the days happenings. From MOW arriving, The Last train through ALTO, The block operator leaving the tower and crossing the tracks with his head down in sadness, The first train through the new interlocking, up to the signals being shown dismantled.

PRR sadly dies everyday a little bit more.

There is a silver lining to the towers exsitance. It will be dismantled, and moved to Strasburg. 

Steve


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## PRR 60 (Jun 17, 2012)

Acela150 said:


> On Saturday ALTO Tower closed.  It is truly the end of an era as it was the last manned tower on the Pittsburgh Line. The PRR signals are now replaced, and the interlocking changed and handed over to NS CETC. The signal bridges have been dismantled as well. The interlocking is now CP Altoona.
> 
> If you have a Facebook page, Altoona Works fan page covered most of the days happenings. From MOW arriving, The Last train through ALTO, The block operator leaving the tower and crossing the tracks with his head down in sadness, The first train through the new interlocking, up to the signals being shown dismantled.
> 
> ...


Steve,

Do you have a link for that Facebook page? I've been searching and can't find it.

Edit: Found it.

AltoonaWorks Photos


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## railiner (Jun 17, 2012)

Acela150 said:


> On Saturday ALTO Tower closed.  It is truly the end of an era as it was the last manned tower on the Pittsburgh Line. The PRR signals are now replaced, and the interlocking changed and handed over to NS CETC. The signal bridges have been dismantled as well. The interlocking is now CP Altoona.
> 
> If you have a Facebook page, Altoona Works fan page covered most of the days happenings. From MOW arriving, The Last train through ALTO, The block operator leaving the tower and crossing the tracks with his head down in sadness, The first train through the new interlocking, up to the signals being shown dismantled.
> 
> ...


Indeed, a bittersweet moment. Sad to see the end of an era. Sweet to see that the line is modernized and that's progress.....

Rather than thinking of the PRR dying, I like to think that THE STANDARD RAILROAD OF THE WORLD 'Will Live Forever in our Hearts' :hi: .


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## GG-1 (Jun 17, 2012)

railiner said:


> ]Indeed, a bittersweet moment. Sad to see the end of an era. Sweet to see that the line is modernized and that's progress.....
> 
> Rather than thinking of the PRR dying, I like to think that THE STANDARD RAILROAD OF THE WORLD 'Will Live Forever in our Hearts' :hi: .


Aloha

yes! :wub:


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## George Harris (Jun 18, 2012)

Part of the problem leading to the Pennsylvania and Penn Central faiures was the continued use of MANY manned towers. A manned tower requires somewhere arounnd four to five jobs to operate, three shifts plus weekend and vacation staff. There were a number of sidings in nominally CTC territory that had towers every few siding as the Northeast Corridor had a tower about every 15 miles.

I remember learning this after working for the L&N, where the Birmingham had only 2 manned towers remaining, one at Boyles Yard and the other shared with Southern at the Tennessee River drawbridge at Decatur AL. When I saw what Penn Central was doing, my though was, "Suddenly it is 1920."


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## Acela150 (Jun 18, 2012)

I had found out about the closing two days prior to it's closing. If I had heard a little bit sooner I would have taken a trip out there and taken some photos. I don't have many photos of trains passing the tower.

I might as well start taking pictures of trains passing Overbrook tower. Which is still active. Who knows when Amtrak will start the process of that.


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