Altoona area advice

[Palmland]

I will be in the Altoona area in a couple weeks (over a weekend) and would welcome any advice on lodging (Tunnel Inn vs. Station Inn for instance) and how best to see the attractions: EBT, Altoona RR museum, and Horseshoe Curve or any others. Will be driving in from Cumberland and the WM Scenic RR. While some distance away I've heard Harris tower in Harrisburg is also worth a visit to see Amtrak and NS activity. Have been to Strasburg many times and will skip it this trip.

 

[drakejings]

Palmland, I've stayed at the Station Inn and the Tunnel Inn. Both have their pluses, but I prefer the Tunnel Inn. It's more money, but it has AC,, T.V., and in my opinion, a better location. Tom [at the Station Inn] and Mike [at the Tunnel Inn] are great hosts; personable and professional. If you're traveling with a lady, the Tunnel Inn may be the way to go. The EBT is great, but only runs on weekends. As far as the Curve and Museum are concerned, there are many signs, as well as assistance, at either Inn. If you're going to Harrisburg you might consider the Bridge View Inn. Among other things it overlooks Rockville Bridge. I live in New York, but I go to the Middle Division twice a year. I love the area, you should have a great time.

 

[bobnabq]

I will be in the Altoona area in a couple weeks (over a weekend) and would welcome any advice on lodging (Tunnel Inn vs. Station Inn for instance) and how best to see the attractions: EBT, Altoona RR museum, and Horseshoe Curve or any others. Will be driving in from Cumberland and the WM Scenic RR. While some distance away I've heard Harris tower in Harrisburg is also worth a visit to see Amtrak and NS activity. Have been to Strasburg many times and will skip it this trip.

I find Yelp to be very helpful and the hotels listed have reviews by folks who have stayed there.

Hotels & Travel Altoona

 

[Acela150]

Park in the Altoona Mall's parking lot and you can railfan the train station area with great ease from there. As for the curve. Here is the railroaders museums website and that will have info on the curve. I believe the link I gave you is aimed at the curve. But check out the railroaders museum also. Pretty cool.

Harris tower is also a nice place to go. My place to go in HAR is the Mulberry Street bridge. You can catch NS and Amtrak. It has quite a view of the Amtrak depot. Check out the view from the bridge. Nice place to shoot photos if the suns in the right spot! Which is typically afternoon.

 

[Nickrapak]

Make sure when you are in Altoona to go across the street from the Station Mall and stop at the Mallo Cup factory store. It's not railfan related, but it is delicious!

One place you could go is 15 minutes north of Altoona, to the village of Tyrone. The Amtrak station is right on the tracks, and you get a great view of the main line from 5 ft away. The town itself is also a nice small town, and is really a throwback to the turn of the century.

Harris tower is also a good place to visit. The entire tower has been programmed so that it operates like the tower did in the 1940s. There are virtual calls to the tower, and the trains on the board don't move unless the switches and signals are set. There's also a real-time ATCS monitor that allows you to view the real-life movements outside. It's really amazing to see what a small group of dedicated people can do.

 

[NE933]

We always have opted for Econolodge on the main drag (Highway 30??), because a car rental is a must and of course there are none at the station (unless things changed since 2007). So a taxi to the Hertz, which is on a non descript main street with Red Lobster, Shoneys, and other shopping mall staples puts us at that hotel. It's cheap, clean, and adequate, as long as you can tolerate some maintanence issues along with being far from the railroad. But oh, what rewards await! The 10 mile drive from there to Horseshoe Curve is deep in Allegheny country, and if you go in the Fall the blazing foliage seems to create a radiance on its own.

 

[Palmland]

Great advice - thanks. Good info on the hotels. While the Tunnel Inn sounds a bit nicer, from Google Maps it looks like the Station Inn has a better location for train watching. Is that right? I'll be with my brother so not worried about how fancy it is, but needs to be clean and decently maintained.

It'll be a first time for the Railroaders Museum - looking forward to it as I remember seeing those shops from our trips on the St. Louisan and Cinci. Ltd. many years ago.

 

[Railroad Bill]

My railfan friends and I stay at the Station Inn in Cresson for several weeks during each year. Tom and Sandy are great hosts. Free Breakfasts are unbelievably large and tasty.

And of course the view from the large porch in front is without compare for railfans. Dozens of trains pass each day and night.

Engine facility just across the tracks and just a short distance to Gallitzen Tunnels, Horseshoe Curve and other great train watching spots. R.J. Corman trains also serve Cresson.

As mentioned, the mall across from the Altoona Amtrak station is good place to watch traffic. Head down to the engine facility on the north side of town for some great photo ops as well. If you havent been to the Railroaders Memorial Museum next to this parking lot, it is worth a visit as well.

Tyrone, Pa, as mentioned, is also a neat place

Have stayed with Keith at the Bridgeview Inn in Harrisburg and it, too, is a fine place to stay with the best view of the Rockville Bridge you can find. And Enola Yard is just up the

Amtrak Pennsylvanian schedule allows for a nice day trip from Altoona to Harrisburg and back, which our group does for a nice lunch in Harrisburg before returning to ALT.

Have a great trip!!