The Allegheny Mountains extend 400 miles across four states. In this region, trade and settlement occurred mostly along waterways until railroads were built for coal, lumbering, and passengers. In the days of steam, gear-driven locomotives were needed for logging these mountains and massive, articulated locomotives hauled heavy coal trains. Those who traveled these Allegheny rails by passenger trains returned home with an appreciation of the natural beauty of this part of our country. Our premier east coast train trip through the Alleghenies region will treat you to an insiders view of an incredible part of rail history.

ITINERARY

Day 2: Roots of American Railroading The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad began the nation’s first scheduled passenger trains in 1830, and by mid 19th century, had become the standard-bearer for engineering practices on the nation’s railroads. The company preserved significant locomotives and other artifacts of its history and, with them, opened its own museum in 1953. We’ll travel throughout the Baltimore area today, visiting the Museum; two historic railroad stations – one of them an imposing architectural masterpiece now housing an art school; an 1835 Stone viaduct, and the last Bollman Iron-truss bridge left in the world. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner 

Day 3: The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad in the Civil War Its east-west main stem below the Mason-Dixon Line immersed B&O in conflict before war began. Confederate invasions culminated in the battles of Antietam in 1862 and Gettysburg in 1863; much of the 1864 battle of Monacacy was fought atop B&O’s main line, with its Monacacy River Bridge a target. Before war had been declared, B&O locomotives and cars were seized by Virginia state troops and in every year of the war bridges and buildings were burnt, masonry blown up, track and telegraph lines ripped out, and machinery reduced to scrap. The railroad suffered more Civil War damage, much of it repeated three or more times, than any other US corporation. Traveling between Baltimore and Cumberland today and tomorrow, we visit places that were attacked: Monacacy Junction, Point of Rocks, Harpers Ferry, Martinsburg Roundhouse, Cherry Run and others. We also visit a site on the C&O Canal may have been the first intermodal terminal between two common carriers in America. Lunch today is on your own at restaurants that adjoin Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner   

Day 4: The Largest Operating Steam Locomotive in the East Chesapeake & Ohio Mallet no. 1309 is the last steam locomotive Baldwin built for any US railroad. Just last year, after a three-million-dollar, seven-year restoration, the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad began operating the 2-6+6-2. It pulls our train from Cumberland to Frostburg, MD and back. Dinner tonight is on your own at one of several restaurants a few minutes’ walk from our hotel. Meals Included: Breakfast & Lunch 

Day 5: Narrow-gauge, not in the Rockies: East Broad Top Railroad Built in 1872, the EBT hauled coal and minerals out of the Alleghenies until 1956 and has survived almost intact since then. Thirty miles of track, 6 steam locomotives and about 200 cars remain. The shops contain machine tools, sheet-forming machines, foundry equipment, blacksmith’s tools and woodworking machines powered by a stationary steam-engine via overhead line-shafts. The railroad operated excursion trains from 1960 to 2011. After 10 years’ dormancy, it offers shop tours and train rides, and we’ll do both. The East Broad Top Railroad is a National Historical Landmark. To document the condition of the complex in 1990, the National Park Service prepared 30 sheets of measured drawings, took 80 archival photographs and wrote more than 200 pages of architectural and technical description for the Historic American Engineering Record. We’ll provide selected copies of it to you. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 6: Allegheny Portage RR National Historical Site; Gallitzin Tunnels We start today with a short hike, on level ground, through the first railroad tunnel built in the Western Hemisphere. It’s part of the Allegheny Portage Railroad, built in 1834 to compete with New York State’s Erie Canal. Pennsylvania wanted a canal from the Susquehanna River to the Ohio, but mountains blocked the way. The state’s “Main Line of Improvements” included a canal from the Susquehanna to the east base of the Allegheny Mountains at Hollidaysburg, a canal connecting Pittsburgh with Johnstown at the west base of the Alleghenies, and a railway across the mountains between Hollidaysburg and Johnstown. Modular boats were loaded onto several railroad cars, much as containers are today. The railroad used inclined planes and stationary engines on its steepest sections. Level parts (like the one we’ll hike) had locomotives. In 1854 the stationary engines and inclined planes finally were retired. Replicas of a locomotive, track on a plane, and a stationary- engine house are exhibited at the summit of the route. In 1857 the Pennsylvania Railroad bought the Main Line of Improvements from the state. Two years earlier, with the building of the first of the Gallitzin Tunnels, the Pennsylvania Railroad completed its continuous track between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner   

Day 7: Amtrak’s Pennsylvanian, Horseshoe Curve and Rockville Bridge Our half-day ride through the Allegheny Mountains by train takes us through one of the Gallitzin Tunnels, around world-famous Horseshoe Curve and down the Juniata River to the Susquehanna, which we will cross on the Rockville Bridge, longest stone-arch railroad viaduct ever built. Afterward, a paved path on the riverbank will provide you with water-level views that take in the entire bridge. Lunch is on your own in Amtrak’s café Car. Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner   

Day 8: Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania; Strasburg Rail Road This state-owned and operated museum preserves more than 100 locomotives and railroad cars (steam, electric and diesel; freight and passenger) including a majority of extant Pennsylvania railroad steam locomotives. Across the road is the Strasburg Rail Road, with steam power on its excursions (including the one we’ll ride) and its few freight trains. Strasburg has the largest fleet of historical, wooden passenger-cars anywhere. Its shops do repairs and restoration for museums and steam railways nationwide. If possible, we will arrange a behind-the-scenes tour, either at Strasburg Rail Road’s shop, or with a member of staff at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. For either organization, availability of such a tour can’t be guaranteed; it depends on status of shop projects or other deadlines and commitments. If offered, tours are scheduled 30 days in advance. Lunch today is on your own at Strasburg Rail Road’s Café 1832. Meals Included: Breakfast & Dinner   

Day 9: Departures from Philadelphia This morning after breakfast, extend the adventure on your own or begin your travel home from Philadelphia (airport code: PHL). Meals Included: Breakfast

Lodging

Westin BWI – 2 nights 
Bavarian Inn – 1 night 
Fairfield Inn – 1 night 
Hampton Inn – 2 nights 
The Carriage House – 1 night

PUBLIC DATES AND AVAILABILITY