Today we tried a new spot in Lilly at the end of Pine Street. We has able to park and set up our camp chairs in the shade. When we first got there it was quite busy. I was able to get the eastbound Amtrak passing a containers train. After Amtrak a few more trains passed then it became very quiet. Not a single train when by for hours.
We got some lunch at Original Italian Pizza on 2nd Street in Altoona. If you looking for really good pizza and Italian food that isn’t going to cost you arm and leg I highly recommend this place.
Then we made our way over to the 8th Street overpass which is above the Altoona Rose Yard. We were able to listen to (on the scanner) and watch a few yard moves. Then we moved west down the line to the back of the Station Medical Center which is across the tracks from the Amtrak Station. It was very quiet again. If we were interested in watching buses there wasn’t any shortage of them stopping at the Altoona Transportation Center. After being there for over hour we decided to pack it up. We were about to get into the truck and then all of a sudden we had train after train going by us. My dad had commented that we don’t see many boxcars anymore early in the week. But this evening we had one eastbound train with a whole bunch of them.
I can’t believe I’m already writing blog number 5 for this week of blogging from Altoona. Need to make the most of the next two days before heading back home where Amtrak’s and Commuter trains rule the rails and seeing a freight train is so rare.
