| NST. Here is a duplicate 35mm color slide of a photo by William D. Volkmer that was taken from the 24th Street Bridge in Altoona, Pennsylvania, on 18 May 1959. Shown here (R to L) are Pennsylvania Railroad engine #9600 and another "AF" Class unit whose road number is not recorded. Both were built by the American Locomotive Company. #9600 is an AF-15 constructed in July of 1948, rated at 1,500 horsepower, and retired in December of 1963 after just 15 years of service. In this context, they're passing SLOPE Tower with a mixed-cargo freight train on their way up the Allegheny Mountains via the Horseshoe Curve to Gallitzin and points West. Visible at the right is the pit where a turntable was once situated; it was used to turn returning steam locomotives around in preparation for their next helper/pusher run up "The Mountain." The twin smoke stacks in the distance mark the location of the PRR's 12th Street Car Shops. Produced and distributed by Charly's Slides. ("PrrFan18n") |