Train exiting the Allegheny Tunnel, late 1970s.
Black and white photograph showing an Amfleet-equipped train exiting the west portal of the Allegheny Tunnel at Gallitzin, Pa. Image likely dates to the late 1970s or early 1980s.
- Photograph Details
-
- Date Archived:
- May 30, 2014
- Geography:
- Northeast
- Decade:
- 1970s
- Data Format:
- Image
- Download the full-sized version of this photo
The Allegheny Tunnel at Gallitzin, Pa., was constructed by the Pennsylvania Railroad between 1851-54 to cross the Allegheny Mountains. When finished, it was the longest railroad tunnel in the United States at 3,612 feet and allowed trains to pass between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh without the need for inclined planes. Between 1902-04, the Gallitzin Tunnel was excavated to the north (shown to the left in this photograph).
Conrail lowered the road bed and added a second track to the Allegheny Tunnel in the mid-1990s to create clearance for double-stack freight trains. Once these improvements were finished, the Gallitzin Tunnel was closed. Today, this infrastructure is owned by Norfolk Southern Railway and is used by the Pennsylvanian (New York-Philadelphia-Pittsburgh).
Photographer: Unknown for Amtrak. From the Amtrak Corporate Collection.
