CONRAIL Memories - Helpers at Alto

One of my fondest memories of CONRAIL occurred when I was in early high school visiting Altoona, PA in 1997. As a young rail videographer fascinated with documenting my favorite railroad, I struck gold. A west bound steel slab train thundered through Alto on Track 3 with its rear-end stopping right in front of me. I had a front row seat viewing of one of the most awesome displays of high-horsepower railroading I have witnessed to date. Two sets of SD40-2 helpers tied onto the rear to assist one of the heaviest trains that ply’s the East Slope of the Alleghenies. Wasting no time, the helpers communicated with the head end, performed a helper test, then quickly throttled up the four SD40-2 workhorses to run 8 with a combined 12,000hp.
*Special Note - This video was recorded on analogue DV equipment and is presented for historic enjoyment.

[@Hobbytrem]

💙🤍 I am a big Conrail fan since 1994, and I could never see it's operations in Altoona. Thanks for you I could. I live in Brazil and could know Conrail by the Model Railroader Magazine (Arcadia Terminal train layout edition).

[@camsmith7651]

That belching exhaust at 5:40 was the best!
More please

[@mark_wooley001]

... great CONRAIL video ...

[@enjoyingrailroading1013]

Very cool!!!

[@charlesferebee4875]

Outstanding. ! ! ! SD40-2s forever. !

[@railnut8453]

Never thought id say this but I miss big blue!!!!

[@enjoyingrailroading1013]

Awesome!!!

[@donaldrodgers8389]

I live a half mile from old ALTO Tower in Altoona.Too bad NS Murdered ALTO.Thats progress.I miss seeing CR Units on the Pittsburgh Line.I knew alot of the engineers who ran those helpers.And the tower operators.I miss the CR days.

[@JetsMakeWoosh]

Now I wanna go to Altoona and watch NS do this

[@railnut8453]

It’s the same only in black and white!! Lol.

[@dwayneday2895]

Not too bad litigation operation shared assets, Sherman Act 1and of 2 and The Clayton Act on competition

[@Random.Channel_]

Am I the only one who saw the Norfolk and western car

[@norfolksouthernf-7guy642]

I half to tell ya. Altoona towers roof is gonna be falling in in a few years. ar towers roof is just a frame.

[@RailTrekMedia]

norfolk southern f-7 guy that would be a real shame! It's important to get the pics now while we still can. I remember thinking the same thing about the PRR signals in that area too...

[@norfolksouthernf-7guy642]

RailTrek Media , I love that tower. I watch trains there. I'd hate for it to fall down

[@railnut8453]

I was under the impression that a museum had acquired Alto tower and was gonna have it moved to museum property but
I guess that hasn’t happened. I wonder if it ever will.