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Return to "Cresson to Gallitzin"
Map of Cresson
Note: The "X's" on the maps above indicate good viewing locations.
The first settler, Ignatus Adams, a Revolutionary war veteran, was granted a tract of land by the federal government. His land was the first stage link on "the Pike" between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Jacob Troxel was one of many settlers and established the first Inn. That Inn was bought by Dr. Robert Jackson in 1830 and capitalized on the naturally healthful and invigorating atmosphere of the mountains. His friend, John Elliot Cresson recognized the potential of the area as a resort and thriving town that attracted industry. Jackson named the settlement in Cresson's memory. Cresson, PA gained its notoriety due to its reputation as being the playground of the affluent and powerful. It became a popular and prestigious health and recreational resort when its springs were discovered to have medicinal value and holiday seekers discovered the "pure mountain air." Wealthy business men such as Andrew Carnegie built his summer home near here. President Benjamin Harrison vacationed here.
When you get to PA Rt 53 and Cresson Shaft Rd/T441, stop. If you walk over the Rt 53 bridge, cross to the east, and you will see the old bridge abutments. One can (legally?) go out onto the old abutment to watch mainline operations. Following Rt 53 will take you into Cresson, PA. You have to travel one block to your right to get to the main line/ Front Street.
Photos from the Rt 53 Bridge
Taken from on the Rt 53 Bridge, looking (railroad) west toward Cresson (6/97)
A view of the Signal Bridge. Taken from on the Rt 53 Bridge, looking (railroad) east (6/97) Taken from on the Rt 53 Bridge, looking (railroad) east (6/97) Taken from on the Rt 53 Bridge, looking (railroad) east (11/13/97)
There are also a few opportunities along Cresson Shaft Road. (This road leads you to Sankertown, PA, a "suburb" of Cresson.) Cresson Shaft Road turns into Webster Street. When you get to the "T" intersection with Pennsylvania Avenue, turn left to go under the main to Front Street.
Note: If you turn right from Webster Street, make a left onto Arch Street. This will take you under the Blacklick Running Track and to the Engine Terminal. Following Arch Street will take you to a clearing near Short Street. This was the site of the former Cresson, PA freight station. Looking across the tracks, you will see the The Station Inn.
A Dragging Equipment Detector is at milepost 250.4
Photographs taken along Arch Street
| Looking (railroad) west from the area where the old freight station would have been. This is the clearing near Short Street. (4/9/99) |
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Looking (railroad) north from Arch Street at the lead to the Black Lick Secondary. The Engine Terminal is behind the photographer. (4/9/99) |  |
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The Pennsylvania Special PRR at Cresson PA from an antique post-card view. | Looking (railroad) north from Arch Street at the lead to the Black Lick Secondary. The Engine Terminal is behind the photographer. (98) |  |
"The passenger station at Cresson was located on the "downtown" side of the tracks between Front Street and #1 eastbound main. There were actually two buildings, one being the passenger station, and the other being the Railway Express Agency (remember the old REA green cars). There was a subway at the station on Front Street that allowed people to cross under the mainline and provided stairways to the two train platforms, one located between #1 and #2 eastbound mains and the other located between #3 and #4 westbound mains. The far side of the subway was a covered stairway that was located on the Arch Street side of the #5 main and the siding for the freight station. The location of the photographer was near where the old freight station was located on the west side of the tracks (Arch Street and Webster Hill)." Bill Nelson
1889-1998
"MO" Tower, at milepost 250.5, built around 1889, was located in the area of Cathedral Avenue and was demolished in 1998. You will note that the Blacklick Running Track (Cresson Running Track) is still in place with the exception of the steel girder bridge over the main. (It was removed in 1995 to increase clearances for double stack trains). Maps are available here.
"MO" Tower. A telephoto view from Front Street. Looking (railroad) East. These images were taken on 4/96.
"MO" Tower. Viewed from Front Street. Looking (railroad) East. These images were taken on 4/96. This photograph was taken on 11/13/97. Viewed from Rt 53. A view of the MO Tower Demolition clean up.
Viewed from the area of Front Street, Cresson, PA on 12/7/98A telephoto view of the MO Tower Demolition clean up.
Viewed from the area of Front Street, Cresson, PA on 12/7/98A view of the cleanup taken from Rt 53. 12/7/98 A telephoto view of the cleanup taken from Rt 53. 12/7/98
" MO" (Cresson, PA) Tower Razed
"MO" (Mountain) tower at Cresson had been vacant for several years due to the advent of fibre optic signaling. While traveling through Cresson on 12/7/98, I observed Conrail crews cleaning up the raised structure. This tower had served as a control point for trains operating between "AR" tower (Allegheny Ridge) / " UN Interlocking" (both located at Gallitzin, PA) and " SO" (South Fork) tower. A citizens group in Cresson attempted to save it and hired Earl Miller House-movers from Everett to attempt to have it placed at the park on Front Street and Keystone Avenue in 3/97. However, internal structural deficiencies were present, and on attempt to move, the tower started to collapse. It was not structurally sound. Cresson had prepared a pad for it along Front St., but the project had to be abandoned. (by Chris Behe and David Seidel; posted 12/28/98)
Along Front Street, a park with a PRR NC5 caboose and train watching platform has been built. From here, you can view operations at the Cresson Engine Terminal (milepost 251.0). Here, diesels (Helpers) are fueled, sanded, washed, etc as the Altoona/Juniata Shop complex has no servicing facilities.
"The PRR track chart for the mainline, Altoona to Pittsburgh, dated 1958 and posted on "Keystone Crossings" web site shows a BF (brick freight) building on the west or Webster Hill side of the mainline at Cresson. The track chart also shows an FP (frame passenger) building on the east side of the mainline between track #1 and Front Street in Cresson. The track chart also shows the two passenger waiting rooms and platforms between eastbound tracks #1 / #2 and westbound tracks #3 / #4. Track #0 left track #1 south of "MO" tower, swung around "MO" tower, returned to run parallel to track #1 all the way to the portage tunnels in Gallitzin. A track from the lower yard crossed the mainline by way of "jump over" or "flyover" and circled the upper yard to join track #0. This allowed trains off the "Cresson" and "Irvona" branches to be received in the lower yard and dispatched on the eastbound mainline. Track #0 ran past "AR" tower, and under the Main Street bridge before returning to track #1. A siding left track #0 at the "high" bridge and ran all the way to "AR" tower before returning to track #0. The first signal bridge at "AR" tower spanned four (4) tracks (TRACKS #0, #1, #2, and the siding off track #0). The second signal bridge at "AR" tower spanned four tracks, also, but the siding had joined track #0 before reaching the second signal bridge. There was a dead ended siding off the track #0 siding and there was a dead end siding off track #0, also. There were cascaded single crossovers going left after the siding joined track #0 to allow all trains access to both tracks through the "Portage" tunnel. These crossovers ended before the "wye" track from the engine servicing facility joined track #2. There were cascaded single crossovers going right to allow access to the "wye" from track #0, #1, and #2. Helpers would cut off their trains and use these crossovers to reach track #2 where they would back down onto the "wye" to gain access to the engine service facilities and the westbound tracks to return to Pitcairn and start another push up the mountain. Helpers would also back down through the second set of crossovers and the "wye" track for service and turnaround.
They have relocated track #0 which used to leave track #1 south of "MO" tower and circle behind "MO" tower and run to "AR" tower where it again was connected to track #1. Track #0 now runs parallel to track #1 right over the sight of "MO" tower. The track from the lower yard which received the "Black Lick" branch crossed the main on the "flyover" and turned north in the upper yard to join track #0 for access to the eastbound main at "AR" tower. There was also a passing siding off track #0 that ran from near the upper yard connection all the way to "AR" tower. That is as I recall why the signal bridge at "AR" spans four tracks. A lot of trains used to sit on track #0 and that siding waiting their turn to take the eastbound main through the Portage tunnel." Bill Nelson
Photographs taken along Front Street
A view of the Engine Terminal from the Park along Front Street (1998) A view looking (railroad east from the site of the old freight station in Cresson. 12-7-00 By Matt Fultz. Looking railroad (west from the Park along Front Street. (1998) A view looking (railroad) east from the site of the old freight station in Cresson. 12-7-00 By Matt Fultz. Looking (railroad) west from along Front Street. (19__) By David Seidel
Photographs are
by Chris Behe unless otherwise noted.
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