, 1884-08-26
ALrooNA's IMMENSE CAR SHOPS.
N Exciting Ride UP the Mountains
sides-Rich Boys AS Piremen.


ALTOONA CPa) Cor. New York SUM-
Altoona has "A strange attraction for a
great many people. There is nothing on
earth here but the immense car shops Of tho
Pennsylvania railroad, and the workmen in
the shops compose a great majority Of the
population. But Altoona supports IA hotel
large enough for u Jersey sea side resort,
and people flock to It and crowd it up
all summer. They like to sit on the broad
piazza and watch the trains come in from the
east and west. for the hotel is built almost
over the tracks. They like TO see thc-long
coal trains, with engines at both ends pulling
the blackest kim of smoke, roll into Altoona
after a wild dash down the mountains. Then
there is a fascination about the makeup OF
a train just about to begin that wonderful
climb up the Alleghanies. Two engines are
usually required, and frequently there is a
third engine behind. The train rolls up an
incline the very moment it caves the hotel
depot, winds and twists around the mountain
sides, makes tho curve at the Horseshoe, and
finally dashes by Cresson Springs at the top,
$500 feet up in the air, at lightning speed, for
then begins the down grade on the other side.
The Logan house guests never miss a train
TINT is about to begin the ascent. They al
ways nave a lingering fear that they haven't
seen the last OF it The Chicago limited,
which leaves New York in the morning, and
pulls into Altoona late in the afternoon, i'm
presses them more or less with awe, and
when 1t putfs up the mountains 1t is followed
with every pair of eyes about the hotel until
it is lost to sight. Suppose a coupling should
break, what theni There isn't a guest in the
hotel who doesn't instinctively dread \ pict-
ure OF a carload of passengers rushing back
ward down the mountain sides, and tearing
through Altoona at a fearful rate, should it,
indeed, escape a plunge over some steep
precipice. This, perhaps, is the great mag
net which draws people to Altoonn. They
want to be there when it happens. OF course,
there is a little or no danger, but there is a
feeling of instructive dread, nevertheless.
The great car shops spread themselves over
a good deal of ground. Their smoke paints
the place black, but people don't seem to
mind 1t.
"A boy will go to work on a railroad when
he won't work anywhere else" said one OF
the Logan house guests. There is something
of dash and danger about railroad life, and
the average boy, Inclined to be somewhat
wild, Is fond of danger. am told that any
number of rich boys have been fremen on
the shifting engines that are continually run
ming up and down these mountains This
used to be the case more than it is now.
These young men liked the excitement OF the
ride over the mountains. They would fire ON
the engines or work in the shops during the
day. In the evening they would dress them
selves up and dance at the Logan house hops
or run up to the Cresson Mountain house to
listen TO Il band concert. They were mostly
gentlemen and the SONS of gentlemen, and
were always favorites with the girls. What
becomes OF them nllf AS l said, soIne grad
uate from the car shops and engines and arc
promoted on the road. Others have no need
to work, but leave the shops with a good
trade to fall back upon