Allegheny Portage Railroad

https://www.nps.gov/alpo/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegheny_Portage_Railroad The Allegheny Portage Railroad was the first railroad constructed through the Allegheny Mountains in central Pennsylvania, United States; it operated from 1834 to 1854 as the first transportation infrastructure through the gaps of the Allegheny that connected the midwest to the eastern seaboard across the barrier range of the Allegheny Front. Today, the park service operates a visitor center with interpretive exhibits near the old line. Nearby is the Samuel Lemon House, a tavern located alongside the railroad near Cresson that was a popular stop for railroad passengers. The NPS also maintains a length of reconstructed track, an engine house with exhibits, a picnic area, and hiking trails. A skew arch bridge, a masterwork of cut stone construction, is another feature of the site near the Lemon House. The bridge is 60.4 feet (18.4 m) long on the south elevation, 54.9 feet (16.7 m) long on the north elevation, and 22.2 feet (6.8 m) high. It was the only bridge on the line that was built to carry a road. The Staple Bend Tunnel is preserved in a separate unit of the historic site, 5 miles (8.0 km) east of Johnstown. The first railroad to circumvent the Allegheny Mountains, the Allegheny Portage Railroad was the finishing piece of the Pennsylvania Main Line Canal. "The Portage" opened in 1834, marking the first time that there was one, direct route between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. All things to all people, it served merchants, passengers, slaves in pursuit of freedom, and soldiers from the Mexican War. The park is located just off U.S. Route 22 approximately 12 miles west of Altoona and 10 miles east of Ebensburg. Take the Gallitzin Exit and turn right, following the signs. Visitors prior to 1992 accessed the park in other ways, but the Gallitzin Exit of US Route 22 is the way to access the visitor center and historic area. Summit Level Visitor Center Located immediately off of US Route 22 at the Gallitzin Exit, this is the best place to start your tour. The park movie is shown in the indoor 60 seat auditorium as requested to give a concentrated overview of the park story. The program lasts approximately twenty minutes. The movie is a dramatic interpretation of what it was like to work and travel on the Portage Railroad. A fictional character, Edgar West, explains life on the canals then speaks of a change of occupation to Portage Railroad. Engine House 6 Exhibit Shelter and the Lemon House Engine House and tavern Engine House 6 Exhibit Shelter and the Lemon House at the Summit Level of the Allegheny Portage Railroad. Engine House 6 Exhibit Shelter Engine house Engine House 6 Exhibit Shelter Lemon House tavern Lemon House The Lemon House was a stop for Allegheny Portage Railroad travelers on the summit. Summit Level Visitor Center Stone building The Summit Level Visitor Center contains exhibits, restrooms, park movie and bookstore. Boardwalk to the historic area Boardwalk The boardwalk takes you to the historic area at the park Staple Bend Tunnel Tunnel The Staple Bend Tunnel sat at the top of inclined plane 1, just a few miles from Johnstown. The Staple Bend Tunnel can be accessed by hiking or biking approximately 2 miles from the trailhead Skew Arch Bridge Bridge Skew Arch Bridge The Visitor Center bookstore offers a variety of items for sale. Bookstore The Visitor Center bookstore offers a variety of items for sale. The theater features a 20 minute park movie. Theater The theater features a 20 minute park movie. Barrels and crates in the Visitor Center show items that traveled on the Main Line Canal. Barrel Barrels and crates in the Visitor Center show items that traveled on the Main Line Canal. NPS Geodiversity Atlas—Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, Pennsylvania Each park-specific page in the NPS Geodiversity Atlas provides basic information on the significant geologic features and processes occurring in the park. Links to products from Baseline Geologic and Soil Resources Inventories provide access to maps and reports. stone bridge Forest Health Monitoring in Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site Forest health monitoring at Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site helps park managers understand how the forests are changing over time in relation to weather, climate, landscape dynamics, invasive species, deer browse, and natural processes such as disturbances and succession. Botanist measuring understory plant diversity. 2019 Weather In Review: Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site In 2019, Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site received 5 inches more precipitation than normal making it the 22nd wettest year since 1895. The year was also the 19th warmest on record. A railroad extending into the distance through an engine house. Forest Health in a Regional Context Eight Inventory and Monitoring networks have been collaborating on forest health monitoring since 2005. Participants include 61 national parks in the eastern United States. As a result of this collaboration, vegetation data are collected in similar ways, which allows us to compare various parks across the region. One person on the forest floor collecting data, while another records the data So Many Mushrooms! It started as a personal project. Biological technician Sarah Daugherty would be out collecting data for the Eastern Rivers and Mountains Network’s forest health monitoring program, and notice so many cool mushrooms. She started taking photos and jotting down what she saw. Soon, she noticed that many of the species she was finding weren't on park species lists. Discussing her discoveries with her colleagues, everyone agreed that a more formal fungi inventory was in order. Mushrooms of different colors, shapes, and sizes, laid out next to each other on a floor Bat Population Monitoring in western Pennsylvania national parks White-nose syndrome has decimated the populations of several bat species across the Northeast and research indicates that bat populations in western Pennsylvania national parks have been affected by the disease. Many species that were once common, are now rare. In order to better protect bats, the National Park Service continues to study how bat populations are changing. A northern long-eared bat showing symptoms of white-nose syndrome. Western Pennsylvania Virtual Junior Ranger Learn about the everyday heroes at five western Pennsylvania National Park Sites who rose to the challenges that faced them and made history. Answer questions and learn about Allegheny Portage Railroad national Historic Site, Flight 93 National Memorial, Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Friendship Hill National Historic Site and Johnstown Flood National Memorial to become a Virtual Junior Ranger. A collage of employees and kids and the question Silent Witnesses, Old Trees are Hiding in Our Midst An article about old trees in Eastern Rivers and Mountains Network (ERMN) parks. ERMN scientists have collected cores from two "average" looking canopy trees adjacent to every permanent long-term forest health monitoring plot in network parks. Of the 700 trees cored, over 60 of them hovered near 200 years old. A woman uses an increment borer to take a core sample from a tree. National Park Service Commemoration of the 19th Amendment In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the passing of the 19th Amendment the National Park Service has developed a number of special programs. This includes online content, exhibits, and special events. The National Park Service’s Cultural Resources Geographic Information Systems (CRGIS) announces the release of a story map that highlights some of these programs and provides information for the public to locate and participate. Opening slide of the 19th Amendment NPS Commemoration Story Map Series: National Park Service Geodiversity Atlas The servicewide Geodiversity Atlas provides information on <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geology/geoheritage-conservation.htm">geoheritage</a> and <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geology/geodiversity.htm">geodiversity</a> resources and values all across the National Park System to support science-based management and education. The <a href="https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1088/index.htm">NPS Geologic Resources Division</a> and many parks work with National and International <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geology/park-geology.htm">geoconservation</a> communities to ensure that NPS abiotic resources are managed using the highest standards and best practices available. park scene mountains 2020 Weather In Review: Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site In all, 2020 was a very warm year at Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site. Even so, the year had near-normal precipitation . The year ended as the 4th warmest and 61st driest on record. A white building with railroad tracks against a dark sky. All Hope is Not Lost – Parks plan strategically to treat invasive plants Managing invasive plant species can seem like an endless and insurmountable challenge, but parks are using a new strategic collaborative tool to protect their most valuable resources. Four photos show invasive plants spreading over an area during 12 years 2021 Weather In Review: Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site In all, 2021 was a very warm year at Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site. The year also had above-average total precipitation. The year ended as the 4th warmest and 27th wettest on record. A stone building (Lemon House) in a green field Resilient Forests Initiative - Managing Invasive Plants & Pests Park forests are threatened by invasive plants and pests. Strategically tackling invasive plants to protect park’s highest priority natural resources and planning around forest pests and pathogens are important actions in managing resilient forests. Forest Regeneration I&M Networks Support Resilient Forest Management NPS Inventory and Monitoring Networks have been tracking forest health in eastern national parks since 2006. This monitoring information can guide resilient forest management and support parks in adapting to changing conditions through the actions described below. Forest health monitoring Series: Managing Resilient Forests Initiative for Eastern National Parks Forests in the northeastern U.S. are in peril. Over-abundant deer, invasive plants, and insect pests are impacting park forests, threatening to degrade the scenic vistas and forested landscapes that parks are renowned for. With regional collaboration, parks can manage these impacts and help forests be resilient. This article series explores tools available to park managers to achieve their goals. Healthy forests have many native seedlings and saplings. Streamside Bird Monitoring in Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site Streamside bird monitoring at Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site 2007-2019 indicates that 69% of bird species that breed in the park during the summer have stable or increasing populations. A small gray and white bird standing on a branch. Managing Resilient Forests. A Regional Initiative Forests cover tens of thousands of acres in eastern national parks and these critical resources face a range of interacting stressors: over-abundant white-tailed deer populations, invasive plant dominance, novel pests and pathogens, among other threats. The Resilient Forests Initiative will help parks address these issue collectively. Forest health monitoring 2022 Weather in Review: Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site It was an above average year for both temperature and precipitation at Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site. The year ended as the 39th warmest and 32nd wettest on record. Stone arch bridge