SECOND SECTION:
October 15 -17, 2021
The Experience
On the morning of Friday, October 15, 2021, you’ll be on your own to travel from your home to New York Penn Station in the center of New York City by 10:15 AM. From there, your journey on the Whistle Stop Tour will begin.
The Journey Westward
Once you arrive at New York Penn Station, you’ll be met near the Amtrak waiting area at 10:30 AM sharp by an Executive Rail staff member. You will be ushered through the bustling terminal and whisked down a staircase to the waiting train #43, the westbound Pennsylvanian, which traverses the original route of the Broadway Limited from New York to Pittsburgh.
The Catalpa Falls will be waiting for you on the front of the train, gleaming in its shiny Tuscan red paint with imitation gold pinstriping. As you board the 72-year-old Catalpa Falls, you’ll be transported back in time to 1949, confronted with the bold colors and styles of famed industrial designer Raymond Loewy, restored in their original locations after years of meticulous research. An Executive Rail staff member will stow your bags while another leads you to your seats, where you’ll meet Virtual Railfan’s staff that you will be traveling with for the next three days. At 10:52 AM, you’ll be on your way west, sailing along the Northeast Corridor at 110 miles per hour as you enjoy the lively camaraderie of the other guests and the Virtual Railfan staff. You will be free to explore and take advantage of available seating in both cars for the duration of the trip.
Just as the train rolls into Philadelphia’s grand 30th Street Station, you’ll enjoy original lunch offerings from a 1950s Broadway Limited menu, prepared to order aboard the moving train. During lunch, the locomotive will be swapped from electric to diesel, and the train will be reversed, putting the Catalpa Falls on the rear. Satisfactorily filled with the finest Pennsylvania Railroad cuisine, you’ll return to your seat in time to take advantage of your in-seat drink service and watch the cascading farmlands of Pennsylvania Dutch country flying by the picture windows. You’ll enjoy the mid-afternoon view under Harrisburg’s historic 1887 train shed and the breathtaking scenery of the Susquehanna River Valley as the train glides over the Rockville Bridge, a national engineering landmark.
As you roll through the railroad town of Altoona begin your climb over the mighty Allegheny Mountains, passing the world-famous Horseshoe Curve will mark the beginning of an exquisite dinner service, again prepared from original Pennsylvania Railroad recipes by our skilled on-board chefs. You can enjoy your meal as the train passes other railroading landmarks that marked the Pennsylvania Railroad’s engineering triumph over this mountainous terrain.
Your Stay in Pittsburgh
The train will arrive in Pittsburgh at 7:59 PM, where you will disembark at the majestic station that the Pennsylvania Railroad constructed here in 1901. From here, you will leave the rails behind - albeit temporarily - as you make your way to your overnight accommodations. The Omni William Penn Hotel, just a few blocks from the station, is a recommended choice for those passengers wishing to maintain the aura of historical immersion - click here to book under our special rate!
On Saturday, passengers will be on their own to explore the wonders that Pittsburgh has to offer. Hop on a bus tour of the city from the Pittsburgh Tour Company, or simply let your senses guide you to some of Pennsylvania’s finest local breweries and eateries around Market Square. Ride the famous Duquesne Incline, get some homemade pierogis at Pierogis Plus (a Pittsburgh staple), or even continue the railroad theme with a visit to the shops and restaurants at Station Square (the original 1898 Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad station and headquarters).
If the hustle and bustle of downtown doesn’t appeal to you, take a drive to visit more historic Pennsylvania Railroad passenger equipment at Harlansburg Station. As always, there’s plenty of railfanning to be done around Pittsburgh itself, although we recommend renting a car to fully experience the area’s railroad wonders. Amtrak, Norfolk Southern, CSX, the Union Railroad, Wheeling & Lake Erie, Allegheny Valley, Pittsburgh & Ohio Central, and Buffalo & Pittsburgh are all within a 15-minute drive of the city center, while the Bessemer & Lake Erie (now Canadian National) is just 25 minutes away.
The Return to New York
On Sunday morning, passengers should return to the historic Pittsburgh Union Station at 7:00 AM, where they will be met by an Executive Rail staff member and ushered to the historic train cars on the rear of train #42, the eastbound Pennsylvanian. The train will depart at 7:30 AM sharp for its journey back across Pennsylvania. As the train reaches Latrobe on the western edge of the Alleghenies, your preferred breakfast options from an original Broadway Limited menu will be served. You’ll enjoy your meal while the steel-making city of Johnstown basks in the morning light outside the train and you course along the path of the disastrous 1889 Johnstown Flood.
As the train glides through Cresson and towards the historic Gallitzin Tunnels, you’ll experience breathtaking morning views of the Alleghenies as you once again approach the world-famous Horseshoe Curve. The mountains will give way to the Pennsylvania Railroad’s home city of Altoona, where the stalwart Juniata Shops continue to serve the railroad industry as they have for over a century. The Broadway Limited’s original menus will be brought out again for lunch service as the train reaches the historic 1849 Lewistown Junction station, the oldest surviving Pennsylvania Railroad structure. Take a seat at the table by your favorite Virtual Railfan staff member and enjoy the sights and stories of railroading from the best venue available.
From Harrisburg eastward, the trip quickens, and you’ll feel the rush of adrenaline as you pass opposing trains at over 200 combined miles per hour. The rolling hills of Amish country will give way to the bustle of Philadelphia’s suburbs and the sprawling grandeur of 30th Street Station, where the diesel locomotive will be swapped for an electric one before crossing the Delaware River into New Jersey. You’ll view the masterful 1930s art deco designs of Newark Penn Station before crossing the drawbridge over the Passaic River, the busiest railroad bridge in North America, and making a beeline through the Hudson River Tunnels into New York. The train will arrive at 4:55 PM, just in time for a wonderful dinner at any of New York’s fine eateries before returning home with memories of a fantastic and nostalgic trip.
For more information, call Eric Payne at 443-600-4810