Getting ready to start again!

Before returning to Harrisburg for more supplies and returning to Delaware to wait for the repairs we managed to get some more sightseeing in. Today. in western Pennsylvania Horseshoe Curve is the primary way that trains travers the Allegheny Mountains but before that there was the Allegheny Mountain Portage. To keep pace with the canals in other states the carried passengers and cargo to and from the west, Pennsylvania also built a canal system starting near Columbia, PA to somewhere close to Pittsburgh, PA. The biggest problem was getting over the mountains. At first the barges would arrive at the mountain where they were unloaded, and the cargo hauled over the mountains by wagons or coach. Eventually as locomotives became bigger and more powerful a rail system was built over the mountain and at the sections that were too steep for the engines to climb a stationary steam engine was installed to assist in pulling the trains up to the next plateau. Although this was a huge improvement in transportation it only took 20 years for the technology become powerful enough that trains could now climb the mountain without the assistance of the portage. The photo below depicts a canal boat on the railroad car being pulled up the hill.

Another interesting stop in the area was the Quecreek Mining Disaster site. Although I have been here before the new visitor center and the lady that was working the day, we were there made it a very memorable visit. The fact that all 18 men who went into the mine that morning survived was impressive but the events that happened over the next few days that resulted in the rescue of the 9 men who got trapped is extraordinary. The story of the 9 miners who escaped the day the mine flooded was rather impressive but the events that happened the next few days eclipsed them so much they are called the “Forgotten Nine”! No interviews on the Today Show, no visit to the White House, and nothing else for them. What they did do was to turn right around after getting out and joined the rescue mission to get their comrades out. This year they will be celebrating the twentieth anniversary and although I cannot recall what they said would be done to do that I do remember that the survivors have been invited to attend.

We stopped at the repair shop to get more stuff out of the RV and try to get an idea of what was wrong with it. The bottom line was that the cylinder liners all have pitting and at least one of them was leaking coolant into the oil. When we left it was their opinion that it would possibly be repaired by Friday June 17. After talking to them today, Friday June 10, we know for sure that it will be ready to roll by then. I can’t say how much it will cost us but hopefully the extended warranty we purchased with the RV will cover some if not all of the repair.

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