Horseshoe Curve, Pennsylvania
The 1854 curve that carried the Pennsylvania Railroad over the Alleghenies
Horseshoe Curve, Pennsylvania
Norfolk Southern · Altoona, Pennsylvania, United States
This operator has not granted Spotatrain permission to embed the feed, so we link to it instead.
Watch at Virtual RailfanStreamed by Virtual Railfan
Stream hosted by Virtual Railfan. Spotatrain links to the original feed and does not rebroadcast.
Where this camera films
Camera position: 40.49795, -78.48538
- Location
- Altoona, Pennsylvania, United States
- Railroad
- Best viewing times
- Around the clock. Helper movements often run between scheduled trains.
Weather & light at the camera
Sun times calculated for this camera’s coordinates.
Trains on this camera
What the stream’s operator says
upwards of 60 moves per day
Traffic as described by the stream’s operator. Spotatrain has not counted the trains itself.
Train types
Passenger trains past this camera
- Train 42, to New YorkDaily≈ 9:51 AMestimated from Altoona Amtrak Station, 8.9 km
- Train 43, to PittsburghDaily≈ 5:24 PMestimated from Altoona Amtrak Station, 8.9 km
Scheduled times from Amtrak’s official timetable, updated September 17, 2026 — trains often run late. Estimated times are worked out along the line from the nearest scheduled stop.
On the line here
FRA / NTAD — crossing inventory Jul 21, 2026 · bridge inventory Oct 14, 2022 · rail yards (FRA / NTAD)
About this cam
What to watch for
Norfolk Southern freight, Amtrak's Pennsylvanian, and the helper locomotives that push heavy trains up the grade. Note the two figures do not agree: the camera operator advertises upwards of 60 movements a day, while our spot listing records 50–60 Norfolk Southern freights based on 2008 data. Virtual Railfan streams often carry lineside audio, but we have not confirmed it for this particular camera — check the source before relying on it.
The camera
- Stream
- YouTube live stream
- Filming
- Curve
- Traffic
- Freight & passenger
- Sound
- Live lineside audio — horns and engines
- Hours
- Streams around the clock, 24/7
- Camera movement
- Aimed by the operator
- Feed checked
- August 3, 2026
Filmed location
The place this camera films is documented on Spotatrain — traffic levels, best angles, and visiting info (Spot):
Related on Spotatrain
Live Cams Near Altoona
More Live Cams in Pennsylvania
Spots Near This Camera
Horseshoe Curve
America's most famous railroad curve — a 220-degree, three-track bend on Norfolk Southern's Pittsburgh Line, 5 miles west of Altoona. Built 1854, NHL since 1966. Around 50-60 trains daily.
Gallitzin Tunnels
Three historic tunnels at the summit of the Alleghenies on Norfolk Southern's Pittsburgh Line (MP 248), with 50+ daily trains. Tunnels Park overlooks the west portals from downtown Gallitzin at 2,167 feet elevation.
Cresson
One of America's premier railfan destinations, Cresson sits atop the Allegheny Mountains on Norfolk Southern's Pittsburgh Line at milepost 251. A dedicated observation platform, helper operations, and 50-70 daily train movements make this small Pennsylvania borough a must-visit for serious railfans.
Related Experiences
Horseshoe Curve National Historic Landmark
An 1854 engineering marvel near Altoona where three tracks bend 220 degrees around a mountain, with a trackside train-watching park.
Railroaders Memorial Museum
Three floors of Pennsylvania Railroad history in the 1882 Master Mechanics Building, plus K4 1361 in the roundhouse.
Explore around Altoona
7 places on Spotatrain within 25 km of Altoona — 4 spots, 2 experiences and 1 live cam.
- Horseshoe Curve National Historic Landmark 92 m
- Horseshoe Curve 101 m
- Gallitzin Tunnels 5.9 km
- Railroaders Memorial Museum 7.4 km
- Cresson 9.5 km
- Cresson, Pennsylvania — Virtual Railfan West 9.8 km
- Cassandra Railroad Overlook 16 km