Named after Prince Gallitzin, who settled at nearby Loretto in 1789, this town has a population of 3,102 as enumerated in the 1950 census. It is here that the two eastbound tracks pass through the new Portage Tunnel, which was widened in 1898, at an elevation of 2,194 feet- the westbound tracks use two single track tunnels at an elevation of 2,160 feet. The eastern portals of the three tunnels are less than one eighth of a mile apart.

In 1903 the roadbed of the New Portage Railroad was used for a new double track line from Gallitzin to Hollidaysburg and with the double tracking of the Petersburg Branch, completed that same year, provided a relief route for the movement of coal and other heavy traffic to the summit of the Allegheny Mountains. It is this route which will be followed by the inspection train.

HOLLIDAYSBURG, Pennsylvania

Just west of town, at New Portage Junction, the Hollidaysburg Branch connects this line with Altoona, 61/2 miles to the north. Founded in 1768, it became the western terminus of the eastern canal portion of the Main Line of Public Works and the transfer point for the rail travel via the Portage Railroad in 1834. Now the county seat of Blair County with a population of 6,483 (1950 census), Hollidaysburg is primarily a residential town with industry represented chiefly by the facilities of the Pennsylvania Railroad.

Samuel Rea, ninth president of the PRR (1913-1925) was born here in 1855. The shop building to be visited by the Inspection Party was named in his honor.

SAMUEL REA SHOP

one of the largest railroad shop buildings in the world, it is strategically located on the freight route between Petersburg and Gallitzin. Shop cars are accumulated by classes in an adjacent storage yard.

The shop is designed to work on a straight line production system.  Cars needing heavy repairs will move in one end of the shop and come out the other completely repaired and ready for service.

Upon entering the west end of the shop, the cars are dismantled. The parts with service life remaining are moved to repair shops for reclamation. After being reclaimed and new material added where needed, the parts move to sub-assembly positions and finally to points of application on the assembly line where they are again applied to cars.