Mountains

Topographical map
Topographical block diagram showing the terrain between Johnstown and Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania.

NPS/Harpers Ferry Center

The Allegheny Portage Railroad traversed the Allegheny Mountains between Hollidaysburg and Johnstown, Pennsylvania, connecting the Eastern and Western Divisions of the Pennsylvania Main Line Canal. The mountains represented a formidable obstacle in early transportation routes. The inclines and planes of the Allegheny Portage Railroad provided a unique engineering solution for transporting the canal boats across the mountains.

Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site is located in Blair and Cambria Counties at the junction of the Appalachian Plateaus and Ridge and Valley Provinces in southwestern Pennsylvania. This area is characterized by high, rounded ridges and valleys divided by streams. The park extends linearly from the southeast facing escarpment that forms the eastern edge of the plateau region, known as the Allegheny Front, to the summit of the Cresson Ridge in the Allegheny Mountains.

Last updated: January 23, 2022

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Contact Info

Mailing Address:

110 Federal Park Road
Gallitzin, PA 16641

Phone:

814 886-6150

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