A long while ago, lasting for a decade and half, I would (invariably) make my once-a-year road trip from Ohio to destinations on the east coast of U.S. mostly to Maryland and Washington, D.C., and occasionally to New Jersey, visiting friends and relatives. The distance was not too much...e.g., about 400 miles from Columbus (OH) to Washington (DC). I could do this in one driving stint of about 6-7 hours, with one break for stretching of legs and for restroom, though, if I were to do this now, I might need more than one health break...🙂...Anyway, I always thought, and still think so, there is no better way to familiarize yourself with the heartlands of Midwest, than driving this directly eastward route that traverses basically 3 states, Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania, before diving south towards Maryland and Washington, DC. The West Virgina segment of the Highway almost does not count...a thin strip of < 15 miles, across the state's peculiarly shaped (narrow) panhandle; so, you see the sign of West Virginia welcoming you, and just 10 mins later, you see West Virginia bidding you farewell. Always felt a bit strange...

On this route, you cross over many significant rivers and bridges (I love bridges), and then you enter the famous Appalachian Mountains of eastern U.S. A major portion of my route would traverse the state of Pennsylvania, along the so-called Pennsylvania Turnpike of Tollway system. The Appalachians are no Rockies (nor Alps) for sure, with highest elevation of only about 6,000 ft, but they have posed significant (and daunting) obstacles to eastward travel across U.S., through the century. They stop your eastward journey on its track and dare you to cross them. Though hardly (2,000-3,000) ft high on average, they span north-south extensively, and there is simply no way around them except boring holes through them thanks to Alfred Nobel's invention of "Dynamite"...🙂...man against the mountains. This is how the Pennsylvania Turnpike was built...with 7 Tunnels through 7 mountains of the Appalachian range. Out of the 7-tunnels, actually 4 Tunnels are in active use today, though which I would make my way on my trip. I'm more familiar with cities and towns around these mountains than the Rockies, and these mountains, though troublesome for highway system, are beautiful, with a perpetually bluish, picturesque and dreamy look about them. 

When I would (suddenly) enter one of these Tunnels of darkness, after hours of (non-stop) driving in bright sunlight, with my sunglasses on, I would often forget to take my sunglasses off, until my wife would remind me, "Why don't you take your sunglasses off?" I would then feel my face to see that I've indeed my glasses on, and would say, "How about you? You are not taking your sunglasses off...", and then the inevitable reply, "But...I'm not driving...", so, it was clearly a losing argument on my part...🙂...The active tunnels of today along the Pennsylvania Turnpike, were (originally) built more than 140 years ago, in 1881, under the auspices of South Pennsylvania Railroad, when automobile travel was not yet popular. Four of those Tunnels were later adapted (with (extra) parallel bores built for multi-lane traffic) for roadway travel in the 1940s (considered "engineering marvels" of the time). So, there are now left behind a few (abandoned) "Ghost" Tunnels in Pennsylvania, nearly forgotten, under the Appalachian Mountains...with their own stories to tell...🙂...if anyone would listen...

In my pictures below, I've focused on 2 of the 4 Tunnels I would cross in my (past) trips: (1) Allegheny Tunnel under the Allegheny Mountain (2) Tuscarora Tunnel under the Tuscarora Mountain (LAT/LONG co-ordinates of both derived from Google-Earth and inserted into the MSFS FlightPlan). As I lift off, below, from Pittsburgh (KPIT), these are the first 2 Tunnels (each more than a mile long) that would have to be reckoned with on my (roadway) journey to Washington, DC., but so nice, here, that I don't need to worry about these in my aerial flight....🙂... (See e.g., my shot #11 for the Highway I must have travelled on). In my pictures (shot #s 14-17) of the 2 Tunnel entrances, observe how the I-76 Highway disappears into the mountains. I've also included one image (shot #18) where from my vantage (aerial) viewpoint, you could spot the Highway re-emerging on the other side of the mountain...

Please enjoy this collection of images, below, of a classic U.S. airline, Eastern, and its DC-3, tracking the Tunnels of Pennsylvania Turnpike. Eastern operated 76 DC-3s, with flights in the same region (similar to Allegheny Airlines of my previous post), over and across the Appalachian Mountains that bring one of the most unpredictable and turbulent weather patterns in the U.S., naturally associated with such mountains (they are magnets for cloud and rain). In fact, on almost every occasion I've travelled through these mountains and the valleys, I vividly recall instances of gathering clouds and rain, except during the Fall season...with bright sun and stunningly beautiful colors of foliage, on the wayside, on the forests, hills, and mountains of Pennsylvania Turnpike...there is nothing better to soothe your mind during long driving...as I would be glad to be finally on the plains, free of Tunnels, towards my destination on the east-coast (see my last shot)...

Thanks for viewing and your interest...!

Edited March 17, 20242 yr by P_7878

Just magnificent showcasing of the topography...literally one ridge after another, on and on. I like the way you captured and framed those tunnel entrances for us all to see. Here in eastern Pennsylvania the mountains are not that forbidding, but we do have one notable tunnel...where the Northeast Extension of the Turnpike (I-476) passes through Blue Mountain just north of Slatington. You can fly out of Slatington Airport (69N) almost in the shadow of Blue Mountain to check it out.

You're absolutely correct, John. I believe I did come across those names too while looking around bits and pieces about this fascinating development of U.S. roadway system. I will check it out for myself.

I think PA turnpike served as a model for other roadway systems across the country...And to be honest, as I saw from above, in the SIM, the Highway winding along these mountains, valleys, and towns, it looked exactly like what I would recall from my RW travels.

I've travelled the PA Turnpike in all seasons, including winter...a long while ago, though...

Cheers...!

Lovely set, always with a DC-3, IMO !

cheers 😉

Great tour in a classic aircraft, P_7878 and thanks for the story. Very interesting!

Very nice photo tour! If you can't see it first hand in an automobile, then, a DC-3 has to be the next best thing!  🙂

 

Super shots! 😉 

Very nice series.

Great set, I also like the shots of the large tunnel entrance there and all the facilities.

The DC3 in msfs looks good but compared with the Aeroworx in XP the flight dynamics and other details can be well improved.

On 3/17/2024 at 2:00 AM, pmplayer said:

Lovely set, always with a DC-3, IMO !

cheers 😉

Thanks, pmplayer...and true about the DC-3...It makes my post look better...🙂...

 

On 3/17/2024 at 5:29 AM, bernd1151 said:

Great tour in a classic aircraft, P_7878 and thanks for the story. Very interesting!

Thank you for the comments, bernd. 

 

On 3/17/2024 at 10:32 AM, rmeier said:

Very nice photo tour! If you can't see it first hand in an automobile, then, a DC-3 has to be the next best thing!  🙂

 

Appreciated the feedback, rmeier. Agree DC-3 is next best thing to my (RW) automobile trips....🙂...unless I get to borrow that Zeppelin from Bernd...."Zeppelin above the Appalachians..."...🙂...Oh well...

 

On 3/17/2024 at 10:06 PM, Alaska738 said:

Super shots! 😉 

Appreciated the note, Will.

 

On 3/18/2024 at 6:52 AM, jankees said:

Very nice series.

Thanks, Jan, for chiming in.

 

7 hours ago, andiflyit said:

Great set, I also like the shots of the large tunnel entrance there and all the facilities.

The DC3 in msfs looks good but compared with the Aeroworx in XP the flight dynamics and other details can be well improved.

Glad you liked the images, Andreas. My Xbox DC-3 does not have the benefits of PC-based Mods that folks use here...so, I've to pretty much hand-fly by the needles ...🙂...still fun to fly this one...Cheers...!

30 minutes ago, P_7878 said:

...unless I get to borrow that Zeppelin from Bernd...."Zeppelin above the Appalachians..."...🙂...Oh well...

Fully agree!!!   🙂

Imagine seeing the NE during "turning of the leaves" in a Zeppelin???

3 hours ago, rmeier said:

Fully agree!!!   🙂

Imagine seeing the NE during "turning of the leaves" in a Zeppelin???

Now THAT would be something 😀