Sand Patch Grade

Sand Patch Grade is an approximately 100-mile-long (160 km) section of railroad track known for its steep grades and curves through the Allegheny Mountains of Pennsylvania and Maryland. The line is part of the Keystone Subdivision, an East-West main line operated by CSX Transportation.

The line was originally built by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (B&O), which became a component of the Chessie System in 1972, then was merged into CSX in 1987. A well-known landmark along Sand Patch Grade is the 4,475-foot-long (1,364 m) Sand Patch Tunnel, which was constructed between 1854 and 1871. The original one-track tunnel was abandoned after a two-track tunnel was completed nearby in 1912. The tunnels used vertical ventilation shafts with fires in them to circulate air. The original tunnel was abandoned in 1917 and is now flooded and collapsed in places.

Dropping over 1,000 feet (300 m) in about 20 miles (32 km), Sand Patch Grade is one of the steepest railroad grades on the East Coast. In 2001, the 'SA' Tower was decommissioned and demolished. Mance, Pennsylvania, along the Sand Patch Grade is a popular spot for railfans and photographers due to the horseshoe curve located there, as well as the scenic backdrop provided by the old general store and tree farm. The grade is also popular as a place to watch the trains struggle up the steep grade, which is as much as two percent.

Passengers can ride over Sand Patch Grade on Amtrak's Chicago-Washington, DC train, the Capitol Limited.

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