Railroaders Memorial Museum

About

The Railroaders Memorial Museum seeks to preserve the stories and contributions of Central Pennsylvanians who left an imprint on their communities, industry, and nation. Museum displays include a rich array of artifacts, immersive environments, and life size dioramas of railroad workers performing various tasks typical of the Altoona Shops.

We have two locations, the Railroaders Memorial Museum and the Horseshoe Curve National Historic Landmark.

The Railroaders Memorial Museum seeks to preserve the stories and contributions of Central Pennsylvanians who left an imprint on their communities, industry, and nation. Museum displays include a rich array of artifacts, immersive environments, and life size dioramas of railroad workers performing various tasks typical of the Altoona Shops. Various orientation films present colorful context of the people and lifestyles that composed the city's railroading community. A well-stocked gift shop and digital database serves as additional amenities for the visiting public.

First opened in 1980, the museum relocated in 1998 to the Pennsylvania Railroad's former Master Mechanic's Building. Constructed in 1882, the structure was used for a century of railroad operations. Initially, the railroad's physical and chemical laboratories were housed here. In subsequent years, the building was used for medical offices, storage, and railroad police headquarters—which included an indoor firearms range in the basement. The Master Mechanic's Building is the sole survivor of Altoona's Machine Shops. The site stands as a stunning example of railroad architecture and a monument to the individuals who built it.

Horseshoe Curve National Historic Landmark
In the early 1850s, the massive front of the Allegheny Mountains, standing 2,161 feet above sea level, blocked westward advance. This obstacle culminated in the creation of the Gallitzin Tunnels and the Horseshoe Curve, both of which were dug out of near-impenetrable geographic formations. Using switchbacks, excavations, and pure innovation, engineers reduced grades and effectively conquered the mountains. To conduct these laborious endeavors, the Pennsylvania Railroad hired job-hungry Irish immigrants. The hazardous work lasted three grueling years.

The end result was nothing less than monumental. The Curve became known as one of the eight engineering marvels of the world. The completion of the Curve was widely celebrated and heralded throughout the state as a grand opportunity. The now-iconic railroad link opened for business on February 15, 1854. Over the next century-and-a-half, the landmark also became a tourism destination, a target of Nazi spies, and one of the primary east-west arteries of railroad travel in the nation.