Altoona Works

Last updated
Altoona Works
(Pennsylvania Railroad Shops)
Juniata Shops 1988.jpg
Juniata Locomotive Shop at Altoona Works in 1988, during the Conrail era
USA Pennsylvania location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location of the Altoona Works railroad shops in Pennsylvania
Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Altoona Works (the United States)
Location9th Ave. at 13th St., Altoona, Pennsylvania
Coordinates 40°30′48″N78°23′59″W / 40.51321°N 78.39985°W / 40.51321; -78.39985
Built/founded1850–1925
Governing body/owner Norfolk Southern Railway
PHMC dedicatedOctober 5, 1996

Altoona Works (also known as Altoona Terminal) is a large railroad industrial complex in Altoona, Pennsylvania. It was built between 1850 and 1925 by the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR), to supply the railroad with locomotives, railroad cars and related equipment. For many years, it was the largest railroad shop complex in the world.

Contents

History

In 1849, PRR officials developed plans to construct a repair facility at a town newly established for this purpose, Altoona. Construction was started in 1850, and soon a long building was completed in the 12th Street area that housed a machine shop, woodworking shop, blacksmith shop, locomotive repair shop and foundry.

The 12th Street area facilities were replaced later by the Altoona Machine Shops. The first locomotive was built there in 1866. A total of 6,783 steam, diesel and electric locomotives were manufactured in Altoona between 1866 and 1946. [1]

In time, additional PRR repair facilities were located in Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Renovo and Mifflin, and the Altoona Works expanded in adjacent Juniata. Inventor Alexander Graham Bell sent two assistants to the Altoona shops in 1875 to study the feasibility of installing telephone lines.[ citation needed ]

In 1875, the Altoona Works started a testing department for PRR equipment. In following years, the Pennsylvania Railroad led the nation in the development of research and testing procedures of practical value for the railroad industry. [2] In 1905, a Stationary Testing Plant was installed at Altoona, after originally being installed and used for locomotive testing in 1904, as one of the PRR System exhibits at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis. Locomotives tested on the plant included T1 4-4-4-4 No.6110 [3] and Baldwin No. 60,000 [4] Use of the testing facilities was discontinued in 1968, and many of the structures were demolished.[ citation needed ]

The turntable at the Altoona Works in 2014 Altoona Works turntable PA1.jpg
The turntable at the Altoona Works in 2014

In May 1877, telephone lines were installed for various departments to communicate with one another. [5]

In the 1920s, the site consisted of 125 buildings on 218 acres (0.88 km2), and the shops employed over 16,000 workers. [6] [7] Portions of the complex are still in use by Norfolk Southern Railway (NS).

During World War II, PRR facilities (including the Altoona Shops) were on target lists of German saboteurs involved in Operation Pastorius. They were caught before they could complete their missions. [8] By 1945, the Altoona Works had grown to be one of the largest repair and construction facilities for locomotives and cars in the world. [9]

Current facilities

In 2019, the shops employed nearly 700 employees. After a series of layoffs between 2019 and 2021, NS reduced the staff at the Juniata locomotive shop to about 450 employees.

The mass layoffs began on November 7, 2019 (95 employees) [10] again in May 2019 (50 employees) [11] and another round in July 2021 (86 employees) [12] reduced the workforce in Altoona by nearly 36% as part of Norfolk Southern's new long-term business plan.

The Railroaders Memorial Museum is located next to the Juniata Shops on the site of the Altoona Machine Shops.

Major facilities (1920s)

Modern Juniata Locomotive Shop sign viewed from Chestnut Avenue Juniata Locomotive Shop sign 2018.jpg
Modern Juniata Locomotive Shop sign viewed from Chestnut Avenue
Altoona Works, c. 1931 Altoona works.jpg
Altoona Works, c. 1931

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Altoona, Pennsylvania</span> City in Pennsylvania, United States

Altoona is a city in Blair County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 43,963 at the time of the 2020 census, making it the 18th-most populous city in Pennsylvania. It is the principal city of the Altoona metropolitan area, which includes all of Blair County and was recorded as having a population of 122,822 at the 2020 census.

The Pennsylvania Railroad, legal name The Pennsylvania Railroad Company, also known as the "Pennsy", was an American Class I railroad that was established in 1846 and headquartered in Philadelphia. It was named for the commonwealth in which it was established. At its peak in 1882, the Pennsylvania Railroad was the largest railroad, the largest transportation enterprise, and the largest corporation in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Horseshoe Curve (Pennsylvania)</span> Rail curve in Altoona, Pennsylvania

The Horseshoe Curve is a three-track railroad curve on Norfolk Southern Railway's Pittsburgh Line in Blair County, Pennsylvania. The curve is roughly 2,375 feet (700 m) long and 1,300 feet (400 m) in diameter. Completed in 1854 by the Pennsylvania Railroad as a way to reduce the westbound grade to the summit of the Allegheny Mountains, it replaced the time-consuming Allegheny Portage Railroad, which was the only other route across the mountains for large vehicles. The curve was later owned and used by three Pennsylvania Railroad successors: Penn Central, Conrail, and Norfolk Southern.

<i>John Bull</i> (locomotive) British-built railroad steam locomotive

John Bull is a historic British-built railroad steam locomotive that operated in the United States. It was operated for the first time on September 15, 1831, and became the oldest operable steam locomotive in the world when the Smithsonian Institution ran it under its own steam in 1981. Built by Robert Stephenson and Company, it was initially purchased by and operated for the Camden and Amboy Railroad, the first railroad in New Jersey, which gave it the number 1 and its first name, "Stevens". The C&A used it heavily from 1833 until 1866, when it was removed from active service and placed in storage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Huntingdon and Broad Top Mountain Railroad and Coal Company</span> American short line railroad company

Huntingdon and Broad Top Mountain Railroad (H&BTM) is a former short line railroad company operating passenger and freight service on standard gauge track in south central Pennsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pennsylvania Railroad K4 class</span> Class of 425 American 4-6-2 locomotives

The Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) K4 4-6-2 "Pacific" was its premier passenger-hauling steam locomotive from 1914 through the end of steam on the PRR in 1957.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roanoke Shops</span> Railway workshops in Roanoke, Virginia

The Roanoke Shops is a railroad workshop and maintenance facility in Roanoke, Virginia. Between 1884 and 1953, the shops produced 447 steam locomotives, all for the Norfolk and Western Railway (N&W). The Roanoke Shops built the N&W's famous Big Three class steam locomotives; the 4-8-4 class J, the 2-6-6-4 class A, and the 2-8-8-2 class Y6. In late 1953, the Shops built their final steam locomotive, making it last standard gauge steam locomotive built for revenue service in the United States. In 2020, N&W's successor, Norfolk Southern abandoned the Shops and Genesis Rail Services acquired the property in July 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Broad Top Railroad and Coal Company</span> Historic railroad in Pennsylvania

The East Broad Top Railroad (EBT) is a 3 ft narrow gauge historic and heritage railroad headquartered in Rockhill Furnace, Pennsylvania. Operating from 1871 to 1956, it is one of the United States' oldest and best-preserved narrow-gauge railroads, and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1964. The railroad is now preserved for use as a tourist attraction until operations ceased in 2011. After a nine-year closure, in February 2020 it was announced that the railroad had been purchased by a non-profit foundation and regular train service resumed in the summer of 2021.

Axel S. Vogt was the Pennsylvania Railroad's Chief Mechanical Engineer between March 1, 1887, and February 1, 1919. He was succeeded by William Frederic Kiesel, Jr. After retiring from the PRR, Vogt continued to consult for the Baldwin Locomotive Works until his death.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Railroaders Memorial Museum</span> Railroad museum in Altoona, Pennsylvania

The Railroaders Memorial Museum (RMM) is a railroad museum in Altoona, Pennsylvania. The museum focuses on the history of railroad workers and railroad communities in central Pennsylvania, particularly Altoona, the Altoona Works, and the greater Pittsburgh area. Since 1998, the museum has been located in the Master Mechanics Building, built by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1882. The museum also operates a separate museum, visitor center, and observation area at the Horseshoe Curve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Altoona and Beech Creek Railroad</span> Defunct narrow-gauge railroad in Pennsylvania

The Altoona and Beech Creek Railroad was a 3 ft narrow gauge railroad in Pennsylvania that operated during the late ninteeth and early twentieth centuries. It carried passenger traffic from the vicinity of Altoona to Wopsononock and coal and timber from Wopsononock and Dougherty to Altoona.

Class E6 on the Pennsylvania Railroad was the final type of 4-4-2 "Atlantic" locomotive built by the railroad, and second only to the Milwaukee Road's streamlined class A in size, speed and power. Although quickly ceding top-flight trains to the larger K4s Pacifics, the E6 remained a popular locomotive on lesser services and some lasted to the end of steam on the PRR. One, #460, called the Lindbergh Engine, is preserved at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. It was moved indoors to begin preparations for restoration on March 17, 2010. On January 10, 2011, PRR #460 was moved to the museum's restoration shop for a two- to three-year project, estimated to cost $350,000. The engine is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pennsylvania Railroad L1 class</span> Class of 574 American 2-8-2 locomotives

Pennsylvania Railroad Class L1s were 2-8-2 "Mikado"-type steam locomotives that were used on the Pennsylvania Railroad during the early twentieth century. These 574 locomotives were manufactured between 1914 and 1919 by the railroad's own Juniata Shops as well as the Baldwin Locomotive Works (205) and the Lima Locomotive Works (25).

The PRR J1 was a class of 2-10-4 "Texas" type steam locomotives built between 1942 and 1944. The J1 had over 95,000 pounds-force (422.6 kN) of tractive effort, plus an additional 15,000 lbf (66.7 kN) if the booster engine was used.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pennsylvania Railroad 1361</span> Preserved PRR K4 class 4-6-2 locomotive

Pennsylvania Railroad 1361 is a 4-6-2 K4 "Pacific" type steam locomotive built in May 1918 by the Pennsylvania Railroad's (PRR) Juniata Shops in Altoona, Pennsylvania. It hauled mainline passenger trains in Pennsylvania and commuter trains in Central New Jersey on the PRR until its retirement from revenue service in 1956. Restored to operating condition for excursion service in 1987, No. 1361 and its only surviving sister locomotive, No. 3750, were designated as the official state steam locomotives by the Pennsylvania General Assembly. In 1988, it was sidelined due to mechanical problems and was currently owned by the Railroaders Memorial Museum (RMM) in Altoona, Pennsylvania, who were currently getting No. 1361 back to operation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pennsylvania Railroad 1223</span> Preserved PRR D16sb class 4-4-0 locomotive

Pennsylvania Railroad No. 1223 is a class "D16sb" 4-4-0 "American" type steam locomotive built in November 1905 for the Pennsylvania Railroad by their own Altoona Works for passenger service. After being retired from active service in 1950, the locomotive ran excursion trains on the Strasburg Rail Road outside of Strasburg, Pennsylvania from 1965 to 1989 when it was removed from service requiring firebox repairs. Currently, the locomotive is still on static display at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania outside of Strasburg. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. No. 1223 is the only surviving example of the Pennsylvania Railroad's D16sb class.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pennsylvania Railroad class G5</span> United States historic place

The Pennsylvania Railroad G5 is a class of 4-6-0 steam locomotives built by the PRR's Juniata Shops in the mid-late 1920s. It was designed for passenger trains, particularly on commuter lines, and became a fixture on suburban railroads until the mid-1950s. The G5 was the largest and most powerful 4-6-0 locomotive, except for a single Southern Pacific 4-6-0 that outweighed it by 5,500 lb.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pittsburgh Line</span> Norfolk Southern rail line

The Pittsburgh Line is the Norfolk Southern Railway's primary east–west artery in its Pittsburgh Division and Harrisburg Division across the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and is part of the Keystone Corridor, Amtrak-Norfolk Southern's combined rail corridor.

Conway Yard is a major rail yard located in the boroughs of Conway, Pennsylvania, and Freedom, Pennsylvania, 22 miles (35 km) northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, along the Ohio River. It was the largest freight yard in the world from 1956 until 1980. It is currently owned by Norfolk Southern (NS) and is one of the largest yards in the United States and on the east coast.

The Pennsylvania Railroad's class K29s comprised a single experimental 4-6-2 "Pacific" type steam locomotive. Constructed by Alco-Schenectady, it was given road number 3395. Although only one demonstrator was constructed, the K29s would become the basis for the highly successful K4s Pacifics and L1s Mikados. The lone example spent most of its life on the PRR's Pittsburgh division main line and was retired around 1929.

References

  1. ↑ "Norfolk Southern Railway: Timeline". Norfolk Southern Corporation. Archived from the original on 15 March 2012. Retrieved 2008-09-05.
  2. ↑ "History of the Altoona Railroad Shops National Park Service Special History Study Chapter 1: History of the Altoona railroad shops (continued)13. Changes after World War II". National Park Service Special History Study. United States National Park Service. 2004-10-22. Retrieved 2008-03-04.
  3. ↑ "Locomotive And Railway Preservation" The Magazine of Historic Railwaay Preservation, Number 9, July–August 1987, ISSN 0891-7647, p.22
  4. ↑ "Part Two - Baldwin 60000".
  5. ↑ "History of the Altoona Railroad Shops Chapter 1 Heading 7 The Altoona Railroad Shops After The Civil War Paragraph 10". National Park Service Special History Study. United States National Park Service. 2004-10-22.
  6. ↑ Alexander, Edwin P. (1967), The Pennsylvania Railroad: A Pictorial History, New York: Bonanza Books, p. 133
  7. ↑ Paige, John C. (1989), “A Special History Study: Pennsylvania Railroad Shops and Works, Altoona, Pennsylvania,” Washington, DC: United States National Park Service.
  8. ↑ "Railfan's Guide to the Altoona Area". www.trainweb.org. Archived from the original on 9 October 1999. Retrieved 2007-08-24.
  9. ↑ "Chapter 4: Significance and Recommendations for Future Research 1. Significance of Altoona Works". National Park Service Special History Study. United States National Park Service. May 1989.
  10. ↑ Lester, David. "Norfolk Southern lays off 95 workers at Altoona Shops". RT&S. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
  11. ↑ Gary, Travis (22 May 2019). "Norfolk Southern lays off about 50 employees in Altoona, company confirms". WJAC. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
  12. ↑ "Norfolk Southern furloughs 86 employees at Juniata shop". Altoona Mirror. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.