Altoona Works
Encyclopedia
Altoona Works is a large railroad industrial complex in Altoona, Pennsylvania
. It was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad
to supply the railroad with locomotive
s, railroad car
s and related equipment. For many years it was the largest railroad shop complex in the world.
. Construction was started in 1850, and soon a long building was completed that housed a machine shop, woodworking shop, blacksmith
shop, locomotive repair shop and foundry
. This facility was later torn down to make room for continuing expansion.
The initial portions of the complex were constructed in 1850, and many additional buildings and facilities were added to the complex up until 1925. For many years it was the largest railroad shop complex in the world.
Initial construction of the works was in the 12th Street area during 1850s. These 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 locomotive
s were manufactured in Altoona between 1866 and 1946.
In time additional PRR repair facilities were located in Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, and Mifflin, and the Altoona Works expanded in adjacent Juniata, Pennsylvania. Inventor Alexander Graham Bell
sent two assistants to the Altoona shops in 1875 to study the feasibility of installing telephone
lines.
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. Use of the testing facilities was discontinued in 1968 and many of the structures were demolished.
In May 1877, telephone lines were installed for various departments to communicate with one another.
Fort Wayne, Indiana
, also held a key position for the railroad. By the turn of the 20th century, its repair shops and locomotive manufacturing facilities became known as the "Altoona of the West."
In the 1920s the site consisted of 125 buildings on 218 acre (0.88221548 km²), and the shops employed over 16,000 workers. Portions of the complex are still in use by Norfolk Southern Railway
(NS).
By 1945 the Altoona Works had grown to be one of the largest repair and construction facilities for locomotives and cars in the world. During World War II, PRR facilities (including the Altoona Shops) were on target lists of German saboteurs
. They were caught before they could complete their missions.
At present, the locomotive shop at Juniata is operated by Thoroughbred Mechanical Services, a subsidiary of NS with 800 employees.
Map of Altoona Works
Altoona, Pennsylvania
-History:A major railroad town, Altoona was founded by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1849 as the site for a shop complex. Altoona was incorporated as a borough on February 6, 1854, and as a city under legislation approved on April 3, 1867, and February 8, 1868...
. It was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
to supply the railroad with locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
s, railroad car
Railroad car
A railroad car or railway vehicle , also known as a bogie in Indian English, is a vehicle on a rail transport system that is used for the carrying of cargo or passengers. Cars can be coupled together into a train and hauled by one or more locomotives...
s and related equipment. For many years it was the largest railroad shop complex in the world.
History
In 1849, PRR officials developed plans to construct a repair facility at AltoonaAltoona, Pennsylvania
-History:A major railroad town, Altoona was founded by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1849 as the site for a shop complex. Altoona was incorporated as a borough on February 6, 1854, and as a city under legislation approved on April 3, 1867, and February 8, 1868...
. Construction was started in 1850, and soon a long building was completed that housed a machine shop, woodworking shop, blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
shop, locomotive repair shop and foundry
Foundry
A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal in a mold, and removing the mold material or casting after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals processed are aluminum and cast iron...
. This facility was later torn down to make room for continuing expansion.
The initial portions of the complex were constructed in 1850, and many additional buildings and facilities were added to the complex up until 1925. For many years it was the largest railroad shop complex in the world.
Initial construction of the works was in the 12th Street area during 1850s. These facilities were replaced later by the Altoona Machine Shops. The first locomotive was built there in 1866. A total of 6,783 steam
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
, diesel
Diesel locomotive
A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel...
and electric locomotive
Electric locomotive
An electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electricity from overhead lines, a third rail or an on-board energy storage device...
s were manufactured in Altoona between 1866 and 1946.
In time additional PRR repair facilities were located in Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, and Mifflin, and the Altoona Works expanded in adjacent Juniata, Pennsylvania. Inventor Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander Graham Bell was an eminent scientist, inventor, engineer and innovator who is credited with inventing the first practical telephone....
sent two assistants to the Altoona shops in 1875 to study the feasibility of installing telephone
Telephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
lines.
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. Use of the testing facilities was discontinued in 1968 and many of the structures were demolished.
In May 1877, telephone lines were installed for various departments to communicate with one another.
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne is a city in the US state of Indiana and the county seat of Allen County. The population was 253,691 at the 2010 Census making it the 74th largest city in the United States and the second largest in Indiana...
, also held a key position for the railroad. By the turn of the 20th century, its repair shops and locomotive manufacturing facilities became known as the "Altoona of the West."
In the 1920s the site consisted of 125 buildings on 218 acre (0.88221548 km²), and the shops employed over 16,000 workers. Portions of the complex are still in use by Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
(NS).
By 1945 the Altoona Works had grown to be one of the largest repair and construction facilities for locomotives and cars in the world. During World War II, PRR facilities (including the Altoona Shops) were on target lists of German saboteurs
Operation Pastorius
Operation Pastorius was a failed plan for sabotage via a series of attacks by Nazi German agents inside the United States. The operation was staged in June 1942 and was to be directed against strategic U.S. economic targets...
. They were caught before they could complete their missions.
At present, the locomotive shop at Juniata is operated by Thoroughbred Mechanical Services, a subsidiary of NS with 800 employees.
Major facilities (1920s)
- Altoona Machine Shops (renamed 12th St Car Shop in 1938)
- Built steam locomotives during 1866-1904
- Later in 20th century it handled locomotive repair and manufacture of engine parts
- Altoona Car Shops
- Built 1869
- Manufactured freight cars and passenger cars
- Juniata Shops
- Built 1888-1890; expanded 1924-25
- Built steam and electric locomotives during 1891-1946
- Included a paint shop, boiler shop, blacksmithBlacksmithA blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
shop, boilerBoilerA boiler is a closed vessel in which water or other fluid is heated. The heated or vaporized fluid exits the boiler for use in various processes or heating applications.-Materials:...
house, erecting shop, two-story machine shop, electric and hydraulic house, two-story office and storeroom, paint storehouse and gas house, and hydraulic transfer tableTransfer tableA transfer table, also called a traverser , is a piece of railroad equipment. It is similar in function to a turntable, though it cannot be used to turn equipment around. The table consists of a single length of track which can be moved from side to side, in a direction perpendicular to the track...
and pit. - Repair work only in mid-20th century
- Builds and remanufactures locomotives today
- South Altoona Foundries
- Manufactured cast ironCast ironCast iron is derived from pig iron, and while it usually refers to gray iron, it also identifies a large group of ferrous alloys which solidify with a eutectic. The color of a fractured surface can be used to identify an alloy. White cast iron is named after its white surface when fractured, due...
and brassBrassBrass is an alloy of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties.In comparison, bronze is principally an alloy of copper and tin...
castingCastingIn metalworking, casting involves pouring liquid metal into a mold, which contains a hollow cavity of the desired shape, and then allowing it to cool and solidify. The solidified part is also known as a casting, which is ejected or broken out of the mold to complete the process...
s
- Manufactured cast iron
Map of Altoona Works
External links
- AltoonaWorks.info – History of Altoona Works, Maps, Photos, Listing of locomotives built/repaired/completed