Railroaders Memorial Museum

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Railroaders Memorial Museum
RailroadersMemorialMuseumLogo.png
RailroadersMemorialMuseumExterior.jpg
Main gates of the Railroaders Memorial Museum in Altoona, PA
Railroaders Memorial Museum is located in Pennsylvania
Railroaders Memorial Museum
Location within Pennsylvania
Established21 September 1980 (1980-09-21)
LocationAltoona, Pennsylvania
Coordinates40°30′52.01″N 78°23′57.01″W / 40.5144472°N 78.3991694°W / 40.5144472; -78.3991694Coordinates: 40°30′52.01″N 78°23′57.01″W / 40.5144472°N 78.3991694°W / 40.5144472; -78.3991694
TypeRailway Museum
Executive directorJoseph DeFrancesco
CuratorAndrew Brumbaugh
Websitewww.railroadcity.org

The Railroaders Memorial Museum 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.[1][2] Since 1998, the museum has been located in the Master Mechanics Building, built by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1882.[3] The museum also operates a separate museum, visitor center, and observation area at the Horseshoe Curve.[4][5]

Museum history[]

Public proposals for the creation of a railroad museum in Altoona have existed since at least 1938. In that year, the Altoona Mirror published a letter to the editor suggesting that Altoona develop a tourism industry centered around its railroad history. This proposed tourism industry included a "community railroad museum".[6] In 1959, the museum was again publicly proposed by Altoona's Chamber of Commerce[7] By 1963, Representatives from the city's Tourism Bureau found themselves competing for possession of 28 pieces of decommissioned Pennsylvania Railroad rolling stock. This lot included historic steam locomotives and passenger cars being kept at a roundhouse in Northumberland. The Altoona group intended to display this stock in their proposed "Pennsyland" railroad museum. Agents for the Strasburg Rail Road in Lancaster County were also lobbying for possession of the old stock.[8] Negotiations intensified when the Pennsylvania General Assembly chartered the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, but did not immediately designate a location. In 1965, Strasburg was selected as the site for the state museum and later awarded the contested Pennsylvania Railroad stock.[9]

Following the state's decision, the Altoona Railway Museum Club carried on with efforts to construct a museum in Altoona. In 1968, the club was granted a charter by the National Railway Historical Society to begin operating as the Horseshoe Curve Chapter. The chapter collected railroad artifacts to display in empty storefronts and at civic events in attempts to raise public support for a museum. The Railroaders Memorial Museum was incorporated in 1972 to raise additional funds and collect more artifacts.[10][11] The new group's first major acquisition came in 1975 with the purchase of The Loretto, a private railroad car originally built for use by steel tycoon Charles M. Schwab.[12] That same year, the Altoona Redevelopment Authority sold a parcel of land previously purchased from the Penn Central Transportation Company to a private developer for use as a shopping center. The land deal stipulated that the developer donate a portion of the property and $50,000 towards museum construction. The Railroaders Memorial Museum received full ownership of the property in 1978.[13] Groundbreaking ceremonies for the new museum were held on May 13, 1979.[14] The museum, still incomplete, opened to the public on September 21, 1980.[15]

in the early hours of October 8, 1983,The Loretto was badly damaged by arson. Two juveniles were charged with setting the fire, whose damage was estimated at $200,000. The Restore the Loretto Committee was formed to raise money to restore and preserve the railroad car.[16][17]

Altoona's city council later wondered whether a similar campaign could be organized for PRR 1361, an ailing K4 steam locomotive owned by the city and displayed at the Horseshoe Curve. Museum officials immediately lobbied for a role in the project.[18] The city established the Horseshoe Curve Task Force to investigate the feasibility and costs of restoring No. 1361. In 1985, the Railroaders Memorial Museum was granted possession of the PRR 1361 on condition that a suitable replacement be provided to the Horseshoe Curve; Conrail subsequently donated PRR 7048, a GP9 diesel-electric locomotive, for the purpose. Pennsylvania State Representative Richard Geist announced that the museum would receive a $50,000 grant and a crew of state workers to move No. 1361 and begin a cosmetic restoration.[19]

Timeline[]

  • 1966: An ad in the Altoona Mirror seeks parties to help establish a Railroad Museum for Altoona.
  • 1967: A group forms the Altoona Railway Museum Club and adopts the name Altoona Railway Museum Association.
  • 1968: The National Railway Historical Society grants a charter to the association. Chapter members begin collecting railroad memorabilia and displaying historical objects at civic events, etc.
  • 1975: Museum acquires The Loretto, the private rail car of Charles M. Schwab.
    • The Altoona Redevelopment Authority sells the former Penn Central Railroad shop complex land to the Center Associates, which agrees to provide a 5-acre (20,000 m2) plot for the Museum.
  • 1979: Ground-breaking ceremonies are held on May 12.
  • 1980: Museum celebrates grand opening on September 21.
  • 1985: Museum acquires the PRR K4s locomotive #1361 and moves it from the Horseshoe Curve to Altoona for restoration.
  • 1987-1988: K4s excursions haul thousands as the “Pride of Altoona” returns to the rails.
  • 1993: Museum acquires former PRR master mechanics building and an adjoining parcel of land.
  • 1998: Grand opening of the new Railroaders Memorial Museum held on April 25.

Collection[]

PRR 7048
PRR 7048 at Horseshoe Curve.jpg
PRR 7048 at the Horseshoe Curve in October 2011
hideType and origin
Power typeDiesel–electric
BuilderElectro-Motive Diesel
Build dateDecember 1955
hideSpecifications
Configuration:
​
 • AARB-B
Gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Prime moverEMD 567C
hidePerformance figures
Power output1,750 hp (1,300 kW)
hideCareer
OperatorsPennsylvania Railroad, Penn Central, Conrail
ClassGP9
Retired1985
DispositionOn static display, awaiting cosmetic restoration, based in Altoona Pennsylvania

The museum owns a collection of rolling stock, including the Pennsylvania Railroad 7048 on display at the Horseshoe Curve facilities.[20] Since 2010, the museum has been overseeing restoration of the Pennsylvania Railroad 1361, a K4 steam locomotive, at a roundhouse on the museum grounds.[21][22][23]

Pennsylvania Railroad 7048[]

Pennsylvania Railroad 7048 is a preserved GP9 Diesel-electric locomotive on static display at Horseshoe Curve.[24] The locomotive was constructed by Electro-Motive Division of General Motors in December 1955 for the Pennsylvania Railroad, and later passed to Conrail.[25] In 1985, Conrail repainted No. 7048 in its original Pennsylvania Railroad livery and donated it to the museum. No. 7048 replaced Pennsylvania Railroad 1361, a steam locomotive that had occupied the spot from June 8, 1957, until September 1985, when it was removed for restoration to operation.

References[]

  1. ^ "Our Mission". The Railroaders Memorial Museum. Retrieved 2021-06-06.
  2. ^ Keely, Marshall (14 June 2019). "Historians recall Hitler's foiled attack on Altoona". WJAC. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  3. ^ Paige, John C. (1989). A Special History Study: Pennsylvania Railroad Shops and Works in Altoona, Pennsylvania. US Department of the Interior. p. 16.
  4. ^ "Moments in Railroad History - The Horseshoe Curve". steelmuseum.org. Retrieved 2021-06-06.
  5. ^ "Railroad Horseshoe Curve National Historic Landmark". VisitPA. Retrieved 2021-06-06.
  6. ^ F. C. R. (26 April 1938). "An Open Letter to Citizens of Altoona". Altoona Mirror. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  7. ^ "More Convention Business Sought by C of C Bureau". Altoona Mirror. 28 February 1959. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  8. ^ "Rail Museum Plan Remains in Doubt". Altoona Mirror. 10 April 1963. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  9. ^ "About the Museum". Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  10. ^ Seidel, David (9 December 2010). "Kelchner contributed to local rail history". Altoona Mirror. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  11. ^ Keith, Pat (16 July 2018). "Horseshoe Curve Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society Going Strong". Altoona Mirror. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  12. ^ "The "Loretto II" Restoration Project". TrainWeb. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  13. ^ Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum Management Plan Environmental Assessment. Department of the Interior. 1992. p. 15.
  14. ^ Helsel, Marge (14 May 1979). "Railroader's Committee Breaks Ground for Museum". Altoona Mirror. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  15. ^ Montgomery, Jeff (22 September 1980). "Railroad Museum Dedicated". Altoona Mirror. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  16. ^ McElwee, Sue (February 22, 1984). "She's a damsel in distress". Huntingdon Daily News. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
  17. ^ "Fire-damaged Loretto needs restored". Altoona Mirror. December 23, 1983. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
  18. ^ Mulhollem, Jeff (February 9, 1984). "City's K-4 needs some TLC". Altoona Mirror. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  19. ^ Mulhollen, Jeff (July 16, 1985). "City council approves relocation of locomotive". Altoona Mirror. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  20. ^ Myers, Lance. "Altoona Railroader's Memorial Museum Roster" (PDF). Altoona Works.
  21. ^ "HawkinsRails - Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum". hawkinsrails.net. Retrieved 2021-06-06.
  22. ^ "Pennsy K4s No. 1361 status | Trains Magazine". Trains. Retrieved 2021-06-06.
  23. ^ Newman, Catherine; Rogers, Kelsey (24 June 2021). "Altoona Railroaders Museum to restore K4 1361 locomotive". WTAJ - www.wearecentralpa.com. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  24. ^ Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum: Management Plan Environmental Assessment : Draft. The Service. 1992. p. 114. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  25. ^ "Pictures of PRR 7048".

External links[]

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