Diagrams of the Altoona Works Complex

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Diagram Key Description

Altoona Machine Shop 1881
This map is misslabeled as the 12st Street Car Shop. It was not known as this until sometime after 1904.

Altoona Machine Shops 1905
The original shop built in Altoona, very little remains today. This shop built locomotives between 1866 and 1904 and was later the site of the famous test plant. This area is now occupied by Altoona Pipe & Steel, the Altoona Railroader's Memorial Museum, the Station Medical Center, and a grocery store (9th street to 17th street). After locomotives were no longer built here, this shop was later renamed the 12th Street Car Shop.

Altoona Car Shops 1905
This shop built many passenger cars. This site and most of the original buildings exist today as the Union Tank Car Company. Lumax and Home Nursing Agency also occupy this area. In later days, the Juniata Shop annexed part of this shop and redevelopped it for locomotive use. The largest roundhouse in the world stood in this area. This shop was from about 1st street to 7th street.

Juniata Shops 1905
The first locomotive was produced in this shop in 1891. Several additions have been made to the Juniata Shops, including the huge Erecting and Machine Shop on the north end. Locomotive production haulted here in 1946. Most of the original (pre-1946) structures exist today as the Juniata Locomotive Shop. During the transition to diesels, this shop was refitted for their maintenance. This shop is still believed to be one of the largest and most versatile locomotive shops in the world. Today the complex stretches from 6th street in Juniata to 1st street in Altoona.

East Altoona Enginehouse 1905
This large portion of the Altoona Yard was set aside for servicing of locomotives on the Pittsburgh and Middle Divisions. The roundhouse at this site was the second largest in the world. Unfortunately, nothing but foundations remain of this complex. Many yard tracks are gone from this area also. The old 17th street bridge crosses half of the yard at this location.

South Altoona Foundries 1905
This site manufactured most major castings for the entire PRR system. It was built along what is now the Cove Secondary. Only a couple tracks remain here, but the buildings are largely in their original form. Cookson Electronics occupies the main two buildings, which are foundries #1 and #2. 84 Lumber occupies the south end of the site.

Altoona Yards 1905
As you can see, the Altoona Yards were once, and still are, very extensive. The Westbound Empty Receiving yard is now gone, and probably about half of the rest of the yard is used for storage or has been removed. The entire yard was once 4 miles long from end to end; today the active portion is about 3 miles long.

Altoona Yards 1925
Here is a more recent map of the Altoona Works complex from the South Altoona Foundries to the Juniata Shops.

12th Street Car Shop 1931
Formally known as the Altoona Machine Shops, the 12th Street Car Shop was home to the famous test plant, which among other things, tested locomotives on a treadmill type setup to measure various operating statistics.

Altoona Car Shop & Juniata Shop 1931
Here we have a much more update view of the Altoona Car shop, now Union Tank Car Co, and the Juniata Shop.

South Altoona Foundries 1931
A simple, easy to understand updated diagram of the S. Altoona Foundries.

Altoona Works
This drawing shows the basic placement of the shops that made up the famous Altoona Works.

Hollidaysburg Car Shop
Layout of the Hollidaysburg Car Shop.

Hollidaysburg Car Shop
Diagram of the entire Hollidaysburg Yard.

Juniata Locomotive Shop 2005
This aerial view is looking east. The E&M shop is the farthest north, with the other main shop buildings south of it. The long building in the middle is the Miscellaneious shop where the NS business train is kept.
Photo by Mike Breen.

Juniata Locomotive Shop 2007
This aerial view is looking north and shows the main part of the shop. The E&M shop is toward the top right. The powerplant is at the center of the complex. The paintshop is the blue building near bottom center. The testshed is the smaller brown building near center right.

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Diagram	Key	Description
	Altoona Machine Shop 1881 This map is misslabeled as the 12st Street Car Shop. It was not known as this until sometime after 1904.
		Altoona Machine Shops 1905 The original shop built in Altoona, very little remains today. This shop built locomotives between 1866 and 1904 and was later the site of the famous test plant. This area is now occupied by Altoona Pipe & Steel, the Altoona Railroader's Memorial Museum, the Station Medical Center, and a grocery store (9th street to 17th street). After locomotives were no longer built here, this shop was later renamed the 12th Street Car Shop.
		Altoona Car Shops 1905 This shop built many passenger cars. This site and most of the original buildings exist today as the Union Tank Car Company. Lumax and Home Nursing Agency also occupy this area. In later days, the Juniata Shop annexed part of this shop and redevelopped it for locomotive use. The largest roundhouse in the world stood in this area. This shop was from about 1st street to 7th street.
		Juniata Shops 1905 The first locomotive was produced in this shop in 1891. Several additions have been made to the Juniata Shops, including the huge Erecting and Machine Shop on the north end. Locomotive production haulted here in 1946. Most of the original (pre-1946) structures exist today as the Juniata Locomotive Shop. During the transition to diesels, this shop was refitted for their maintenance. This shop is still believed to be one of the largest and most versatile locomotive shops in the world. Today the complex stretches from 6th street in Juniata to 1st street in Altoona.
		East Altoona Enginehouse 1905 This large portion of the Altoona Yard was set aside for servicing of locomotives on the Pittsburgh and Middle Divisions. The roundhouse at this site was the second largest in the world. Unfortunately, nothing but foundations remain of this complex. Many yard tracks are gone from this area also. The old 17th street bridge crosses half of the yard at this location.
		South Altoona Foundries 1905 This site manufactured most major castings for the entire PRR system. It was built along what is now the Cove Secondary. Only a couple tracks remain here, but the buildings are largely in their original form. Cookson Electronics occupies the main two buildings, which are foundries #1 and #2. 84 Lumber occupies the south end of the site.
	Altoona Yards 1905 As you can see, the Altoona Yards were once, and still are, very extensive. The Westbound Empty Receiving yard is now gone, and probably about half of the rest of the yard is used for storage or has been removed. The entire yard was once 4 miles long from end to end; today the active portion is about 3 miles long.
	Altoona Yards 1925 Here is a more recent map of the Altoona Works complex from the South Altoona Foundries to the Juniata Shops.
	12th Street Car Shop 1931 Formally known as the Altoona Machine Shops, the 12th Street Car Shop was home to the famous test plant, which among other things, tested locomotives on a treadmill type setup to measure various operating statistics.
	Altoona Car Shop & Juniata Shop 1931 Here we have a much more update view of the Altoona Car shop, now Union Tank Car Co, and the Juniata Shop.
	South Altoona Foundries 1931 A simple, easy to understand updated diagram of the S. Altoona Foundries.
	Altoona Works This drawing shows the basic placement of the shops that made up the famous Altoona Works.
	Hollidaysburg Car Shop Layout of the Hollidaysburg Car Shop.
	Hollidaysburg Car Shop Diagram of the entire Hollidaysburg Yard.
	Juniata Locomotive Shop 2005 This aerial view is looking east. The E&M shop is the farthest north, with the other main shop buildings south of it. The long building in the middle is the Miscellaneious shop where the NS business train is kept. Photo by Mike Breen.
	Juniata Locomotive Shop 2007 This aerial view is looking north and shows the main part of the shop. The E&M shop is toward the top right. The powerplant is at the center of the complex. The paintshop is the blue building near bottom center. The testshed is the smaller brown building near center right.