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c. 1810
- First parmanent settlers come to the area that would become Altoona.
1823
-John Stevens obtains charter to construct a railroad from Philadelphia to Columbia with the intent to expand to
Pittsburgh. Stevens failed to raise enough capital for the venture and the railroad was not constructed.
1826
- Pennsylvania legislature passes a bill authorizing the construction of a railroad and canal system extending
from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh. This led to the Allegheny Portage Railroad in the 1830s.
1834
- At a cost of over $12 million, the Pennsylvania Main Line, a combination railroad and canal route, is completed
from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh.
April 13, 1846
- Pennsylvania state assembly charters the Pennsylvania Railroad Company to construct and operate a railroad
between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, a distance of 249 miles.
April 24, 1849
- 224 acres of David Robeson's farmland & woodland is purchased by the PRR for $10,000. This property would become
the townsite of Altoona and fifteen acres of it became the first railroad shops.
1849
- PRR developes plans for construction repair facilities at Altoona including an enginehouse, erecting shop,
and machine shop.
Early 1850
- Construction begins on the first buildings of the Altoona railroad shops. By the end of the year there is an
eight stall roundhouse, a machine shop, paint shop, woodwork shop, blacksmith shop, locomotive repair shop,
and foundry. These early facilities at 12th street were later removed to make way for the Altoona Machine Shops.
September 11, 1850
- Locomotive "Allegheny" makes first trip to Duncansville wye.
September 16, 1850
- Regular service to Duncansville begins.
October 1, 1850
- The PRR is connected to the Allegheny Portage Railroad temporarily.
December 1850
- First train runs from Altoona to Pittsburgh using parts of the Allegheny Portage Railroad.
February 1851
- PRR board authorizes the purchase of property in Altoona and the construction of an office with dwelling attached.
March 4, 1852
- Pennsylvania authorized resurvey of New Portage Railroad.
December 1, 1852
- The Headquarters of the Transportation Department is moved from Harrisburg to Altoona.
December 1852
- The first units of the Altoona Shops open; over 100 workers are transferred from Harrisburg.
1852
- Double-tracking of the main line begins.
- By this year, the Altoona shops repaired railway cars and manufactured parts for locomotives as well as constructed
new rail cars, cast iron bridge parts, boiler plate bridge parts, and wroght iron tracks. Altoona provided castings
for PRR shops at Columbia, Harrisburg, Mifflin, Conemaugh, and Pittsburgh.
April 3, 1853
- The Altoona Machine Shops complete repairs to their first locomotive, the "Greene."
April 13, 1853
- PRR board authorizes construction of the Logan House hotel in Altoona.
May 17, 1853
- PRR special committee reports on plans for Altoona Station (Logan House) to be brick building to be done by
the time the Mountain Division opens.
November 1853
- PRR buys land for Altoona depot and Logan House hotel.
February 6, 1854
- Altoona is incorporated as a borough.
February 15, 1854
- The Mountain Division opens between Altoona and South Fork, bypassing the Allegheny Portage Railroad.
February 1854
- The Logan House Hotel opens in Altoona serving as a station and dining room for meal stops. It has 106 rooms
1854
- Enginehouse #2 opens at Altoona.
- The population of Altoona is 2,000 people.
January 1, 1855
- The PRR opens its own telegraph line between Pittsburgh and Altoona replacing those of the Atlantic & Ohio
Telegraph Company.
July 1, 1855
- The New Portage Railroad opens.
September 21, 1855
- Future PRR president, Samuel Rea, is born at Hollidaysburg.
1855
- A new foundry and erecting shop open at Altoona.
- The New Allegheny Portage Railroad eliminates the need for the incline plane operations.
- Altoona shops employ more than 1,000 people.
January 1, 1856
- Telegraph lines open between Altoona and Harrisburg.
October 23, 1856
- The PRR Road Committee authorizes construction of a gas works at Altoona.
1856
- The first local mutual beneficial society is formed by workers at Altoona.
August 1857
- PRR is the only bidder at the auction of the state's Main Line of Public Works; buys it for $7.5 million.
November 1, 1857
- PRR purchases the Main Line of Public Works earlier in 1857 and closes the New Portage Railroad; rails removed
in 1858 for use on the Pittsburgh, Ft. Wayne, & Chicago.
1857
- The PRR develops thirty experimental refrigeration cars constructed with double sides, roofs, and floors. The space
created by the double wall construction were filled with sawdust to provide insulation. A hole was drilled in the
floor between the doors to provide drainage for ice water with the ice placed in containers built into the door.
Later, the ice was moved to huge boxes strapped to the end of the cars.
November 13, 1858
- The Altoona Mechanics' Library & Reading Room opens in space provided by the PRR, incorporated May 3, 1860.
December 22, 1858
- PRR Board authorizes the construction of houses for officials at Altoona.
1858
- PRR builds new freight car shop, paint shop, and transfer table at Altoona.
January 1, 1859
- MW Department placed under William Hasell Wilson as Resident Engineer based at Altoona.
December 15, 1859
- Gas lighting installed at Altoona Shops.
1859
- Water mains installed in all Altoona Shops.
January 9, 1860
- A new alignment of the branch between Altoona and Hollidaysburg is opened, eliminating deep cut at west end
of Altoona.
1860
- The population of Altoona is 3,591 people.
1861
- Freight car shop at Altoona converted to passenger car shop.
September 1862
- PRR Board orders Altoona Shops closed on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 3:30 pm to drill employees to prepare for
possible Confederate invasion.
- PRR officials order all locomotives to be fired up and prepared to leave Altoona if Confederate forces moved
north toward the city. Some forty locomotives with rolling stock were fired up and ready to leave, but the
Confederates retreated after the Battle of Antietam.
October 1, 1862
- Altoona Militia force of 500 men called to Mt. Union in special train to protect PRR from possible Confederate
advance from Chambersburg, return when danger passes.
1862-1864
- All PRR locomotives converted to coal-burning.
June 27, 1863
- Patterns and materials evacuated from Altoona Shops to the Snow Shoe Branch as a precaution against
Confederate raids. Altoona Shops return to normal after Confederate loss and retreat after Battle of Gettysburg.
July 1864
- PRR installs first 150 tons of imported cast crucible steel rails (56#) at Altoona and Pittsburgh yards as an
experiment, purchased 1863.
July 26, 1864
- 58-ton mortar built at Ft. Pitt Iron Works arrives in Harrisburg enroute to New York on special car built at
Altoona Shops.
June 1865
- 100 tons of imported crucible steel rails are installed on yard tracks at Philadelphia and Altoona, all 56#.
October 9, 1865
- Steubenville Bridge over the Ohio River opens as the first railroad bridge across the Ohio below Pittsburgh,
fabricated at the Altoona Shops.
1865
- A new freight car shop is completed at Altoona.
- A new machine shop opens at Altoona.
Early 1866
- Mifflin Shops downgraded and most work moved to Altoona.
July 1866
- A new smith shop opens at Altoona.
November 1866
- The first new locomotive to be built in Altoona is completed by the Altoona Machine Shops.
1866
- The Altoona Car Shops produce some of the country's first mail cars under a contract with the US Government.
February 1867
- Enginehouse #3 (Western Enginehouse) opens at Altoona with 44 stalls.
1867
- In addition to Enginehouse #3, PRR builds a fireproof oil house, a brick sandhouse, and adds two furnaces to the
brass foundry.
Janurary 21, 1869
- An arsonist sets fire to and destroys the frame freight repair shop.
November 1869
- Altoona Shops complete 25 new coaches with modern type clerestories, gas lighting, and Westinghouse air
brakes for New York-Chicago service.
- Another fire destroys the planning mill along with all its tools.
1869
- A new complex, the Altoona Car Shops, built along Chestnut Avenue is constructed for the repair and construction
of new railroad cars. The original shops at 12th Street became known as the Altoona Machine Shops and were the
center for repairing and constructing locomotives. Within a few years, a circular car-repair shop, passenger
car repair shop, blacksmith shop, foundry, cabinet/machine shop, firehouse, ice house, engine and boiler shop,
and office and storehouse were built here. Today, the buildings remaining at this location are owned by Union
Tank Car, Lumax Industries, and Home Nursing Agency. The huge circular car-repair shop, resembling a roundhouse,
is gone, among other buildings once part of the Altoona Car Shops.
1869-1870
- PRR becomes first organization to establish a standard clock by linking its Altoona clock to the
Allegheny Observatory
1870
- The Altoona Shops begin constructing baggage cars. They usually consited of two sections, one of which was for
valuable items.
Early 1870s
- PRR management begins standardization of all equipment and machinery use on the railroad by having Altoona engines
draw up all construction designs regardless of where the car or locomotive would be constructed.
January 1871
- New Altoona Car Shops completed east of 7th street, car and locomotive shops entirely separated, old
car shops between 9th and 16th streets become part of Altoona Machine Shops.
1872
- Iron train shed, 271' x 48', built in front of Logan House at Altoona Station.
- New foundry built at Altoona.
February 3, 1873
- New foundry opens at Altoona for casting car wheels, piece work is introduced.
February 2, 1874
- Workdays at the Altoona Shops are increased to 9 hours.
March 1, 1874
- Workdays at the Altoona Shops increased to 10 hours.
March 1874
- The Department of Physical Tests is created under the Master Mechanic at Altoona.
1874
- A new erecting shop opens at Altoona.
- A new wheel foundry is established at Altoona for "steeled" wheels.
January 2, 1875
- Nine hour workdays resume at Altoona Shops.
February 24, 1875
- The PRR YMCA is organized at Altoona.
April 10, 1875
- A new Erecting Shop No 1 is completed at Altoona.
October 1875
- Gas lighting is installed in the Altoona Shops allowing work to go on until 10:00 p.m.
1875
- A new wheel foundry opens at the Altoona Shops.
March 1876
- The Altoona Shops complete 100 special passenger cars with plain interiors for Centennial passenger service.
September 1876
- The Altoona Shops are almost idle and many employees are laid off.
1876
- The first chemical laboratory opens at Altoona.
May 21, 1877
- The telephone is demonstrated at the Altoona Shops, later installed and becomes the first railroad telephone
installation and grows into the world's largest private telephone system.
June 18, 1877
- Eight hour workdays resume at the Altoona Shops.
June 1878
- PRR enlarges Experimental Department at Altoona.
1879
- The first building dedicated to the Test Department and Chemical Laboratory opens at Altoona.
February 8, 1879
- PRR tests a passenger train with steam heat at Altoona; supplied from a boiler in a baggage car.
May 1879
- Altoona Shops return to 10-hour days.
October 1879
- A new 32 foot track inspection car is completed at the Altoona Shops.
1880
- Electric lights installed in lathe and vise shops at Altoona.
January 1881
- PRR tests locomotive #579 with a "Canadian snow plow" on the eastern slope as a replacement for hand-shoveling.
February 1881
- PRR considers relaying track on the New Portage Railroad.
March 1881
- Lake Conemaugh, the former Western Reservoir, is filled and stocked with fish by the South Fork Fishing & Hunting Club
of Pittsburgh. This is the lake which could cause the Johnstown Flood of 1889.
May 16, 1881
- Eastbound "Cincinnati Express" consisting of 12 cars and engines #668 and #258 suffers air brake failure about one mile
west of Altoona and runs away at about 30 mph past the Logan House. It plows into an Adams Express baggage car and then
the rear of engine #189 which was to forward it over the Middle Division. No injuries.
June 1, 1881
- Altoona Division created from Hollidaysburg, Morrison Cove, Newry, Williamsburg, and Springfield branches plus Altoona
Yard and Shops
December 1881
- A 28-million gallon reservoir constructed by the PRR near Altoona at Pottsgrove to supply the Altoona Shops is
completed with water being turned in the next month. Today this reservoir is gone and I99 splits the site in half.
- PRR begins laying track on the bed of the New Portage RR at points between Cresson and Petersburg.
February 1882
- Erecting Shop No. 2 completed at Altoona Machine Shops.
March 1882
- First and only class L 2-4-6 Forney-type tank locomotive (#4) built at Altoona. Unsuccessful design.
April 25, 1882
- Class L PRR #4 begins service between Philadelphia and West Chester via Paoli.
1882
- The Master Mechanics offices open next to the Altoona Machine Shops. Later the building was extended 30 feet
to the east and two stories were added. Today this is the main building of the Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum.
- PRR formally establishes the office of the General Superintendant of Motive Power in Altoona, making the shops
in Altoona the most important on the PRR.
- First-aid kits are intalled on all locomotives
- PRR adopts semaphore signals.
May 14, 1884
- An explosion destroys the boiler house. It was rebuilt and enlarged to provide room for two additional boilers.
May 1884
- Altoona Shops completes parlor car No 901, the first of the series of "bay window" cars with interiors designed by
New York architect Bruce Price at the request of Theodore N. Ely.
- PRR is equipping all main line passenger cars with Westinghouse train signal air lines.
November 26, 1884
- PRR makes donation of free lot and $700,000 for Altoona Hospital.
1884
- PRR adopts the Janney knuckle coupler as standard for passenger cars.
March 30, 1885
- PRR begins operation of its own Altoona-built parlor cars between Jersey City and Washington.
May 1885
- Altoona Shops completes 150 freight cars equipped with Westinghouse brakes and Janney couplers for NYP&N
fast freight service.
October 1885
- First class R (H3a) 2-8-0 #400 built at Altoona to design of John B. Collin, first PRR locomotive with
square Belpaire firebox which would become the PRR standard.
November 1885
- Altoona Shops resume Saturday operations.
January 1886
- PRR D11a 1093 becomes the 1,000th locomotive built in Altoona, c/n AMS 999.
1886
- A fire destroys the flue shop at the Altoona Machine Shops. It is replaced the next year.
- Plans for another reservoir, this time at Brush Mountain, are approved to supply water to the shops. This
reservoir is located upstream from the Pottsgrove reservoir and still exists today.
- Plans for a new locomotive shop are developed in Juniata, now part of Altoona.
- 20 Handom cabs built at Altoona Shops for Broad Street Station taxi service.
June 17, 1887
- PRR begins testing oil-burning locomotive No. 408 (4-4-0) on mail and passenger train between Altoona and
Pittsburgh.
December 1887
- Altoona Shops equipping two train sets with steam heat to be tested this winter.
- "Passaic," last car built at Altoona for Pullam Palace Car Company leaves Altoona Shops.
1887
- PRR opens new Altoona Station at 10th Avenue and 13th Street just [railroad] west of the Logan House.
- New locomotive paint shop opens at Altoona.
June 17, 1888
- Pittsburgh Division office and trainmen's building at Altoona moved intact from 17th Street to 24th Street.
June 18, 1888
- Altoona Shops set a record by producing a class A locomotive in 16:55, beating the previous record of 24:00
set by Baldwin. This record is later broken when the Great Eastern RY assembles a locomotive in 9:57 on 12/10/1891.
September 15, 1888
- Construction begins on the Juniata Shops.
1888
- New Brush Mountain Reservoir opens near Altoona.
January 1889
- Westinghouse is having the Altoona Shops build what is probably the first air brake instruction car; includes apparatus
for air brakes, air signals, electric light and steam heat manufactured by Westinghouse.
March 13, 1889
- First public trial of steam heating of a passenger train by steam from a locomotive with a vacuum return on PRR special
of 12 cars run between Philadelphia and Jersey City; was result of two years of experiments at Altoona.
May 31, 1889
- Catastrophic Johnstown Flood 40 miles west of Altoona kills more than 2,200 people, destroying locomotives and cars in
its path; the damage severs the PRR main line, disrupting rail service through Altoona for weeks.
September 1889
- Altoona Shops are turning out cars at a rate of one every four minutes or 150 per day; working at full capacity to make
up flood losses.
September 28, 1889
- New passenger tracks open to the north side of Altoona yards. Previous main tracks now for freight only.
October 1889
- New track inspection and dynamometer car built at Altoona is now being used on the New York Division.
1889
- New paint shops and electric plant built at Altoona.
- Bacteriological laboratory added to the Altoona Test Department.
April 1890
- PRR plans large new yard at East Altoona.
May 27, 1890
- The Altoona & Wopsononock Railroad is chartered to build an eight-mile and 3 foot gauge line from Juniata to a
lookout over the city at Wopsononock Mountain. In addition to passenger traffic, coal and timber were planned to
be hauled.
September 8, 1890
- Fire set by lightning strike guts PRR office building at corner of 11th Avenue and 12th Street in Altoona.
1890
- The new Juniata Shops are mostly finished.
- Work on Blair Furnace (East Altoona) yard begins.
June 6, 1891
- The Altoona & Wopsononock Railroad is completed to the top of the Alleghenies and the first train arrives at
Wopsononock on June 11. The railroad was formally opened on July 2.
July 1891
- The Juniata Shops complete their first new locomotive, a class R (H3a) 2-8-0.
1891
- Biggest year of new locomotive production at the Altoona Machine Shops with 140 locomotives.
- Blair Furnace (East Altoona) Yard completed with 18 miles of track.
January 22, 1892
- The Altoona & Wopsononock Railroad is renamed the Altoona, Clearfield & Northern Railroad to reflect a projected
extension, which was built that year as far as Dougherty.
April 1, 1892
- Eastbound classification yard (WN) placed in service east of 4th Street, south side, Altoona for receiving trains
from Pittsburgh Division.
April 6, 1892
- New yardmaster's office "GD" opens at east end of 4th Street yard, south side, Altoona, replacing "FA" office east
of 12th Street bridge.
October 1892
- PRR is forced to haul river water from Harrisburg to Altoona as severe drought hits.
November 1892
- New Altoona gravity yard handles 1,800 cars per day; switches are worked with compressed air, cars are started out
of the receiving yard by poling engines but then run by gravity.
December 1892
- PRR H3 1557 or PRR H3a 1565 becomes the 2,000th locomotive built in Altoona, c/n AMS 1821 and JS 178 respectively.
- PRR builds its first tunnel clearance car at Altoona.
December 28, 1892
- WN Tower at Altoona destroyed by fire.
1892
- New air brake shop opens at the Altoona Car Shops.
January 14, 1893
- PRR begins hauling water from Hollidaysburg to the Altoona Shops due to a drought.
January 21, 1893
- A new WN Tower is placed in service at Altoona, replacing one burned in December 1892.
January 1893
- The Altoona Shops builds the "largest freight car ever built" to carry the 124-ton Krupp gun from Baltimore to
the World's Columbian Exposition.
- The Altoona Shops builds a clearance car which is to be run by the chief engineer's staff over the entire lines east.
February 23, 1893
- A dinner at the Logan House celebrates the 200th locomotive built at the Juniata Shops.
March 2, 1893
- President Benjamin Harrison signs RR Safety Appliance Act requiring the adoption of air brakes and automatic couplers
by January 1, 1898.
March 31, 1893
- Twenty-one switches at the west end of the Altoona Station are now operated by a leverman at 14th Street.
November 13, 1893
- Committee of Master Car Builders Association begins six days of tests of air brakes from various manufacturers at
Altoona to determine which is the best triple valve.
1893
- Biggest year of new locomotive production in Altoona with a total of 244 locomotives between the Altoona Machine
Shops and Juniata Shops.
February 1894
- Installation of automatic couplers and air brakes on all PRR passenger cars and locomotives is completed.
March 20, 1894
- In a demonstration of the fight for scarce jobs in the depression, a mob of 300 men from the Altoona Shops march
over the “Red Bridge” and drive off immigrants working on the Bellwood Extension of the Altoona & Logan Valley
Railroad at 75 cents a day, forcing them to flee for their lives; they then march to the Elizabeth Furnace and
beat and drive off 60 Italians and drive all foreigners out of Bellwood; the ranks swollen to 600, they march on
the Italian neighborhood in Altoona on 9th Avenue between 7th & 9th Streets, by which time the mob has grown to
about 3,000; PRR General Superintendent F.L. Sheppard forces his way to the center of the crowd and announces that
no foreigners will be given work; the Altoona & Logan Valley later does the same.
April 9, 1894
- PRR hosts six weeks of coupler testing at Altoona under J.M. Wallis, chairman of coupler committee of Master Car
Builders' Association.
May 18, 1894
- Heavy rains begin, bringing floods to Conemaugh, Susquehanna and Delaware watersheds; 4.92 inches of rain falls
at Altoona. Pittsburgh Division mainline reopens May 22, 1894.
May 28, 1894
- PRR orders Altoona Shops to run full time.
August 1894
- The private car of President Porfirio Diaz of Mexico is rebuilt at the Altoona Shops.
Late 1894
- Wyes are installed on the Altoona, Clearfield & Northern Railroad at Wopsononock and Juniata so the railroad's
engines did not have to back down the mountain.
October 7, 1895
- First water train of tankcars with 70,000 gallons from the Hollidaysburg reservoir leaves for Altoona; trains run
all day because of drought. 11 trains per day.
October 16,1895
- A stopped water train on the Hollidaysburg Branch is rear-ended by the Henrietta passenger train.
November 1895
- PRR begins straightening and 4-tracking the Middle Division.
1895
- By this year, over 4,000 people were employed at the Altoona Shops.
- PRR adopts new classification system for locomotives using letters to denote wheel arrangement instead of
order of introduction.
- New No. 3 boiler shop built at Altoona and test department building enlarged.
1896
- New interlocking tower opens at Tyrone. (Gray or Forge?)
- New interlocking tower opens at Bellwood. (Bell?)
- New blacksmith shop built at Altoona. 225' by 68'
January 1, 1897
- Work days increased by 10 hours per week at Altoona Shops.
February 29, 1897
- The Altoona, Clearfield & Northern Railroad is sold under foreclosure and on March 17 it is reorganized as the
Altoona & Beech Creek Railroad. Of the five incarnations of the 'Wopsy Railroad,' the A&BC lasted the longest, 13 years
of the 28 year history.
July 1, 1897
- The Altoona & Wopsononock Railroad formally opens its eight-mile narrow-gauge line from Juniata to the Hotel Wopsononock.
The line attracts sightseeing passengers and also handles coal shipments from mines at Daugherty, Cambria County.
October 11, 1897
- PRR establishes a new fast mail train from New York to Pittsburgh with a sleeping car but no coaches; bypasses
Philadelphia and stops only at Altoona and East Liberty.
December 20, 1897
- Eastbound 48-car freight train out of control descending from Gallitzin piles up in front of Altoona station;
3 killed and mainline blocked for 30 hours.
June 1898
- The first H5 2-8-0 is introduced as a helper on the east slope; too big for present turntable at Altoona; heaviest
and most powerful 2-8-0 yet built.
June 22, 1898
- PRR orders 1,500 40-ton boxcars, 500 of which are to be built at the Altoona Shops. Largest previous boxcars
were 30-ton.
July 18, 1898
- Altoona transfer freight station placed into service.
November 10, 1898
- Third track opens between Altoona and Gallitzin.
November 25, 1898
- First air brake and steam heat "motive power instruction car" No. 5580 arrives in Pittsburgh after being outshopped
at Altoona.
December 3, 1898
- Freight through Altoona sets new record; 2,528 cars eastbound, 2,277 cars westbound.
1898
- Air brake test laboratory moved from Altoona to Purdue University at Lafayette, IN.
January 1, 1899
- Work begins on new Juniata coal yard east of Altoona.
January 28, 1899
- A record 91 eastbound (122,850 tons) and 70 westbounds pass Altoona.
April 25, 1899
- The dual Juniata scales placed in service in the Altoona yards.
May 23, 1899
- GY Tower above Horseshoe Curve destroyed by a cyclone; telegrapher injured.
June 1899
- PRR buys Presbyterian church at Altoona to remodel into a railroad man's library.
September 28, 1899
- About 3,000 cars pass Altoona westbound.
November 1, 1899
- Division of Backteriological Chemistry established in Chemical Laboratory at Altoona, studied drinking water,
disinfectants etc
November 10, 1899
- PRR advertises itself as "the Four-Track Route" and regularly uses "The Standard Railroad of America."
NYC had a four-track main line earlier than the PRR.
November 1899
- Record 160,266 eastbound cars pass Altoona during the month, or 5,342 cars per day.
1899
- New boiler shop built at Altoona and Altoona freight station expanded.
- Electro-pheumatic interlocking plant installed at BO (Slope) Tower at Altoona.
- New 75 foot turntable installed at Altoona.
Early 1900
- Main line between Altoona and Gallitzin, over Horseshoe Curve, is expanded to four tracks.
November 1, 1900
- A new eastbound classification yard east of Juniata Scales at Altoona opens for eastbound coal traffic.
1900
- The employee library is moved from the Logan House to an old renovated church.
February 27, 1901
- PRR Board authorizes construction of additional yard tracks at Blair Furnace Yard (East Altoona) for hopper
cars to relieve yards at Altoona and Harrisburg.
August 1901
- PRR A3 76 or PFtW&C H4 240 becomes the 3,000th locomotive built in Altoona, c/n AMS 2192 and JS 808 respectively.
December 16, 1901
- New scales at MD east of Jones Street in Hollidaysburg placed in service.
April 15, 1902
- Work begins on new westbound hump classification yard at Bells Mills (East Altoona).
April 23, 1903
- BO interlocking placed in service at west end of Altoona.
April 30, 1903
- A forest fire destroys both the Wopsononock Hotel and the coal tipple at Dougherty on the Altoona & Beech Creek RR.
May 11, 1903
- New westbound hump yard opens at Bells Mills (East Altoona), first hump yard in the U.S.
June 1, 1903
- PRR Middle Division (Harrisburg-Altoona) headquarters are moved from Harrisburg to Altoona, and the Altoona Division
(local branches and the Altoona yards) is merged into it. The new Middle Division offices are located in the first
and second floors of the Logan House.
December 23, 1903
- ANTIS Tower placed in service at East Altoona.
December 1903
- The first all-steel subway car is built at Altoona to the design of George Gibbs.
1903
- A new storehouse and blacksmith shop are constructed at the Juniata Shops.
- PRR purchases 85 acres of land in South Altoona for the South Altoona Foundries complex.
January 1904
- The Altoona Machine Shops complete their last new locomotive.
September 7, 1904
- South Altoona Foundries foundry #2 opens.
November 21, 1904
- The East Altoona Enginehouse is completed with 52 tracks & 100 foot turntable which makes it the largest
roundhouse in the world intended for locomotive servicing. The coaling dock is 135 ft tall, and has a 1,250-
ton capacity.
December 1904
- Enginehouse #1 at Altoona is abandoned and enginehouse #2 converted for passenger locomotive servicing.
1904
- East Altoona yard including the East Altoona roundhouse completed.
- Altoona Car Shops prepare design for 58-foot coach with steel frame and sheathing.
June 14, 1905
- PRR Board authorizes construction of an additional erecting shop at the Altoona Machine Shops.
June 16, 1905
- South Altoona Foundries foundry #1 opens. This complex consists of a pattern shop, spring shop, storehouse,
oil mixing facility, and office. Later a machine shop was added. The wheel foundry was one of the largest
in the country, capable of 900 wheels per day.
September 19, 1905
- PRR authorizes construction of a westbound hump yard at Altoona.
1905
- After demonstrating with various engines at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, a locomotive test plant
is dismantled and reassembled at Altoona, near 17th Street. It required a staff of 26 people.
June 11, 1906
- Altoona Car Shops complete the first class P-58 passenger car. With its all-steel exterior, it was a move away from all-wooden passenger cars.
1906
- Baseball league formed for MW&S clerks at Altoona.
January 1907
- Over 15,000 people are employed by the PRR at Altoona.
July 1907
- MGA H4 208 becomes the 4,000th locomotive built in Altoona, c/n JS 1708.
November 17, 1907
- RV (Rose) Tower is placed in service in Altoona. This large building housed several different railroad
offices from yardmasters, to crew callers.
1907
- Biggest year of new locomotive production at the Juniata Shops with 220 locomotives.
March 21, 1908
- Hollidaysburg Car Shops closed and work moved to Altoona. (when was this shop blt?)
March 23, 1908
- PRR furloughs 2,140 men at Altoona and hours of all others increased from 32 to 36 hours per week,
7,695 surplus freight cars stored near Hollidaysburg.
July 28, 1908
- The number of surplus freight cars stored near Hollidaysburg reaches 9,257.
September 2, 1908
- Hollidaysburg Car Shops reopen to begin repairing stored freight cars.
July 9, 1909
- The PRR recalls 1,500 workers to the Altoona Shops.
September 2, 1909
- All freight cars formerly stored near Hollidaysburg are back in service.
December 28, 1909
- The eastbound yard at Hollidaysburg is reopened.
April 30, 1910
- The Altoona & Beech Creek RR is sold under foreclosure and reorganized as the Altoona, Juniata & Northern Railway.
March 23, 1911
- Shop employees at Altoona and Hollidaysburg are cut to 45 hours per week and 12 main line crews are
let go because of business slow-down.
May 31, 1911
- 700 shop employees strike at Altoona.
June 3, 1911
- Striking Altoona shop employees return to work to save their seniority.
January 16, 1913
- The Altoona, Juniata & Northern RY is merged into the newly-formed Altoona Northern Railroad.
August 1913
- PRR H9s 3493 becomes the 5,000th locomotive built in Altoona, c/n JS 2675.
November 12, 1913
- PRR Board authorizes acquisition of property for new Altoona station.
1914
- A new 5-story testing laboratory building opens on 16th street at Altoona.
- Juniata Shops turn out two locomotive prototypes that share a common boiler and many common
parts, Class K4s 4-6-2 passenger engine No. 1737 and Class L1s 2-8-2 freight engine No. 1752.
After successful tests, they are duplicated by the hundreds.
November 6, 1916
- A runaway 60-car freight train laden with iron and steel dashes down the mountain from Muleshoe
Curve on the New Portage Branch, ramming four engines at New Portage Junction at Duncansville
and killing seven railroaders. It is reported as “the most spectacular and costly Pennsy wreck
in this section in many years.”
1916
- A brake shoe testing machine is installed at the Altoona Test Department.
- PRR adopts new motto, "Standard Railroad of the World" after dropping "Standard RR of America."
- A group of New York City investors takes control of the Altoona Northern RR and converts it from
3 foot gauge to standard gauge, initially operating with ex-PRR 2-6-0s, but replacing them with Heislers.
December 28, 1917
- The U.S. Government assumes control of all railroads during WW1.
1917
- The Hollidaysburg freight yard is enlarged.
August 8, 1918
- The Altoona Northern Railroad goes into receivership (the final time for the Wopsy railroads).
1918
- A new large machine shop (tank shop) is completed to repair and construct locomotive tenders. This use lasted
only until 1925 when the building was refitted for heavy machine work. In 1952 this building housed a diesel
engine shop. Today it is adjacent to the steel shop and is used for material storage at the west end of the
Juniata Shops.
June 1919
- The only articulated locomotive to be built in Altoona is completed, largest of its type ever built,
class HC1s 2-8-8-0 engine No. 3700.
July 16, 1919
- The Altoona Northern Railroad operates its last passenger train.
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