Altoona Works

Altoona Works is a large railroad industrial complex in Altoona, Pennsylvania. It was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad to supply the railroad with locomotives, railroad cars and related equipment. 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. In the 1920s the site consisted of 125 buildings on 218 acres, and the shops employed over 16,000 workers. [Citation
last = Alexander
first = Edwin P.
author-link =
title = The Pennsylvania Railroad: A Pictorial History
place = New York
publisher = Bonanza Books
year = 1967
page = 133
volume =
edition =
doi =
isbn = ] [Paige, John C. (1989), [http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/railroad/shs.htm “A Special History Study: Pennsylvania Railroad Shops and Works, Altoona, Pennsylvania,”] Washington, DC: United States National Park Service.] Portions of the complex are still in use by Norfolk Southern Railway (NS).

History

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 locomotives were manufactured in Altoona between 1866 and 1946. [ [http://www.nscorp.com/nscportal/nscorp/Community/NS%20History/timeline.html Norfolk Southern Railway: Timeline.] Accessed September 5, 2008.]

At present the locomotive shop at Juniata is operated by Thoroughbred Mechanical Services, a subsidiary of NS with 800 employees. [ [http://www.nstms.com Thoroughbred Mechanical Services] ]

Major facilities (1920s)

* Altoona Machine Shops (renamed 12th St Car Shop in 1938)
** Built steam locomotives during 1866-1904
** Later in 20th century it handed 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, blacksmith shop, boiler house, erecting shop, two-story machine shop, electric and hydraulic house, two-story office and storeroom, paint storehouse and gas house, and hydraulic transfer table and pit.
** Repair work only in mid-20th century
** Builds and remanufactures Locomotives today
* South Altoona Foundries
**Manufactured cast iron and brass castings

ee also

*List of locomotive builders
*Railroaders Memorial Museum

References

External links

* [http://www.altoonaworks.info AltoonaWorks.info] – History of Altoona Works, Maps, Photos, Listing of locomotives built/repaired/completed