Museum Yard, Roundhouse, and Turntable Project
This page was last updated on: August 12, 2024!
The content of this page is historical. Please see the Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum website for up-to-date information
Project Background - March 2001
On 3/21/01, I (your editor) made a trip to the Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum to speak with Cummins McNitt, (former) Executive Director of the Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum. I arrived early and had the opportunity to photograph the current layout of the Museum's property and track layout. This was done because Cummins planned to the planned re-design of the yard to include the construction of the turntable and roundhouse. Below is a architectural conceptual drawing, created by the EADS Group, which shows the planned re-design of the Museum yard, the placement of the turntable, and the roundhouse.
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As you can see, the construction will be done in stages. Phase 1 consists of the construction of one stall of the roundhouse (to be used by the K-4 upon its return), the construction of a lead track entering the yard from Altoona Pipe and Steel right of way, and associated environmental safeguards such as a water detention area. Museum officials are in talks with Pipe and Steel representatives regarding the use of their right of way. This entrance to Museum property is required because the current track entering the yard has too tight of a radius and could derail the K-4. Obviously something that no one wants to happen. Approval from the City of Altoona is required for the locomotive to cross the pedestrian walk way between the Museum and Altoona Pipe and Steel Grounds. The roundhouse will not be a brick structure. It will be a metal sided structure. Large windows will be incorporated into the design. The side panels will be easily removable to accommodate future expansion bays for equipment such as the "Loretto", the GG1, and other high value equipment.
For a chronological history of the project, please continue on........
The Roundhouse/Turntable project is a project of the Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum.
PRR K-4s #1361 is owned by the Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum. The Museum is a business partner with the Horseshoe Curve Chapter, NRHS.
Reporting on the restoration of PRR k-4 #1361 is done under agreement with Museum Officials.
Railfest is a trademark of Railroaders Memorial Museum, Inc.
The logos for the Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum are trademarks of the Railroaders Memorial Museum, Inc.
NRHS and its logo are trademarks of the National Railway Historical Society. Photographs are by Chris Behe unless otherwise noted.
