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About the Railroaders Memorial Museum

This page was last updated on: March 08, 2017!

The Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum, had its origins in 1965 as the Altoona Railway Museum Club. This was an informal organization formed through the offices of the Blair County Tourist and Convention Bureau (with the assistance Mr. George Kelchner) following Altoona's loss in being designated the site for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's new railroad museum. The Altoona Railway Museum club, initially a nucleus of approximately a half-dozen people, was formed to promote an awareness of Altoona's rich railroad heritage and to seek ways and means to develop a railroad museum for the greater Altoona area. Subsequently, the group became aware of an organization known as the National Railway Historical Society, and applied for a charter. This Charter was granted and the Horseshoe Curve Chapter was officially recognized effective May 11, 1968.

A significant milestone in the history of the Horseshoe Curve Chapter, NRHS occurred in January - February 1968 when Ray and Elizabeth Garvin moved to Altoona from Bradford, PA. Mr. Garvin had assumed the post of Director , Blair County Tourist & Convention Bureau following the relocation of Mr. Kelchner. Mr. & Mrs. Garvin joined the Horseshoe Curve Chapter. They were both attentive to the Chapter's efforts to promote & preserve vestiges of Altoona's railroad heritage with the future goal of seeing a railroad museum established for the area. Subsequently, under Ray Garvin's leadership in the Chapter, (as well as his initial post with the Blair Tourist & Convention Bureau, and successive position as Director of Marketing with the First National Bank, Altoona and related community contacts), the Railroaders Memorial Museum was officially incorporated as a non-profit corporation in September, 1973, becoming a spin-off of the Horseshoe Curve Chapter, NRHS, and thereafter, a separate entity. The Horseshoe Curve Chapter's original goals continued, as it does to present day, to promote Altoona's rich railroad heritage. This includes the continued development and support of the Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum. The initial Board of Directors of the Railroaders Memorial Museum was approximately one-fourth represented by members of Horseshoe Curve Chapter, NRHS and continues to have Chapter representation as the 1990's conclude.

Although the Railroaders Memorial Museum was incorporated on paper September 1972, a facility (new) did not actually open until September 1980. With that opening, the Horseshoe Curve Chapter, NRHS has strived to make significant contributions to the museum's development. For  additional information on the Horseshoe Curve Chapter, see the History of the Horseshoe Curve Chapter, NRHS. (The above article was written by David Seidel)

The Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum is a 501c(3) non-profit educational corporation established in 1972 under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Museum owns a 6.25 acre Site in downtown Altoona, part of the site of the historic PRR "12th Street" shop complex. The original Museum, now called Building "B", a 10,000square-foot building, was opened to the public on September 21, 1980.

	Article in the 9-20-80 Altoona Mirror.  David Seidel Collection		"Rail Museum: A Dream Come True" This is article was, ONE DAY prior to the grand opening of the original Altoona Railroader's Memorial Museum.  On this occasion, the LORETTO has just been out-shopped by Lithcote Corp (Union Tank Car Corp), Altoona where the exterior had been completely restored. New roof coating and Pullman green exterior paint applied with the "Loretto" name in gold leaf.   Part 1 9-20-80, Altoona Mirror; David Seidel Collection.
	"Rail Museum: A Dream Come True" Part 2 9-20-80, Altoona Mirror; David Seidel Collection.		"Master Mechanics Library Charter May Be Returned"  This Article details how the Horseshoe Curve Chapter, NRHS purchased the original PRR Charter for the PRR Master Mechanics Library, currently the Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum. Part 1 Monday, 3-20-1972, Altoona Mirror; David Seidel Collection.
	"Master Mechanics Library Charter May Be Returned"   Part 2 Monday, 3-20-1972, Altoona Mirror; David Seidel Collection.		"Master Mechanics Library Charter May Be Returned"   Part 3 Monday, 3-20-1972, Altoona Mirror; David Seidel Collection.

In 1989, the Museum became a cooperative partner in America's Industrial Heritage Project, a regional heritage initiative over nine Southwestern Pennsylvania Counties. The Museum Director's agreed to participate in the first public-private initiative of the project - the development of the Horseshoe Curve National Historic Landmark. Plans were developed for the construction of a new interpretive Visitor Center, funicular, rest rooms, parking and other amenities. The project, with a net construction cost of $5.8 million, opened on April 25, 1992. During the first year over 172,000 visited the new facilities at Horseshoe Curve. The site is operated, managed, and staffed by the Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum while the ownership of the property remains that of the railroad. The Museum pays an annual lease fee to the railroad for the privilege of inviting visitors onto the site.

In 1990 the Museum's Directors embarked on what would be a two-year long-range planning process. The Museum wanted to develop possible scenarios for expansion in facilities and role in the community. In 1993 the Museum purchased the 1882 PRR Master Mechanics Office and Test Department building on Nine Avenue at 12th Street. This 45,000 square-foot building was to become the primary interpretive facility of the core complex. On August 12, 1994 ground was broken on a $10.3 million project to develop the Master Mechanics Interpretive Center. The project was completed and the new facility opened on April 25, 1998.

		These are two views of the former PRR Master Mechanics Building at 12th St and 9th Avenue, Altoona. Taken in 06/1995 during renovations for the new Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum Building.
		These are two more views of the former PRR Master Mechanics Building at 12th St and 9th Avenue, Altoona. These were taken in January 1998 following the building's being renovated into the new Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum.

The Museum also owns a 50% share in the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art at Altoona; a $1.2 million effort that was developed and opened in 1996. This Museum houses the historic 19th century photographic collection of William H. Rau.

All in all the Museum has undergone tremendous growth and development in the last ten years. We have gone from a couple of employees and an annual budget of less than $100,000 to over 30 employees and a budget of $1.6 million annually. We have, with the opening of the Master Mechanics Interpretive Center come to the forefront of innovative interpretation of railroading life and labor. For rather than chronicle the development and application of new railroad technology, or of corporate giants, our Museum has taken on the task of telling the often overlooked stories of workers - workers engaged in a daily struggle to make and keep the Pennsylvania Railroad running. The Horseshoe Curve National Historic Landmark is operated and managed by the Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum in a sub-agreement with the City of Altoona. We pay an annual fee to the railroad for operating the site. (The above article was written by Peter Barton, former Executive Director, Railroaders Memorial Museum, Inc.)

In December 2002, the Westsylvania Heritage Corporation took over operation both the Museum and the Horseshoe Curve.

Photographs are by Chris Behe unless otherwise noted.
(The logos for the Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum, Conrail, CSX, Norfolk Southern, and Amtrak are trademarks of their respective organizations.)