Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum - Altoona, PA - A Recreation of Altoona's Railroad Era

Dedicated to commemorating, revealing, interpreting, and celebrating the contributions that railroaders and their families have made to American life and industry, Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum is located at 1300 Ninth Avenue in Altoona, Pennsylvania. For over a century, Altoona was home to one of the United States' most important rail facilities. The repair and maintenance shops for the Pennsylvania Railroad were located in Altoona. Their test department and construction facility were located in Altoona as well.

Admission to the Railroaders Memorial Museum is $9 per adult (ages 13 to 61). Seniors (age 62 and up) pay $7 for admission. Admission is $5 for children ages 4 through 12. Children that are 3 years of age or younger are admitted to the museum free of charge. The museum typically opens for the season in May and closes for the season towards the end of December. Regular hours of operation are 10:00am to 5:00pm Monday through Saturday and 11:00am to 5:00pm on Sunday. Late in the season (typically sometime in November), the museum is closed on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Hours of operation are subject to change based on the weather conditions. Group tours are available, and groups should make reservations for their tour by calling 814-946-0834, extension 201.

The Railroaders Memorial Museum has attempted to duplicate what life was like in Altoona in the 1950s when the Pennsylvania Railroad was booming. The museum has duplicated places like Kelly's Bar, which was a bar located near the entrance to the railroad shops. The museum has also mimicked several of the neighborhoods that were present in Altoona during the railroad era. Visitors will see places like Little Italy and Dutch Hill.

The museum consists of three floors filled with attractions. One of the attractions is The Newsstand, which is reminiscent of the newsstand that was located by the foot of the 12th Street Bridge in Altoona. The attraction has a holograph of a newsboy, and the holograph tells visitors the story of old Altoona. On the first floor of the museum, visitors are transported back in time to a rail station. The sounds of steam engines and whistles blowing can be heard. In the lobby, visitors see their first attraction - a life-size replica of K-4 #1361. A replica of a train conductor compliments the replica of the locomotive. The K-4 #1361 is a steam locomotive and is intended to pay represent the 6,000 steam locomotives that were built in Altoona.

The Altoona Railroad Museum Theater shows films that are designed to explain how the small town of Altoona became a bustling hub of activity for the Pennsylvania. There is a children's museum on the third floor of the Railroaders Memorial Museum. The children's museum contains model train displays and a variety of toys for the children to play with.

A variety of old train cars and other equipment that the Pennsylvania Railroad used is store on the grounds outside of the museum. One of the train cars on display is a private rail car that belonged to Charles M. Schwab, the famous steel magnet. This particular rail car was acquired by the museum in 1975. The antique equipment is well-maintained and nicely displayed. A wealth of information on what the equipment is and what it was used for is available.

Additional information about the Railroaders Memorial Museum can be obtained by calling the museum directly at 814-946-0834.