Horseshoe Curve National Historic Landmark - Altoona, Pennsylvania historical railroad track curve

Horseshoe Curve is distinctive in that as well as being a reminder of the importance of the railroad industry in the United States; it's also located in an area of spectacular natural beauty. Horseshoe Curve is the name given to a dramatic curve in the railroad track, near Altoona in the Allegheny Mountains in Pennsylvania. The track has been in continual use for over 150 years.

The stretch of railroad track was constructed in 1854 by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, which was founded in 1846 and was the largest and busiest railroad in the US for much of the 20th century. The tracks were later owned and used by other railroad companies including Conrail and Penn Central; today it is operated by the Norfolk and Southern Railway.

It was decided that the dramatic curve was necessary, as it was considered too difficult to build the railroad line through the summit of the nearby mountain, so the only other solution was to go around it. This spot has always been a strategic one; Union soldiers were ordered to guard the curve from attack during the Civil War and even the Germans tried to sabotage the curve during WWII.

From the beginning, construction of Horseshoe Curve was a major feat of engineering. The location was relatively inaccessible and almost all the materials had to be transported to the site by pack animals; most of the work was carried out using gunpowder and hand tools. Two curves were built to accommodate four tracks; there is a height difference of about 120 feet between the two curves.

The centenary of Horseshoe Curve in 1954 was celebrated by illuminating it with over 6,000 light bulbs and in 1967 the curve was recognized as a National Historic Landmark. In 1981, one of the curve's four tracks was removed, partly to reduce maintenance costs on the stretch of track and partly because a more efficient signaling system meant fewer tracks were needed.

The dramatic curve is perhaps best appreciated from a train traveling on the tracks. In a typical day, over 50 trains use this section of track, including passenger trains and freight trains with many cars, sometimes passing simultaneously. The curve is also used by Amtrak's Pennsylvanian service, on its daily 444 mile journey between New York, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

However, it's also possible to appreciate the engineering ingenuity involved in the construction of Horseshoe Curve without riding the train. In 1992, a small visitor's center with a trackside observation area was built, and today this location can be reached by funicular railway. There is also a small museum operated by the Railroaders Memorial Museum and picnic area, offering a good view of the track and its setting.

Horseshoe Curve National Landmark is located about five miles west of Altoona, in the Allegheny Mountains of southeast Pennsylvania. The curve is located at Kittanning Gap, a natural break in the mountains; the highest point nearby is at an altitude of about 3,000 feet.