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Horseshoe Curve (Pennsylvania)
Encyclopedia
Horseshoe Curve is a famous railroad horseshoe curve in central Pennsylvania
, near Altoona
in the United States
. Called an "engineering marvel", it was completed in 1854 by the Pennsylvania Railroad
. It was later used by the Penn Central, then Conrail, and is currently owned and operated by the Norfolk Southern Railway
.
The Curve is in Kittanning Gap
near the summit of the Allegheny Front
, about 5 miles (8 km) west of Altoona
. It covers about 220 degrees of arc; on the north side, the radius
measures 637 ft (194 m), tightening to 609 ft (186 m) on the south side.
for two decades before the Pennsylvania Railroad
(PRR) succeeded with the Horseshoe Curve.
The Curve was designed by John Edgar Thomson
and Herman Haupt
and built by men with picks and horses.
It opened on February 15, 1854, as part of the Pennsylvania Railroad's main line to the west, and has been in continuous operation ever since.
Originally having one track, it was widened to four tracks between 1898 and 1900. Conrail removed one track in 1981 and the Curve has had three tracks since then.
The curve was so important to U.S. railroad traffic that it was guarded by Union soldiers during the American Civil War
. The Nazis attempted to sabotage it in Operation Pastorius
during World War II
. The curve was designated as a National Historic Landmark
in 1966, and is now a part of the National Register of Historic Places
.
The location is noted among geologist
s for its excellent rock outcrops, including the Devonian
Catskill Formation.
s on the rear. The curve also serves Amtrak
's Pennsylvanian, which runs once in each direction every day. It has long been a popular tourist attraction, and is accessible via the Horseshoe Curve Funicular, a funicular railway running to a small park built by the PRR in 1879 at the summit of the ridge. A modern visitors center with a trackside observation area was built in 1992 and is open April through October, managed by the Railroaders Memorial Museum
. Altoona's minor league baseball
team, the Altoona Curve
, is named after this railroad landmark.
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, near Altoona
Altoona, Pennsylvania
-History:A major railroad town, Altoona was founded by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1849 as the site for a shop complex. Altoona was incorporated as a borough on February 6, 1854, and as a city under legislation approved on April 3, 1867, and February 8, 1868...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Called an "engineering marvel", it was completed in 1854 by the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
. It was later used by the Penn Central, then Conrail, and is currently owned and operated by the Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
.
The Curve is in Kittanning Gap
Kittanning Gap
Kittanning Gap is a gap at the summit of Allegheny Ridge in central Pennsylvania in the United States. It is located in Logan Township, approximately 5 mi west of Altoona.-History:...
near the summit of the Allegheny Front
Allegheny Front
The Allegheny Front is the major southeast- or east-facing escarpment in the Allegheny Mountains in southern Pennsylvania, western Maryland, and eastern West Virginia, USA. The Allegheny Front delineates the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians to its east from the Appalachian Plateau to its west...
, about 5 miles (8 km) west of Altoona
Altoona, Pennsylvania
-History:A major railroad town, Altoona was founded by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1849 as the site for a shop complex. Altoona was incorporated as a borough on February 6, 1854, and as a city under legislation approved on April 3, 1867, and February 8, 1868...
. It covers about 220 degrees of arc; on the north side, the radius
Radius
In classical geometry, a radius of a circle or sphere is any line segment from its center to its perimeter. By extension, the radius of a circle or sphere is the length of any such segment, which is half the diameter. If the object does not have an obvious center, the term may refer to its...
measures 637 ft (194 m), tightening to 609 ft (186 m) on the south side.
History
Railroads had sought to cross the Allegheny MountainsAllegheny Mountains
The Allegheny Mountain Range , also spelled Alleghany, Allegany and, informally, the Alleghenies, is part of the vast Appalachian Mountain Range of the eastern United States and Canada...
for two decades before the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
(PRR) succeeded with the Horseshoe Curve.
The Curve was designed by John Edgar Thomson
John Edgar Thomson
John Edgar Thomson was an American civil engineer and industrialist. Thomson was an entrepreneur best known for his leadership of the Pennsylvania Railroad from 1852 until his death 1874, making it the largest business enterprise in the world and a world-class model for technological and...
and Herman Haupt
Herman Haupt
Herman Haupt was an American civil engineer and railroad construction engineer and executive. As a Union Army General in the American Civil War, he revolutionized military transportation in the United States and was one of the unsung heroes of the war.-Early life:Haupt, whose first name was...
and built by men with picks and horses.
It opened on February 15, 1854, as part of the Pennsylvania Railroad's main line to the west, and has been in continuous operation ever since.
Originally having one track, it was widened to four tracks between 1898 and 1900. Conrail removed one track in 1981 and the Curve has had three tracks since then.
The curve was so important to U.S. railroad traffic that it was guarded by Union soldiers during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. The Nazis attempted to sabotage it in Operation Pastorius
Operation Pastorius
Operation Pastorius was a failed plan for sabotage via a series of attacks by Nazi German agents inside the United States. The operation was staged in June 1942 and was to be directed against strategic U.S. economic targets...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The curve was designated as a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1966, and is now a part of the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
The location is noted among geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
s for its excellent rock outcrops, including the Devonian
Devonian
The Devonian is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic Era spanning from the end of the Silurian Period, about 416.0 ± 2.8 Mya , to the beginning of the Carboniferous Period, about 359.2 ± 2.5 Mya...
Catskill Formation.
Current operations
As of 2009, the curve has more than 50 trains daily on the triple-track mainline and it is not uncommon to see three trains passing simultaneously, with long freight trains working the westbound grade assisted by helper engineBank engine
A bank engine or helper engine or pusher engine is a railway locomotive that temporarily assists a train that requires additional power or traction to climb a grade...
s on the rear. The curve also serves Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
's Pennsylvanian, which runs once in each direction every day. It has long been a popular tourist attraction, and is accessible via the Horseshoe Curve Funicular, a funicular railway running to a small park built by the PRR in 1879 at the summit of the ridge. A modern visitors center with a trackside observation area was built in 1992 and is open April through October, managed by the Railroaders Memorial Museum
Railroaders Memorial Museum
The Railroaders Memorial Museum is a railroad museum in Altoona, Pennsylvania. The museum is dedicated to revealing, interpreting, commemorating and celebrating the significant contributions of railroaders and their families to American life and industry.Altoona is one of the hubs of the area's...
. Altoona's minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
team, the Altoona Curve
Altoona Curve
The Altoona Curve are a minor league baseball team based in Altoona, Pennsylvania, named after nearby Horseshoe Curve . The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club...
, is named after this railroad landmark.
Gallery
See also
- Allegheny Portage RailroadAllegheny Portage RailroadThe Allegheny Portage Railroad was the first railroad constructed through the Allegheny Mountains in central Pennsylvania, United States. It was a series of 10 inclines, approximately long, and operated from 1834 to 1854...
- Kittanning PathKittanning PathThe Kittanning Path was a major east-westNative American trail in western Pennsylvania used during the 18th century. It provided an overland route for the Lenape, Shawnee, and early European settlers across the Allegheny Mountains, terminating at its western end on the Allegheny River at the Native...
- Tehachapi LoopTehachapi LoopThe Tehachapi Loop is a long 'spiral', or helix, on The Union Pacific Railroad through Tehachapi Pass, in south central California. The railroad line connects Bakersfield in the San Joaquin Valley to Mojave in the Antelope Valley. The loop takes its name from the circuitous route it takes, in...
- Hairpin bend
External links
- World Famous Horseshoe Curve (Railroaders Memorial MuseumRailroaders Memorial MuseumThe Railroaders Memorial Museum is a railroad museum in Altoona, Pennsylvania. The museum is dedicated to revealing, interpreting, commemorating and celebrating the significant contributions of railroaders and their families to American life and industry.Altoona is one of the hubs of the area's...
)