Photo gallery
See Railroaders Memorial Museum
6 photos
Select any photo to view it larger with its creator, source, and license.
The place
About Railroaders Memorial Museum
The Railroaders Memorial Museum interprets the lives and work of the Central Pennsylvanians whose labor powered the Pennsylvania Railroad and shaped Altoona. Its exhibits use artifacts, orientation films, immersive environments, and life-size worker dioramas to move beyond locomotive specifications and tell the human story of the shops.
The museum first opened in 1980 and moved in 1998 to the Pennsylvania Railroad’s former Master Mechanics Building. Built in 1882, the brick structure housed railroad laboratories and later medical offices, storage, and railroad-police functions. The museum identifies it as the sole surviving building from Altoona’s Machine Shops.
The adjacent Harry Bennett Memorial Roundhouse was built in stages beginning in 2002 to protect, display, and restore the rolling-stock collection. Its working 105-foot turntable and indoor bays support preservation work that includes Pennsylvania Railroad K4 steam locomotive 1361. Restoration and display conditions change, so photographs do not promise that a particular artifact will be accessible on every date.
What stands out
The railroaders’ story
Immersive environments, artifacts, films, and worker dioramas focus on the people behind the Pennsylvania Railroad’s Altoona operations.
1882 Master Mechanics Building
The museum itself is an important survivor of the enormous Altoona Machine Shops complex.
Roundhouse and working turntable
The Harry Bennett Memorial Roundhouse provides indoor rolling-stock space and a 105-foot operating turntable.
K4 1361 preservation
The museum is the home base for the long-running restoration of Pennsylvania Railroad K4 steam locomotive 1361.
Pair it with the train
Why it belongs in a Horseshoe Curve National Historic Landmark trip
The museum and Horseshoe Curve are operated by the same organization and sold together on a combo ticket only when both are open. They are separate destinations about six road miles apart, so compare hours before assuming both fit; the museum adds the people, shops, equipment, and Pennsylvania Railroad context behind the landmark.
Before you go
Plan your visit
- Current hoursThe museum directs visitors to its current Google listing and Facebook page before traveling instead of publishing a fixed seasonal schedule.
- TicketsBook museum-only admission through the official Railroad City catalog. A combo is offered only when both the museum and Horseshoe Curve are open.
- Visit formatThe public museum experience is self-guided. Guided visits are reserved for qualifying school and scout groups under the current group policy.
- Last admissionAdmission stops 30 minutes before closing; the store remains open until 4 p.m. on published open days.
- AccessibilityThe official visitor pages do not publish a complete accessibility guide. Call extension 2102 before booking if step-free routes, seating, mobility-device access, or accessible parking will determine the visit.
- PetsPets are not allowed. Contact the museum directly about service-animal needs before traveling.
- Time to allowAllow at least 90 minutes for a first self-guided visit, and more if the roundhouse, rolling stock, or a current program is central to the day. This is planning guidance, not a timed museum promise.
Follow the main line west
Add Gallitzin Tunnels Park & Museum
Watch active trains at the Allegheny Tunnel and enter a restored PRR caboose during museum hours.
Useful answers
Frequently asked questions
Does Railroaders Memorial Museum offer a train ride?
No regular train ride is advertised with museum admission. It is a museum and rolling-stock destination; Horseshoe Curve has a separate funicular used to reach its observation area when available.
Are the museum and Horseshoe Curve the same place?
No. The same organization operates both, but they are separate destinations about six road miles apart.
Are the museum and Horseshoe Curve on one ticket?
Museum-only tickets are available. The official catalog offers a Railroad City Combo only when both sites are open, so check the exact date before buying.
Can I count on seeing K4 1361 exactly as pictured?
No. The locomotive is an active preservation project, and its restoration or display setting can change.
Is the museum wheelchair accessible?
The current official pages do not provide enough detail for a blanket promise. Call (814) 946-0834 ext. 2102 before booking if access will determine the visit.
Where should I check current hours?
The museum directs visitors to its Google listing and Facebook page for current operating hours. Recheck shortly before the trip.
Trust and accuracy
Sources
Source checked 2026-08-14. This free guide has not yet been confirmed by the venue. Current hours, prices, services, and accessibility can change; confirm time-sensitive details directly.