Altoona and the Pennsylvania Railroad Between a Roar and a Whimper 

by Betty Wagner Loeb 1999

Authored by Altoonan Betty Loeb, this 100 page, color/black, perfect bound, reinforced soft cover publication contains 228 photos, 3 full paintings, 2 multi-page maps and a chart of Altoona towers with additional text by John Denny, JR., Bill Strassner and Peter Barton. Features include the PRR in Altoona, the men and women of the PRR, Altoona’s trolleys and prominent buildings, and the Horseshoe Curve.

Altoona and the Pennsylvania Railroad...tells the story of Altoona's birth, the place chosen by the PRR to begin its operations. In this wilderness appeared makeshift shops and ribbons of steel rails. Men, hungry for work, rushed to the scene. Families followed. Up sprang houses, schools and churches along both sides of the tracks. In words and pictures, this book traces the growth of the railroad until Altoona housed the largest car shops in the world. Together, the city and the PRR became famous. The fame was due in part to the dedication of the men who spent most of their lives with the railroad; also the women who shouldered the men's jobs during times of war. Nothing--not rigid work rules, dangerous and demanding jobs, low pay, or few benefits dampened the devotion they held for the Pennsy.

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