Railroaders Memorial Museum - History

History

• 1966 - An ad is placed in the Altoona Mirror searching for parties interested in establishing a Railroad Museum for Altoona.
• 1967 - The group forms the Altoona Railway Museum Club and adopts the name Altoona Railway Museum Association.
• 1968 - The National Railway Historical Society grants a charter to the association. Chapter members begin collecting railroad memorabilia and displaying historical objects at civic events, etc.
• 1972 - The name Railroaders Memorial Museum is officially incorporated.
• 1975 - Museum acquires the private rail car of Charles M. Schwab - The Loretto. The Altoona Redevelopment Authority sells the former Penn Central Railroad shop complex land to the Center Associates with an agreement providing that Center Associates make a 5-acre (20,000 m2) plot available for the Museum.
• 1979 - Ground-breaking ceremonies are held on May 12.
• 1980 - Museum celebrates grand opening on September 21.
• 1985 - Museum acquires the PRR K4’s #1361 locomotive and moves it from the Horseshoe Curve to Altoona for restoration.
• 1987-1988 - K4’s excursions haul thousands as the “Pride of Altoona” returns to the rails.
• 1993 - Museum acquires former PRR master mechanics building and an adjoining parcel of land.
• 1995 - Renovations to the master mechanics building begin.
• 1997 - Exhibit fabrication and installation work begin.
• 1998 - Grand opening of the new Railroaders Memorial Museum held on April 25.
• 2002 - Scott Cessna becomes Executive Director
• 2007 - RMM board fires management and lets Salone Marketing Group run the museum.