| 12th Street. Here is an original photo that I took in Altoona, Pennsylvania, during June of 1973. Shown here is the space that was once occupied by the Pennsylvania Railroad's 12th Street Car Shops, soon to be transformed into another mindless mall. Once upon a time, long ago and far away, this was the site of three active roundhouses and THE Altoona Works ~ where they made everything from steam locomotives and tenders to freight cars. Also visible at the far right is the Altoona Test Plant, where stationary steam locomotives were once tested at speeds up to 100 miles per hour on a dynamometer. Photo taken from the new 12th Street Bridge. |