Horseshoe Curve National Historic Landmark in Altoona, Pennsylvania

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Altoona, Pennsylvania · Updated October 19, 2026 · 12 min read

Historic rail siteOpen April to October, Wednesday to Sunday; closes for the season in November

Opened on February 15, 1854, the Horseshoe Curve carried the Pennsylvania Railroad over the Allegheny front and became one of the nation's main east-west rail arteries; today visitors watch trains wrap around it from an observation area above the tracks.

  • Opened February 15, 1854
  • National Historic Landmark since 1966
  • Civil Engineering Landmark since 2004
  • Funicular to the overlook
  • Twilight at the Curve evenings
  • Combo tickets with the museum

Horseshoe Curve National Historic Landmark at a glance

Hours
Open Wednesday to Sunday from April to October; closed Mondays, Tuesdays, federal holidays and November to April. Check Facebook or Google for daily hours; admission stops 45 minutes before closing
Admission
Tickets sold online; rates are discounted when the funicular and UTV are unavailable. Combo ticket with the Railroaders Memorial Museum
Train rides
Funicular to the overlook on weekends (UTV shuttle Wednesday to Friday); no train rides
Seasonal events
Twilight at the Curve
Plan for
About 1 to 2 hours, longer if you wait for several trains
Best for
Train watchers, photographers and families
Best ages
Ages 3 and up
Accessibility
The funicular or a UTV shuttle carries visitors to the overlook when available; otherwise access is by stairs. Call ahead to confirm.

Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Horseshoe Curve National Historic Landmark? Bring Rally along.

In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Altoona.

Page 1 of 8

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

Like it so far? See the full book

25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.

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Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.

How the railroad got over the Alleghenies

In the early 1850s, the steep front of the Allegheny Mountains, rising to 2,161 feet, stood in the way of the Pennsylvania Railroad's push west. Its engineers answered with the Gallitzin Tunnels and the Horseshoe Curve, using switchbacks, deep excavations and new ideas to ease the grade enough for trains to climb. The work fell largely to Irish immigrants hired by the railroad, and the dangerous labor lasted three hard years.

When the curve opened for business on February 15, 1854, it was celebrated across the state, and it came to be counted among the eight engineering marvels of the world. Over the next century and a half it became a tourist destination, a target of Nazi spies, and one of the busiest east-west railroad routes in the country.

The Horseshoe Curve was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1966 and a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 2004. The visitor property, with its small museum, films, observation area and gift shop, is owned and operated by the Railroaders Memorial Museum in Altoona, which tells the larger story of the railroaders who built and ran the line.

Up the hill to the trackside overlook

Your visit starts at the visitor center, which has a small museum, orientation films and a gift shop. From there, you reach the observation area above the tracks either by the funicular, which normally runs on weekends, by a UTV shuttle on other open days, or on foot up the stairs, which are now lit for evening events. At the top, you can watch freight and passenger trains swing around the great bend in the mountains.

The curve is still a working railroad, so no train rides are offered at the site. If you want to ride around the curve, the museum points visitors to Amtrak. Rail fans can also watch the curve on a live stream, and the museum suggests other safe viewing spots in Blair County, including the 7th, 8th and 17th Street bridges in Altoona.

Don’t miss

  1. The observation areaThe overlook beside the tracks is the reason people come from around the world, a close-up view of trains rounding the curve.
  2. The funicularAn inclined railway that carries visitors up the hill to the overlook on weekends, weather and maintenance permitting.
  3. The visitor center museumA small museum and orientation films explain how the curve was built and why it mattered to the Pennsylvania Railroad.
  4. Twilight at the CurveOn select summer Saturdays the site stays open until 10 pm, so families can watch trains as day turns to night.
  5. The illuminated stairsFor those who prefer to walk, the stairs to the observation area are now lit for evening visits.

A funicular ride and real trains up close

For kids, the funicular ride up the hill is a small adventure on its own, and the payoff is watching real trains wind around the bend right in front of them. Trains come and go on their own schedule, so pack patience and snacks for the wait. The small museum and films at the bottom help older children understand what they are seeing.

If the funicular is not running, the walk up involves stairs, so plan with little legs or strollers in mind and call ahead about the UTV. Pets are not allowed on the property. Twilight at the Curve evenings, with flashlights and stargazing, are a fun summer outing for families.

Plan your visit: tips for Horseshoe Curve National Historic Landmark

  • Check the Facebook page or call before you go for funicular status; it does not run in bad weather.
  • Use 2400 Veterans Memorial Hwy, Altoona, PA 16601 in your GPS.
  • Pets are not allowed on the property.
  • Bring a flashlight to Twilight at the Curve evenings.
  • Buy the Railroad City combo ticket to add the Railroaders Memorial Museum.

Cared for by the Railroaders Memorial Museum

The Railroaders Memorial Museum owns and operates the Horseshoe Curve visitor property, and admission, gift shop sales, memberships and donations help keep both sites open. You can support the work by buying a combo ticket, joining as a member, volunteering, or giving to the museum's preservation projects.

Railroad City and the mountain line

The Railroaders Memorial Museum in downtown Altoona tells the story of the people who built and ran this line. Up the mountain, the Gallitzin Tunnels Park and Museum is about 8 miles away, and the Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site about 9 miles. To ride the curve yourself, see our guide to Amtrak routes with kids, and browse more train museums in Pennsylvania.

Every train museum in Pennsylvania

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of Rally the corgi looking out an arched train window at the ocean and a white bird
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

In our book, Rally watches the ocean go by through an arched train window and greets a white bird. At the Horseshoe Curve, families are on the other side of the glass, watching the trains wrap around the mountain and waving to passengers inside. I like to think some little one on board is waving back. For more train stories to read together, see our train books for toddlers.

Free for train families

Print the Rally coloring pages before you go

Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.

Get the free coloring pages
Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

More for train families

Work or volunteer at Horseshoe Curve National Historic Landmark?

We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.

Sources

Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.

Horseshoe Curve: 20 questions before you go

Where is the Horseshoe Curve National Historic Landmark?

The visitor center is at 2400 Veterans Memorial Hwy, Altoona, PA 16601, in the Allegheny Mountains west of downtown Altoona in Blair County. The Railroaders Memorial Museum, which runs the site, is at 1200 9th Ave in Altoona. Use the Veterans Memorial Highway address for the curve itself.

What is the Horseshoe Curve schedule?

As of October 2026, the Horseshoe Curve is open Wednesday through Sunday during its season and closed Mondays, Tuesdays and federal holidays. It closes for the year in November and reopens in April. Daily hours are posted on its Facebook page and Google listing, and admission stops 45 minutes before closing.

Is the Horseshoe Curve open in winter?

No. The Horseshoe Curve closes in November and reopens in April each year, and the grounds are off limits when the site is closed. In the off season, you can still watch the curve on its online live stream or visit the Railroaders Memorial Museum in Altoona, which stays open except around the holidays.

How much are Horseshoe Curve tickets?

Prices are shown at checkout rather than on the site's main pages. Tickets can be bought in advance on railroadcity.org, and rates are discounted when the funicular and UTV are not available. A Railroad City combo ticket with the Railroaders Memorial Museum is offered when both sites are open.

Is the Horseshoe Curve funicular running?

As of October 2026, the museum lists the funicular as undergoing maintenance, with a UTV available to carry visitors up. Normally the funicular runs on weekends only, the UTV runs Wednesday to Friday, and the funicular does not operate in bad weather. Check Facebook or call (814) 946-0834 before you go.

Can you ride a train at the Horseshoe Curve?

No. The museum says train rides are not offered at the Horseshoe Curve. It is a viewing site beside an active main line. If you want to ride around the curve yourself, the museum suggests taking an Amtrak train through the area.

Why is the Horseshoe Curve so famous?

It solved one of early railroading's hardest problems. The Allegheny front, 2,161 feet high, blocked the Pennsylvania Railroad's route west, and engineers used a great curving alignment, switchbacks and excavations to ease the climb. The curve opened in 1854 and was hailed as one of the eight engineering marvels of the world.

Why is the Horseshoe Curve a National Historic Landmark?

It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1966 for its role in opening the Pennsylvania Railroad's route across the Alleghenies, which became one of the country's main east-west rail lines. In 2004 it was also named a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark for the engineering behind it.

What makes the Horseshoe Curve unique?

Few historic landmarks are still doing their original job. More than 170 years after it opened, the curve still carries trains, and visitors can watch them from an overlook above the tracks. It was built largely by Irish immigrant workers over three hard years, and it was once even a target of Nazi spies.

When was the Horseshoe Curve built?

Construction took about three years in the early 1850s, carried out largely by Irish immigrants hired by the Pennsylvania Railroad. The curve opened for business on February 15, 1854. The Gallitzin Tunnels were built as part of the same effort to get the railroad over the mountains.

Who owns the Horseshoe Curve?

The visitor property, including the museum, observation area and gift shop, is owned and operated by the Railroaders Memorial Museum. The railroad tracks are a working freight and passenger line; one local listing names Norfolk Southern as the owner of the curve's rail line. Visitors should stay in public areas.

What is Twilight at the Curve?

Twilight at the Curve is a summer series of Saturday evenings when the site stays open from 4 pm to 10 pm. Visitors can watch trains as night falls, picnic, stargaze or take long-exposure photos. The observation area closes at 9:30 pm. Standard admission applies, and flashlights are recommended.

How does the Horseshoe Curve prepare for special events?

For its Twilight at the Curve evenings, the site extends hours to 10 pm, keeps the visitor center and gift shop open late, and has lit the stairs up to the observation area. The museum asks guests to bring flashlights. Check the Railroaders Memorial Museum's event calendar and Facebook page for event details.

Can I take photos at the Horseshoe Curve?

Yes. Photography is one of the most popular things to do at the curve, and the museum even promotes Twilight at the Curve evenings for long-exposure train photos. Stay within the observation area and public spaces. For more photo spots, the museum suggests the 7th, 8th and 17th Street bridges in Altoona.

Is there a live camera at the Horseshoe Curve?

Yes. The museum shares a live stream of the Horseshoe Curve on its website, so you can watch trains from home. It is a handy way to check activity before a visit, or to enjoy the curve in winter when the site is closed.

Can I bring my dog to the Horseshoe Curve?

No. The museum says no pets are allowed at the Horseshoe Curve National Historic Landmark or at the Railroaders Memorial Museum. Plan accordingly if you are road-tripping with a dog, since the observation area is not open to pets.

Is the Horseshoe Curve good for kids?

Yes. Kids usually love riding the funicular up the hill and watching long trains curve around the mountain. Trains do not run on a set visitor schedule, so bring snacks and patience. The small museum and orientation films at the visitor center help explain the history.

Is the Horseshoe Curve wheelchair accessible?

Access to the observation area depends on the funicular or UTV. The funicular normally runs on weekends and a UTV runs on other open days, but when neither is available the way up is by stairs. Call (814) 946-0834 before your visit to confirm transport and plan any needs.

Where else can I watch trains near Altoona?

The Railroaders Memorial Museum suggests the bridges on 7th, 8th and 17th Streets, the 8th Street Bridge in Juniata for a view of the Altoona Shops, the 10th Avenue Expressway pedestrian bridge (with elevators), Canal Basin Park, the Station Medical Center area and the Gallitzin Tunnels.

What train museums are near the Horseshoe Curve?

The Railroaders Memorial Museum and the Altoona Works railroad exhibits are in Altoona. The Everett Railroad is about 6 miles away, the Gallitzin Tunnels Park and Museum about 8 miles, the Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site about 9 miles, and the Portage Station Museum about 17 miles.

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