See www.altoonamirror.com for news from the Museum in Altoona.

Unfortunately, all we get from the website is your mug shot and a cryptic lead in to a story about some big donation to your quarter-roundhouse project.

Care to reprint the story for us?

My apologies on behalf of the Altoona Mirror. Here are the highlights of the story. Mr. Robert Bennett of Los Angeles, CA, formerly of the Juniata section of Altoona, has donated $270,000 that will enable the roundhouse and turntable project in Altoona to be completed. Mr. Bennett's grandfather, William Henry (Harry) Bennett was te first foreman of the newly contsructed Juniata Erecting Shop in 1889. He was them promoted to Master Mechanic in Juniata in 1901 serving until 1921 when he was made a staffer in the Office od the Chief of Motive Power. His tenure in Juniata saw the construction of our K4 and the East Altoona Roundhouse. Bob Bennett found our project a fitting tribute to the work performed by his grandfather Harry.

Bob Bennett is one of the premier men broadcasting in the US. He is a member of the Broadcasting Hall of Fame and at one time headed Metromedia Broadcasting with partners that included John Kluge. The stations owned by Mr. Bennett and his partners were sold to Rupert Murdoch and became the basis for today's FOX Network. Mr. Bennett and his son Casey today own and operate Bennett Productions, one of the country's leading high-definition TV production and post-production facilities. He is also Chairman of the Muscualr Dystrophy Association.

The roundhouse project was fully funded from both State and Federal dollars but those grants could not pay for design work. The EADS Group in Altoona had poured a great deal of pro-bono work into the project and the continued the work they couldn't donate based on their faith in us that they would some day get paid for the work they did. Mr. Bennett's gift will pay for the work completed and the work remaining to be done. THe turntable and track work has already commenced. The design work in underway and the Museum purchased a 105' turntable from Jack Showalter. The table and yard should be done by fall and the building, to be known as The Harry Bennett Center, should follow in the spring of '06.

Thanks

How about posting some images of the progress of this project, such as the turntable that was mentioned? Is it there yet?

We will be happy to post pictures as the project moves along. The table is still in Orange, VA awaiting transport.

Scott

Would I be correct in assuming that the original turntables and roundhouses in Altoona are all long gone?

The roundhouses and tables are long gone other than the turntable still in use every day by Norfolk Southern at the northern (railroad East) end of the Juniata Erecting Shop.

Thanks

Scott Cessna

All roundhouses are gone. Last active turntable is the 110 foot one used at the Juniata shops. You can see it by parking at the Sheetz in Juniata and looking through the fence.