"Horseshoe-Curve" targeted by the Nazi's in WWII?
- Thread starter TheGLOV
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My grandfather spent his entire working career in the Juniata shops. He told me about this many years ago and about the hunt for spys in Altoona. Still remember him walking home from the shops each day and having a cold Rolling Rock.
Yeah, the NAZIs were looking for Altoona, but couldn’t find it and ended up in Indianapolis. They’re still there, but to disguise their identity, they changed their acronym to NCAA.
Which is the opposite of Harbaugh....he looks for Indianapolis but never gets there.
During the civil war Altoona was the scene of some of Lincoln’s war councils. The McKee gap had artillery emplacements to guard the way to Altoona. When I was much younger they could still be seen when the trees were without their leaves
The first Nazi's to land came ashore in Amagansett out on Long Island. The other half landed down in Florida a few days later. They were immediately confronted by a beach guard from the Coast Guard but they got by him and made it to the train station for the early train to NYC (probably the same one I would take from Montauk back in the 70s every Monday morning to head back to my city job). These four were probably the ones to do the Altoona raid but one of them called the FBI and all four were arrested. Plenty of stories about this on the internet. Here is one from the Times.
https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/14/...nd-in-amagansett-on-view-in-east-hampton.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/14/...nd-in-amagansett-on-view-in-east-hampton.html
Was this before or after they bombed Pearl Harbor?
True story Yes Nazi spies were everywhere in the U.S both before and during the war And the curve was getting a ton of rail traffic during that time and true it had to be guarded
Just for discussion, if you were a Nazi saboteur in the WW2 era, which would you have rather taken out...1) The Curve 2) The Gallitzin Tunnels or 3) The Rockville Bridge?
Isn't Rockville the longest stone arch bridge in the world?Just for discussion, if you were a Nazi saboteur in the WW2 era, which would you have rather taken out...1) The Curve 2) The Gallitzin Tunnels or 3) The Rockville Bridge?
The Horseshoe Curve wasn’t the only German target in PA.
The American Car & Foundry plant in Berwick was another target. It was where Stuart tanks and related products were produced.
The American Car & Foundry plant in Berwick was another target. It was where Stuart tanks and related products were produced.
I always see it called the longest stone arch railroad bridge. But haven’t been able to determine if it’s true for all bridges regardless of use.
I would think the tunnel. It would cause a severe choke point that would take a long time to repair. Rails are easily replaced and engineers might have been able to construct a pontoon bridge strong enough to support a railway and trains.Just for discussion, if you were a Nazi saboteur in the WW2 era, which would you have rather taken out...1) The Curve 2) The Gallitzin Tunnels or 3) The Rockville Bridge?
The Germans should be pretzel experts. Which PA pretzels do they prefer?
Taking out the horseshoe curve would have been very detrimental to the war effort. I believe the majority of steel from Pittsburgh and probably numerous other supplies to the Eastern seaboard for shipping overseas went through there. If it was hit hard enough, the topography there would have made reconstructing the tracks very difficult.
A little background on the Curve.....
The curve was co-designed by J. Edgar Thomson, chief engineer of the PRR who would go on to become its president. When Andy Carnegie built a new steel mill in Braddock in the 1870's he named it after his best customer....The Edgar Thomson Works. The ET Works now consist of the iron and steel making portion of the Mon Valley Works and include the last two (2) operating blast furnaces in the state of PA.
The curve was co-designed by J. Edgar Thomson, chief engineer of the PRR who would go on to become its president. When Andy Carnegie built a new steel mill in Braddock in the 1870's he named it after his best customer....The Edgar Thomson Works. The ET Works now consist of the iron and steel making portion of the Mon Valley Works and include the last two (2) operating blast furnaces in the state of PA.
Fun thread. I've heard that Emporium PA had mandatory black outs because Sylvania made radar equipment there (the screens, I believe).
Also, on a side note, I was told by someone who would know that there were three guys arrested not long after 9-11 for plotting terrorism. When searched, their place had detailed plans of the Kinzua dam with damage assessments if it were taken out. The thought was that it was one of several candidates for destruction and they were awaiting final determination as to what was the next US target.
Also, on a side note, I was told by someone who would know that there were three guys arrested not long after 9-11 for plotting terrorism. When searched, their place had detailed plans of the Kinzua dam with damage assessments if it were taken out. The thought was that it was one of several candidates for destruction and they were awaiting final determination as to what was the next US target.
Derailment on Curve the other night. Nazis not immediately under suspicion...
For the true train geek, here a model RR'er explains what happened with a little demonstration...
For the true train geek, here a model RR'er explains what happened with a little demonstration...
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I would have bet that TBoyer would have made this post...
