Horseshoe Curve Was A Nazi Target - Learn Stuff

Horseshoe Curve is a vital part of Pennsylvania`s railroad system, located near the city of Altoona. The Nazis wanted to blow it up during World War II.

I`m not kidding, Nazi spies made it to the U.S. by taking a submarine to Long Island in 1942. One of their targets for Operation Pastorius was Horseshoe Curve, which would have crippled our ability to transport steel from Pittsburgh. They were all caught and executed, save for the one that turned himself in.

My friend Ronda literally accused me of making a fake Wikipedia page about this, but I assure you it is all true.

Horseshoe Curve is part of the Norfolk Southern Railway between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh. The curve is 220 degrees and almost a half mile long. Its purpose is to allow locomotives to traverse the Allegheny Mountains, since trains don`t go uphill so well.

Construction began in the 1850`s without the use of heavy equipment. The workers simply used picks and shovels to move an incredible amount of earth. The Curve was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1966 and is still very busy today.

The three tracks see over 100 million tons a year. A passenger train travels from Pittsburgh to New York City and back via Horseshoe Curve every day.

GO PA!