A fervent believer in the PRR, Thomson used his influence to reach the presidency in 1852. Now controlling the reigns he quickly raised $3 million in bonds; the route subsequently headed west from the small hamlet of Altoona (officially incorporated on February 6, 1854), situated just over 7 miles north of Ducansville. Following great deliberation Thomson and his engineers realized an alignment heading out of the valley along Burgoon Run, hugging the mountainside to a location known as Kittanning Point, and swinging around to the other side via a massive curve could maintain a grade of less than 1.8% into Cresson.What became known as Horseshoe Curve was officially opened on February 15, 1854. In later years Burgoon Run was utilized as the city's reservoir, which still holds true today. The article, "Horseshoe Curve: And Approach To Gallatzin Tunnels," from the May, 1952 edition of Trains Magazine, notes the grade through the curve totaled 1.45% (or 76.6 feet per mile) while the grade out of Altoona ascended 1.75% (or 92.4 feet per mile). The curve itself is composed of two separate bends at slightly different radii. The northerly/easterly curve features a radius of 637 feet while the southerly/westerly curve holds a radius of 609 feet. Overall, the entire curve is 9 degrees. Even into the diesel era, the PRR almost always utilized helpers for westbound freights as trains out Altoona would be 122 feet higher at the western approach (the western/southern "calk" is 1,716 feet high while the eastern/northern "calk" stands at 1,594 feet in height). Beyond, the grade averages 1.729% to the summit at the Gallatzin Tunnels, which include PRR's original two bores as well as the Allegheny Portage Railroad's 2,000-foot New Portage Tunnel. - The middle, originally known as the Summit Tunnel and now known as Allegheny Tunnel, is 3,612 feet in length and situated at an elevation of 2,167 feet. It was completed by the PRR in 1854. Its northern counterpart is the newest, Gallatzin Tunnel, finished in 1904 and was also 3,612 feet in length. -As the most southerly bore it was finished in 1855/1856, part of the state's endeavor to replace the incline plane railroad and improve its MLoPW. The route headed due west out of Ducansville via Blairs Gap Run and even included its own miniature horseshoe curve, known as Muleshoe Curve., Horseshoe Curve is 5 miles (8 km) west of Altoona, Pennsylvania, in Logan Township, Blair County. It sits at railroad milepost 242 on the Pittsburgh Line, which is the Norfolk Southern Railway Pittsburgh Division main line between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania., There are many horseshoe curves throughout North America such as Milwaukee Road's Vendome Loop (abandoned), Western Maryland's Helmstetter's Curve, Santa Fe's Cajon Pass, and Canadian Pacific's Crowsnest Pass..