In yesteryear most of the surrounding towns were employed on the PRR, @ 35,000 employees daily
There were dozens of towers in Altoona, most within visible range from one another
There were 5 man crews on all freights, and allot of switchs were hand thrown, and many shifts of multiple railcar brakemen riders rode the brake wheel of rolling humped/kicked railcars down into the several classification bowls
There were many dozens of railcar inspectors, and many thousands of shop employees
Today there are only a couple railcar inspectors, and a hundred, or so, actual floor employees in the Juniata Shops ... not so very busy a place, as it was in yesteryear