How did the terminal help Altoona in its progress to become a city?  The terminal helped Altoona in many ways.  First of all it helped it become a city.  The next most important thing that the terminal helped was it brought businesses and people from all over. The businesses
it brought were hotels, restaurant, general stores, even a newspaper, and many more things. The railroads have increased a population of 721 in 1900, to over 6,000 people in recent years.