Were there ever turntable/roundhouse setups or even parallel stall engine sheds that could house big articulates (Challenger’s,Big Boy’s,etc) or were these giants always stored and serviced outside?Somohow I have the feeling that many railroads didn’t have any of these because they didn’t have the proper installations to accomodate them.At least,these buildings,if any existed,don’t seem to attract model manufacturer’s interest as none can be found in N scale or any scale that I know of.Just curious…
Yes, the Union Pacific had several locations that could turn and house the Big Boys. I can’t cite specific sources right now, but IIRC Cheyenne, Laramie, Ogden and Green River, and possibly other locations had I believe they were 135’ turntables, plus at least some stalls deep enough to service Big Boys. Those are places that you DO NOT want to do any more than necessary servicing outside in Nov, Dec, Jan and Feb.
I believe that Cheyenne had some stalls extended 11’ to accomodate the Big Boys, and that was as long as they were able to extend the stalls towards the turntable without fouling the adjacent stall tracks.
Doug
Railroads extended some roundhouse stalls and/or added large rectangular engine houses. The SP built a “Mallet House” in Dunsmuir, CA. The structure is still standing, pictured over my left shoulder:
Mark
Norfolk and Western also had one or more “Mallet Houses” to store and service their biggest steam engines. Generally storing engines outside, unless they’re just waiting to see if they’re going to need them at some point in the future, or just going to go ahead and scrap them, didn’t happen much outside of some nice weather areas in the South or West - but even there you still had roundhouses and enginehouses.
I recall seeing a plan for the SP engine house at Gerber, CA - six widely-spaced tracks wide and 300 feet long. It was rectangular, and sat inside the wye used to turn engines.
The CB&Q had a ‘Mallet house’ at Deadwood, SD, specifically to provide overnight housing for the oil-burning 2-6-6-2s used on the branch from Edgemont to Deadwood. It looked rather like a long, tall garage.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)