Tracked down the old rail yard in Washington Ind.
Sure not the way I remember it, but then again I was 6.
Here is a link to the yard.
http://www.borhs.org/magazine/unprotected/eSentinellow20121Q.pdf
Ken
Roodhouse Illinois
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=39.4821,-90.376089&spn=0.002219,0.00515&t=h&z=18
There’s two here in Western New York.
Next to CSX’s Frontier Yard at Broadway and Bailey, there’s an old roundhouse that is gradually falling into disrepair. A contruction company was using it for storage, but I’m not sure if they still are. The plus side is that it can be seen fairly easily from behind the Tops supermarket on Broadway - also across the north end of the yard (originally North Shore RR’s yard - part of NYC)
In West Seneca, Ebenezer Railcar Services uses the old PRR roundhouse. You can just barely see it from the 400 in the winter. There’s also a road (sometimes called Weber, other times old Seneca) that you get to from Center st. by crossing over the 400 on Richardson. It can also be seen (sort of) from Indian Church road.
I believe that there is a roundhouse in Toronto that is now a museum.
Had to go out fro a couple of hours before I could look up further info. This is a photo of Rockland from Google Earth Street View
Another important roundhouse that still there is the MEC roundhouse in Bartlett NH. Bartlett was the base of the MEC mountain division, and was one of the few places in New England that needed helper locos to make it up the grade - so it was a busy place. Almost lost the building a couple of years ago due to heavy snow load on the roof. A group has formed a non-profit ro restore the roundhouse.
http://bartlettroundhouse.blogspot.com/
Note: if you want to look at the roundhouse close up, contact the restoration group first and get permission. The building still is not that stable in places, and they do not want people wandering around on the site for liability reasons. They have tours of the building from time to time.
George, how did you copy the picture? I have tired to copy ones from Google and never figured out how?
Thanks for the picture as well.
Ken
The old roundhouse by I-55 in East St Louis as mentioned before is the former B&O Cone Yard facility- this yard was shut down in 1988 shortly after the CSXT moved their operations over to the TRRA yard in Venice. If I recall the old yard tower is also still there on the far east end of the yard immediately by the old ILL 3 overpass as well. It’s not exactly a place you want to hang around! The abandoned roundhouse footing closer to the river is also indeed the ex-GM&O yard facility- East St. Louis is littered with the old footprints of roundhouses and shops- one could spend an afternoon cruising over them on Google Earth.
There is a small 3 or 4 stall roundhouse and turntable in Thief River Falls, MN on the Soo Line. It was used up to a couple of years ago by a diesel rebuilder.
I don’t know of any near where I live, Winnnipeg, MB.
CN Charlie
A plumbing supply company was in this old roundhouse in Joplin Mo. when I went by back in 1982 . I do not know if it is still there after last years tornado.
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=37.079567,-94.50956&spn=0.002294,0.00515&t=h&z=18
Here is the roundhouse site in Moberly Mo. I think it was the Wabash.
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=39.42554,-92.442232&spn=0.002221,0.00515&t=h&z=18
Here is Newburg Mo. on the FRISCO. You can see the outline of the roundhouse + the filled in pit.
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=37.91212,-91.903671&spn=0.002269,0.00515&t=h&z=18
Tom Cat, thank you for the links.
Ken
NS has a working turntable and roundhouse located in North Kansas City, just South of North Kansas City Hospital on Rte. 210.
Bob
I think this is the old KCS turntable & roundhouse in KC MO. Just on the other side of the river from the NS
Here’s the old Turntable in Concord New Hampshire and what may be the old Engine house. It’s in an industrial area and may not be accessible. I would like to get some photos of it…
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=39.42554,-92.442232&spn=0.002221,0.00515&t=h&z=18
Great Western,
I’m in Franklin, about 20 miles north of Concord and would like to locate the turntable you mentioned. I haven’t had any luck looking for it on Google maps. Could you give a street for reference? Thanks,
Werner
Thanks again folks for posting! Well I am glad to see some still up and running.I do wonder why they fell out of favor? Could it be that it took to much time to turn the engine, or just took up to much room?
Ken
A couple of things brought the demise of the round house, Ken.
You are right about “taking up to much room”, for one. A diesel, they found, could be serviced in a straight building a lot faster, and takes up less real estate.
Turning engines had little to do with it, as many service facilities also have a [small} TT to turn the diesel engines.
Since diesels can effective be run very well in forward or reverse and MU’d that way, they don’t ALWAYS need to turn them, so no need to have TT in some cases.
ROundhouses were used in the lasreger engine servicing facilities. Some straight buldings were used to service Steamers on smaller lines…such as Strasburg PA’s Strasburg RR. They still use the buildings built,oh over a century ago, I believe to service their steamers and never turn the locos. {though they do have the capability if they use the TT over across the street at the RR Museum of PA.and on the run they use for toursit rides, they go forward ione way and back up the other}
And lastly, it takes less maintenance for a diesel than a steamer, so less room and quicker service is al that is needed. Reember, the DIesel won out over steam hands down for major reduction in manpower!
[sigh] but there is just nothing like watching them service a steamer OR the look, smell, and “taste” of a steamer chugging down coal and rumbling by! It willl be a sad day when no more steamers run on tourist lines. [:(]
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