Can anyone tell me what kind of roofs where common on roundhouses? Thank in advance.
I think mostly tar and gravel. The roofs were almost always “flatish”, and that is probably the most common roofing that would be used on this type of building. Coming in second would be what I guess would be called a tarpaper roof or maybe a rolled roofing roof. It wouldn’t be a first choice, though, because it’s not as long lasting.
Ed
“Tar and gravel” or “tarpaper” or “rolled roofing” are actually all the same thing, and all are slang for what is called a “built-up roof.” A built-up roof consists of layers of tarpaper with hot tar mopped between layers for adherence. A thick final layer of hot tar is usually mopped on the top of the last layer of tarpaper to provide waterproofing and to protect the tarpaper from hail and sun damage. The addition of gravel is optional. Many built-up roofs, especially historically, didn’t bother with the gravel layer. The purpose of the gravel is to provide resistance to hail damage.
Built-up roofs, if constructed correctly, are really a very good roof, but are expensive because of the labor, and heavy. Only in the last 30 years have there been development of alternatives that are as good, such as single-sheet synthetic rubber roofs.
RWM
Hi!
Have to agree with the previous posters. Those I’ve seen in Chicago and the midwest were all tar and gravel or rolled roofing and tar and/or any combination of these. The one thing they all had in common is that they were a dirty black - as was most everything else in the area.
Yup, if I was to be really faithful to the prototype, my steam loco facilities would just all be painted flat black.
ENJOY
Gravel is not just used to minimize hail damage. It also protects the lower layers from UV damage and reflects sunlight to keep the roof cooler. Gravel is applied in many places that rarely have hail storms–where I live, for example.
A tar and gravel roof is definitely not equivalent to a tarpaper or roll paper roof.
Ed
That is good-for a flat roof. I have just finished building a roundhouse from a Korber kit-the walls were about the only thing I used from the kit. The timber post and beam construction I custom cut from poplar and basswood; the roof was modified to accept a clerestory roof (I always thought that would look cool-and it does; to me), the kit windows were used, but only because I couldn’t find anything comparable by Grandt, Tichy, et al. The inside is detailed and lit with LEDs.
However, the crux of this is to say that I had to use “roll roofing” because the roof is all slanted. it still looks pretty good, if I do say so myself. I would like to post pictures of it, but don’t know how. I also have scratch-built the coaling tower, something similar to the one at Cedar Hill in New Haven, Ct, and am using the water tower from Tichy. This hobby is a lot of fun! I have just (sort of) retired, and am looking forward to spending more time on the craftsman" end of it (as long as I don’t get married, I will do OK)…
EF-3 Yellowjacket
The Maryland & Pennsylvania RR used slate on their Baltimore roundhouse. I agree that most roundhouses had flatter roofs and would be tar & gravel.
Roger Huber
I believe that before about 1900, Roundhouse roofs were covered with canvas or felt and either used coal tar or Pine pitch to seal it. Tar and gravel roofs became more common a little later than most of us would think. I am unsure about any dates as I am going from memory. Here is a photo where part of the roof is visible.
Brent
A quick look online turned up a reference to a building having a tar and gravel roof in 1917. Another architectural book published in 1883 referred to a tar and gravel roof. Seems they go back pretty far.
Ed
I would like to see photos and look forward to them. Unfortunately, I am unable to tell you how to post them. Regards.
I will try to post photos but the roundhouse is an experiment so I don’t know how it will turn out
Railway man, I agree with much of your statement. However . One correction. Tar and gravel, tarpapaer, or rolled roofing are all seperate items not one and the same. Tar and gravel used hat tar and “rolled roofing” sometimes with stone or chip. Rolled roofing is a much heavier material usually called 80# or 90 # rolls, tarpaper is much thinner can be used in Tar and Gravel roofing. It commonly comes in 15# and 30 # rolls.