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In another forum there is a thread about Dennis Brennan's huge forthcoming

roundhouse kit.  (don't consider that for your 4 x 8)  However, I wondered just

how many surviving actual prototype roundhouses are there?  I think the one

at Cass, W.V. is really an enginehouse, I did once visit a roundhouse just

south of Wheeling, W.V., and a B&O roundhouse at Grafton, W.V.  Years ago

I was in the one at Durango, Colorado, but think they had a fire since then

so don't now know if that or the two W.V. ones still stand.  Part of the modified

stone Colorado Midland roundhouse did stand west of Colorado Springs, but I think some road rerouting may have eliminated that?

There is the Southern one at Spencer, NC, and isn't there one at Steamtown in

Scranton, Pa.?  What other ones around the country still exist?  There may be

more of these still standing than water towers, which are hard to find.

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The roundhouse you mention south of Wheeling, W.Va. was the B&O's Benwood roundhouse.  My early memories tell me that one was gone by the mid-1990s, though the coaling tower stood for a little longer.  I can remember travelling up to Wheeling with my grandfather and, as a five- or six-year old boy being fascinated by seeing it, and then disappointed when one day both buildings were gone.

 

Just northwest of where I am (Elkhart, Ind.) stands a Michigan Central roundhouse in Niles, Mich.  I think it is used by a some kind of local business.  It appears to be in good condition, and the turntable remains intact as well.  

I don't know how old Google's Aerial/Street View photos are, but the ATSF Roundhouse in Las Vegas, New Mexico shows up. After the tracks and turntable were long gone, the structure was used as a warehouse and other uses. The Street View showed the structure as abandoned, but intact. Search "Las Vegas, NM" on http://maps.google.com and it's pretty easy to spot. It's west of highway 25 on South Grand Avenue/Route 85.

The Great Northern's Interbay roundhouse is intact and in daily use by the BNSF.  While only 15 tracks remain coming into the building all 150 degrees or so still stand and service locomotives.  The metal clad exterior looks modern but the original brick remains underneath.

 

Could Interbay be the largest roundhouse in use in America?

 

I just toured the Roundhouse at Southern's Spencer Shops last week. It is in good shape and about half full of some good old pig iron and woodside cabooses.

 

It happened to be School Kids Day and they were operating the Turntable for rides and for viewing *FP-7 6133. The FP-7 was coupled to 5 coaches and loaded with Kids for the standard trip[s] around the grounds.

 

*correctionfrom E6 suggested by Ed king

Last edited by Dewey Trogdon

There is the Milwaukee Road Roundhouse in Sioux City, IA (http://www.milwaukeerailroadshops.org/) which is currently being refurbished and includes the static display of GN1355, a 4-6-2 Pacific, a large HO train layout in a separate building, as well as several other pieces of rolling stock included on about a 30 acre complex. If you're traveling in the midwest, it's worth stop. They are open most days of the year, but check their hours at the website listed above.

There is a small one near Bethlehem, PA at the intersection of Rt 78 and 412.  Don't know which railroad used it.  Now it is used by a construction company. 

 

That's the ex-Reading roundhouse in Hellertown, PA. It's in rough shape.

 

BTW, The former CNJ roundhouse in Bethlehem was demolished about 10 years ago. Just the pad remains.

 

Chris

LVHR

There are surviving roundhouses in Utica and Rome, NY... They are both used for non-railroad purposes, and the Rome one is in pretty tough shape.

 

I have the plans for the Utica yard from 1940, and it shows that there were 3 roundhouses, and 4 turntables.  There was one roundhouse and turntable on the NYC branch going north to the Adirondacks (This roundhouse still exists).

 

1123091936

Utica 1940^

Utica 2012v

Utica Roundhouse 2012

 

 

A lone turntable on the DL&W branch going south towards New Hartford (The pit can still somewhat be seen off Oriskany Blvd.), and the other 2 NYC roundhouses I believe are gone.

 

1123091942

Utica 1940^

 

 

Rome Roundhouse 2012

Rome 2012^ 

 

While we're on this track... If anyone wants to take a look at the blueprints, we can meet for coffee! Here's a teaser of the station trackage layout...

 

1123091937a

Utica, NY Union Station 1940^

Utica, NY Union Station 2012v

Utica Union Station 2012

 

Thanks,

Mario...

 

 

 

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  • 1123091942
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  • Utica Roundhouse 2012
  • Rome Roundhouse 2012
  • Utica Union Station 2012

The D&RGW Chama, NM engine house is still quite active and the outer wall and building is exactly as it was in 1908-era Fred Jukes photos with a sea of diamond-stack C-16s and C-19s in front of it. Chama is an intact steam operated division point - a truly marvelous piece of historic preservation.

       Another beauty is the preserved CB&Q limestone block roundhouse in downtown Aurora, IL. The initial sections were built in 1859 and additions came in 1864, completing a full 360 degree circle. It is a restaurant/bar/reception hall complex these days (recently owned by Walter Payton, of Chicago Bears fame) and as one strolls through the building, observing the wooden roof trusses bound together with bolts and truss rods, one is taken with how huge the building is. And there lies the paradox......it ceased being used because it was too small, with the demise of the 4-4-0 American Standard! It is a classic 19th century run-through building where in a locomotive emerged to be spun on a wood covered turntable. The Burlington last used it about 1974 as a component of it's Aurora Shop complex. Well worth a visit and a beer!

NKP - Bellevue, OH - in daily use. NKP 765 spent several winters here back in the 80's in the last two stalls on the south end. NS now uses the house to service and maintain their ROW equipment.

 

Roundhouse - NKP Bellevue

 

 

Also in daily use...CSX (B&O) in Cumberland, MD

 Roundhouse - CSX Cumberland

 

 

 

NKP - Frankfort, IN - no longer in use for the railroad, but still serving...

Roundhouse - NKP Frankfort

 

 

 

And how about a turntable that is still in daily use...but no roundhouse? This is the NS (former N&W) table at Shaffers Crossing in Roanoke.

Turntable - NS Roanoke

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  • Roundhouse - NKP Bellevue
  • Roundhouse - NKP Frankfort
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  • Roundhouse - CSX Cumberland
Originally Posted by B&O946:

I do not know but i think there is one some where in crestline Ohio it may be gone. There is also the one roundhouse in Martinsburg West Virginia. there are a lot more that i can name but this reply would become a long list.

 

Matthew

Yes, the former PRR roundhouse in Crestline is still there, but it is an empty shell. It is vacant and not used for anything. I'm surprised that it has not fallen down, it is in such bad shape.

 

Here it is today. The turntable pit is a pond (the table itself is gone) and there are no tracks leading to the table or into the house. You can drive right next to it on County Road 35. It's a sad sight...

 

Roundhouse - Crestline

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  • Roundhouse - Crestline

Google extant roundhouses. This means only pictures on Google. Like Crestline, things may be different today.

 

There are two turntables at Schaffer's Crossing. 

 

DM&IR Two Harbors MN. Not used by the railroad.

DM&IR Proctor MN. Actually two of them. The bigger one to the west looks like the turntable is still in use.

Ma & Pa Baltimore MD. Used by Baltimore DOT.

L&NH West Pen Argyl PA.

Sandy River RR Phillips ME. Reconstructed.

Sierra RR Jamestown CA.

Connecticut Eastern Railroad Museum. Reconstructed.

LIRR Morris Park, Jamaica, NY. In use!

Enola PA. Two stalls down from a full circle. In use.

 

And last but not least the one I work in on occasion.

Steamtown NHS, Scranton PA. Reconstructed.

Last edited by ChooChooDennis

 The old N&W roundhouse in Williamson,WV is still standing,and in use as a car repair facility.

 

 

 

 

  The old West yard office as well as the old East yard office are no longer standing,but a new $3 million dollar West yard office building was completed in 2011.

 

 One that was standing until about 3 weeks ago was the old B&O roundhouse in Chillicothe,Ohio.An arson put and end to it  . I drove by the location it stood at  last Sunday after attending the Springfield,Ohio train show,to only see the foundation now exists.

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