I drove past this for close to 20 years now and never knew what it was. From the interstate all I could see was one wall. Then Simon 1966 (member) told me it was a round house.
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=38.633718,-90.151749&hl=en&ll=38.633718,-90.151749&spn=0.002074,0.002248&sll=38.633718,-90.151749&sspn=0.002074,0.002248&oq=east+st+&hnear=East+St+Louis,+St+Clair,+Illinois&t=h&z=18
I was stunned and very entreated. I think it was a old Nickel Plated Line round house. Any one have the history of it?
I have tried Google and found some links like this one.
http://stlouispatina.blogspot.com/2009/02/old-roundhouse-east-st-louis.html
But unless I missed it, never saw the line that had it.
I think this is the plan for the roundhouse.
But, it could be this one as well.
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=38.633718,-90.151749&hl=en&ll=38.620081,-90.16958&spn=0.002098,0.002248&sll=38.633718,-90.151749&sspn=0.002074,0.002248&oq=east+st+&hnear=East+St+Louis,+St+Clair,+Illinois&t=h&z=18
When I did a Google search, both came up.
I really like to visit the first one in person, only 10 miles away. I all so know the danger. Roof falling in, falling into a covered hole and Railroad cops.
Does any one have a link to the first roundhouse in it's heyday? Well the second one as well? Links are from Google Earth.
Looking forward to information.
Cuda Ken
I hate Rust
Not a Round house but remnants of the old Concord New Hampshire Turntable, I found this last week while looking for areas to train spot, Although Southern NH doesn't seem to have much Train Traffic..
Hum Great West, I did a copy and paste and is the same as I posted?
Ken
Are you aware of the old Wabash turntable? It's next to the Metrolink line.
38°37'56.00"N 90°14'45.50"W
Steve S
Ken, the roundhouse in E. STL is the B and O Roundhouse, The map you have shown is the old Frisco Roundhouse over in St. Louis south of Chouteau Ave. According to what I have read the Frisco roundhouse was demolished in the 20's
Simon Modelling CB&Q and Wabash See my slowly evolving layout on my picturetrail site http://www.picturetrail.com/simontrains and our videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/MrCrispybake?feature=mhum
I was also going to say the first roundhouse was the old B&O's at Cone Yard. It's visible this time of year just north of I-64, 70, 55. I'm no expert on East St. Louis but the roundhouse "footprint" closer to the river may have been the GM&O. Here's an interesting link I found on railroads and their facilities in St. Louis:
http://books.google.com/books?id=GZ1BAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA71&lpg=PA71&dq=b+%26+o+cone+yard&source=bl&ots=ABznNti9rD&sig=qwBbCabMo6slTVy7K-LiUbT_mzU&hl=en&sa=X&ei=DwMJT8GHHMinsQKSjIHrAg&ved=0CDcQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=b%20%26%20o%20cone%20yard&f=false
Most of the roundhouses in southern Illinois are gone (sadly).
Gary
judging from the photos, i am pretty sure we are looking at what is/was left of the old B&O facility. it is right along the west side of I-55/ I-70. St Clair ave. (ill hwy 3) passes under the B&O tracks. years ago, the B&O road crews stayed at the National Hotel, just a city block west of the St Clair ave underpass. they had the entire second or third floor as a railroad bunk room. home terminal for their road crews was Washington Indiana so they just used the hotel to get their rest before returning east.
i have no idea what the map is. if it is part of E St Louis, it must be from before the interstate highway and Poplar Street Bridge complex were built. none of the street names are familiar.
the NKP yard would be farther north, up in or near Granite City. I think Ill hwy 203 passes over it just north of the Gateway Raceway and before you get to the curve going in to GC.
I used to work in that area but it has been many years and things have changed a lot including my ability to recall all the past.
the metrolink does run along part of the old Wabash right of way in St Louis. it is nowhere near the Wabash facility on the east side at Brooklyn although there was a large roundhouse and turntable there too.
Charlie
if the one near trendley avenue is a GM&O facility, it would date way back before they got hold of the C&A. after that i think all their facilities were concentrated at Venice. we may be looking at the old ICRR facility, i have been there years ago but never saw it from the air.
charlie
Here is where the Sandborn map is today
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=st.+louis&hl=en&ll=38.625521,-90.242504&spn=0.004342,0.009645&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=36.042042,79.013672&hnear=St+Louis,+Missouri&t=m&z=17
The street names are all the same. It is most certainly the site of the Frisco Roundhouse
I think this was a CB&Q roundhouse on Hall St. North St. Louis
http://binged.it/yMuar2
Here is the turntable at Carrie Ave yard (Wabash, N&W, Norfolk Southern ect) just off Hall St North St Louis
http://binged.it/zmdRIE
charlie9 the metrolink does run along part of the old Wabash right of way in St Louis. it is nowhere near the Wabash facility on the east side at Brooklyn although there was a large roundhouse and turntable there too. Charlie
The Wabash apparently had a facility near Vandeventer and Clayton. The pic below is the turntable I mentioned above.
http://www.westernrailimages.com/Wabash-Railroad/Wabash-Railroad/7193160_dg48BT#!i=633003522&k=bsVrm
There's also a pic of a roundhouse seen here...
http://www.westernrailimages.com/Wabash-Railroad/Wabash-Railroad/7193160_dg48BT#!i=632999005&k=P7uBM
Check out the rest of the Western Rail Images website. Lots of pics of St. Louis in the '50s.
as for the Q roundhouse along hall st. i remember when they turned and serviced the 2-8-2 # 4960 there when running fan trips back in the 60's. guess that makes me an old codger eh?
the Wabash had three engine terminals in the greater St Louis area. one at Brooklyn Illinois, one at Luther yard in north St Louis and the one west of Union Station which i think was mostly for passenger power.
charllie
Here is the Wabash Clayton Rd roundhouse
http://binged.it/y2Kuob
In the Binghamton, NY area there is, next the current Conklin, NY Canadian Pacific yard, the remnants of an old round house.
We tried to access it, but got caught by the CP "Rail Yard Police" and were told "you can't be here".
it can be viewed at:
42*05'5024"N 75*51'05.98"W
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
In St. Paul Minnesota, there is the Jackson Street Roundhouse, which is the home of the MTM (Minnesota Transportation Museum). This roundhouse is a former Great Northern Steam Locomotive facility. I have yet to visit there; but, will soon! http://trainride.org/jsrh.shtml Although the Website isn't very exciting, if you look through the equipment roster, you can see that there is a lot of stuff there to see.
Also, in Proctor Minnesota, just to the west of Duluth, is a roundhouse that was for the Duluth Mesabi and Iron Range Railway (DM&IRR) You can look at all these facilities on Google Earth. The Proctor Roundhouse is a 90 degree sector and is probably only used as a storage facility, now. However, to the Northwest of this facility, about a mile along Proctor yard is a roundhouse w/turntable that may still be in use! The western sector of this roundhouse has an area that looks to have been extended (possibly to house and work on the DM&IR's many Yellowstone 2-8-8-4 locomotives). One of these locomotives can be seen, on display, about a 1/4 mile to the south and slightly east of the 90 degree roundhouse.
NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"
Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association: http://www.nprha.org/
charlie9 judging from the photos, i am pretty sure we are looking at what is/was left of the old B&O facility. it is right along the west side of I-55/ I-70. St Clair ave. (ill hwy 3) passes under the B&O tracks. years ago, the B&O road crews stayed at the National Hotel, just a city block west of the St Clair ave underpass. they had the entire second or third floor as a railroad bunk room. home terminal for their road crews was Washington Indiana so they just used the hotel to get their rest before returning east. Charlie
Wow Charlie, my Grandfather House over looked the B&O yards in Washington Ind and my uncle was a Engineer for the B&O! As a small boy I use to watch Santa Fe Warbonnets pulling in the yard, I loved the bright colors. Guess Uncle Charlie (yes that was his name) was at the roundhouse a few times!
Pretty cool having a family link to the roundhouse!
Here is a link to the B&O Roundhouse in Cleveland, OH it it being used as a museum of sorts.
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/27471805
Rick J
Rule 1: This is my railroad.
Rule 2: I make the rules.
Rule 3: Illuminating discussion of prototype history, equipment and operating practices is always welcome, but in the event of visitor-perceived anacronisms, detail descrepancies or operating errors, consult RULE 1!
In Fort Wayne the Nickle Plate (West Wayne yard), Wabash, and Pennsy roundhouses are long gone. There is one surviving frieght warehouse and 2 passenger stations still standing. The stations are well preserved and in use today. The warehouse is not and may soon fall to the wrecking ball. Interestingly all that remains of the Wabash station in a cement staircase that goes up to the track level.
I believe there is still a turn table in use at the NS yard between FW and New Haven, Indaina. It appears in the google Sattelite photos at the East end of the yard.
Modeling a railroad hypothetically set in time.
The old former MEC roundhouse and turntable in Rockland, ME are still in use by the Maine Eastern RR. It very visible, as US Rte 1 goes right by ithttp://maps.google.com/maps?q=Rockland,+ME&hl=en&ll=44.101069,-69.122801&spn=0.001807,0.003428&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=32.66491,56.162109&oq=rockland,+me&hnear=Rockland,+Knox,+Maine&t=h&z=18
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
Tracked down the old rail yard in Washington Ind.
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Northwest+10th+Street,+Washington,+IN&hl=en&ll=38.657901,-87.198293&spn=0.002932,0.004495&sll=38.658194,-87.147621&sspn=0.002932,0.004495&oq=Washington,+10th+street+IN&hnear=NW+10th+St,+Washington,+Daviess,+Indiana+47501&t=h&z=17
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
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.
G PaineThe old former MEC roundhouse and turntable in Rockland, ME are still in use by the Maine Eastern RR. It very visible, as US Rte 1 goes right by ithttp://maps.google.com/maps?q=Rockland,+ME&hl=en&ll=44.101069,-69.122801&spn=0.001807,0.003428&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=32.66491,56.162109&oq=rockland,+me&hnear=Rockland,+Knox,+Maine&t=h&z=18
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.
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.
Chris
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
Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!
Get the Classic Trains twice-monthly newsletter