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Roundhouses and Turntables (and transfer tables)

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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Thursday, September 29, 2016 9:21 PM

Thank you MidlandMike... interesting that the ground appears to have been plowed in 2007 and 2014 based on the rows of vegetation, yet the locations of the radial tracks still show on the ground in later years.

I will try to get the on-line files updated in a week or so.

Semper Vaporo

Pkgs.

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Posted by MidlandMike on Thursday, September 29, 2016 8:08 PM

Fairport Harbor/Painesville, OH,   41°45'17.05"N  81°16'1.83"W   Former TT&RH

On Google Earth it can best be seen on early 2000s images.

Link to topo map:

http://www.mytopo.com/maps/?lat=41.7549&lon=-81.26615&z=16

 

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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Thursday, September 29, 2016 3:39 PM

New Town, ND; already in the list.  Thanks, anyway.

Semper Vaporo

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Posted by steve24944 on Thursday, September 29, 2016 1:42 PM

Found a turntable in the town of New Town ND.  It does not show on the USGS Topo Quad.   It is at the end of a Soo Line Branch serving Grain Elevators.  Looks like there might be the remains of a foundation of a small Engine House.

N 47 58' 42"    W 102 29' 45"     http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=47.97842,-102.49588&z=15&t=T

Steve

 

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Posted by Cotton Belt MP104 on Monday, August 8, 2016 11:55 AM
Moss Road, my 7 point not to you was posted yesterday and since I "replied" on your comment I thought it would appear as a note to you. Please review the thread and respond to the items intended for you. Got two things to share that you might be interested in endmrw0808161155
The ONE the ONLY/ Paragould, Arkansas/ Est. 1883 / formerly called The Crossing/ a portmanteau/ JW Paramore (Cotton Belt RR) Jay Gould (MoPac)/crossed at our town/ None other, NOWHERE in the world
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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Sunday, August 7, 2016 9:33 PM

MidlandMike
I saw MI, Petoskey on the Excel spreadsheet, but not on the PDF for USA. 

The PDF's are printed from Excel, so it should be there unless you have an old PDF file.  Try downloading it again.

I wish I could tie the Google Earth Places files (KMZ) to the Excel data directly, but they are maintained totally separately and errors/omissions could be in either that are not in the other, but the PDF's should track exactly with the Excel files.

Semper Vaporo

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Posted by Cotton Belt MP104 on Sunday, August 7, 2016 9:28 PM

1. I too wonder how long it takes to "process" these posts  2. I have watched your postings and enjoyed looking at the ones that are close by.  3.  One  of yours really has been a mystery to me (will detail later).  4. Wanna tease?   5. I know of a roundhouse that presently does not exist (but has a funny story associated w/it's past)  6. Can you find where it was in Malden MO?  7. Anxious to chat  mike ....endmrw0807162127....

The ONE the ONLY/  Paragould, Arkansas/  None other, NOWHERE in the world/  Est. 1883 / formerly called The Crossing/ a portmanteau/  JW Paramore (Cotton Belt RR) Jay Gould (MoPac)/crossed at our town

 

The ONE the ONLY/ Paragould, Arkansas/ Est. 1883 / formerly called The Crossing/ a portmanteau/ JW Paramore (Cotton Belt RR) Jay Gould (MoPac)/crossed at our town/ None other, NOWHERE in the world
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Posted by MidlandMike on Sunday, August 7, 2016 7:09 PM

I saw MI, Petoskey on the Excel spreadsheet, but not on the PDF for USA.

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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Sunday, August 7, 2016 1:45 PM

Two orders of business here:

 

1) I added the new items listed since the last update.  Only the U.S. data were udated.

2) I have compressed all 5 files into one ZIP file so MAYBE everybody can download them all in one swell foop.  No one answered as to whether they were able to download the KMZ files, but because it now seems to be broken (I am certain it used to work) because the hosting service is filtering out allowing that file extension to be downloaded, I thought I'd try the ZIP format.

 

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/sempervaporo/Trainsdotcom/RR%20Roundhouses.zip

That should get you all 5 files at once for you to Un-ZIP.  I'll try the link myself to test it as soon as I post this missive.

 

Here are links to the individual files:

 

Excel file of all the data: 

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/sempervaporo/Trainsdotcom/Roundhouse%20and%20Turntables.xls

 

PDF of the Non-U.S. locations:

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/sempervaporo/Trainsdotcom/Non%20US%20Roundhouses%20and%20Turntables.pdf

 

KMZ of the Non-U.S. locations: 

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/sempervaporo/Trainsdotcom/Non-U.S.%20RR%20Roundhouses.kmz

 

PDF of the U.S. locations: 

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/sempervaporo/Trainsdotcom/US%20Roundhouses%20and%20Turntables.pdf

 

KMZ of the U.S. locations:

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/sempervaporo/Trainsdotcom/U.S.%20RR%20Roundhouses.kmz 

 

 

Semper Vaporo

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Posted by MossRoad on Saturday, August 6, 2016 9:45 PM

I found some more.... 
I found this page of BN yard maps

http://www.fobnr.org/yardmaps/maps.htm

 

and google earth'd all of them. That, and some blind luck and here you go.

ID, Avery, RH location
 47°14'57.12"N 115°49'15.89"W
Supporting document... supporting doc http://www.railroads-of-montana.com/Milwaukee_Road_Connections_Book.htm

IL, Centralia, TT and RH foundations - 2
 38°32'36.90"N  89° 8'8.09"W

NV, Wadsworth, TT and RH foundation
 39°37'58.28"N 119°17'15.52"W

MO, Chaffee, TT and RH foundations
 37°11'7.86"N  89°38'55.58"W
Supporting docs: http://www.semissourian.com/blogs/flynch/entry/62732

MT, Billings, RH Foundation
 45°46'36.67"N 108°30'40.70"W
Supporting docs: http://www.fobnr.org/yardmaps/billings3.htm

MO, Hannibal, RH Foundation
 39°42'20.62"N  91°20'57.38"W
Supporting docs: http://www.fobnr.org/yardmaps/hannibal.htm

MO, St. Joseph, TT foundation
 39°44'14.68"N  94°51'13.15"W
Supporting docs: http://www.fobnr.org/yardmaps/stjoseph1.htm

WA, Centralia, TT and RH Foundations 2009
 46°44'13.30"N 122°56'44.34"W
Supporting docs: http://www.fobnr.org/yardmaps/centrailia.htm

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Posted by MossRoad on Saturday, August 6, 2016 9:31 PM
How long does it take before each of my posts doesn't have to be approved by the administration before its posted? I still get the message that it'll be up to 24 business hours before each of my posts is approved. Oh well, it gives me something to look forward to on Mondays. hahahaha
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Posted by MossRoad on Saturday, August 6, 2016 9:28 PM

Semper Vaporo

 

 
Norm48327

External hard drives are not expensive, and when your c drive takes a dump you don't lose them.

 

Sure, but external drives can die just as a built-in one... besides, I have a laptop PC and the whole idea there is to have everything built-in to one compact unit and no "extra" (and attendant power and cabling) to have to drag along with it.

Best is to have all files stored in at least 2 places and the automatic Back-up built-in to Windows 10 was SUPPOSED to do it for me on a periodic basis (I would plug in the external drive whenever I was at home and it would run for a while to make the copies)... unfortunately, it didn't backup ALL variable files, just some of them... I'm MAD! Angry

 

I feel for you. I was in I.T. for 25+ years. I quit and became a maintenance mechanic! Anyhow, yes, you should always have your files in two physical places. The hard drive on your computer, and an external drive that you back up regularly to. Cloud offers a 3rd cheap alternative. And a couple time a year, I back up my external drive to another external drive and keep that off-site (not in my house) for extra protection. Just be aware that you can redundancy yourself into the poorhouse. Wink 

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Posted by MidlandMike on Friday, August 5, 2016 10:17 PM

Petoskey, MI, turntable (removed) CSX

45.3760832 -84.962858

Unfortunatly the site is now covered in condos.  The turntable itself still exists; it was moved to Greenfield Village and shows on the list for Dearborn, MI

I visited the site in the 1970s when the turntable was still in its original position.  The location was documented in a topo map:

http://www.mytopo.com/maps/?lat=45.3767&lon=-84.96331&z=16

 

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Posted by NorthWest on Sunday, July 31, 2016 12:34 AM

I have quite a lot of time wrapped up in my .kml files on Google Earth, and save them to the 'My Documents' folder often to help avoid loss. I'm sure that you probably use the same method I do to allow you to upload them to your website, but if desired I can tell you how I save my files.

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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Saturday, July 30, 2016 6:53 PM

Norm48327

External hard drives are not expensive, and when your c drive takes a dump you don't lose them.

Sure, but external drives can die just as a built-in one... besides, I have a laptop PC and the whole idea there is to have everything built-in to one compact unit and no "extra" (and attendant power and cabling) to have to drag along with it.

Best is to have all files stored in at least 2 places and the automatic Back-up built-in to Windows 10 was SUPPOSED to do it for me on a periodic basis (I would plug in the external drive whenever I was at home and it would run for a while to make the copies)... unfortunately, it didn't backup ALL variable files, just some of them... I'm MAD! Angry

Semper Vaporo

Pkgs.

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Posted by Norm48327 on Saturday, July 30, 2016 6:37 PM

External hard drives are not expensive, and when your c drive takes a dump you don't lose them.

Norm


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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Saturday, July 30, 2016 6:15 PM

ACK!

My PC went floozie and I had to revert to the factory Windows 8.1 (which destroyed ALL my files!), then re-update to Windows 10, then copy back to the HDD all the backup files...

BUT... the backup software didn't do what I expected.  It copied ALL files in my C:\USER... folders when I set it up back in January... 

BUT... Only the "Documents" folder had changed files copied to the backup after the initial creation of the backup, so any changes I made that got stored in other folders were not backed-up!

Google Earth stores the "Places" info in the "appdata" folder, not in the "Documents" folder... thus I lost all of the updates and "setups" I made after January.  All that work by MossRoad I'd have to re-copy to my files!

Not to worry... I had copied the Roundhouse Places data to my webspace so others could download it, so I figured I'd just download it myself and re-integrate it into the Places data...

OH NO!  I can't get the system to FIND the file!  When I click on the links "I have been providing" in this thread, I get the message "File not found!"... I can see the file when I log-in to my webspace, but again, when I try to fetch the file, "Not found!"...

I managed to mount the webspace to my Windows 10 PC as a remote drive and then I could download it, so I am back "close" to where I was (there were other Places folders that I had changed in the intervening months that I had not copied elsewhere, so I lost that stuff... not a big loss).

Anyway, this brings into question whether anyone has ever attempted to download the Google Earth "Places" (.kml) files from my webspace. 

Has it ever worked for anybody?  I thought I had tried it once and it worked, but my memory is not what it never was to begin with.

Please respond, yea or nay.  Maybe it is still a problem with my latest installation of Winders that I need to fix. 

If others have run into this problem I think I have a way to rename the files to something else (maybe ".txt") that my WebSpace provider will not filter out, and I can provide instructions on how to rename the files back to end in ".kml" so they can be merged with anyone's Places folder.

 

Semper Vaporo

Pkgs.

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Posted by MossRoad on Thursday, July 21, 2016 12:48 AM

Here's a yard map of the Appleyard in Wenatchee
http://www.fobnr.org/yardmaps/appleyard.htm

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Posted by MossRoad on Thursday, July 21, 2016 12:43 AM

Semper Vaporo

 

 
MossRoad

WA, Wenatchee, Roundhouse and turntable foundations

 47°23'35.22"N 120°17'33.77"W

 

 

Do you have any other evidence of this one?  I see just an arc on the ground in images since 2002, but in the 2 previous images ('90 and '98) the arc is not nearly as curved (granted the resolution is much worse that could be masking the curve).
 
However!  In the 1990 images I see a vague outline of two concentric circular areas (light ring around a dark dot in the center) North of your coords, at:
 
47°23'48.77"N  120°17'33.16"W
 
Still not enough for me to add that one either, but corraborating evidence would be helpful in either spot!
 
 
Oh yeah... maybe I should have begun with, "He's baaa-ack!"
 

Glad you are back! Thanks for adding all those, I appreciate it. 

The Wenatchee is also referred to as South Wenatchee and sometimes as Appleyard.

I found three more yesterday....

ND, Devils Lake RH location visible well in 1997 view.
 48° 7'6.18"N  98°52'19.14"W
Its in an area now called Roundhouse Park and there's several references to it in google searches. There's another circle to the south/east a few hundred feet away. Almost looks like a turntable site. Can't prove it, yet, though.

ND, Overly, RH foundation and TT
 48°40'46.64"N 100° 9'7.93"W
Found this one while looking over a PDF of the Great Northern Railway system track charts. Its located here, but its a huge PDF, about 36M in size. Neat document.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjap_3q54POAhVi6YMKHXG9DtUQFggcMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmultimodalways.org%2Fdocs%2Frailroads%2Fcompanies%2FGN%2FGN%25201909-67%2520SYSTEM%2520TRACK%2520CHARTS.pdf&usg=AFQjCNG8rSLjOw7yTvfiu7g9r_MEjPD5CQ&bvm=bv.127521224,d.amc


Last one for tonight is in Minot, ND.
ND, Minot, RH foundation
 48°14'19.67"N 101°17'36.26"W
Its outer ring is visible in that parking lot in several years, some not in others. Apparently its an EPA cleanup site...

https://iaspub.epa.gov/enviro/fii_query_detail.disp_program_facility?p_registry_id=110056220147

Here's a yard map as proof of location.
http://www.fobnr.org/yardmaps/minot1.htm

 

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Posted by MidlandMike on Saturday, July 16, 2016 10:17 PM

The other end of the Cascade Tunnel electrification was at Skykomish, where the electric to steam engine change took place.  Here is a photo of the roundhouse:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/skinnydip2014/23727128126

Unfortunatly the RH burned down on 1939, and there does not seem to be any trace left.  The link has both topo map and satellite view:

http://www.mytopo.com/maps/?lat=47.7087&lon=-121.3579&z=16

 

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Posted by MidlandMike on Saturday, July 16, 2016 8:25 PM

Wenatchee was where the engine change from steam to electric was done, at the base of the Cascade Tunnel grade.

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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Saturday, July 16, 2016 5:47 PM

Files updated and posted... same URL links as before, but I'll repeat them here.

Note the Non-U.S. files have not changed this time.

 

Excel spreadsheet file (XML).  This contains all the data in 2 sheets in one file.  Click the tab at the bottom of the Excel window to select U.S. or non-U.S. data:

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/sempervaporo/Trainsdotcom/Roundhouse%20and%20Turntables.xls

 

The Non-U.S. data is duplicated in two files.  One is a printable PDF text file: (no changes since the April 21, 2016 file.)

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/sempervaporo/Trainsdotcom/Non%20US%20Roundhouses%20and%20Turntables.pdf

The other is a Google Earth KMZ file: (no changes since the April 21, 2016 file.)

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/sempervaporo/Trainsdotcom/Non-U.S.%20RR%20Roundhouses.kmz

 

The U.S. data is also duplicated in two files.  One is a printable PDF text file:

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/sempervaporo/Trainsdotcom/US%20Roundhouses%20and%20Turntables.pdf

The other is a Google Earth KMZ file:

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/sempervaporo/Trainsdotcom/U.S.%20RR%20Roundhouses.kmz

 

Use them as you see fit.

Semper Vaporo

Pkgs.

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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Saturday, July 16, 2016 5:35 PM

Norm48327

I found this:

"BNR officials said 71 freight cars near the blast site were destroyed and 101 others were damaged.  In addition, six buildings inside the rail yard were demolished.  A large disused roundhouse, less than 100 yards from the blast, absorbed the much of the concussion and protected many nearby homes from heavy damage.  The rail yard was soon repaired and switching operations resumed within days of the disaster. "

Link to whole article: http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=8154

Yep, there WAS a roundhouse there. 

Yes... apparenty there WAS one there someplace!  Your coords make more sense as to the building location that may have protected some other homes.  I am going to add it.

Semper Vaporo

Pkgs.

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Posted by Norm48327 on Saturday, July 16, 2016 4:03 PM

I found this:

"BNR officials said 71 freight cars near the blast site were destroyed and 101 others were damaged.  In addition, six buildings inside the rail yard were demolished.  A large disused roundhouse, less than 100 yards from the blast, absorbed the much of the concussion and protected many nearby homes from heavy damage.  The rail yard was soon repaired and switching operations resumed within days of the disaster. "

Link to whole article: http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=8154

Yep, there WAS a roundhouse there. 

Norm


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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Saturday, July 16, 2016 3:24 PM

MossRoad

OK, Enid, TT and RH foundations

 36°24'20.85"N  97°53'12.48"W

Just looked like a big hole in OK that should have a roundhouse. hahaha

Yes, that just looks like where one should be... and in the 9/26/2011 image there is evidence of half of the TT ring and a small arc foundation opposite that which looks like part of a corresponding RH.

This one I will add.

Semper Vaporo

Pkgs.

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Posted by Semper Vaporo on Saturday, July 16, 2016 3:16 PM

MossRoad

WA, Wenatchee, Roundhouse and turntable foundations

 47°23'35.22"N 120°17'33.77"W

 

Do you have any other evidence of this one?  I see just an arc on the ground in images since 2002, but in the 2 previous images ('90 and '98) the arc is not nearly as curved (granted the resolution is much worse that could be masking the curve).
 
However!  In the 1990 images I see a vague outline of two concentric circular areas (light ring around a dark dot in the center) North of your coords, at:
 
47°23'48.77"N  120°17'33.16"W
 
Still not enough for me to add that one either, but corraborating evidence would be helpful in either spot!
 
 
Oh yeah... maybe I should have begun with, "He's baaa-ack!"

Semper Vaporo

Pkgs.

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Posted by MossRoad on Sunday, July 10, 2016 1:15 AM

MO, Thayer, RH foundation
 36°31'33.91"N  91°32'15.28"W

MO, Chaffee, TT and RH foundations
 37°11'7.86"N  89°38'55.58"W

MO, Bismarck, TT and RH foundations
 37°45'52.71"N  90°37'21.63"W

ND, Harvey, TT and RH visible 1995
 47°46'10.33"N  99°55'45.38"W

ND, Wishek, TT and RH foundations
 46°15'44.03"N  99°33'49.67"W

ND, Hankinson, RH and TT visible 1990
 46° 4'20.47"N  96°54'25.13"W

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Posted by MossRoad on Thursday, July 7, 2016 12:46 AM

Came across mention of this one while reading about others, so I didn't find it.

It may be called Pearl, but I can't find it on the list.

OR, Portland, TT and RH foundation visible 1990
 45°31'52.19"N 122°40'50.77"W

 

NV, Wadsworth, TT and RH foundation
 39°37'58.28"N 119°17'15.52"W

Apparently there were was one on the east side of the Truckee river, and they moved it to this location.

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Posted by MossRoad on Wednesday, July 6, 2016 12:19 AM

A busy night... hope everyone enjoyed the 4th.

KY, Princeton, RH foundation
37° 6'50.55"N  87°53'45.94"W

 

MO, Newburg, TT and RH foundations
37°54'42.94"N  91°54'14.75"W

 

WA, Lamont, RH and TT foundations
47°11'54.84"N 117°55'1.92"W

 

OR, La Grande, TT and RH foundations
45°19'52.62"N 118° 5'34.86"W

 

OR, Huntington, TT and RH foundations
44°21'10.04"N 117°16'16.75"W

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Posted by MossRoad on Thursday, June 30, 2016 8:56 PM

WY, Greybull, RH foundation 1994

 44°29'8.16"N 108° 3'28.37"W

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