In a previous post, I stated that my wife purchased the Atlas roundhouse kit for me. I am modeling the modern era and will be running mostly diesel locomotives. I was wondering does a roundhouse always have a turntable? Has anybody built this model, if so are there any gotchas? What sort of paint scheme should I follow?
If the roundhouse is still being used as a roundhouse i.e. for locomotives, I think it's fairly uncommon not to have the turntable. The only one I'm really familiar with is the MNNR in St Paul. http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=44.95583867696259~-93.18642944097519&lvl=19&sty=h&where1=Minneapolis%2C%20MN However, in the modern era, roundhouses can be used for other things. The CGW roundhouse in Oelwein IA was (is?) used as a car rebuilder. The is no table but uses turnouts for the various tracks. http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=42...2579388618469&lvl=17&sty=h&where1=Oelwein, IA Or for something more fun, you could go the museum route. This is the Jackson St Roundhouse in St Paul. http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=rgtcy6777rgf&scene=6195117&lvl=2&sty=b&where1=St Paul, MN Finally, you could go the depressing route. Old SOO roundhouse. http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=45...773807525&lvl=19&sty=h&where1=Minneapolis, MN Jason
Here's a couple freebies. First, one of the most interesting modern roundhouses I've personally seen is at Huron, SD on the DM&E (now CP). The roundhouse functions as a circular 'shop' with each function like wheel turning, engine rebuilding, etc. in a different stall. One of the few 'roundhouses' that still functions in the diesel age. Second, one of the more baffling roundhouses I've ever seen is at Samoa, CA where the Hammond Lumber Company built a six-stall roundhouse - it still stands - but there is no evidence it had a turntable. Historic photo, look, no turntable: http://www.modelrailroadkit.com/images/643_Roundhouse_old_no_paint.jpg It's the new home of the Timber Heritage Association, and it is still full of steam. http://capdiamont.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/tharoundhouse.jpg I've seen a few where the turntable may have been taken out later, but never another one where one was reportedly never built to begin with. Here's another diesel era favorite - Union Railroad at Turtle Creek (Monroeville) PA. I remember it well in the 80's when it was stuffed full of blue diesels. Search in Bing maps for Monroeville, PA - just north of the mall.
In addition to the MNNR turntable in St. Paul there is one at St. Paul Yard for the CP(ex Milw.Rd.), one at Glenwood, MN on the CP old Soo, one at Proctor, MN on the CN (old DM&IR). Often a wye was the turning device of choice in the upper midwest because in the Winter you could turn a snow plow/flanger by running it around the wye rather than using a turntable which would be filled with snow and have to be shoveled out before using. Barry
Berry, I would of thought a balloon track would be better in snow, due to no reversing movements. Weren't there also covered turntables, which look like a disk, to keep out the snow? Some other thoughts about turntables. They were a single source of failure. If you had a good amount of locomotives in the stalls, and the turntable had problems, your locomotives would not be able to meet demand. The Samoa roundhouse never had a turntable that I know of. I wish I could find the historic track plan for you. It just might of been cheaper to have switches vs turntables. The other issue of this location is the location on the Samoa peninsula, between the Pacific Ocean, and really close to Humboldt Bay. This means a high water table. The inspection pit in the roundhouse has to be pumped if we want to use it. There is still track embedded in the concrete of the inspection pit stall. Other interesting things, is two, maybe thee stalls had track going out the back. The highest stall, is the one with the pit, and it went out, with a sharp turn to the left, went in to the boiler house. The right most stall, the track went out, and long the left of the car repair building.
Prototype around here is: Keep the Turntable, lose the Roundhouse! You can see for yourself on google earth. Hunt for Redondo Junction, Los Angeles, CA. The actual yard is just a bit north of where it will take you. You'll be able to spot it.
We still use a roundhouse on the IC&E ( ex Milwaukee in Davenport) there is a turntable there as well. It would be a pain to use one without a turntable I would think, One from a friend of mine the house is in the background and behind the Geep is the turntable. http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=269170&nseq=10 Another shot from railpictures http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=224125&nseq=41
There is also a turntable without a roundhouse at the Northtown yard in Minneapolis. Wisconsin and Southern (WSOR) has an operating turntable and roundhouse in Janesville, WI as well. Click here If you are going to use the roundhouse in the modern time frame make it look appropriate. Board up most of the windows and add a couple of small additions or remodels to show the passage of time on the structure. For turning equipment around, you'll notice many roundhouses have a wye running around them. That way you get the best of both worlds and don't waste any space.
C&NW had several locations with small roundhouses (3 to 8 stalls) and no turntable. This would look great with the Atlas 3-stall roundhouse. You will have to experiment with arranging switches so the tracks line up with the stalls. As Barry points out, a nearby wye was used to turn the locomotives. Regarding color, I would suggest a field trip to photograph old brick buildings in your area. When you find one you like, take the photo to the hobby shop and look for paint similar to the brick color.
You could use the roundhouse as a manufacturing or storage facility, as Allen McClelland did on his V&O Grafton Division. You could then skip the turntable (TT), and probably place a modern multi-stall engine house on the spot where a TT would have been. Cover the windows and add platforms for trucks. There are tons of possibilities.
