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Showing posts with label roundhouse. Show all posts
Showing posts with label roundhouse. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

This site started out in the 1870's as a locomotive repair shop for the Clover Leaf District of the Nickel Plate Railroad (which was formed through a merger of the New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad). The roundhouse and turntable were added in the early 1920's. "The Nickel Plate Road was one of the last major steam railroads to switch to the new diesel-electric locomotives. One reason for this was the famed 'Berkshires' a 2-8-4 wheel arrangement steam locomotive capable of pulling heavy freight trains at high speed. In the early 1950s, the Nickel Plate took a look at the diesels and decided to stick with the Berkshires."(3) Nickle Plate, with other mid-western railroads, eventually merged with Norfolk Southern in 1964 but the roundhouse here continued to service locomotives and rail cars through the 1970's. These buildings eventually fell into disuse and after 40 years the structure is unfortunately experiencing demolition through neglect and as of the time of this trip, most of the roof has collapsed.

Here's an awesome video of the last time this roundhouse saw action.

Source: 1, 2, 3.

Nickle Plate Roundhouse

Nickle Plate Roundhouse © 2015 sublunar

Nickle Plate Roundhouse © 2015 sublunar

Nickle Plate Roundhouse © 2015 sublunar

Nickle Plate Roundhouse © 2015 sublunar

Nickle Plate Roundhouse © 2015 sublunar

Nickle Plate Roundhouse © 2015 sublunar

Nickle Plate Roundhouse © 2015 sublunar

Nickle Plate Roundhouse © 2015 sublunar

Nickle Plate Roundhouse © 2015 sublunar

Nickle Plate Roundhouse © 2015 sublunar