Steam & Excursion > A Steamy Roundhouse

An early Saturday morning in June finds Sierra Railroad's roundhouse filled with a haze of steam compliments of Shay #2 which is being readied for a day of operations (out of view behind #34 at the back of the frame). June 18, 2011.

I have processed a lot of roundhouse images in B&W, but I prefer the mood that color provides for this scene with the warm glow of the overhead lights cutting through the haze.

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Beautiful. How amazing to think this is 2011 and not 1951!
Bob

Great scene with nothing "modern" in view - NICE!

Steve Mitchell
http://www.yardgoatimages.com

I always liked, the inside Shots of steam locomotives in the roundhouse. It's reminds me almost like a kid in a candy store!

Could it be that "back in the day" that would be a good air day? Seems I've seen images of worse visibility, it is amazing what we used to accept for working conditions.

Many years ago I worked with a man from Altoona, PA. He had grown up during the Depression, and he knew that times were really tough when the air became clear in this center of coal-burning Pennsylvania RR activity.

Marvelous and thanks very much for sharing this!

John Bush
Omaha

Have you ever noticed that locomotives look bigger than life in the confines of an engine house?

wabash2800 Wrote:
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> Have you ever noticed that locomotives look bigger
> than life in the confines of an engine house?


Interesting that you should note that. Yes. My reaction is different, yet similar. The building doesn't confine the space - it expands it.

I still remember the first time I was in a roundhouse - I was 6 years old and my Dad and my uncle took me down to the roundhouse in Harlowton, MT. about 1949. (My uncle was a Trans-Missouri engineer). I remember walking with them, and walking around the fronts of locomotives and workmen on my right- but, I'm unclear if they were steam, diesel, or electric. Probably some of each - I just don't remember the locomotives themselves. I remember a wall on my left, with huge windows trying to brighten an otherwise dim space.

I was bored. "When," I asked, "are we going to see the roundhouse?"

"You're in it!"

"WOW!" Engines, I knew were big. But, a building so big as to house those things, and even while walking inside of it could not detect that it was round. WOW!

-LD

In August of 1968 my friend Steve Gillings (sgillings here on TO) flew to Omaha from the Los Angeles area. I was 18, Steve 19. We'd met through Railroad magazine in a day when publishers thought it only right and decent to include people's mailing addresses....yes, it was hoped we'd correspond among ourselves....can you imagine?!

We made our way west from Omaha toward our intended destination of Durango, CO. We were going to ride the Silverton Branch, then still in D&RGW hands.

We took the City of Denver west from Union Station in Omaha for an overnight ride to Denver and then suffered a quite literally frightening night in the downtown bus depot before we made a very early departure for Durango.

At some point we were deposited in Alamosa, I beleive to await a connecting bus route. That or we had some sort of "lunch stop."

At any rate, we asked about the narrow gauge and were told to make our way the few blocks over to the roundhouse. We did so and I shall never forget entering and immediately being struck by the very elements depicted in this photo, the heavy air, smells, hanging vapor. Two of he K's were hot and other was undergoing front-end work. Even with just two engines under steam the entire building was "wet." It was a remarkable experience. This was my only visit to a working steam roundhouse, and it was accomplished by the skin of our teeth. Within months the last trips would be made and the whole show shut down. I feel blessed even these many years later.

Thankfully, Steve has shared some of his slides in earlier threads. It's worth your time to search.

John Bush
Omaha

I love the stories Larry and John!

My first roundhouse visit was at Railtown in 1976 when I was eight years old after riding behind #28. The locomotives were larger than life and the sights, sounds, and smells were intoxicating. My parents had to peel me out of the roundhouse at the end of the tour. Nothing has changed 36 years later except that the locomotives seem a little smaller than I remember as a boy.

Below is Shay #2 - shot a few minutes after the first photo above.

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home sweet home--so wonderful to be able to see such timeless images in realtime