Chicago Area Roundhouses?

Gerald W. Kopiasz · **Posted:** Sun Feb 27, 2005 7:53 pm

Greetings,

What roundhouses are left in the Chicago area (less than 150 mile radius) and what is their statuses?

God Bless,
Gerald W. Kopiasz

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Sun Feb 27, 2005 8:50 pm

The oldest remaining one is in Aurora, Ill., a stone 1856 roundhouse now the home of the America's Brewpub. Plenty of railroad character and photos, and adjacent Metra terminal, but no turntable, trackage, or the like.

Cliff McKay · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 8:52 am **Posts:** 49

www.nrhs.com/historic_structures/roundh ... h_data.htm

The above link has a state-by-state list, though it doesn't mention anything regarding current status or condition. Six of the seven listed for Illinois are in the Chicago area (Villa Grove is downstate). Also, East Chicago and Gary in Indiana. Janesville, WI is within 150 miles, but is nowhere near being considered Chicagoland. I notice a roundhouse in Cicero doesn't have an entry under the "Railroad Built For" heading. I remember riding Metra over a decade ago on the (then) Burlington Northern line and noticing a small roundhouse and turntable next to the tracks (the north side, I believe). I guess that's the one. I always wondered what the story behind it was. Does anyone know what railroad it was built for? I know BNSF has a big yard in Cicero, but I remember this roundhouse being small and in an industrial/warehouse area, not a massive railroad yard.

Ray · **Posted:** Sun Feb 27, 2005 11:04 pm

Here are some just off the top of my head..

Hammond, IN (Gibson) Indiana Harbor Belt - In Service

Cicero,IL (Clyde) BNSF

Calumet - NKP- not sure if it still survives today..

Gary,IN - EJ&E- Still in use

I think the one in Proviso (UP/ ex-CNW) is still Standing, but not in use by the railroad.

Turntables still exist in Barr Yard (CSX) and Bensenville (CP/ex-MILW).

I know there are several more around the area. This is all I can think of right now. Correct me if I'm worng on any oh the ones I just listed.

Don C. · **Posted:** Mon Feb 28, 2005 8:52 am

That small (three or four stall) house at Cicero is the Manufacturers Junction facility. It housed the two SW1s that work the former Western Electric Hawthorne plant (plant now razed but the associated warehousing buildings located east of the BRC elevation and adjacent to Ogden Avenue are still in service for ?????). It tended to blend in with the huge WE facility but now that it is gone, the enginehouse sticks out like a sore thumb. The famed ex-CB&Q triple track Chicago-Aurora mainline runs just to the south of the enginehouse.

Don C.

tom casper · **Posted:** Mon Feb 28, 2005 10:58 am

Restored by Walter Peyton as a brewpub and resturant. Still doing good
Tom

nathansixchime · **Joined:** Tue Jan 25, 2005 4:03 pm **Posts:** 948

Ray wrote:

Here are some just off the top of my head..

Hammond, IN (Gibson) Indiana Harbor Belt - In Service

Gibson is a very interesting place.

I visited several years a go to find records of my grandfather having worked there when he was in the employ of the NYC. The people there were very accomodating and friendly, even taking my dad and I for a tour through the roundhouse and turntable.

It was an interesting parallel, since before my father's disability one of his favorite stories was when his dad took him on the tour, via one of the hot steam locomotives in the roundhouse. His description of the soot stained windows and the light sliding through them, the smell of coal and oil, and the red Coke machine stay with me.

The coaling docks still stands, to the best of my knowledge.

-Kelly Lynch

Ray · **Posted:** Mon Feb 28, 2005 3:32 pm

The coaling tower at Gibson is now gone. They must have torn it down sometime within the last 6 months. Looks strange without it.....

Gerald W. Kopiasz · **Posted:** Wed Mar 02, 2005 1:42 am

I heard Proviso has been gone for about a decade.

Gerald W. Kopiasz