> Lots of discussion here, but none mentioning
> the place where our remaining steam
> locomotives were historically maintained and
> should really be today to be in proper
> context -- a railroad roundhouse. preferably
> one that maintained the engine in real life.
> The few roundhouses that have been saved are
> often converted into something they never
> were and many in our field scoff at the mere
> idea of saving one. For the Soo Line, I'm
> told there are two complete roundhouses
> extant, plus part of a third and maybe a
> fourth. Ten years ago, there were roughly a
> dozen, but they have since been demolished
> without a whimper from any of us. My count
> shows 19 remaining Soo steamers, most in
> need of a better home.

> The two complete roundhouses remaining are
> at Thief River Falls, MN and Stevens Point,
> WI, the former housing a contract locomotive
> rebuilder, the latter used (for now) by CN
> since its acquisition of Wisconsin Central.
> Part of the huge Shoreham roundhouse in
> Minneapolis still stood last I knew, but
> buildings were being demolished in the
> complex.

> Sources tell me that Stevens Point has been
> somewhat modernized since the photo below,
> with a metal addition, roll up doors, etc.,
> but the basic building is still there.
> Knowing CN's scorched earth policy on
> structures, I'd be surprised if this
> roundhouse lasts long.
==================================================
Responding to "Roundhouses are the real Emergency".

Good topic and I am glad to see the interest in roundhouses over rypn.org .

As president of the Crestline Roundhouse Preservation Society (The still standing PRR roundhouse in Crestline, Ohio) I invite those with interest to tune in for our latest "up-dated" report on "The Rest of The Story".

This historical account and most interesting pictorial story about the 1920 built, 30 stall PRR facility covers over 100 years of Crestline PRR history.

My good friend and PRR historian William J. Ayers (formerly from Crestline) has closely studied, written and compiled an interesting and historical perspective on the Crestline roundhouse.

Thanks to rypn.org, you may know that two of Bill's historical overviews are contained in this web site in "Articles", 'The Crestline PRR Engine House' and the other collection of facts is located in "Links", "structures"...'Crestline Engine House Facility'.
(Or....just click on the Optinal Link URL:.or Link Title..at the bottom of this page.)

Our Crestline Roundhouse Presvation Society has formed to actively and "In Stride", to bring the 'old girl' back to life.

We welcome your thoughts, ideas, reflections, help and support to accomplish our goal.

While tuning in to the above web sites on the Crestline Engine Facility, prepare to sit back and spend some time reading over the history of the PRR in Crestline, Ohio.

Then you'll really know.........."The Rest... of The Story". (Yes, Paul Harvey needs to 'be informed' on this story idea and the whole rypn effort.)

Let's keep Railway preservation alive and especially the roundhouses. Great places for a Railroad museum. Just look around at the current roundhouse museums and see the preserved history.

RA Widman, President, Crestline Roundhouse Preservation Society.

Crestline PRR Roundhouse
r35bl4s@juno.com