Daniel Sabin, President of the Iowa Northern, has indicated that the former Rock Island roundhouse at Manly, Iowa may be demolished soon. It is presently owned by a local grain company, which wants to expand its operations into the site. Once a 20-stall facility, a few middle stalls were removed for better rail access to the grain company. It is the most-intact of Rock Island roundhouses and the only one retaining its turntable. See link below for photos.

http://eldora.net/lyndon/manly.html
ryarger@rypn.org

It sure would be a shame to lose another roundhouse! Is there any group or people that might try to save it? From the pictures, there seems to be a sand tower there also. If the grain company does decide to tear it down (let's hope they don't), what would happen to the sand tower, turntable, and any other structures associated with it?

Bill Ayers

> Daniel Sabin, President of the Iowa
> Northern, has indicated that the former Rock
> Island roundhouse at Manly, Iowa may be
> demolished soon. It is presently owned by a
> local grain company, which wants to expand
> its operations into the site. Once a
> 20-stall facility, a few middle stalls were
> removed for better rail access to the grain
> company. It is the most-intact of Rock
> Island roundhouses and the only one
> retaining its turntable.


http://crestline.pennsyrr.com
prrq2@prairieinet.net

I mis-spoke when I said Manly was the only RI roundhouse with a turntable. Last I knew, there was still a turntable at the two-stall facility in Phillipsburg, Kansas. It is still unclear if the Phillipsburg roundhouse was reduced to two stalls after or just before the end of steam in 1952.

If anyone is interested in the savable items at Manly, they should probably speak soon or they will likely be lost to scrap. Apparently there is zero local interest in creating a museum there.

> It sure would be a shame to lose another
> roundhouse! Is there any group or people
> that might try to save it? From the
> pictures, there seems to be a sand tower
> there also. If the grain company does decide
> to tear it down (let's hope they don't),
> what would happen to the sand tower,
> turntable, and any other structures
> associated with it?

> Bill Ayers


ryarger@rypn.org