With recent reports of heavy, wet snow in Colorado (87" at Rollinsville, west of Denver), concerns were voiced of the fate of the under-restoration roundhouses at Como and Hugo. News from Como indicates that snowfall was not that heavy there and the roundhouse (which received a new roof a few years ago)fared well. Hugo got only a dusting of snow, despite nearby I70 being closed as far as the Kansas line for a time.

Most steam-era roundhouses were designed to be heated all winter, which regularly melted snow off the roof when they were in use. When they ceased to be heated, their flat roofs often will collapse under the weight of snow, as happened over the years at both sites mentioned above. Thus, a replacement roof for a restored building must be designed to handle their heaviest snowfall, or be shored up with extra bracing during the winter.

ryarger@rypn.org