Altoona, WI Roundhouse

Kevin Gillespie · **Posted:** Mon Mar 22, 2004 5:03 pm

The last I heard, there was a group in Altoona still trying to head off the demolition of the roundhouse scheduled for April 15. Has anyone on this board heard anything further?

I'm glad that 2719 is going to be operating in Montana, but I'm sure sorry she's being converted to oil. I know oil is safer and more efficient in these times, but a steam engine just plain smells better burning coal.

kevin.r.gillespie@verizon.net

Herb Sakalaucks · **Posted:** Tue Mar 23, 2004 10:15 am

> The last I heard, there was a group in
> Altoona still trying to head off the
> demolition of the roundhouse scheduled for
> April 15. Has anyone on this board heard
> anything further?

There is NO effort being made to save the roundhouse, according to Altoona city officials.
After the hassles our museum got trying to move an old wooden postal car body last week out of Altoona, it's not surprising the railroad doesn't want to work with the city. There are also questions concerning potential pollution that have not been answered.

colfaxrr@wwt.net

Brian O · **Posted:** Wed Mar 24, 2004 9:46 pm

> I'm glad that 2719 is going to be operating
> in Montana, but I'm sure sorry she's being
> converted to oil. I know oil is safer and
> more efficient in these times, but a steam
> engine just plain smells better burning
> coal.

Wow i didn't know that she was still operating i thought she was retired. Let just make sure its the engine i think youre talking about C&O Kanawa class 2-8-4 #2719 right?

Brian O · **Posted:** Wed Mar 24, 2004 9:50 pm

I screwed up i thought you meant 2716 i always get them confused. My fault

Hume Kading · **Posted:** Thu Mar 25, 2004 2:13 am

> There is NO effort being made to save the
> roundhouse

Check out todays brief (link below)

Altoona Announcement
hkading@rypn.org

Boyd Owens · **Posted:** Thu Mar 25, 2004 8:49 am

What better place for C&NW 175, currently rusting away in MI, than at a roundhouse museum in a former C&NW roundhouse? There's some other C&NW equipment around looking for a good home also.
I hope they succeed in their efforts to save the roundhouse.

Boyd

bowens@rypn.org

Boyd Owens · **Posted:** Thu Mar 25, 2004 11:00 am

At one time, a Wisconsin State Railroad Museum was proposed. It would have been a cooperative effort between the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, Mid-Continent Railway Museum, and other railroad museums in Wisconsin. The idea died out for some reason unknown to me, but might it not be a good time to revisit this idea? An Altoona Roundhouse Museum as part of the State Railroad Museum would be an excellent place to exhibit equipment that the other museums don't have room to exhibit (or don't fit with their statement of purpose in some cases), and all the locomotives sitting out back at the other museums would sure look nice filling those roundhouse stalls...
Just my thoughts on the subject...

Boyd

bowens@rypn.org

Herb Sakalaucks · **Posted:** Tue Mar 30, 2004 1:23 pm

> Check out todays brief (link below)
Recent discusssions with the UP real estate folks
had this subject come up and they are adamant that NO sale will be done with this site and that bids for demolition are being finalized. Best get your photos quick because it won't be there much longer.

colfaxrr@wwt.net