As posted here previously, the City of Evanston, Wyoming is debating what to do with its former UP roundhouse and shop buildings, which are the most intact of the three remaining UP sites, and among the most complete in North America.

Some in town, citing a high cost of restoration, feel they should be adapted into an office/museum/etc. complex, with the roundhouse rebuilt into two floors for city offices. Their architect has prepared at least one conceptual plan with this in mind.

Given the complex's relative completeness and the fact that over 50 UP steam locomotives remain (many still rusting in parks), this seems the ideal site for a UP motive power museum, if the city can be convinced to do so.

Below is an editorial of mine which I wrote for the local newspaper, the Uinta County Herald. City employee Amy Nelson has told me the editorial did run a while back, and she received several positive verbal comments on it.

With that in mind, I hope others will also write the paper and express their opinions. I believe the facility could be turned into a museum at much lower cost than adaptive reuse, without destroying its history. Here's what I wrote:

I have read with great interest recent on-line editorials in the Uinta County Herald concerning the proposed adaptive reuse plan for the Evanston roundhouse complex. As a longtime rail historian with a main interest in roundhouses, as well as a longtime railroad employee (including 20 years working as a hostler and machinist in a similar roundhouse), I hope the city will reconsider any plans to convert the facility into city offices. The Evanston roundhouse complex is one of the most complete remaining examples of a steam locomotive maintenance facility in North America and deserves to be accurately preserved as such.

First, it must be noted that a railroad roundhouse still extant in the 21st Century is an extremely rare object. There are well under 100 still existing in all of North America and very few of bear any semblance to their former railroad use. Most remain as dismal temporary warehouses, allowed to exist only so long as the roof doesnÂ’t leak, or until homeless persons burn them down trying to keep warm. Several more are destroyed each year.

Of the mighty Union Pacific, there are only two complete roundhouses remaining, with a third only partly intact. The complete examples are at Evanston and Hugo, Colorado. HugoÂ’s is an empty, derelict shell, devoid of all other facilities. Fortunately, a local group has recently set out to save it, and has made slow but steady progress in the last two years. The third is the last remaining portion of the Cheyenne roundhouse, which was nicely restored several years ago by the railroad, to house its remaining steam locomotives. WhatÂ’s left of the Cheyenne roundhouse is not open to the public, however, and all surrounding buildings in the huge complex were bulldozed long ago.

In short, the Evanston roundhouse complex is a rare, irreplaceable historic treasure, which over time could be developed into a living museum rivaling Colonial Williamsburg in authenticity. Given the traffic passing close by on I-80, it would have the potential to draw many thousands of tourists, to spend money in your city. Accurate restoration, I believe, would cost far less than adaptive reuse, because the facility is still historically intact. Returning it to its proper railroad appearance would involve mostly fixing the roof and doors, replacing broken windows, some improved wiring, brush removal and some decent bathrooms. Handicapped access would not be a major problem, as wheelchairs need about the same surfaces as did the little carts heavy railroad parts were once moved around on. The dark, gloomy interior, lit by incandescent bulbs, is entirely appropriate; even the soot on the rafters is part of the historic fabric. Asbestos abatement and polluted soil removal will be necessary regardless of what happens. Heat would not be necessary for most of the complex, as it would likely be closed in winter, though the roof should be kept clear of heavy snowfall (a good project for juvenile and drunk driving offenders) and given extra temporary props inside (old telephone poles work fine).

Consider also that there are over 50 remaining steam locomotives from the Union Pacific, most rusting away in city parks without shelter, and a liability to the cities that own them. At least half of the engines extant were likely once serviced at Evanston, and they deserve to be sheltered under its roof again. Certainly EvanstonÂ’s little 4420 should be the first one installed. There are also historic diesel and turbine locomotives, rotary snowplows and other appropriate equipment, nearly all of it in need of a better home.

Though much of the repair machinery is missing from the buildings, this is easily replaced. Other rail museums abound in old lathes (including a couple of huge driving wheel lathes), radial drills, milling machines, cranes, punches, shears and other rail-specific hardware that could be had, probably for free. Union Pacific has been generous about transporting historic items for museums.

Major funding for restoration could come from the federal TEA-21 program (an 80-20 federal/local match), which has specific language allowing it to be used to restore historic transportation structures. A lot of the work could be accomplished with the help of volunteers, both local and national, as is done each year in multiple work sessions on the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic RR, a joint state property of Colorado and New Mexico. See this link: http://www.cumbrestoltec.org/. Sometimes National Guard and military reserve units can help, as training exercises, as might a local vocational center.

A second source of funding might come from an “engineer for an hour” program, as has been adopted by a few other rail museums quite successfully. Using an older UP diesel locomotive, likely donated or leased from another museum inexpensively, participants would actually get to operate the engine under supervision on yard trackage temporarily isolated from the main line. Typically, these programs bring in at least $100 per hour, and are booked months in advance. If an operable steam locomotive is available, up to $400 per hour is charged. Most participants are from the general public, not rail enthusiasts.

Excursion trains, a major source of income for many rail museums, probably arenÂ’t feasible for Evanston, given the busy nature of UPÂ’s main line, but UPÂ’s own train might visit for special events. Operable equipment could move about the yard, however, demonstrating its use to visitors. Even rides on trackmenÂ’s motorcars could provide fun for visitors.

Adaptively reused as city offices, plus a possible small museum, restaurant and art gallery, the roundhouse complex will not be much of a draw for tourists, which are a major source of income for many communities today. Every town has its own little local museum and rail-theme restaurants have failed by the dozen. Adaptive reuse of a roundhouse is costly and difficult at best and doing so actually destroys its historic fabric. See http://www.avsweb.com/center/ for an example tackily adapted to retail shopping in Keene, New Hampshire. Adaptive reuse is fine for old warehouses, mills and other common buildings that would otherwise be destroyed, but a railroad roundhouse in these times, especially one so complete as EvanstonÂ’s is no common old building.

I believe Evanston would be much better off placing new city offices in another more appropriate structure, historic or otherwise. As a restored railroad complex, the roundhouse site could be linked with other local attractions via a shuttle bus, with visitors leaving their cars at an outlying lot. A regular school bus would serve this use well; they are mostly handicapped equipped today. This would be preferable to destroying the roundhouse siteÂ’s historic integrity by paving the railyard for a parking lot, and should begin from a central downtown location, near existing restaurants, etc.. A non-motorized trail connection would also be a benefit.

I highly applaud Evanston’s initiative in saving the roundhouse complex (as well as your splendid depot), a facility most other communities would have bulldozed as soon as it fell vacant. Because it is so rare and has so much potential as a historic site, however, I hope you will not allow it to become just another adaptively reused building that gives some faint recognition of its historic importance. For now, I strongly suggest the city move slowly with redevelopment and think it over. In the meantime, fix the roof and windows, stabilize the buildings and keep them secure. This is Evanston’s chance to be “on the map” as a major historic tourism venue, and that chance will only come once.

Bob Yarger, Editor
Railway Preservation News (free website)
www.rypn.org

This was written before I realized TEA-21 had expired (they have already gotten some of the funds in Evanston), but something similar looks probable for eventual passage.

The paper's editor may be contacted per below, and their website is linked below also.

Wade Williams - (307) 789-6560
Editor
wwilliams@uintacountyherald.com

http://www.uintacountyherald.com/
ryarger@rypn.org