Fairmont, WV: B&O Roundhouse & Railyard and (WD) Tower

Roundhouse: (Satellite, once again, the filled in pits mark the foundation remnant.)

Railyard: (Satellite, only a fraction of the original tracks is left.)

Donald Kerns posted
The old roundhouse that once stood in Fairmont West Virginia.
Linda Rutherford: Evan Cole The round house pictured is the second one or "new Roundhouse" constructed in the early to mid-1950's. I think it was built to accommodate the steam engine era and those larger locomotives. The entire B&O Fairmont (Bellview) Yard operation was gone and all its structures demolished in approx 25 - 30 years after the "new" roundhouse was constructed. In the early to mid- 1980's, if I remember correctly.
I grew up there, playing in the woods and along the tracks, climbing on cars in the siding, and walking across the trestle over the Monongahela River. I never dreamed the bustling yard would ever be gone but watched the demolition in adulthood. Candy and pop, and occasionally a hot dog from the Beanery. Paternal grandfather was a Conductor, and would lift us up into the caboose when the train stopped to switch into the yard and we'd ride the last feet - what a thrill! Maternal grandfather was a machinist. Paternal Uncle rose to be General Chairman of the United Transportation Union. Another Uncle was a Brakeman and killed at Barrackville while working switching empties into the mine.
Most of the neighborhood men worked there, too. Fairmont's long history with the B&O.
Frank Gozel: Fairmont - Nickel Bridge?
Linda Rutherford: The Nickel Bridge is further up river in Fairmont closer to WD Tower.

The B&O was on both sides of the river. It is not unusual to have tracks on both sides of a river, but normally they are owned by different railroads.

1958 Fairmont West and East Quads @ 24,000

Dennis DeBruler commented on Linda's reply about the WD Tower.
Is this the WD Tower? I see that a branch up Buffalo Creek to some coal mines used to leave the mainline here.
 https://maps.app.goo.gl/uJkWemDcBeirTkX59

These are the piers of the Nickel Bridge. "Nickel" was the name because the toll was a nickel.

Satellite

16 photos, includes photos of the depot and freight house as well as the railyard stuff. Many of the photos have informative comments.

Chicago, IL: Metra/C&NW Rogers Park Depots and Track Elevation

(Satellite)

I don't normally do commuter stations in Chicagoland, but the comments on this post provide interesting insight concerning the elevation of the tracks in Chicago in the early 20th Century.

Chicago & North Western Historical Society posted
Back in Chicago. We are looking at a 1915 or so photo postcard of the C&NW depot in Rogers Park, Illinois. Rogers Park is a neighborhood on the far north side of Chicago. It was/is served by the C&NW/METRA on the METRA north line. Times have certainly changed there!
Richard Fiedler shared
Richard Fiedler shared
Dennis DeBruler shared (unfortunately, someone made Chicago Area Railroad Historians private.)
After repeating the two photos below, David Daruszka commented:
In the railroads defense the ridership at most of the Chicago stations had dwindled due to the proximity of the CTA 'L' (which was a cheaper ride). The expense of maintaining large stations was not justified by the revenue they derived from the remaining passengers.
Barry Felcher: I used to watch trains pass the Rogers Park station in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Pacific type steam locomotives and the diesel powered 400s. My dad was a C&NW engineer.

David Daruszka commented on the above post
The station was raised when the tracks were elevated.

David commented on his comment
Then it was demolished.
Thomas Manz: David Daruszka What year?
David Daruszka: Unknown
Matt McClure: David Daruszka 1966 or 1967. As a RP resident, it was for certain gone by 1968.
 http://ultralocal.blogspot.com/.../rogers-park-station...

A contemporary view:

Street View, Nov 2021

Dennis DeBruler commented on the above post
It was halfway between Lunt and Greenleaf Avenues.
1938 aerial photo
 https://clearinghouse.isgs.illinois.edu/webdocs/ilhap/county/data/cook/flight6/0bwq07039.jpg

Comments on the above post
Making Mike's link "hot": https://www.chicagorailfan.com/elevate.html

David Daruszka commented on the above post
I found this photo of the station being lifted.

Chicago & North Western Historical Society posted
Someone wanted to know about all the railroad track elevation which went on in Chicago after 1895. Here is a photo of the work being done on the C&NW's west line to the east of Oak Park. Note in the distance to the east where the Lake Street "el" dropped down to street running. A concrete wall will be built just past the row of formings and the area between those walls will be filled in with the new tracks laid on top. Note also the trolley wires above the old line and the new Chicago Street Railway line. By the way, the C&NW Historical Society will present a program at the Oak Park Historical Society about the history of the C&NW in that area on February 4 at 2 PM.
Paul Petraitis: The Illinois Central was raised over a 3 year period roughly 1913-1916...
Aaron Grace shared
David Sadowski: Lake and Pine, where Chicago streetcars crossed over to the other side of Lake Street.

Beaver Falls, PA: Keystone Profiles/Republic Steel/Union Drawn Steel/Beaver Falls Cutlery

(Satellite)

David Holoweiko posted
Union Drawn Steel Co. 7th ave Beaver Falls PA became Republic Steel currently Keystone Profiles. Building has a long history dating back to 1866 right after the Civil War when it was founded as the Beaver Falls Cutlery company by the Harmonists of Old Economy.
Brian Stevens: Republic had facilities in Gary, Indiana and Los Angeles, California under The Union Drawn Division.

Brian Stevens commented on David's post

The Pittsburgh & Lake Erie went right by the plant and the Pennsy had an industrial spur that went over to the plant. Both mainlines still exist, but I don't see any rail service to this plant on the satellite image.

1953 Beaver Quad @ 24,000

They specialize in custom shapes and more exotic metals.

KeystoneProfiles_shapes

KeystoneProfiles_materials

Baltimore, MD: 1896 Preserved/B&O Mount Royal Station

(HAER; Satellite)

The North Portal of the Howard Street Tunnel is just south of the trainshed.

Street View, Jun 2011

Remember When: Maryland and Virginia posted
Mt Royal Station • Baltimore MD • Circa 1910!
Darren Reynolds shared

A view of the North Portal from the trainshed.

Photo from HAER MD,4-BALT,130--1 from md0909
1. VIEW OF NORTH PORTAL LOOKING OUT FROM UNDER MT. ROYAL STATION TRAIN SHED. - Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, Howard Street Tunnel, 1300 Mount Royal Avenue, Baltimore, Independent City, MD

And a view of the shed and station from inside the tunnel.

HAER MD,4-BALT,130--2
2. View of Mt. Royal train shed looking out from under Howard Street Tunnel. - Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, Baltimore Belt Line, Howard Street Tunnel, Beneath Howard Street from Mount Royal Station to Camden Station, Baltimore, Baltimore (Independent City), MD

Bill Rettberg Jr. posted
Interesting view of a light Geep at the east end of the Howard street tunnel in Baltimore, getting the green over the GP 30 led westbound that will now follow. Train shed is former Mount Royal Station.
Lenard London: Long hood Forward. Hoodie Doodie Doooon!
Steven Ford: 6603 is the engine they used on commuter trains . I rode on it at Mount Clare on a Saturday as they would use it for other purposes on weekends .

borhs, p4
The trainshed is 800' (244m) x 71' (21.6m). [I'm trying to remember if I have ever used the verb "is" instead of "was" when talking about a trainshed. I think this is the only extant trainshed that I know about.] This was the last major passenger station built by the B&O. "The opening of the Howard Street tunnel and Mount Royal Station did, in fact, speed up the Royal Blue Line service from Washington to New York to match the Pennsylvania Railroad’s running times"

There are five historical markers in the station explaining the preservation history. [hmdb]

They dug a hole for the shed, station and parking lot so that the station would be at track level, which, because of the tunnels, is below street level.

3D Satellite

A contemporary view of the trainshed.

safe_image for Howard Street Tunnel Expansion Project Launches via Dennis DeBruler
$466m for Howard Tunnel reconstruction and 21 other locations between Baltimore and Philadelphia

Knoxville, IL: Lost/CB&Q Depot

(Satellite)

 

John Stell posted
Former CB&Q depot at Knoxville Illinois in November 1969.  John Stell slide.
John Stell posted with the same comment

 

Andy Zukowski posted
Burlington Railroad Depot in Knoxville, Illinois. 1967

Ron Hatch: The building at this time was being leased by the lumber yard. That's why there's an overhead door "kit bashed" on the end.: The building at this time was being leased by the lumber yard. That's why there's an overhead door "kit bashed" on the end.

Thomas G. Morin: Nice wig wag signal too!

Bill Molony shared

safe_image for Thomas Dyrek Flickr, Photograph by John and Roger Kujawa, Thomas Dyrek collection.

Dennis DeBruler commented on the post
It looks like it was in the northeast quadrant of Hebard and Ann Streets and parallel to the tracks. https://maps.app.goo.gl/pw1Uztnmk1KhkTJ29
1940 aerial, https://clearinghouse.isgs.illinois.edu/webdocs/ilhap/county/data/knox/flight5/atch04020.jpg

As was typical for 1940, they used a wood elevator and a lot of small bins for grain storage.

Digitally Zoomed

As the elevator grew, the bins got larger.

Satellite

As expected, since BNSF is a Class I railroad, the elevator does not have rail service.

Street View, Jul 2023

McConnell, IL: Lost/IC Depot

(Satellite, Old Mill Road is on the former IC right-of-way)

This town was on the IC Dodgeville Branch, which was abandoned in 1942.

Tim Julhall posted three photos with the comment:

ICRR depot in McConnell, IL.  The depot was completed in 1887-88 and was continuously used until the line was abandoned in 1942 and torn up by the government.

The line was originally organized as the Freeport, Dodgeville and Northern Railroad (FD&N), but the land was acquired by the IC and became known as The Dodgeville branch when it was completed.  It started at a junction in Red Oak, IL and followed the Pecatonica River north to McConnell and Winslow in Illinois, then north through several small communities in Wisconsin until ending in Dodgeville.

1
McConnell depot around 1888.

2
McConnell Depot and grain elevator and lumber yard seen behind it.
[It appears that this photo was taken after the tracks were removed. It is not unusual for a town's railroad and depot to disappear. But in Illinois, it is unusual for the grain elevator to disappear. In fact, most of the time the elevator is bigger and more modern.]

The section crew on the Dodgeville line outside the McConnell depot upon its completion in 1888. The station agent is standing in the doorway.

Trains for both the Dodgeville and Madison branches would have gone through Scioto Mills as well as Red Oak.

1939 Freeport Quad @ 62,500

The road on the west side of town has changed. Today's Old Mill Road is on the former IC right-of-way. I'm guessing the depot was the rectangle on the west side of the tracks just below the alley between Olive and Grove Streets.

1939 Aerial Photo from ILHAP

I had a hard time finding a map that was old enough and detailed enough to show these two branches into Wisconsin. Unfortunately, the one I found has poor resolution.

Bill Molony posted a 1921 map via Dennis DeBruler

The branch to Madison lasted until at least 1971.

Kirk Reynolds uploaded a 1971 map to a private group (Illinois Central Railroad Heritage Association) via Dennis DeBruler

Enid, OK: Frisco Roundhouse, Water Tower & Yard and Museum/Frisco Freight House

Roundhouse: (Satellite) 

Railyard: (Satellite, the classification yard is intact, but most of the engine servicing is gone.)

Freight House: (Satellite, 313 photos)

Frisco Depot: (Satellite, it is gone)

This town has some big grain elevators.

Richard Crabtree posted four images with the comment:

Here we are at the Frisco Roundhouse and Yards in Enid, Oklahoma

Photo 1) Overhead View on the Frisco Roundhouse and Yards in Enid, Oklahoma

Photo 2) Sanborn Map of the Frisco Roundhouse and Yards in Enid, Oklahoma 1925 L.O.C.

Photo 3) Frisco Dual Spout Water Tank and Roundhouse and Yards in Enid, Oklahoma in 1930s

Photo 4) Frisco Roundhouse and Yards in Enid, Oklahoma with Frisco No. 1205 2-8-0 Consolidation (Baldwin 1907), No. 1284 2-8-0 Consolidation (Baldwin 1907), No. 805 2-8-0 Consolidation (Dickson 1900), No. 1285 2-8-0 Consolidation (Brooks 1910), No. 1257 2-8-0 Consolidation (Baldwin 1909), No. 1238 2-8-0 Consolidation (Baldwin 1907), No. 1623 2-10-0 Decapod (Richmond 1918), No. 711 4-6-0 Ten Wheeler (Brooks 1906), No. 1616 2-10-0 Decapod (Richmond 1917), No. 1620 2-10-0 Decapod (Richmond 1918) & Frisco No. 1241 2-8-0 Consolidation (Baldwin 1907).

Circa 1930s

Unknown Photographer

1
Dennis Morse: The Frisco depot was just west of N Independence, north of Sante Fe's depot. The round house was further west where N Quincy and W Birch st is .Enid Concrete is located there now.
[Some comments point out that the Sanborn map has some incorrect street names.]

2

3

4

It appears that the freight house was heavily modified.

Street View, Sep 2023

Frisco had two routes that joined each other to go through town. And the Santa Fe also used their route through town.

1955 Enid East and West Quads @ 24,000

Both routes were branch lines.

1910 System Map via Frisco

Both routes were still intact in 1977.

1977 System Map via Frisco

EarthExplorer: Jun 24, 1954 @ 17,000; AR1VFT000010120

Raymond Storey posted
ENID OKL

Sangamon C: Springfield, IL: Peabody Coal Mine #57 (Klondike)

(Satellite, South of North St., which is where the Wabash Railroad ran through town.)

Dave Durham posted
1919 photo of a Peabody Coal company managed mine North of Springfield.

Dennis DeBruler commented on Dave's post

Dennis DeBruler commented on Dave's post
So it is actually on the south side of Springfield.

Dennis DeBruler commented on Dave's post
North Street used to be the Wabash Railroad, and it was just south of the Wabash RR. The C&A had an industrial spur that also served the mine. 1939 aerial photo
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.7662256,-89.6633369,250m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu

Dennis DeBruler commented on Dave's post
The southbound lane of Walnut Street used to be the RoW of Illinois Traction, and the tipple was just south of where the IT curved to go north. 1907 Springfield Quad @ 62,500