McKeesport, PA: 1906 McKeesport Connecting Railroad Roundhouse

(Satellite)

Street View, Nov 2022

Pennsy, P&LE and B&O are in the area, but none of them are connected to the roundhouse. TribLive confirms that this roundhouse was for the US Steel's industrial railroad McKeesport Connecting Railroad.

1953/55 Mc Keesport Quad @ 24,000

Dave Kuntz posted four photos with the comment: "Built in 1906, this roundhouse off the edge of the Mon River in McKeesport, PA, is quickly fading.  The turntable is long gone and the interior is strictly off limits.  Perhaps it will be converted to office spaces like its upriver cousin (which I posted last week) or perhaps it will return to the soil.  Right now it is a major landmark on the GAP trail, telling riders on their 330 mile journey from DC that they have about an hour left until Pittsburgh.  Another relic, the railroad bridge that crosses the river near it, now carries the rail trail instead of trains, and if you look really carefully at the top image, you can see some abandoned rails behind the trail in the weeds."

Kevin G. Varrato: The reason it has not been torn down is back when HUD started remediating everything in the US Steels National Tube Works and got rid of the furnaces and other structures there was a provision in trying to preserve the site but the damage was already done with tearing some of the structures down what remains was from a court order. This is all from research and listening to others talk about the site. The roof of The roundhouse is 4" poured concrete, the long repair shop which is roughly 220 ft long was corrugated roofing material. The rectangle building next to it was the steam generator plant and locker areas for the mill workers and railroaders. Most of it has been filled in by RIDC to prevent any injuries. Our group called The Steel City Chapter of the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society were the ones trying to preserve the building and make it into a railroad transportation museum. Utilizing the rectangle building as retail gift shop along with interactive displays and locomotives stored on the right side door. We would also have a small amphitheater to show movies of the time of reverting in Western Pennsylvania The roundhouse portion would have been a HO scale model layout showing them on valley and it steel mills. The small structure to the right that looks like a y would have been office space and possible bike shop with an eatery of some sort either a diner or sandwich shop. It was a vision but it never come to fruition. The Steel City Chapter is working on another location to preserve and have a transportation museum we will keep you updated.

Rob Davis: It was recently sold for $273K so someone must have some ideas. https://triblive.com/.../ridc-sells-historic-roundhouse.../

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Brandon Peck commented on Dave's post
In its hay day

Chris Dispoto commented on Dave's post
From a Sanborn map

Kevin G. Varrato commented on Dave's post
Blueprints of the roundhouse showing the turntables placement, the newer add on grey block structure was added in the late 60's early seventies

Kevin G. Varrato commented on Dave's post

1 of 5 photos posted by Dave Kuntz, the other four are contemporary
National Tube Works in McKeesport PA.  At once point there were so many buildings you could barely even see the roundhouse.  Now the roundhouse is all that's left.

5 photos