Roundhouses and Back Shops - Part I

 Chicago & North Western Roundhouse at the 40th Street Yards.

Two of the lost physical elements of Chicago's railroads are the roundhouse and the back shop.  These structures played different roles in the care and maintenance of steam locomotives.  Some of these structures survived into the diesel era, but diesel servicing presented a different set of requirements that the roundhouse was not suited for.

The first railway roundhouse was built in 1839 at Derby, England by the North Midland Railway, although some private workshops may have previously been laid out in a radial pattern.  The roundhouse's primary function was for the storage and maintenance of steam locomotives. However since most locomotives operated in only one direction, forward, turntables were placed in the front and center of the roundhouse. The buildings served as light maintenance facilities and also allowed the locomotives to be turned as needed.  The familiar semi-circular design simplified that task.

 Turntable at Chicago & North Western's Proviso Yards.

The turntable itself was a sort of pivoting bridge operated by an electric motor (smaller turntables operated by manpower were know as "armstrongs".  The locomotive would be placed into the roundhouse front or "smokebox" first.  The smokestack would be placed underneath an exhaust hood known as a "smoke jack" to vent exhaust gases from the locomotive out of the work area.

Jack Delano photo of the interior of a Chicago & North Western Roundhouse.

Once servicing was complete an employee known as a "hostler", whose duties involved moving locomotives around the servicing areas, would back the locomotive onto the turntable where it would be turned to face the desired direction of travel if necessary.  Servicing at a roundhouse would include lubrication of all working parts and an inspection of the boiler and firebox.  If the engine was allowed to go cold, a new fire would be built to return the locomotive to steam.

 Coaling and sanding towers at Chicago & North Western's 40th Street Yard.

Ancillary to the roundhouse were facilities to dump ash from the firebox, water spigots, as well as coaling and sanding towers to replenish the locomotive and tender.  Woe be to the employee wandering around in the dark who fell into an ash pit, as they could be filled with water along with ashes.  Water, coaling and sanding (for traction) were performed by the hostler and hostler helper prior to the locomotive being placed on the "ready track" where the engine crew would pick it up to move to their train.

Pere Marquette locomotive taking on water at the B&O Robey Street Yards.

There were some 35 roundhouses within the city limits servicing locomotives for the various railroads.  Needless to say they were a ubiquitous part of many city neighborhoods.  They varied in size depending on the railroad operations they served.  Railroads with both freight, passenger and/or commuter service would have the largest or multiple roundhouses at one location.  Every major freight and passenger yard had a roundhouse.

The Pennsylvania's Railroads roundhouse at 55th Street is a good example of a smaller roundhouse.  
Many workers lived close by in the surrounding neighborhood.

As locomotives grew in size so to did the roundhouses.  Old ones were torn down and replaced by more modern facilities; turntables were lengthened to accommodate the larger engines and tenders.  The exception might be a roundhouse that only serviced yard switch engines which tended to be smaller than road engines.  The roundhouse was, at many times, a 24 hour hive of activity with locomotives being quickly serviced to return to duty.  An army of trained craftsmen were responsible for machining and replacing worn parts, as each locomotive was a unique machine.  Aside from machinists there were boiler makers, pipe fitters, sheet metal fabricators, welders, electricians, and painters.

 Illinois Central roundhouse workers pose on the turntable in Champaign, IL.

That uniqueness, and the manpower that was required for their maintenance, was the eventual downfall of steam power on American railroads.  The diesel locomotive required minimal daily servicing and any needed replacement parts came from the original manufacturer.  The need for a phalanx of workers waiting to tend to the needs of a custom made machine disappeared.  The mass production techniques pioneered by the automakers had been grafted on to the design and manufacture of the railroad locomotive.

 Former Rock Island Railroad diesel shop at 47th Street, now used by Metra

While the roundhouse lingered on into the diesel era, it was not suitable for the type of servicing the new locomotives required.  New diesel shops were built that were often "run through" affairs, with doors on both ends.  The wreckers ball was the ultimate fate for all but a few roundhouses, some were re-purposed and others historically restored perhaps as part of a museum.  The closest surviving roundhouse to Chicago is in Aurora, IL where it was converted into a bar and restaurant.  There are no survivors in Chicago, and scant visible evidence of their presence.  Some turntables have managed to hang on for the mere fact that turning the locomotive to face the direction of travel still has its advantages.

The Rock Island Railroad's roundhouse in Blue Island survived well into the diesel era.  It was subsequently demolished, but the turntable is still used by Metra.

Next post:  The Back Shop... coming soon.