Ran across this nice color photo of a Southern 4-8-2 on the table at Ashville, NC in 1944. Am I correct that part of this roundhouse still exists? Is the table still there?

http://abpr.railfan.net/abprphoto.cgi?f ... anColl.jpg

Plus this 1966 shot of 4501, with its proper original tender:

http://abpr.railfan.net/abprphoto.cgi?f ... 0-2-66.jpg

You might have better luck if you spelled Asheville correctly, Bob. As of my last visit down that-a-ways in 1994 (en route to/from the last NS steam trips out of Greenville, SC--see, there's that extra "e" again....), the roundhouse and turntable were still intact, but that was admittedly years ago.......

Ain't gonna complain about a photo of a representative of my favorite class of green-painted 4-8-2's, however........... <:-)

It is also viewable on google earth. The structures stand but the table is gone. Replaced by several switches to provide access to only several stalls.

Bringing up this old topic as this roundhouse appears to be gone now. I found information that this roundhouse was slated for demolition by Norfolk Southern in 2014 and there was some degree of public outcry.

http://www.athousandcountryroads.com/2016/01/old-asheville-railroad-roundhouse-wont-round-much-longer.html
http://psabc.org/2014/10/23/asheville-roundhouse-this-place-matters/
http://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2014/10/20/ashevilles-roundhouse-matters-many/17628897/

The latest streetview is 2012 and the roundhouse was still there then, and the last article noted above was from January 2016 and the speak of the roundhouse being not long for the world. It appears in some "current" satellite views but is clearly demolished in others, so clearly NS went ahead with the demolition of the structure.

A few reasons why roundhouses are difficult to save:

1) Asbestos and lead contamination. No one wants to be on the hook for remediation.

2) Proximity to active railroad property, no good plan for public access and egress, and the railroad doesn't want the liability of visitors.

3) Very large, open spaces that are very expensive to heat and cool, unless rebuilt and converted into smaller units.

-otto-

Otto..... it must first be remediated in order to be demolished.

A hypothetical question here. Why not disassemble the roundhouse and donate/sell it to the Fort Wayne group to use for their new riverfront development? Then they would already have a vintage roundhouse. Seems cheaper then building a new one from scratch, plus it already has historic value. Seems worth checking into at least

This was done with the Lenzen Roundhouse in San Jose, CA in 2000. As far as I am aware 17 years later the parts are still stored on pallets without a site to re-erect them.

It is too late for the Ashville roundhouse, but there are other endangered ones, such as the B&O one in East St Louis, and the Southern one in Birmingham, AL.

The last of the Asheville roundhouse was demolished at the end of last year. The turntable was not in place for the last few decades, at least.

Matt Bumgarner

Is the roundhouse at Bellevue, OH still standing?

Thomas Dyrek

At last report, the roof has been removed but the walls and roof structure are still standing. Something about the roof needing replaced but NS not wanting to pay for it, but yet not wanting to tear down the building yet.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/47491339@N04/26458126201

For the record: the Asheville round house had been radically modified over the years and has not really looked like a round house in a long time. They used it for storage and I think the turntable has been gone for many years.
Now...the old SR Knoxville roundhouse (at Sevier Yard) is still in existance and still looks like a round house (many stalls removed)...still has a working turntable. But now that the humpyard at Sevier has been shut down no telling how long it might remain. It's pretty deserted out there these days. And it is all concrete so I have no idea how you could "donate" it to somebody.
T7

That's a good point and another reason why so many roundhouses remain standing in derelict condition.

-otto-

How would that be any different from ordering a truckload of cinderblocks and bricks?

-otto-

Well, it worked for The Henry Ford, taking the 1890's DT&M? roundhouse from Marshal MI for Greenfield Village. But a later building, I think I agree with you.