Newburg, MO - Roundhouse & Turntable

Newburg, MO roundhouse - Early 1950s

Don Wirth sent these in.

Notice the 4100 Class Mike in the background.

First image was taken by Art Johnson, second image photographer unknown.

Taken in early 1950s.

Don, thanks for sharing these with us.

 

Postcard of the Frisco roundhouse and turntable at Newburg, MO.

Note the inclined ramp above the gondolas leading to the elevated coal dock.

FM

 

I have this photograph saved on my desktop, and I have a Google satellite image open on my second monitor. I cannot reconcile the two.

This photograph shows the near wall of the roundhouse almost parallel to the yard tracks, but the overhead image shows clearly that the roundhouse back wall was toward the tracks, and the side wall was nearly perpendicular to them.

I do not know what coaling arrangement was used at Newburg, but there is certainly no room for the trestle ramp leading up to the right between the roundhouse and the tracks in this photograph.

So either this photograph does not show the Newburg roundhouse, or maybe it shows an earlier one that was replaced by the one clearly visible in the satellite imagery. Go to Google Maps, find Newburg, switch to satellite imagery, and zoom in on the town.

You will not be able to miss the roundhouse foundations, inspection pits and turntable pit in what is now the Little Piney Community Park.

Does anybody have definitive information?

 

Wait until Don Wirth and/or Ken Wulfert chime in, they can fill in all the details for you.

Tom G.

 

This was the first roundhouse.

Brad Slone

 

Makes sense.

Does anyone know where I can find out dates?

Thanks!

 

I'll ask my dad.

He lived there then.

 

Well, not much but here is what he knew.

The second roundhouse went up late teens to 1920 was his guess. It was there before him. He was born in 1937, he said going to the roundhouse with his dad in the late 1930s and early 1940s it was already very dirty. The floor was grease covered and the inside covered in soot.

In my barn I do have the vice from the first roundhouse in Newburg. It is very heavy and very heavy duty with well over 100 years of use. Notice it doesn't swivel which makes it awkward to use. His dad got it when they tore down the first roundhouse and put it in their garage.

He brought it with him when he left Newburg in the late 1950s. Here is a couple pictures. Interesting it is Rock Island but not railroad just a forge company. I am not sure if there is a way to figure out when it was made from the casting.

Any vice aficionados out there?

Hope this helped a little.

Steve

 

Useful information and excellent pictures.

Thank you!

 

You are welcome.

Glad you liked it.

 

I can guess that they built the second before razing the first, which should mean that the earlier one was either to the west or east, right?

Where was it in relation to the later one?

 

Yes, I see that! Thank you!

Interesting that there are two water tanks. Supplied by the Little Piney, no doubt.

And I guess, then, that the trestle ramp did lead up to a coaling facility of some type, still further to the west.