Rochester NY Questions

Does anyone know if there was a turntable and roundhouse in Rochester NY? If so, do you know the size of the table, the number of stalls, and where it was in relation to the yard (N,S,E,W)?

Also, where did freights pass through the passenger station in Rochester in say 1950? All tracks appeared to have platforms except the two to the north. Did freights cross over to tracks 1 adn 2 when going through the station?

Thanks

The roundhouse was at the east end of the yard, north of the main, where the diesel shop is now (Or did they tear THAT down too?). I don't know how many stalls it had but yes, there was a turntable - Kachler's book has a photo of switcher 6673 which tried to leave the roundhouse without benefit of the turntable - with predictable results!

The tracks which went to the far north at the depot were 3 and 4 - in the old days those were the freight mains although freights also used 1 and 2 if no passenger trains were in the vicinity.

From what I understood, the present day diesel shop was built just west of the roundhouse... and that the roundhouse remained in service until the diesel shop was complete, and then it was removed in 1954?? Sorry I'm fuzzy on the dates. I think the roundhouse/turntable site was where the present day wye is located.

This map of Goodman Street Yard from 1987 should give you a general idea.

Go to www.rochester-railfan.net then go to MAPS, then go to Conrail ZTS maps, then go to Mainline and Goodman Street Yard.

-otto-

According to my March 1, 1943 copy of the NYC's "List of Officers and Representatives, Stations and Other Facilities", the Rochester enginge house had 14 stalls, each being 60 ft. long.

Otto, you are probably correct. I did not mean to say the diesel shop was literally within the footprint of the roundhouse, but was speaking in general terms that the engine servicing area has always been in the same area relative to the yard. It would make sense to build the new before tearing down the old.

Am sure that the facility was referred to as the Atlantic Ave. engine service area? Been a long time.

Atlantic Avenue Enginehouse is what we railfans called it... "Goodman Street" seemed to refer to the whole yard complex in general...

Thanks, Otto. Yes, Goodman St. yard it was and is.

There was another one along the West Shore branch to the south, turntable anyhow, near where the Erie and LV crossed - the pit for that one is still there. I don't know how long the NYC used it after taking over the West Shore.

There was a turntable near Genesee Junction, but I don't know who's it was- I think we may have determined it was PRR.

http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?p=284316

It was West Shore owned. Used to turn locals back to Syracuse.

Charles

Otto Vondrak wrote:There was a turntable near Genesee Junction, but I don't know who's it was- I think we may have determined it was PRR.

http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?p=284316

Lets see..
all time list of Rochester Roundhouses/turntables..

1 and 2 - Two covered roundhouses..with full domes covering the entire roundhouse and turntables..area of current Frontier Field-Kodak office.
very early..1840's and/or 1850's..only one known photo.

3. - Atlantic avenue roundhouse - NYC.

4. Lincoln Park roundhouse - BR&P/B&O - only Rochester roundhouse still standing today...pit filled in, no longer in railroad use.

5. - PRR roundhouse, area of current Erie canal crossing of Genesee River:
http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=19800

6. Genesee Junction turntable - NYC - pit still exists..
there was never a roundhouse to go with the turntable.
http://gold.mylargescale.com/Scottychao ... ction.html

7. LVRR turntable & roundhouse - 5 stalls in 1919 - LV Rochester yard..area between Ford street bridge and LV Rochester passenger station. (station is currently Dinosaur BBQ..no trace of turntable or yard today..)

8. Erie turntable & roundhouse - 11 stalls in 1919 - Erie Rochester yard, follow Santiago street in Corn Hill straight to the river.
location currently occupied by the Northbound lane of Exchange street.

9. Hojack turntable and roundhouse, east of the Hojack swing bridge, Irondequoit. (see map on next page)


thats all I can think of..were there any more?

Scot

Scot:

The Lehigh Valley Railroad turntable in Rochester was located just east of the NYS Barge Canal office. Have not been in that area for years, but I believe that the barge canal building was demolished some time ago. The location was about mid way between the Clarissa Street bridge and Court Street.

The turntable remained in use long after the steam era. Have some duplicate slides of the LVRR Rochester yard crew turning a TOFC on the turntable in order to place it in the correct direction for unloading, circa 1966.

TB Diamond wrote:Scot:

The Lehigh Valley Railroad turntable in Rochester was located just east of the NYS Barge Canal office. Have not been in that area for years, but I believe that the barge canal building was demolished some time ago. The location was about mid way between the Clarissa Street bridge and Court Street.

The turntable remained in use long after the steam era. Have some duplicate slides of the LVRR Rochester yard crew turning a TOFC on the turntable in order to place it in the correct direction for unloading, circa 1966.

Thanks TB,
yes, the barge canal building is looooooong gone.
a few decades at least..
(it was gone when I moved to Rochester in 1994..I dont know how long before that.)

the site is now occupied by an apartment complex and a TV station.
the apartment complex is now scheduled for demolition..not sure of the future plans for the site...I think perhaps a new city park.

(fyi for anyone who doesnt know.."Ford street bridge" and "Clarissa street bridge" refer to to the SAME bridge! different names for different eras)

If you go here:
http://www.frontiernet.net/~scottychaos ... tours.html

and scroll down to
Rochester Junction, and other LV sites, in 1980-1982. by Joseph Muto
slideshow one
slideshow two

I think there are some photos of the LV Rochester turntable there..
but the slideshow software isnt opening for me right now..
I cant see the pics..




opps..I just realised this is in the NY Central forum!
I was thinking it was the NY state forum..
Otto, if you want to split it thats fine..or not, fine too..

Scot

Full map at:
http://www.rochester.lib.ny.us:2080/cgi ... 5913+132+0




Modern aerial photo from: http://maps.live.com

Scot