Sleuthing for Roundhouses

[rrr]

After a lot of searching, sleuthing, posting and input from some of you on here, I was able to piece together a comprehensive list of roundhouse and turntable remains in ME, NH and MA. So thank you thank you -- to anybody who posted some input--it was very helpful. Special thanks to Rick Oliver!
I have notes left over from that work--notes on rh's and tt's that I either could not locate or maybe even invented a memory of. So here is where this could get fun if you like digging!--or maybe not so much, but I'd like to close the books on ME, NH and MA and I'd like some help doing it.
I'll just post the ones I'm struggling with and see what we can come up with- -if anything. Most of these notes are from posts on here or things I heard and I might be pretty flat out wrong, so let me know if you can.

ME:
Standish/Sebago: (this one may even be in Windham) I remember someone on here posting that the TT is "near the boat launch and is fenced off" due to the lake watershed----thats everything I know. I went there myself and found a weird concrete foundation near the lake/beach, but I'm pretty sure its not rail related. I also looked on old maps and saw the rail line went right near the lake in Standish so its gottah be there, but no RH showed on the map. I'm pretty confident this one DOES exist within just a few hundred feed of these coords: 43.762710, -70.524459. Please help.

Windham: (this may be same as above) I heard something somewhere and wrote the following note: "now under a parking lot for an Ice cream bar"---yea thats vague, but its all I got.

Caribou: This is a real problem. I was kindly given coordinates to two locations of two separate "old roundhouses"--the first I was able to locate easily, the second set was given to be thus: 46.857875, -68.003795. There is a building near the tracks just south that appears roundhouse-like, but other than that, there is nothing at that location. Was it removed? I'm pretty sure it was there at one time.

NH:
Rochester: has anybody been out to this one? I have the coord here at: 43.298618, -70.973037 Pretty sure its there, in or part of the parking lot, but not sure there is much left if anything.

MA:
Boston: I know Boston has had at least two roundhouses in its day (not including the one still standing in Revere). I've looked at each location and found no remains. I find it hard to believe that Boston has NOTHING left. Is there anything left of a rh or tt? Also, Boston has a train barn with like 25 stalls or something. Not sure if that should be on any list though.

Somewhere: I am searching for the location of a transfer table that I saw somewhere in ME, NH or MA. I have the ones from Derby, Mt Washington and Waterville, but for the life of me, I can't remember where I saw this transfer table!

Lastly: if there is any rh or tt that is really unknown, feel free to post it- -if its in ME, NH, MA or VT, then I probably have it down, but post it anyway- -the harder to find the better.

Ok, that about does it. I know this is really vague stuff- -maybe even seeming pointless. However these last notes feel real untidy. I need some help on this one--especially with that darn Standish location!

Thanks again for the posts, any little clue would help.
-Russ

[TomNelligan]

I know Boston has had at least two roundhouses in its day (not including the one still standing in Revere). I've looked at each location and found no remains. I find it hard to believe that Boston has NOTHING left. Is there anything left of a rh or tt? Also, Boston has a train barn with like 25 stalls or something. Not sure if that should be on any list though.

There was the Boston & Maine roundhouse at Boston Engine Terminal in Charlestown, the Boston & Albany had one at Beacon Park Yard in Allston, and the New Haven had two, at Dover Street Yard in South Boston and at A Street in the NH's South Boston freight terminal on the waterfront. BET was completely rebuilt by the MBTA (which included the current shop building), Beacon Park was restructured when the Mass Pike was built into Boston in the 1950s, the former NH Dover Street yard now accommodates the MBTA's Cabot bus garage and Red Line yard, and NH A Street was obliterated years ago by the first stages of "Seaport District" construction after Penn Central closed the yard. All of these construction projects began from cleared ground, thus no trace remains of any of these roundhouses.

[rrr]

Cool, thanks for the clarification there. Very knowledgeable.

[jaymac]

If you haven't already, you might want to check the online USGS topo map collections at UNH or elsewhere. The maps are generally accurate, and the 7.5-minute versions show more detail than the 15-minute ones. Items from the 1946 Boston South quadrangle would be a B&M roundhouse in East Cambridge in addition to BET in Charlestown (Boston North quad) and 2 side-by-side B&A roundhouses in Beacon Park.
Historical societies -- both for particular railroads and localities -- would be possible additional resources.
Happy hunting!

[S1f3432]

Ex- BAR Caribou ME roundhouse in 2012.

[Mikejf]

It has been over 20 years since I was there, but if I remember correctly, this is the approximate location of the Sebago, Maine pit, but I never looked for remnants of the round house.

[Mikejf]

And if you want to get narrow minded, there is a Turntable pit and Engine house foundation at the former two foot gauge Bridgton & Saco River RR at what was Bridgton Junction. Grades for the multi tracked single ended transfer yard can still be seen. Best viewing after the leaves fall off the trees

[rrr]

First, TomNelligan and Jaymac--awesome--yea I figured as much about Boston. I'll add that giant rail barn to the list and call it a closed case. I do use old maps for sure and can see some of the Boston RHs, maps have been super helpful.

S1f3432--epic photo--thats a great example of one too. I see absolutely nothing left of it on Street View though. Too bad, looks like its under the parking lot completely.

Mikejf--Perfect, I'll check out the Sebago local as soon as I am in the area! I'm pretty stoked on that, so thanks for the post. Not sure if there was a rh, but when I get to the pit local, I'll see for myself. Good to finally have some coords to go on.
As for the narrow gauge one in Hiram area--wow, thats pretty rad. I see absolutely nothing through the trees, but I'll take your word for it! Is the table itself mixed gauges? or is it narrow only? Either way that is an awesome find. Thanks for sharing it. I honestly thought that I had nearly everything down already, but you proved me wrong. Thanks.

And great posts in general! Yall are very helpful here.

[scottychaos]

I know Boston has had at least two roundhouses in its day (not including the one still standing in Revere).

At least two! increase that estimate of 2 to 25, and you will probably be much closer!
I know you aren't intending to count *all-time* roundhouses in this thread, only existing ones,
but just for interest, I complied a NY state roundhouse list:

https://scotlawrence.github.io/roundhouse/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And Rochester NY, easily only 25% the size of Boston, had 9 all-time roundhouses.
and Buffalo had about 15...

Scot

[Mikejf]

This is a link to a picture I took, 12 years ago now..

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo ... ex=0&key2=

[S1f3432]

Just checked Google and Caribou roundhouse is still there- try this link:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Carib ... 67.9980365" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[NHV 669]

S1f3432 , it's there in the street view, but the image is also four years old. Someone closer might be able to confirm its current status. That roof doesn't look too good.

[rrr]

Yes, Apologies for the confusion. There were supposedly two rhs in Caribou. The one still standing, I knew about, however there was one at a separate location just south. I included the coords in the OP for that one and should have included them for the standing one as well.
I think its safe to assume there is only one left in Caribou as I see absolutely nothing left at the second location.

As for Boston--wow, nice, I knew there had to be several, maybe even ten or so, but 25! Impressive. Too bad there is nothing left.

And nice photo of the Hiram location. Thanks for sharing.

[Mikejf]

I forgot about this one. Old Grand Trunk roundhouse, Portland Maine..

[Mikejf]

GT Roundhouse. Presumpscot St. Portland, Me.