Batavia rounhouse open for inspection - 4/17

Attention! The GVT roundhouse(ex-NYC) in Batavia NY will be open for inspection on Friday, April 17, from 1:00pm to 4:00pm. Stop in on your way to the NYCSHS convention in Geneva NY. Posted by H.T. Guillaume, Co-Chairman, 2009 NYCSHS Convention.

Great to hear this. AllI need is info on how to get there from I 90.

Jerry

For directions look at the next post entitled 2009 NYCSHS Convention.

If you are on I-90 get off at the Batavia exit and turn left after paying toll. That will take you to Main Street/NY 5. Turn left/east on Main Street. Then follow directions in the post cited.

This is very easy.

A big "Thank you" to the GVT Batavia crew for opening up the roundhouse!
it was very interesting to tour a steam-era roundhouse still in use!

Background:
GVT moved into this roundhouse in 2008..before that they kept their Batavia locomotive
inside the warehouse of one of their customers.
the turntable bridge is gone, the pit filled in long ago..although parts of the outer ring as still visable.
(the pit itself is probably still there, just filled in with dirt)
GVT built a single track to the roundhouse, dug a new inspection pit under one of the stalls for loco
maintenance, and will use the roundhouse to store and maintain their one Batavia locomotive,
which is currently Delaware Lackawanna Alco S6 number 1044.

The Depew, Lancaster & Western line outside the roundhouse was once the New York Central 4-track mainline!
NYC moved their mainline to the south side of the city in the 1950's, to eliminate many grade crossings in the heart of Batavia..today the "bypass" route is still in use by CSX, and the DLWR runs the remaining lines in Batavia, which include parts of the old NYC mainline, the NYC "Peanut" line, and the former LV mainline.


Alco S6 1044 pokes her nose out of the roundhouse door:


(they left the loco inside the roundhouse, rather than bring it outside, so that the loco would cover the maintenance pit unerneath it...for safety.)

1044 was originally South Buffalo 44, built in 1957.
she was then Knox & Kane 44 for a time, and is now DL 1044.



I found out that GVT is planning to letter locomotives "Genesee Valley" down the longhood, and then have the specific railroad reporting marks on the cab..so 1044 is lettered DL 1044 on the cab, for Delaware-Lackawanna, even though she is currently working in Batavia, not Scranton.

being from Western NY, I really like seeing "Genesee Valley" on the side!
and its a beautiful paintscheme too..







When they built the new service pit, they put a GV diamond in the concrete..nice!





the roundhouse appears to be 6 stalls today..based on photos they had on display, it was once at least 8, perhaps more.
it was heavily modified at some time..all the original doors, with round arches, were bricked in. it is not known when, or by who..



Part of the edge of the turntable pit is still visable above ground:



Heading about a half-mile west, is the former DLWR Batavia loco, and a caboose on display.





DLWR 1801 is a MLW RS18, currently stored, not in use, and plans are to return her to Scranton eventually.
1801 was the GVT Batavia loco for many years, until being replaced by the 1044 in late 2007.



and thats it for the Batavia tour..
For more info on Batavia trackage, historic and current, I have a map here:
http://gold.mylargescale.com/Scottychao ... tavia.html

thanks again to GVT for hosting the open house..I really enjoyed it!

Scot

Looks like GVT really has it together. A prior commitment prevented me from attending so I thank you Scot for the photo archive.
Jim McClenin

Scot, get the facts correct before they are spread as the erroneous history.

The doors were always square.
What you see (stall count) IS the original structure.
Size never increased or decreased.
GVT excavated the original pit then extended it with a
new and deeper section.
Watched the president hose down the old stone walls.
The remaining stalls most likely have filled in pits
beneath the floor.

chnaus wrote:Scot, get the facts correct before they are spread as the erroneous history.

The doors were always square.
What you see (stall count) IS the original structure.
Size never increased or decreased.
GVT excavated the original pit then extended it with a
new and deeper section.
Watched the president hose down the old stone walls.
The remaining stalls most likely have filled in pits
beneath the floor.

erroneous history?
you shouldnt be so quick to accuse..unless you have proof your statements are correct..
what are you basing this on?

im basing my statements on a photo..
unless the photo is wrong, my history is fine..

a photo of the roundhouse on display during the open house very clearly shows stall doors with rounded arch tops.
the doors were not always square..
and the photo also showed at least eight stalls..couldnt tell if there were more because the side of the structure was cut off in the photo..

the only way I could be wrong about the arched stall doors is if the photo is not in fact of the Batavia roundhouse..
but im pretty sure it is..
its also possible the photo was an *earlier* roundhouse on the same site..that perhaps was torn down and replaced by the current structure..possible, but unknown..

GVT actually doesnt have a lot of history on their roundhouse..they would like to know more about it..

The doors were always square.
What you see (stall count) IS the original structure.
Size never increased or decreased.

how do you know this?
state your source!
GVT was not aware of this information during the open house..

you could be right!
but right now..I could be right too..

Scot

#1. First hand information from the Spike Holton B&B gang foreman who worked on the
building in 1940 when the roof was replaced.
#2. First hand info from Bill Hunt -NYC Conductor, who worked out of there
when crews were still in Batavia.
#3.In the 70's I personally hauled the last pair of doors from there to NYMT.
#4. Photos from 1956 that were loaned to GVT for the open house.
#5. I the early 60's the building was empty and wide open,we played
there all the time and I took other photos and made sketches of the layout.

Proof enough ??????

I'm not backing either horse in this race, but would note that if the roundhouse was built in - don't have the date handy, late 1800's or early 1900's - its configuration in 1956 or early 60's may not be original. Even the guy who worked on it in 1940 was working on something that was give or take a half century old. If there is indeed a photo of a roundhouse with arched top doors, that should be closely examined to see it if was in fact this structure.

The only other roundhouse in Batavia was 3 blocks east .

chnaus wrote:
Proof enough ??????

no..not really..
those guys (and you) cant account for the first 50-70 years of the roundhouse's life..
lots of charges could have taken place between 1890 and 1940..(or whenever it was built..)

neither one of us has definitive proof right now..
The photo on display was believed to be the same roundhouse..
could be wrong, but might be right..
maybe we can figure out who owns the photo..I would assume GVT in Batavia has it, unless it was on-loan just for the open house..

I will see what I can find out..
I love a good historic mystery!

Scot

Settle it the old fashioned way: pistols at dawn!

That photo can"t be of the same building if it has more stalls.
The present roundhouse is not downsized .
What makes you think it was ???
Go there and study the architecture.
Compare it to other NYC roundhouses of the same era.