Manchester Roundhouse

Brad Smith wrote: Scot,
When boxelder trees are cut, they send out a dozen or two shoots from the main stump. True to form, those cut back last summer around the turntable have sent out thousands of shoots that are now 6 to 8 feet tall. Since you seem to be the de facto chronicler of the roundhouses' final years, if you want some good photos of the turntable, you should get there before the start of the next growing season. In a year or two, it will again disappear.

Thanks for the heads-up on those trees Brad..
I will definately get out there before spring..

Scot

Well I was just in Manchester today and checked out the buildings in all. The brush is pretty thick around the roundhouse and turntable. They are only 5 box cars left at the site next to the roundhouse and all have friction bearing trucks. The two wood braced box cars are on blocks and the one truck is near by with the others down the road at an other locationg near the I-90. As for my information. I have talked wiht the DEC and we have a plan in place for the cleanup. This is not going to happen over night and anyone that wants to help out can with this project. As for my background I am a bit of an expert on roundhouses (been in many of them) and have extensive experience with pertaining to railway related things. Yes i can agree the building is in rough shape inside but it can be fixed.

It was raining today and not bad inside at all. Cold but okay. It might take 5 years to complete but is owrth it if it does preserve a piece of history. I drove 3.5 hours from canada to see the building. Hopefully by the summer things will start. Anyone on hear that wants to see the building saved, come put your money where ur mouth is and help out. Don't put something down until u have at least given it a chance. As for the contamentation it is okay except for one area which will be cleaned this summer. The one building will be torn down this summer and the other saved for future uses. The turntable is intact and has rail leading up to the building and away but not connected. A sidng exists crossing the drive into
the glass space and the siding where the box cars are located does go up to the road but doesn't croos it and can be put back in place with a little effort.

OK, go for it! When you get it all done you can laugh at us all.

There are a few more considerations, but I won't bother listing them here because everything so far is "no problem, don't worry, be happy" and I'm sure anything else we mention will also be "no problem".

Thanks for the investment opportunity, but I'll pass.

Wasn't asking for any investment. Coined the phrase put your money where ur mouth is to say come out and help. What other considerations do you have? Please do tell. I'm not trying to dis anyone just looking for blue prints of the site. This won't happen overnight but may take years before being fully restored.

Erie13 wrote:The two wood braced box cars are on blocks and the one truck is near by with the others down the road at an other locationg near the I-90.

Those wheel sets near the old school belong to the two cabooses (cabeese?) stored behind the school.

He's talking about the trucks at the yard which will go under one of the wooden boxcars.

Thoses cabooses your talking about. Who are they owned by? Any information on them? On hear I am mostly looking for information pertaining to the roundhouse and any pics of it from when it was built showing what it used to look like pre 1970. Any skematics of the yard I would also like to get a hold of. I was heading home yesteday on the I-90 and passed over 3 bridges that had tracks running under neath that were in pretty close proximity to each other. Can anyone tell what railroads they are? The one looked to be abandoned. It was just before getting to rochester.

BR&P,
By his description of the location, I'm sure he's talking about the trucks for the cabooses behind the school, not in the yard. He's unaware of the two hacks just a hundred feet away as they are hidden behind the loading dock.

Erie13,
Here's the info on them.

kemay59

Joined: 11 Mar 2004
Posts: 39

Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2005 9:14 pm Post subject: Manchester Cabooses/Roundhouse Clean-up

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Local developer Marty McMillan has purchased a pair of ex-LV cabooses and has them stored behind the school on Main St. (NY 21 just south of NY 96) in Manchester. The cabooses are still in their blue Conrail paint but have their original LV numbers stenciled on them. It is my understanding that the cabooses will be put on display in the proposed shopping center west of the school.

I still say you're full of crap but I sincerely hope you prove me wrong.

Hate to break anybody's bubble but only one of those cabooses is an LV, the other is ex-PRR.

Erie13. Manchester was a very important place on the Lehigh Valley in years past. It was a division point with engine servicing facilities, a huge yard and, at one time, a freight transload operation. The roundhouse, built in 1916, is still in it's original size but, over time, has been altered by several different companies to meet whatever needs they had for such a structure. The tracks were ripped up, pits filled in and, as you have seen, a concrete floor poured. Vandals have had a field day over the years; not just in the roundhouse but the remaining yard structures as well. The turntable is still in place and is complete as far as I know but the pit has been filled in with debris. The efforts of volunteers in cutting back the brush uncovered enough of it so at least it can be seen. (Maybe it can feasibly be preserved).

Corrections to my original posting about the two cabooses stored in Manchester at the old school building on Main St. (Route 21) - one is ex-LV 95100 (CR 18632) and the other is ex-PC 19109 (CR 46142). The Lehigh Valley caboose is painted Conrail blue while the Penn Central caboose is painted work train gray.

Manchester cabeese:



On the right, wearing rusty CR blue, is N5G CR 18632, nee LV 95100.
On the left, in CR MOW grey, is CR 46142, ex. PC 19109, nee PRR 477203.

the trucks for both are sitting out in the parking lot maybe 100 feet away.

Scot

Attached is an undated news item from the Manchester Shortsville Area Chamber of Commerce website. I am unable to confirm that this is a done deal. Has anyone in the area heard/seen anything more about this new development in the roundhouse saga?

Ontario County, the Industrial Development Agency, The Red Jacket Community Development Corporation and the DEC have agreed to a plan that would result with the finalization of the required DEC testing of the old Railroad Roundhouse and the adjacent 6-1/2 acres. After testing is completed, a private Developer specializing in Brownfield cleaning and redevelopment will remove the structures and all containments for redevelopment and reintroduction back on to the tax roles. Special thanks to Senator Nozzolio for covering the local cost on this very expensive process, Supervisor Eddinger for coordinating communications and to the RJCDC for being the lead agency.

Erie 13,

The Lehigh Valley Railroad Historical Society has old photographs of the Manchester roundhouse as well as yard blueprints on display at our station museum in Shortsville. You are welcome to visit during our next meeting on January 28. More details at http://www.lvrrhs.org.

Quoting kemay59's post, "...will remove the structures..." In other words, will tear down the roundhouse.