SILVIS, Ill. — More than 70 years ago, the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific worked from a 45-stall roundhouse located on its 90-acre facility in western Illinois. That building has long since been demolished. Now, Railroading Heritage of Midwest America has broken ground to install a 135-foot turntable and build a six-stall roundhouse on the same site.
“This project takes our organization to a whole new level,” says Steve Sandberg, RRHMA president. “ We are thrilled to break ground on the turntable and roundhouse. Our vision is to make Silvis a national hub of living railroad history …”
In 2022, RRHMA expanded its operations into the former Rock Island Silvis location. The shop building covers 400,000 square feet and is now home to former Union Pacific Challenger No. 3985, along with other steam, diesel, and passenger equipment. RRHMA subsidiary Friends of the 261 maintains ex-Milwaukee Road 4-8-4 No. 261 at its facilities in Minneapolis.
Contractors have been working to remove the original roundhouse foundation. Plans call for the new roundhouse and turntable to be constructed in the same location as the original. The turntable was donated to RRHMA by BNSF Railway, who had removed it from its Cicero, Ill., yard. Once installed, the turntable will be the largest preserved, operational unit in the U.S. Part of the construction project will be excavating a new turntable pit, as the old one was filled in decades ago.
The new six-stall roundhouse design is based on the original Rock Island plans. While the new version will look like the original, it will be built to contemporary codes and feature modern working amenities to help maintain the RRHMA fleet.
When complete, the new roundhouse and turntable will function as an operational base, an exhibit facility, and a restoration shop.
Construction on the Rock Island-Silvis facility began on May 1, 1903. This was Rock Island’s heavy locomotive repair center. Including yards and ancillary buildings, the original Silvis complex covered more than 900 acres.
As a non-profit organization, RRHMA is seeking support to complete the roundhouse and turntable construction. For more information on the project or to make a contribution, please visit the Railroading Heritage of Midwest America website or Facebook page.
