CRI&P Roundhouse Manly, Iowa

CRI&P Roundhouse
Manly, Iowa

On Sunday June 20th 1999 Christopher, Julie and I followed the old M&StL mainline up from Eldora to one of my childhood memories, an old CRI&P roundhouse and turntable built in 1913.

On the way, in Sheffield, we found a huge pile of crossties as we were getting a shot of the grain elevator there. We soon found out that the rails are coming up going towards Mason City. After Mason City things looked much better with welded rail and new signal equipment. Thanks to the UP.

Upon reaching our destination we found that the roundhouse is now being used as a grain storage bin. It appears that there were originally 20 stalls with a few removed from the middle. A new track is now runs through the missing stalls to give access for loading of hopper cars.

The following shots are of what remains of the diesel facility and the roundhouse area. I will be adding more photos and a map as I get time.

The turntable is 110' long and was moved to the site in Sept. 1945 from Cedar Rapids. It replaced the original 90' turntable. In july 1955 the roundhouse and property was sold for $7500. (see note from Wayne Reed below)

On May 31, 1958 M&StL trains #7 & #8 carried the last M&StL passengers through Manly.