Atkins Roundhouse
Posted by: 
welch
N 41° 59.707 W 091° 50.850
15T E 595455 N 4649876
Abandoned Milwakee Railroad roundhouse. Only the foundation of roundhouse (and a few other other foundations are still around). About anything useful was stripped when the area was abandoned by the salvage crews.
Waymark Code: WMNBT
Location: Iowa, United States
Date Posted: 08/25/2006
Views: 71
Location/Area:
This roundhouse is in an area now maintained by the city of Atkins as a wildlife preserve. A mile or so of the main railbed, and a couple side spikes are maintained as walk/biking trails (sans tracks of course).
History:(composed by HiFlyer)
"Construction started in 1915, and the crews actually moved in on 24 November, 1918. The previous roundhouse in Marion was demolished in 1919. The site covered 75 acres. There were eight tracks in the yards, each was 4000 feet long. They could park 640 rail cars! The roundhouse could hold 26 locomotives. The turntable was 90 feet in diameter. There was a power plant, machine shop, coaling station, cinder pit, bunkhouse, and a 150,000 gallon water storage tank. The water was pumped from the Cedar river, 5.3 miles away, through a 12 inch main. The coaling station was over ninety feet high, and could hold 310 tons of coal!
Phaseout of this facility started by 1925 (diesels were coming into use) and most of the buildings were gone by the end of 1954"
1917 is used as the date of completion because the foundation has that date on it.
(composed by Cub Scout Pack 93)
"... The city of Atkins built up because of the railroad. The story I have been told is that there was a official from the railroad with the last name of Atkins and that is how the town got it's name. Don't
know if it's true but I guess it's a reasonable story. If you are interested in seeing a blueprint of the area our city clerk has a copy at city hall. Dick Lange is the city clerk and city hall is located on 1st st
just east of Main st."
Visting:
Getting to the roundhouse requires a walk of about 4/10-half a mile, mostly on the mowed trails. The better starting place is n41°59.853 w91°51.465, but you could also start at 41°59.737 91°50.075 but there isn't much of a parking area on that end. There is no fee to visit the roundhouse, or use the trail. But as always, please use caution when visiting, there have been open manholes in the area.(The salvage company apperently took them, but the city has covered them.But unfortuntly people, local kids?, like to uncover them...)
Number of Stalls: 26
Year Built: 01/01/1917
Currently in Operation: no
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Visit Instructions:
Please include a picture of the roundhouse that you took while visiting it. Tell of your visit. If you have any information to add, please do so.