Fix locomotives, cars for passengers, business, liquid, gas, stock, freight

 The Cornelius W. Hauck Roundhouse at the Colorado Railroad Museum

 Round and round we go

 "I could go back to the railroad. I liked that job. "_ Sturgill Simpson

"Turntables have been a 'round' since the 1830s – and they're still in rotation." — BNSF Rail Talk: A reflection on the remarkable longevity of the railroad turntable. 

Getting aligned in the right direction 

By Rob Carrigan, robcarrigan1@gmail.com

 In the old days, you had to take your locomotive and all the rolling stock to railroad roundhouse to have those knuckleheads fix it, usually.

While some have been replaced by reversing loops (wyes), dozens of these vintage structures are still maintained for historical preservation and scenic train operations.

Railroad roundhouses are the garages and workshops for locomotives and cars. The Cornelius W. Hauck Roundhouse at the Colorado Railroad Museum was completed in 2000 and is named after one of the Museum’s founders. It has five stalls and houses the tools and equipment needed to restore and repair rolling stock. 

Roundhouse workers must have many skills to keep equipment in working order. Volunteer machinists, pipe fitters, carpenters, electricians, painters and upholsterers contribute more than 1,200 hours a month restoring and maintaining rolling stock at the Museum.

There are nine railroad roundhouses that still physically exist in Colorado in varying states — ranging from fully operational historic sites to abandoned foundations.

The remaining roundhouses across the state include:
• Colorado Railroad Museum Roundhouse (Golden): Built in 2000, this five-stall roundhouse features inspection pits and a machine shop used for restoring historic trains.
• Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Roundhouse (Durango): A fully functioning, historic roundhouse originally built in 1881 that serves the famous narrow-gauge steam trains.
• Como Roundhouse (Como): Built by Italian stonemasons in 1881, this former Denver, South Park & Pacific Railroad facility is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is undergoing active preservation.
• Hugo Union Pacific Railroad Roundhouse (Hugo): Constructed in 1909, this is the only surviving brick roundhouse in the state associated with the pre-merger Union Pacific Railroad.
• Leadville Roundhouse (Leadville): Originally a narrow-gauge facility built by the Denver & Rio Grande, the building still stands and is used for storage.
• Tiny Town Railroad Roundhouse (Morrison): A miniature roundhouse built for the 15-inch gauge railway.
• Midland Terminal Railroad Roundhouse (Colorado Springs): The physical structure still exists but has been repurposed into commercial retail and mail space.
• Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad Roundhouse (Colorado Springs): The structure survives but has also been repurposed for non-railroad use.
• Burlington Route (Denver): Two stalls remain of the old Chicago, Burlington & Quincy roundhouse and are integrated into a current shop building.
Additionally, there are several locations where faint visual remains or foundation outlines can still be seen—such as in La Junta and La Salle. 

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