Foundations for the Denver & Rio Grande's Roundhouse in Salida

Description

The 20-stall standard-gauge roundhouse was constructed in 1900, east of the narrow-gauge roundhouse. By the date of this photograph, August 28, 1923, a new eight-stall roundhouse addition was being constructed as a separate building; however it shared the 100-foot turntable with the original standard-gauge roundhouse. The 100-foot turntable replaced the original 80-foot turntable in 1917. Forms were set up to pour concrete for locomotive service pits, and brick was used to construct the building walls. A steam-powered shovel was used to cut back the hillside next to Cottonwood Gulch (sometimes referred to as “Rattlesnake Gulch”). In this photograph, a large locomotive backshop was under construction behind the new roundhouse addition. The backshop, currently part of a lime products plant, is virtually the only railroad-built structure of significance remaining in Salida, other than the original portion of the hospital. A standard-gauge rotary snowplow sat behind the 1900 roundhouse, where a glimpse of the roof of the D&RG hospital is also visible. Harry Williams Collection.