What do you mean by "working" roundhouse?

Do you mean the one at Steamtown USA in Scranton PA? It's on the site of an old Erie Lackawanna roundhouse and turntable -- but it's a National Historic Site, and I hadn't heard there was any plan to close it. The place was plenty lively when I visited last summer

He is not talking about Steamtown USA.

California, like many other states is struggling to deal with the need for spending cuts to balance the budget.  What the op is talking about is California closing some of it's State parks to save the money that would go toward operating expenses to keep those parks open.  Railtown is the old Sierra Railway shops in Jamestown, Ca.  The Sierra Railway decided to stop operating or maintaining their fleet of steam locomotives and old rolling stock a few years ago.  At the same time they built a new shop facility elswhere on the line and offered the original facilities and engine collection to the State of California.  The Jamestown facility was put under the same management team as the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento, so that in effect the California State Railroad Museum has two campuses, one in Sacramento and one in Jamestown.  California has to reduce the operating budget of the state to balance the budget.  One of the areas that the legislature has mandated is to reduce the operating budget of the state park system.  The state park system has decided that the only way to accomplish those reductions is to close some of the parks.  Right now the Jamestown site is on the list, and aparrently will close if alternate funding isn't found to keep it open.

RoundHouses in the United States

Actually there are something like 20+ roundhouses still in operation and quit a few used as Museums throughout the U.S A. Maryland still has two in operation Pa Has 2 Museums and one or two fully operational. Just Goggle Operational Roundhouses there is something like 2,400,000 links to Roundhouses.

As far as the Jamestown Serra Shops,  I'm bummed as I worked there twice for 6 weeks during summer vacation as a volunteer in the summers of1968 and 1969 with the Explorer Scout  program back then. I had a great time and learned quit a bit back then. I had heard that many of the engines had already gone or were destined to go to Sacramento in late 2010. But living here in Virginia now I don't actually know the facts.

Steamtown USA, Railtown 1897, New Sierra RR shops

Steamtown USA is the one I was thinking of in PA but I could not think of the name at the time.  Railtown 1897 is from what I have been told the last fully functioning roundhouse left besides Steamtown USA.  By fully functioning I am meaning full repair crew operations for steam and on occasion diesel engines.  They have a fully operational machine shop and blacksmith shop inside/outside the roundhouse.  When Sierra RR moved their repairs they moved them down the line approx 40 miles to Oakdale CA.  These shops are still present today and are very easily accessed by car.

As for the other national parks, there are approx 70 that are scheduled to close out of the 280 (or there abouts) in California.

Mike

Working roundhouse

As an engineer on the UP, former T&P Railway, I borrowed out in St. Louis in the mid 90's.

I picked up my power at the back shop in south Chicago (Al Capone's area)on a return trip and had to turn them. We went around a wye into Indiana for about three miles, onto the IHB, and at that time they had a full working round house.

There was no room for expansion in any direction but up. Is it gone now? If so, that is a real pity, because it was gorgeous.

don g

A new roundhouse is being built in Ohio

Check out the Age of Steam Roundhouse here http://www.ageofsteamroundhouse.com/index.html

A new roundhouse is being built in Ohio

Thanks Robteed !! This is really great I E-Mailed them to get their latest up date and find out if the Turn Table was powered by Steam, Electric, or Gas/Diesel. I also asked a dozen other questions and hope to hear from them soon.