Engine repair shop in Topeka KS?

[gmushial]

It looks like I'm going to get to ride the SWC to TOP in a couple weeks (RDD-LAX-TOP... OMA-SAC-RDD home on the CZ/CS)... and in my looking into what to do in Topeka I stumbled across what looks like a large engine/loco repair shop just north of the Amtrak station (at 1st St, where Amtrak is btwn 4th and 6th). From the google satellite photos it looks like one could park a 20 car train in it (actually, two side-by-side). At the north end of the building one can see bits and pieces of various locos, and a couple with bits and pieces removed. Most of the engines one sees are red/orange BNSF, with some old green BN ones. Anyone know - actually given the background/experience in this groups I suspect at least a dozen know: what is that shop? And related question: this looks like an engine shop... but in the case an Amtrak consist car needing repairs - is this somewhere such could be done? Or, are Amtrak car repairs only done in Amtrak shops, and/or, is this shop engines only?

as always: many thanks - greg

 

[amtkstn]

Topeka is the only major locomotive shop on the entire BNSF Railway. You will not see much due to traveling through there in the very early morning eastbound. Westbound SWC goes by there in the very late evening. You might lucky to see it in the daytime if the Chief is running very late. Even then the train makes it 's Topeka stop in just a few minutes. In the early days of Amtrak the shops rebuild the original Santa Fe high level cars. Today all Amtrak rolling stock is worked on at Beach Grove.

 

[gmushial]

Thanks for the reply. I'm actually going to be in TOP for a couple days... so was wondering what there was to see Amtrak (or RR in general) related in the area - that's when I stumbled across that shop. ... w/re BNSF shop though - if an Amtrak coach car needed some repair and it would be inconvenient to haul it to Beach Grove, could/would it be done there in TOP - or are the facilities truly separated? Thanks again - greg

ps. related question - in the google satellite photos of the shop, one sees at the north end a loco with the center part of the loco hollowed out - one sees the front upright part, and one sees the rear upright part, but the center above the trucks line is missing... what is it that is missing? The Diesel engine?

This is a link to a youtube vid of the inside of the shop from 2002 - a delightful collection of old varnish (complete with a Fred Harvey car). part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfIiQUUfgas part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eB-5JnKD9ys

 

[MikeM]

I doubt that Amtrak would use a railroad's shop for anything beyond some emergency running repairs or prepping wreck damaged cars for movement back to Beech Grove.

The hollowed out loco you see is most likely receiving a rebuilt engine and is in mid-rebuild; or it could be a damaged unit that is serving as a parts donor to other locomotives.

If I recall right, BNSF maintains their executive car fleet in Topeka, so you might see some parked around the shops area. Once upon a time, BN also maintained a shops complex in Burlington Iowa, but closed it a few years ago when they decided to consolidate at one main shop. The BN shops complex looked newer from the outside, but the buildings were brick but sheathed in metal siding for some reason. Santa Fe also had a large shops complex in Ft. Madison, some reminants can be seen from the train in the vicinity of the current metal depot. I heard second hand that there were a series of tunnels that went around the yard that once held steam pipes that ran throughout the complex but never investigated. Somewhere between the risk of encountering loose asbestos, railroad police, or other dangers kept me out of the area.

 

[rusty spike]

While in Topeka you might want to check out the fully restored UP Great Overland Station across town. Great train museum and live UP mainline action right out the window.

 

[gmushial]

Gents - yet again, thank you for the posts - the richness of knowledge in this group is truly impressive ... and it looks like I'm going to have some interesting history to check out while there.

Looks like the Great Overland Station is actually only a dozen blocks from the BNSF shops... will see if I can get a tour of the shops and then head over to the station.

Though w/re Great Overland Station: I'm little confused - in one of the photos of the inside of the station is a Fred Harvey Restaurant place setting... if UP sold what was left of the station after the fire to the preservation society (and I assume that means they owned it)... I thought the Harvey House restaurants were exclusive to the Santa Fe and not UP... or is the place setting just historically interesting but is "out of place"?

again - thanks,

greg

ps. related question: when I look at google maps - there seem to be RR tracks all over Topeka - some on the north side of the river, some on the south side: what is the traffic flow through the town? Who owns what? The tracks on the south side of the river are BNSF? And on the north side UP [i'm trying to connect how UP was able to sell the old station, but I didn't think they serviced TOP]?

 

[The Chief]

ps. related question: when I look at google maps - there seem to be RR tracks all over Topeka - some on the north side of the river, some on the south side: what is the traffic flow through the town? Who owns what? The tracks on the south side of the river are BNSF? And on the north side UP [i'm trying to connect how UP was able to sell the old station, but I didn't think they serviced TOP]?

You're correct, Greg. UnPac on north side of Kansas River (aka Kaw River).

Some UP PAX trains ran through Topeka. Also there was Rock Island and Missouri Pacific service.

Topeka is the "T" in Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway; Santa Fe is now the SF in BNSF.

Kansas Historical Society museum in Topeka has an old steam loco and one or two cars. It still may have historical photos, etc. That Great Overland Station has some pretty neat items, large and small.

Those Santa Fe shops partially were destroyed by 1966 tornado. Laborers at shops repaired many - and built some - freight cars, repaired and retrofitted PAX equipment, and performed routine loco maintenance.

BNSF also has shops in Alliance, Nebraska.

There are some YouTube vids touring BNSF biz car equipment in Topeka shops. The shops look pretty clean, I guess in case Warren Buffett stops by.

ATSF used to have "GOB" (General Office Building) in downtown Topeka, which was biggest office force outside of Chicago for Eastern Lines.