Vancouver WA turntable, only about 10 years old. The roundhouse and turntable used to be at about the lower right corner of the image. Roundhouse is long gone but the turntable remained until the yard was redesigned.
Decades ago when I drove for a small fleet owner in Cleveland, Ohio, I routinely hauled center cab switcher loco's from the General Electric facility off Harvard Avenue and Interstate 77 to various customers around the country.. mostly to large scrap yards where they used to to shuttle and spot gondola cars.
Guy I drove for had a Talbert 50 ton detachable with rails that clamped to the deck and a set of feed in rails that attached to the end of the clamp on rails. I'd drop the Talbert over the existing rail and line up the stub rails and GE employees would drive the loco on the trailer and I'd secure it for road travel. Most were permit loads. When I go to the destination, I'd drop the trailer on the existing tracks and the customer would drive the engine right off onto their tracks. GE, in Cleveland had a rebuild shop there. Probably long gone. Was a good job but I spent a lot of time away from home. Went on to become a company driver, shop rat for an outfit in Toldeo, Ohio that I retired from. Hauled steel for them and machinery they owned as well, it was a private carrier. I was home anlost every night and if I wasn't they put me up at amotel and paind for my meals as well. Long time ago and I can honestly say, I don't miss it.
Rial n ships with a nod to Bob Seger. CPKC switches the port terminal last evening as the Presque Isle unloads some of its taconite pellet cargo into fleetmate Great Republic to check on an issue. Gus Schauer image. Duluth, MN - June 9, 2025
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