LEVEE SHOPS TURNTABLE
In 2020, the Monticello Railway Museum had the opportunity to acquire a 90’ locomotive turntable, built in 1928, that was used for decades to turn locomotives of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad at their “Levee Shops” complex on the north side of Peoria, Illinois. Turntables are devices used for turning locomotives around (think of a giant Lazy Susan for trains). A locomotive would roll onto the table from one track, spin around with the table, and roll off onto another track. Turntables could be found at almost every major railyard from the mid-1800s through the 1950s. While most have been taken out of service and removed, a handful are still in use around the country today.
For much of this particular turntable’s existence, a large roundhouse (a circular shed designed for storing and servicing locomotives in between runs) wrapped around it, and the table would allow locomotives to enter and exit the building. However, with the adaptation of newer technology, roundhouses became obsolete in the 1950s, and the Levee Shops roundhouse was eventually demolished. The turntable was left in place and remained in use into the late 1970s. On March 31, 1980, the Rock Island shut down and the Levee Shops were closed. The remaining buildings and tracks around the turntable were removed, and the land was redeveloped into a city park. The turntable was left in place and turned into a historical display.
Over time, the turntable fell into disrepair and by 2019, the City of Peoria was looking into removing it. The Monticello Railway Museum presented a plan to move it to the museum and restore it to operating condition, so it can once again turn locomotives just as it did decades ago. With the city’s approval, museum volunteers began to carefully dismantle the turntable and move it to the museum in pieces in early March of 2020.
Currently, the turntable is dismantled and in storage by our Nelson Crossing depot waiting to be restored and installed for use. Museum volunteers have already begun the process of repairing some of the smaller components, but there is still a lot of work to be done. If you’re interested in helping out with this project, consider making a donation or coming out to volunteer with us.
It won’t be long before this unique piece of railroad history is in operation once again.
Scroll down to view pictures of the turntable.
The Rock Island Railroad shut down in 1980, but even in its waning years, the Levee Shops were a very busy place. Here, a locomotive rolls by in the background while the turntable stands proudly in the foreground.
A brand new Southern Pacific locomotive, being delivered to that railroad via the Rock Island, rolls onto the table to take a spin in 1972.
After the Levee Shops were removed, the turntable remained as a static display.
Overview of the turntable prior to removal.
Thousands of barges have passed just hundreds of feet from the Levee Shops since the turntable was installed in 1928.
City and museum crews prepare the site for work.
Volunteers assessing the top of the turntable and making a chronological list for disassembly.
The dismantling process begins.
Volunteers carefully remove pieces one by one and organize them to aid with reassembly at the museum.
Taking measurements to build a new concrete pit for the table at the museum.
More assessments are made of additional components.
Overview of the base of the turntable.
Preparing to remove the track from the top of the table.
Volunteers remove the track and start to dismantle the deck.
A volunteer pulls spikes from the deck.
Another volunteer uses a cutting torch to remove bolts holding the deck together.
A view of the arch over the turntable. This piece is not just for show - power for the table enters from a connection at the top and runs down to the motors.
A volunteer removes rivets in preparation for removing the arch. After all of the rivets were removed, they were replaced with bolts to make disassembly easier - basically a giant Erector Set!
A telehandler is staged on the deck of the turntable to remove the arch.
The Rock Island's mainline is still in use today by the Tazewell & Peoria Railroad. The last train to pass the turntable at the Levee Shops site rolls by in the background.
The arch is ready for removal.
Volunteers carefully lower the arch.
Dismantling of the deck continues.
The table spins around on a single rail that runs around the perimeter of the pit. Here, a volunteer marks sections of the rail prior to disassembly.
Clearing debris before removing the rail.
A volunteer starts to remove the rail.
Volunteers look over a CAD drawing of the proposed location of the turntable at the museum campus.
One of our youngest volunteers presents his plan for the turntable at the museum.
Arriving at the Monticello Railway Museum.
Currently, the Levee Shops Turntable and its components are stored at the museum while preparations are made for reassembly and installation.