SILVIS, Ill. — BNSF Railway will donate the turntable from its Cicero, Ill., yard to Railroading Heritage of Midwest America for use at the group’s Silvis, Ill., shop complex, RRHMA has announced.
The 135-foot former Chicago, Burlington & Quincy turntable will become the largest preserved U.S. turntable in the U.S., and is needed to handle Union Pacific Challenger No. 3985, under restoration at Silvis, as well as UP 2-10-2 No. 5511. The turntable that once served the Rock Island facility in Silvis was removed years ago, with the turntable pit filled in.
Companies whose support is making the turntable donation possible include T N Track Services of Bartonville, Ill.; Maggio Heavy Lift of Rockford, Ill.; Smith Specialized Heavy Hauling of Dekalb, Ill.; and Hulcher Services’ Chicago location. RRHMA President Steve Sandburg thanked BNSF for the donation and said his organization is seeking donations to support the movement and installation of the turntable; donations can be made at this page on the organization’s website.
Canadian Pacific had previously donated a former Milwaukee Road turntable from Bensenville, Ill., to RRHMA for use in Silvis in 2022 [see “Canadian Pacific donates turntable …,” Trains News Wire, Sept 10, 2022]. That 110-foot turntable will now be re-gifted to the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in Chattanooga, Tenn.
