Track 8 BRIDGES / Presentation 3

Iron Train Sheds from the Detroit Bridge & Iron Works 

Neal Vogel

Restoric LLC

restoricllc@earthlink.net

During the late-19th and early-20th centuries, a number of eyebrow-canopy iron train sheds were produced by the Detroit Bridge & Iron Works (1863-1902). Many of these train sheds have been lost but this paper and talk will cover the survival and recent restoration of the train shed in progress at the Keokuk Union Depot in Keokuk, Iowa. The depot was designed by Burnham and Root of Chicago and completed in 1891. An original published rendering in May 1890 shows an arched brick train shed but this later changed to an iron eyebrow-canopy form that extends approximately 175 feet a long the tracks and still stands today. The depot served the Chicago Rock Island and Pacific Railroad (i.e. “The Rock”) the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad (CB&Q) and three other short rail lines along with several express freight companies. Extenuating circumstances, namely that the bedrock was so close to grade, required an alternate design solution for the footings that were typically unexposed. Moreover, the gusset plates connecting truss members were curved to form more organic negative-shapes within the iron framework. The curvilinear shed at Keokuk is considered by many to be the very best design among these eyebrow structures predicting the coming of Art Nouveau. The talk and paper will broadly cover the history of these interesting sheds and the details and nuances of restoring the Keokuk shed including the original historic colors.

Neal Vogel, Principal of Restoric Enterprises, LLC, will present “Turtleback Train Sheds.” Mr. Vogel is currently restoring the last(?) surviving turtleback train shed at the Keokuk Union Depot located on the Mississippi River in Keokuk, Iowa. The 1891 station was designed by Burnham & Root of Chicago but recent evidence indicates the train shed was actually designed and fabricated by the Detroit Bridge & Iron Works. Dozens of these trackside canopies (i.e. train sheds) were once found throughout the Midwest but research has failed to uncover any other survivors to date. Neal will cover the general history of these early Art Nouveau forms and the restoration process on the lone survivor at Keokuk which has entailed cutting, grinding, welding, casting and hot riveting along with other work by “smittys... or those otherwise skilled in the metallurgical arts.”