Great Northern Roundhouse - Whitefish, MT
Posted by: 
T0SHEA
N 48° 24.780 W 114° 20.779
11U E 696359 N 5365607
This roundhouse is at the western edge of the railroad yards in Whitefish, Montana.
Waymark Code: WMMW9P
Location: Montana, United States
Date Posted: 11/13/2014
Views: 3
The Great Northern Railway arrived in Whitefish in 1903 when there was really no town there, so they built one. The railroad had previously been routed through Kalispell, about ten miles south, but was rerouted further north in an effort to find a better route through the mountains. Satisfied that this was the permanent route, the railway decreed Whitefish the western headquarters and divisional point.
They proceeded to build large railroad yards at Whitefish, so it is assumed that this roundhouse was built about that time, in 1903 or 1904. The roundhouse, yards and even the railway remained Great Northern property until The Great Northern became the Burlington Northern on March 2, 1970, with the merger of four railroads, the Great Northern Railway, Northern Pacific Railway, Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway and the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad.
With a further merger, the Burlington Northern became what it is today, the Burlington Northern & Sante Fe, known conveniently as the BNSF. The roundhouse appears to be still in use today, as it is being kept in quite good condition. Luckily, no one was around when we visited so we were able to sneak into the yard and grab a few quick shots. It appears to have had one more bay in the past, but still has six that definitely appear to be in use.
