East Roundhouse

The East Roundhouse was constructed in 1872. This expansion was necessary, as it allowed for the site to accommodate the increase in the amount of work coming into the Martinsburg shops. 

Unfortunately, there were two disasters that affected the East Roundhouse contributing to its current state of ruin. The first disaster was a trainwreck that occurred inside the roundhouse in the 1930s. A train derailed inside the building causing a fire. The wreck damaged the building's cast-iron framework as the heat from the fire expanded the framework. Due to the expansion of the cast iron frame, it could no longer support the building. So the Baltimore and Ohio company had to replace the original frame with a wooden frame. 

The second disaster was a case of arson. In 1988 the Martinsburg Roundhouse Shops were officially closed by CSX (the company which bought out the Baltimore and Ohio company). These shops laid abandoned for a decade until 1998. During that time the buildings were continually vandalized. This included when a group of kids burned down the East Roundhouse in May of 1990. The wooden frame from the first disaster as well as the wooden crates and pallets being stored in the building allowed the structure to be easily and quickly burned down.