UIHistories Project: A History of the University of Illinois by Kalev Leetaru
        B U I L D I N G S
   

Locomotive Testing Laboratory and Reservoir / Aeronautical Laboratory and Brake-shoe Testing Laboratory

The Locomotive Testing Laboratory and Reservoir was built in 1912 with an addition in 1914. Together the building and its addition cost $34,270 [1] and were built to house the University's new railroad car and its associated testing facilities. [2] Designed by W. Zimmerman, [3] the brick building measured 117 by 42 feet, and housed a "locomotive testing plant" with "supporting wheels on which rest the drivers of the locomotive to be tested, a dynamometer to which the locomotive drawbar is attached, and which measures the tractive force exerted by the locomotive, water brakes for absorbing the power developed by the locomotive, and other auxiliary apparatus". Connected "by a spur" to the Illinois Traction System railroad tracks, the laboratory could easily exchange cars with the main rail line. The exhaust fumes generated by the running engines were evacuated through an "asbestos board duct" to a blower that forced the air through a "reinforced concrete cinder separator [that] removes the cinders and discharges the gases into the air thru a brick stack eighty feet in height". [4]

Known as the Aeronautical Laboratory by 1948, [5] today the building is largely used by the physics department for storage. [6]

The Brake-shoe Testing Laboratory was immediately to the west of the Testing Laboratory and facilitated more specialized testing. [7] By the 1960's it was known as the Railway Wheel Laboratory. [8]



[1] Sixteen Years at the UI / p79
[2] Buildings on Urbana Campus in 1944
[3] History of the Growth and Development of the Campus of The University of Illinois - Leon Tilon / Thomas O'Donnell - UI Press 1930 - p 181
[4] Sixteen Years at the UI / p89
[5] Campus Map 1948
[6] Personal Observation
[7] Campus Map 1930
[8] Campus map circa 1960's
Bookmark and Share

Search Site:

Advanced Search

Site Navigation
   Welcome to the ...
      About The UIHis...
      Collections
      Foreword
      Foundation
      Gifts & Memoria...
      Other UI Histor...
      Postword
      Special Feature...
      Student Life
      University Mile...
      All Buildings
         ACES Library, I...
         Admissions and ...
         Advanced Comput...
         Agricultural En...
         Agriculture Bui...
         Agronomy
         Agronomy Barn
         Agronomy Field ...
         Agronomy Greenh...
         Alma Mater
         Alpha House
         Animal Husbandr...
         Animal Patholog...
         Animal Sciences...
         Aquatic Researc...
         Arbor
         Arboretum
         Architecture Li...
         Armory Annex
         Art and Archite...
         Artillery Barns
         Asian American ...
         Assembly Hall
         Astronomy Build...
         Atkins Tennis C...
         Auditorium / Fo...
         Bardeen Quad
         Battery
         Beckman Institu...
         Beef Cattle Bar...
         Betatron / Cycl...
         Bevier Hall
         Botany Annex an...
         Botany Greenhou...
         Bradley Arcade ...
         Brood Mare Barn
         Building for Ar...
         Bureau of Commu...
         Bureau of Educa...
         Burnsides Resea...
         Burrill Avenue
         Burrill Hall
         Busey-Evans Wom...
         Campbell Hall f...
         Cattle Feeding ...
         Center for Adva...
         Central Campus ...
         Central Food St...
         Central Receivi...
         Ceramic
         Ceramic Enginee...
         Champaign and U...
         Chemical and Li...
         Chemical Labora...
         Chemistry
         Child Developme...
         Civitas Univers...
         Clay Tennis Cou...
         Coble Hall
         Colonel
         Commerce
         Commerce
         Commerce West /...
         Complete List o...
         Computer and Sy...
         Coordinated Sci...
         Dairy
         Daniels Hall / ...
         Davenport House
         Delta House
         Digital Compute...
         Doris Kelly Chr...
         East Chemistry ...
         Education
         Education Build...
         Educational Res...
         Eichelberger Fi...
         Electrical Engi...
         Electrical Engi...
         Engineering Hal...
         Entomology Buil...
         Environmental a...
         Faculty Staff H...
         Faculty Tennis ...
         Farm
         Farm House / Mu...
         Feed Barn
         Filtration Plan...
         Fine Arts-Comme...
         Fire Station
         Fireman's Train...
         Floriculture
         Floriculture, P...
         Florida Avenue ...
         Foreign Languag...
         Forest
         Forestry / Illi...
         Fourth Street R...
         French House
         Gamma House
         General Horse B...
         Genetics
         Geological Surv...
         Goodwin Green M...
         Graduate Studio...
         Grainger
         
Green Street
         Gregory
         Gregory Drive R...
         Grounds Departm...
         Guy M.
         Halfway House /...
         Hallene Gateway...
         Hendrick House
         Highway Materia...
         Highway Materia...
         Hill Annex
         Honors Programs
         Horticultural G...
         Horticulture
         Horticulture Fi...
         Horticulture Gr...
         Horticulture Se...
         Ice Skating Rin...
         Illini Forest P...
         Illini Hall
         Illini Union
         Illini Union Bo...
         Illini Village
         Illinois Field ...
         Illinois Radio ...
         Illinois Street...
         Institute of Ge...
         Institute of Go...
         International S...
         Intramural Phys...
         J. Gerald Demir...
         Jane
         Japan House
         John Milton Gre...
         Kenny Gym and K...
         Krannert Art Mu...
         Krannert Center...
         Labor and Indus...
         Laboratory of P...
         Law Building
         Lester H.
         Libraries
         Library Buildin...
         Lincoln Avenue<...
         Lincoln Hall
         Locomotive Test...
         [Locomotive Test...]
         Lorado Taft Hou...
         Main Library
         Main Quadrangle...
         Margaret H. and...
         Materials Resea...
         Materials Testi...
         McKinley Memori...
         Meat Science La...
         Mechanical Engi...
         Mechanical Engi...
         Medical Science...
         Memorial Stadiu...
         Men's New Gymna...
         Men's Universit...
         Mental Health C...
         Metal Shop / Ae...
         Moorman Swine R...
         Morrow Plots
         Music Building
         Nathan Clifford...
         Nathan Newmark ...
         National Center...
         Natural Resourc...
         Natural
         
New
         New Agriculture...
         New Armory
         New College of ...
         New Illini Medi...
         New Power Plant...
         New South Farms...
         New University ...
         Nonacademic Per...
         North Garage an...
         North Parking G...
         Nuclear Enginee...
         Nuclear Reactor...
         Observatory
         Old
         Old Agronomy Se...
         Old Entomology ...
         Old Mechanical ...
         Old Power Plant
         Old Power Plant...
         Orchard Downs
         Oregon Street C...
         Osborne Hall / ...
         Parade Ground H...
         Parking Lot at ...
         Peabody Drive R...
         Personality Ass...
         Physical Plant ...
         Physics Buildin...
         Physics Researc...
         Physics Researc...
         Physiological P...
         Plant and Anima...
         Police Training...
         Poultry Plant
         President's Hou...
         Proano Stadium
         Psychology Buil...
         Pumping Station
         Rehabilitation ...
         Residence Hall ...
         Richard T. Ubbe...
         Rock Garden, Fl...
         Round Barns / D...
         Sarah McFarland...
         Satellite Recre...
         School
         Sheep Barn and ...
         Sixth Street Ca...
         Small Homes Cou...
         Snack Bar / Ill...
         Soil Bins
         South Farms Ani...
         South Farms Imp...
         South Research ...
         South Tennis Co...
         Speech and Hear...
         Stallion Barn
         State
         Stenographic Bu...
         Stiven House
         Stock Judging P...
         Storage
         Storehouse
         String Annex / ...
         Student Service...
         Swine Sheds
         Television
         Temple Hoyne Bu...
         The Farms / Rob...
         Theoretical and...
         Thomas M. Siebe...
         Tina Weedon Smi...
         Tool Shed
         Track and Socce...
         Transportation
         Turner Hall / C...
         Undergraduate L...
         University
         University
         University Civi...
         University Pres...
         University Tena...
         Untitled
         Ven Te Chow Hyd...
         Veterinary Medi...
         Veterinary Medi...
         Veterinary Medi...
         Veterinary Path...
         Veterinary Rese...
         Vivarium / Expe...
         Volatile
         Warehouse
         Warm Air Resear...
         Water Resources...
         Willard Airport
         William Lamont ...
         William R. and ...
         Woman's Buildin...
         Women's Gymnasi...
         Women's Residen...
         Work Horse Barn
         Worthy Grove
         Zoonoses