The Thurmond train depot shown on Illustration 1 and and in Photo 2 is approximately 152 feet long and 16 feet wide at the base. It is situated along a set of three tracks.
Questions for Illustration 1 & Photo 2
1. Study Illustration 1 and Photo 2. Do you think the town’s geography influenced the depot’s architecture?
2. Note the topographic increments on Illustration 1. The elevation gets progressively higher further away from the depot and railway area. Using the scale, calculate the approximate distance in feet from the depot to the rail workers’ homes (located above the depot). Why do you think the workers built their homes so far above the tracks? (Students may want to refer to Photo 1.)
3. The signal operator worked on the second floor of the Thurmond depot and coordinated the signals used to tell train engineers to slow down or stop. Examine Photo 2 and locate the windows in the overhanging office. Why was the depot designed with a section extending further out than the rest of the building?
* The illustration and photo on this screen have a resolution of 72 dots per inch (dpi), and therefore will print poorly. You can obtain a larger version of Illustration 1 and Photo 2, but be aware that each file will take as much as 51 seconds to load with a 28.8K modem.