Eastern Railroad Discussion > Philadelphia area

So it all started on facebook with an address of 918 Canal street, Philadelphia and some tracks in the street.  So then I figured that I might as well "fly around" on google maps.  I ended up where? What is up with all of the cars/automobiles?  I am in Idaho right now and chances are that  a trip to this part of the country wouldn't happen anytime soon.   https://www.google.com/maps/@39.897942,-75.1474187,1681a,35y,247.84h/data=!3m1!1e3

Ex-PRR Greenwich Yard. What do they unload into those silos inside the loop track where it says "Hyundai Glovis Pier 122?" The cars on the loop look like tank cars.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/07/19 16:23 by CPR_4000.

Years ago I'm pretty sure I saw the name 'AGWAY' on those storage tanks.  Made me think, at the time, that there may have been fertilizer or chemicals for farm use as AGWAY is based in upstate New York and originally started as a farmers co-op group.  Delaware & Hudson/Canadian Pacific had run through access to the South Philadelphia terminal area in those days and that could have been the connection to upstate NY.  Times change, not sure what might be stored in there these days.

Zooming in, it looks like the loop track has nothingn to do with the silos, which were apparently fed by three tracks that funneled into one under the center of the conveyor system. At any rate, it looks abandoned now.

More on the Philly grain elevators. Both Reading and Pennsylvania had elevators on the property.

https://ruins.wordpress.com/2007/12/20/philadelphia-used-to-have-a-lot-of-industry-farewell-to-girard-point-tidewater-grain-elevator/

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Philly is a point of importation of Hyundai and Kia vehicles. They mostly if not all leave by truck.
There are no grain exports from Philly and no ore imports. Gone!
The nearest rail export is some R&N Anthracite from Fairless and import to rail (NS) slab steel across the river in Paulsboro.
There is some import/export of containers, miniscule compared to Baltimore or the Port of NY/NJ
The loop tracks if I'm not mistaken were the Iron ore, later Taconite, import loading tracks, ancient history now. From the red color in and around that whole area I'd venture a guess the silos were for Taconite storage, although it doesn't need covered.
Go

Solid trains of PRR ore jennies were a common sight up on the High Line in the `1960s/70's....back when we made steel from scratch in this country....
PRR had the mini bathtub gond type of jennies,  with outside bracing.  not the usual DMIR style mini hopper car.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/08/19 09:19 by pdt.

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That loop track is what is left of the iron ore loading area.  The ships off loaded to the ore jennies and then it headed to Allentown and Bethleham steel.   Note on the one end of the loop is the remanents of the inbound empties yard.  There used to be an outbound loaded yard. That was reconfigured to be part of the general frieght yard.    That general area is where the intermodal yard is and where the PRR Army Navy game trains disembarked.        Those tanks.  They sit where huge brown domes sat that stored the ore out of the winter elements.   Those are LPG tanks.  There was planned a LPG terminal (inbound)  at that location. Ship by rail. Not sure why it didnt get finished.    

There used to be a NS auto rack train 295. To the auto facility there.  The loading tracks are still there.

I designed that auto terminal when I was at Conrail. Saw limited use before split day.

I hauled corn and soybeans to Tidewater in the 1978-1983 time period. Watched many grain hoppers get unloaded into those silos along with what was in my dump trailers. Amazing place in it's day.  Along with the ex Readong facilities at Port Richmond and the coal and ore piers at Greenwich. Hard to belive its all gone the jobs and RR traffic--- Ken 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/09/19 14:00 by Kemacprr.