Railroading's Industrial Allure.

quote:

What do you have in your area, that has that industrial allure?

I like the term "industrial allure" very much. It captures how railroading has my attention, primarily, because an apparent out-of-the-way, weed-grown siding is connected to a larger transportation system. That system is designed to satisfy the needs and wants of the larger society that siding is connected to, so trains can become a metaphor for how we as humans improve our lot and, therefore, are uplifting.

(a) Industrial allure in PA anthracite coal country (where I grew up): coal mines, all the impedimenta of extracting black diamonds from below the ground to market, from small mines to major corporations. There was narrow gauge railroading. Tracks ran everywhere, it seemed. There were hoppers everywhere. The RDG, PRR, D&H, NYW&O, DL&W, CNJ, LV, L&WV RR (Laurel Line) serviced the area. My grandmother would take my brother and I to an area slightly beyond her back yard, where there was a siding for the Conlon Coal Company. We played on the hoppers, with Granny smilingly approving. Today, all this is gone.

(b) Cleveland, OH: Where I went to school. They built Euclid trucks, still had steel mills, the river had weird (to me) train bridges. There was industry everywhere. I could see the right of way of trains along Lake Erie from my apartment: NYC ran trains constantly. Visited the Collingswood yard on Day 1, when CR took over. Today, most is gone.


(c) Philly: You were able to see what was: the old Baldwin shops were still around years ago; there were abandoned spurs not far from city hall; tracks ran on the streets. But, there was the present (at that time): freight lines were still electrified and the last vestiges of the VGN rectifiers (in PRR markings) and GG-1's still ran. Passenger trains ran everywhere, it seemed (still do). One example of what was: the old Phoenixville branch, which ran from the steel mills through near Malvern, across Route 202; along 202 to King of Prussia and meandered to Bridgeport. There was one quite interesting trestle bridge that I always wished I would see a train go across. This bridge was in a rural area outside Phoenixville and catches your attention.


In summary, all you had to do was open your eyes and realize there was a whole world interconnected by rails right in front of you. Mark

The Poughkeepsie-Highland Railroad Bridge now converted into a pedestrian walkway. Here is the bridge's history and #614 on the Moodna Viaduct. The Erie-Port Jervis Turntable, last used by #614 during the Erie Limited Excursion trips in the mid 1990s.

Here's ya allure:

TRIPLE CROSSING

MODERN DAY

The term "industrial allure" is the best thing I could come up with at that moment. I get a type of tactile or somatic response, when I view these creations. It's as if my eyes can almost touch them.

Another thing that adds to the allure for me is that, I appreciate creativity, invention, and engineering(the structural kind).

Mark,

I enjoyed your response very much. It was like I was seeing an old black and white movie, while I read your words. The industrial allure was captured very nicely, thank you.

A&B, thanks for the sites. I enjoyed seeing them.


Bob,

What a cool place. Both eras looked great at that dimensional crossing.


Thanks guys, good stuff.


Kane

There was an area in Downtown Los Angeles that had an industrial/architectural allure all its own. The Santa Fe section was called "The Patch" and the Southern Pacific section was referred to as the "Rat Hole." Both sections succumbed to displacement of rail service in favor of trucks, business changes/relocation, and the 1971 and 1994 Earthquakes (damage and/or building code changes.)

Both areas serviced dozens of warehouses between Alameda Street and the Los Angeles River on the East and West and North of Washington Blvd roughly up to LAUPT (Union Station.) There are very few traces left of either district.

Bob Smaus did a great H.O. layout based on the SP Rat Hole district (I believe the layout is long gone, but the website is at http://www.bobsgardenpath.com/trains.html) It was featured in Model Railroader several years ago.

Keith Jordan modeled the ATSF "Patch" area which was closer to the Los Angeles River east of the SP Rat Hole area. His website is at http://www.patchrailroad.net/T...atch/Patch_Home.html

Note that the colored photo is the same image as the B & W one, except that they removed a couple of buildings and put down grass paper for the photo shoot. They also put lots of smoke fluid into the locos and turned up the track voltage.

quote:

Industrial allure in PA anthracite coal country (where I grew up): coal mines, all the impedimenta of extracting black diamonds from below the ground to market, from small mines to major corporations. There was narrow gauge railroading. Tracks ran everywhere, it seemed. There were hoppers everywhere. The RDG, PRR, D&H, NYW&O, DL&W, CNJ, LV, L&WV RR (Laurel Line) serviced the area. My grandmother would take my brother and I to an area slightly beyond her back yard, where there was a siding for the Conlon Coal Company. We played on the hoppers, with Granny smilingly approving. Today, all this is gone.

Kane, you might well be describing the Pennsylvania town (Mount Carmel) where I was born. Coal was the breath of life to that area, and when the railroads stopped using it, all those once-bustling coal towns shriveled and died. But they were fascinating in their glory years!

I like that term "industrial allure". I think the reference standard for "industrial allure" would probably be Pittsburgh in the 1950s. The combination of steel mills (USS, J&L), PRR infrastructure, B&O, P&LE, the rivers and yards, man, beat that! It's railroading on a grand scale.

George

A partial definition of my perception of "industrial allure" is -


Predominantly 20th century buildings and infrastructure etc, that is marked by:

an abundance of components... almost to the point of looking convoluted(i.e. numerous joined or fitted parts featuring - rivets, gears, pulleys, nuts and bolts...), a lot going on(busy, feature rich), anything but clear clean smooth surface detail, frequently appears complicated and dangerous looking, definitely man-made, there is nothing natural about the look.

Matt, interesting name that was given to that area.

The Eastern steel and coal regions definitely have that "industrial allure".

BTW, some locomotives that project that pleasing allure are the old electrics, especially the box cabs; and some of the older Alcos, including the switchers.

Thanks for getting in this thread guys... good contributions so far.


Kane

Hulett Iron Ore unloaders are the kings when it come to"industrial allure"! These things must have been a spectacle to see in-person.


Kane

The Bessemer and Lake Erie bridge over the Allegheny River near my home town of Oakmont, Pa.

I look at that bridge every time I pass by, and imagine the huge steam engines Two on the lead and one pushing on the rear of a ore drag. The small ore jennies squealing along the rails and across the great green bridge over the Allegheny to the yard at Hall Pa.

Their journey to end in one yard, uncoupled then shunted to the Fiery steel mills of Pittsburgh to become the steel to manufacture the tools, automobiles and appliances for everyday life.

Now two CN owned tunnel motors still in B&LE orange and black drag the battered hoppers in once a day with Ore from the docks and return to Ohio with empty cars to fill.

Andrew Carnegie made a great land mark in that bridge. still in it's faded green paint and B&LE sign, Built when "MADE IN THE USE" meant something.

http://pghbridges.com/newkenW/0599-4487/blear.htm

these are cool and definetly have Industrial Allure. I believe they are called
Hulet Ore Unloaders...

http://allthingsclevelandohio....clevelands-late.html


I saw these in Cleveland once when I was a kid... again very cool.

quote:

Originally posted by harleyhouse:
The Bessemer and Lake Erie bridge over the Allegheny River near my home town of Oakmont, Pa.

That is an impressive bridge, but I'm partial to the PRR Panhandle bridge over the Ohio at Steubenville immortalized in Grif Teller's 1953 painting "Crossroads of Commerce". As far as I know, that bridge is humbly known only by its milemarker, 42.11.

George

Video of Huletts in action:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RJfnk2S330

harley,


I like the supports it sits on, as well.


Years ago, I read a book called "The Lighthouse Stevensons".

Robert Stevenson began a dynasty of Lighthouse builders. Robert, and eight members of his family(children, grandchildren and great grandchildren) planned , designed and built Lighthouses around the Scottish coast, under some the worst conditions.

The Stevenson's Lighthouses have withstood the test of time, and are amazing example of superb engineering.

I found that book to be very interesting, as my mind envisioned what was taking place.


So not only do I enjoy the land based infrastructure, I definitely enjoy seeing what can and has been done, over the water.


Kane

HI! I couldn't resist this thread. My attraction to the hobby and trains in general IS the "industrial allure". I'm very much fasinated with the history of the industrial revolution and unfortunetly watched its demise. railroads, coal mining, and steelmaking all were so intertwined. Little Giant was the nickname of the P&LE RR. A small RR, not much mileage, but moved an incredible amount of tonnage. Good books from Morning Sun are the P&LE, the B&LE, and the Union RR.
If you like bridges, Google Tunkhannock, Starrucca Viaduct, Kinzua Viaduct, Lethbridge in Canada, and the George Westinghouse Memorial Bridge in Pgh.
Want more? A great website to explore is pghgridges dot com. Pgh and the surrounding area has close to 400 bridges, big & small, had 20 inclines, and about 40 tunnels. Enjoy!!

Pete

that Second Narrows Bridge looks alot like the Arthur Kill Lift bridge by me

Portland Oregon has a similar to the above 1st bridge.
San Fernando Valley CA.

Giant, Ben and Dennis,


Thanks for dropping by and contributing.

Ben, I guess certain bridge designs are used in many locations, during the same time period. It must save a lot of money not having to shell out for a new bridge design.

I've seen the Second Narrows bridge many times, but have never seen it moving, up or down.


Those of us that live near port locations, usually have a good number of industrial looking gems to enjoy.


Kane

Hey Kane...

I was wondering if you know a guy in your area that went by the name of "VOX" most recently here on the forum?

quote:

Originally posted by Kane:
Ben, I guess certain bridge designs are used in many locations, during the same time period. It must save a lot of money not having to shell out for a new bridge design.
Kane

Kane
The one I pictured by me sat dormant for nearly 30 years. It was originally the BAltimore and Ohio Railroads route to New York Harbor car floats. A Resurgent Container terminal, a paper recycling plant and the NY City Dept of Sanitations garbage transfer station causes it to operate at least three times a week now. I was very surprised to see it in the down position for the first time.
RG

leaving,

I have known Rick for a long time, good guy.


Ben,

Given the financial situation these days, I guess as long as they're still structurally sound, and operational, some of these older structures will continue to be used.


Re: the Second Narrows bridge, see those rooms, those boxy structures on top on either end, I always wondered what it looked like inside there. Must be or must have been a control room on one side, and maybe a mechanical room for the drive/pulley mechanism, on the other side.

We can't forget the obvious industrial look of refineries, in this thread.


Kane

J.P.,

That's the first wye I've seen partially built over water.

The bridge in the second shot might not be capable of supporting railroad traffic any longer, but pedestrian traffic would be considerably less of a load. I like that basic style of rail bridge.


Kane

Kane...thanks for the reply. One thing that we never got a chance to see was VOX's modeling...his layout. Always wanted to see pictures. Hope you will post some of yours!!

Alan

One of my favorites was the Newark Bay Bridge, between Bayonne and Elizabeth, built by the Central Railroad of NJ back in the 1920's to replace older bridges. ConRail abandoned the line ... the Coast Guard deemed the bridge a hazard to navigation ... and it was torn down. Four tracks ... four seperate lift sections ... closer to 2 miles long than 1 .... it was quite a sight.




I modeled the old carfloats that Ben mentioned when I did HO.



The "Bayway" refinery still is a big employer in my hometown of Linden NJ ... which was once full of heavy industry. A tiny corner of the refinery showing the cracker ...



Morristown & Erie switches the refinery ....



The refinery started life as Standard Oil, built by John D Rockefeller. This is how it looked in 1908 ...



Jim

Jim I remembner those CNJ bridges They didn't dismantle them They blew them up I remember watching this There were thousands of people at the shoreline to watch the spectacular of seeing a bridge blown up.

Jim,

The double lift bridge is a great looking structure. Good post.


Kane

I like the big Industrial complexes on the layout One thing I am into just as much as trains is trucks and this pic might show you that

Ben,

Nice trucking fleet. I like the look of that era of truck. That buildings got a good look, as well. I like that type of structure, with the small windows.


Kane

fficial&channel=np&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=1bbFUem-HIe5igL0qYGgCA&ved=0CEcQsAQ&biw=1266&bih=709" target="_blank">https://www.google.ca/search?q...biw=1266&bih=709

 

Fairly recently, this Canadian industrial giant was getting some attention; they're talking about expanding, the local coal shipping facilities. A few days ago, a local American public TV channel carried a half hour show, re: coal and the possible development of a large coal terminal, to compete with the Roberts bank coal port. Some American business people, want a piece of the shrinking coal market.

 

I've been to the Roberts Bank Superport, located in Delta BC, a coal(Westshore terminals) and inter-modal terminal(Delta Port), many times over the years, to watch trains. There's some interesting industrial equipment being used, here.

 

BTW, both Canadian and American Railroads(Canadian Pacific, CN and BNSF), move coal trains, to the terminal. Canadian railroads don't load their coal cars to the same height the BNSF does; Canadian loads - sit below the top of the car; whereas, the American loads - rise above the top of the coal cars.

 

Even though, I have an appreciation for industrial looking things, I also care about the environment. During that half hour special, that I mentioned, above, re: coal, they stated that the coal was destined for the Asian market; and that, it only took about five days, for the contaminated air, over in Asia, to reach, here.

 

It's kinda hard to ignore that fact...

 

There has been opposition, to adding more coal trains etc., running through my area; coal dust, coming off the passing coal trains, is one of the concerns.

 

Heavy industry has never had a big(visual) presence, in my area of the world; but, it's molecular component probably has... for quite a while.

 

 

Rick