The Engines Of Allentown

Fifty years ago Allentown was home to heavy industry, which required private engines to push material and finished product around their plants. Shown above is the engine at Structural Steel, located under the Tilghman Street Bridge. The Mack 5C plant, located at Lehigh and S. 12th Streets, had it's own engine. Traylor Engineering, on S. 10th Street, also had an engine. Although the private engines of Allentown are gone, a train whistle still blows, as Norfolk Southern rolls through South Allentown, on the old main line.

photograph from the Mark Rabenold Collection 

 

above reprinted from October of 2012 

ADDENDUM FEBRUARY 29, 2024:This blog is well known for taking the NIZ to task, and I have complained about Jaindl doing away with the LVRR Old Main Line through his waterfront portion. So, with my penchant for criticism out of the way, I confess to liking what Jaindl did with the parcel. He built an attractive building, with a nice setting on the river, including some structural homages to its industrial history. Recently a large group of influentials were invited to an opening of the property. They must have accidently misplaced my invitation.