Today, once again we ride a freight train of Allentown's great industrial past. In the early 1970's, the Redevelopment Authority tore down the neighborhood on either side of the Lehigh Street hill. At that time they had persuaded Conrail to move the the Barber's Quarry Branch line exclusively to the southern side of the Little Lehigh. The branch had crossed over and back to service the great Wire Mill. After crossing Lehigh Street, the train would proceed along the creek passing under the 8th Street Bridge. At the 10th Street crossing it would service another great industrial giant, Traylor Engineering.
In 2009 President Obama visited a successor, Allentown Manufacturing, which has since closed. The line would continue along the creek until it turned north along Cedar Creek to Union Terrace. After crossing Hamilton Street by the current Hamilton Family Diner, it would end at the current park department building. Nothing remains of the line, the tracks were removed. The Allentown Economic Development Corporation recently sought a grant to rebuild the line to 10th Street, even though the plant Obama visited has closed. The neighboring former Mack Plant now houses a go cart track. How the money will be squandered remains to be seen. The top photograph was taken by local train historian Mark Rabenold in 1989. It shows the later relocated section of the track that was just east of the Lehigh Street crossing.reprinted from March of 2011
ADDENDUM JANUARY 13, 2025:That track was never restored, nor an industry secured that would ever need a rail-siding. It was wishful thinking that could only be entertained by bureaucrats working in a municipal authority, using tax dollars. The park garage on Linden Street succumbed to neglect. The former Mack plant on S. 10th Street is now an indoor garbage sorting dump.
In the far southwest corner of Allentown, there is an actual manufacturing facility which uses a rail siding for supplies. In recent decades, they seemed to take deliveries of a few hopper cars of material at a time on the siding. Within the last ten years, if I recall correctly, the plant expanded, and the entire siding is often full of cars. Apparently there is a logistical advantage to having a facility aside of one of the busiest rail routes in the Northeast. A pity the same capability no longer exists for most of the region.
ReplyDeleteI believe you're referring to the plant off 31st, between Lehigh and Emmaus Ave. Prior to removing the old main line, there was another rail-siding user along the river. West of the city, there is another active siding off Tilghman St. At one time there were dozens and dozens of active sidings in Allentown, served by several lines.
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