PENNSYRR.COM by Jerry Britton

m281Box2 HBG City Island

CT 1000, 1945: Eastern Region, Eastern Pennsylvania Division, Philadelphia Division

Philadelphia Division ETT, 1954: Eastern Region, Philadelphia Division, Main Line

Valuation Maps

PRR.v4.1.PA 1 SL 1949 M007006PRR.v4.1.PA-1_SL_1949
PRR.v4.1.PA 1 ST 1949 MP103 M007005PRR.v4.1.PA-1_ST_1949_MP103
PRR.v4.1.PA 2 SL 1918 M007008PRR.v4.1.PA-2_SL_1918
PRR.v4.1.PA 2 ST 1949 Harrisburg M007007PRR.v4.1.PA-2_ST_1949_Harrisburg
PRR.v4.1.PA 3 1949 M007009PRR.v4.1.PA-3_1949
PRR.v4.1.PA 3 SL 1949 M007010PRR.v4.1.PA-3_SL_1949
PRR.v4.1.PA 4 1949 M007011PRR.v4.1.PA-4_1949
PRR.v4.1.PA 5 1949 LucknowPRR.v4.1.PA-5_1949_Lucknow

 

Harrisburg 1930 37 ann

m281Box2 HBG City IslandIn this view, one can follow the main line from left (west) to right (east) and see Harrisburg Steel, Pennsylvania Power & Light, HARRIS tower, the Passenger Station, Harrisburg Gas Company, the Freight Station, and several other online customers. Pennsylvania State Archives.

m281Box2 HBG State Capitol 1723In this view, one can see the Harrisburg Steel Company at top center, with the Swift plant below it. HARRIS tower is just out of sight to the right. Pennsylvania State Archives.
m281Box2 HBG State Capitol C 91 In this higher view, one can see the Harrisburg Steel Company at top center, with North Street Delivery and the Swift plant below it. Pennsylvania Power & Light and HARRIS tower are just to the right. Pennsylvania State Archives.
m281Box2 HBG Farm Show BldgIn this aerial photo, the Pennsylvania Farm Show is at lower left with the westbound yard in the foreground. The McClay Street Station and Stock Yard Delivery are just below the McClay Street overpass. Beyond the bridge is the eastbound yard and the Harrisburg Shops; the diesel shop has not yet been constructed. Beyond them is Harrisburg Steel and then the Soldiers and Sailors Bridge. Beyond that, the Passenger Station and the Mulberry Street Bridge. Pennsylvania State Archives. 1936 flood harrisburg 1936 flood. Steelton Canal Branch is prominent in the foreground. Freight Station and Harrisburg Gas Company are at upper center, with Passenger Station above and to the right of them. The Reading Company line runs left to right.
harrisburg1954 Chamber of Commerce photo dated 1954.. However, the published history of The Patriot News indicates that they moved into their (then) new building at 812 Market Street in July 1953. It does not appear in the photo! So the photo, allowing for construction time, is likely pre-mid-1952. Dan Cupper recalls the Market Street Delivery coexisting with the new Patriot building for some time (it is a parking lot today).
Harrisburg Early Can you help date this photo? Catenary is not yet installed, so it is pre-1937.

On the leader to the Cumberland Valley Branch. Distance is from Harrisburg Station.

0.4 Appleby Bros. & Whittacker

HarrisburgSheet3  

 

On the main line. Direction is south (railroad east) to north (railroad west). Milepost reference from Philadelphia via Mt. Joy...

101.8 Lochief Siding

102.2 Central Iron & Steel Co. Nos. 5, 6 & 7

102.2 Pennsylvania Power & Light Co. Nos. 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8

102.2 Jackson Manufacturing Co.

102.8 Central Iron & Steel Co. -- Paxton Furnaces Nos. 1 & 2

102.9 Central Iron & Steel Co. No. 3

102.9 Central Iron & Steel Co. No. 4

102.9 Dock Street

102.9 Junc. Steelton Canal Branch

102.9 Leroy Roofing Co.

102.9 Carload Delivery

103.1 Herwitz Packing Co.

103.6 Marshall Street Siding

103.7 Tulsa Oil Co.

103.8 U. S. Government No. 6

104.0 Sinclair Refining Co. No. 2

104.5 Carload Delivery Siding

104.6 Steelton Freight Station

103.1 Junc. Old Line

103.2 Storage

103.3 Bell Telephone No. 2

103.5 Carload Delivery

103.7 Freight Car Siding

103.3 R. Hershel Mfg. Co.

103.3 Air Reduction Co.

103.4 V. D. Leisure


2nd street

1937 valuation map of MP 103.5.

east m

Annotated valuation map.

HarrisburgSheet2

Sanborn map of the area described below. East is to the bottom; west to the top.

 

103.5 Paxton Flour & Feed Co. and Harrisburg Storage Co.

Harrisburg Storage is clearly shown on page 74 of Morning Sun Book's "Hudson to Horseshoe". The building is on east edge of siding and tight against the main lines. A later Sanborn, oddly, shows the entire area (inclusive of the Paxton Mills and several other entities) as being part of Harrisburg Storage... but yet still a subset of the area claimed by the McCormick Estate on the valuation map! It may be one and the same as a modern day operation at 165 Lamont St. New Cumberland, PA 17070. 717-774-7838.

The 1930 Polk City directory places (p. 310) Paxton Flour & Feed Co. at "South 2nd Street" and the (p. 486) Harrisburg Storage Co. at "South 2nd Street at PRR".

Paxton Flour & Feed Co. was gone by 1954, but was also on the Second Street side. It looks like they shared a siding. Paxton Flour & Feed Co. was on the site marked on the valuation map as McCormick Estate.

"The Paxton and Steelton Flouring Mill Company was incorporated in February, 1891, for the manufacture of high grade flour, assuming control at once, through a lease for a term of years, of the Paxton Flour Mills, of Harrisburg, and the Steelton Flouring Mills, of Steelton. The Paxton Mills, owned by the estate of James McCormick, dec'd, in 1862 succeeded the Eagle Mills, and increased its daily capacity from fifteen barrels to one hundred barrels. In 1879 the old frame building was torn down, and the present large stone mill erected and fitted out for the burr process, with a daily capacity of 350 barrels, but in 1880 the mill was changed from the old burr process to the new roller process - being the first mill in Pennsylvania to adopt the roller process - with a daily capacity of 500 barrels; since then the capacity has been gradually increased to meet the demands of its trade, until it is now 750 barrels. The leading brands of this mill are "Paxton" and "Hoffer's Best", which have been on the local markets since 1868. The entire plant at the Paxton Mills consists of engine and boiler house, 40x40, and mill proper, 64x85m five stories high, warehouse, 64x85, one story high, all built of heavy limestone; elevator, six stories high, built of stone and slated frame, with capacity of 80,000 bushels. Also a cooper plant, consisting of a stock house, 50x120, two stories high; two barrel houses with a storage capacity of 15,000 barrels; a factory 30x120, fitted up with the most improved machinery, with a daily capacity of 1,500 barrels."

A Reading Company map that pre-dates the valuation map indicates an additional siding into the site. The later Sanborn map shows it as well, but no note as to use or owner.

103.5 Kinney Shoe Co.

Second Street side; shown on valuation map and the later Sanborn map. This is the building that was later a warehouse for Gable's (hardware) and is now occupied by Pinnacle Health Systems.

103.5 Kingan Provision Co.

Second Street side; shown on the later Sanborn map.

The 1930 Polk City directory places (p. 372) Kingan Provision Co. at "421-425 S. 2nd Street" and indicates they are "Pork and beef packers."

103.5 J. I. Case Co.

Second Street side; shown on the later Sanborn map.

The 1930 Polk City directory places (p. 171) J. I. Case & Co. at "21 N. 9th Street", as a vendor of agricultural implements. Since this location is actually west of Herr Street, the business must have moved prior to the 1945 CT1000.

103.5 Harrisburg Freight Station and Keystone Warehouse Co. No. 1

Second Street side. The later Sanborn map identifies "Keystone Warehouse Co." as a formal name for the PRR freight warehouse.

The 1930 Polk City directory places (p. 370) Keystone Warehouse Co. at "201 S. 2nd Street".

Other documentation suggests sublets to the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board and the Harrisburg Warehouse Co.

IMG 0025February 1973. Kerry Jury photo; collection of Jerry Britton. IMG 0022February 1973. Kerry Jury photo; collection of Jerry Britton.
IMG 0023March 1973. Kerry Jury photo; collection of Jerry Britton. IMG 0024February 1973. Kerry Jury photo; collection of Jerry B

harrisburg 1960 east end 2

Looking southwest from the east end of the passenger station one can view the freight station and warehouse. Harrisburg Gas Company is to the left. 1960.

Freight Station 2Poor quality image of the Freight Station, Harrisburg Gas Company and several warehouses to the right.
flood 82Flood of 1936. View is eastbound. triumph2 225.2
HarrisburgSheet3Sanborn map of the Freight Station area. East is to the bottom; west to the right. The trackage going left to right at the top is the Cumberland Valley Branch.  

 

103.7 Harrisburg Gas Co.

Second Street side, in "island" between mains and REA/freight facilities.

harrisburg 1960 east endLooking south from the east end of the passenger station. Harrisburg Gas Company in 1960. hbg gas m
flood 81Flood of 1936. Harrisburg Gas Company is in the distant right. The Reading Company overpass is at top. View is eastbound. triumph2 222Flood of 1936. Railway Express Agency at center.
triumph2 225.1Railway Express Agency building. HarrisburgSheet4aSanborn map of the area.

103.8 Passenger Station

Why recreate the wheel? In 2016, the booklet "Harrisburg Train Station -- Transforming an Enduring Landmark into a Modern Multimodal Transportation Center" was published by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation in cooperation with the U. S. Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration (FTA); the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office (PHMC); and the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak).

The booklet provides and excellent history of the current and two preceeding stations at Harrisburg.

pc harrisburg Early postcard of the Passenger Station. pc harrisburg 19591959 view of the Passenger Station.
Harrisburg Station 1912Passenger Station in 1912. hbg sta 1930 1East end of the Passenger Station in 1930, looking westward. This is a photo of a framed picture at the Keystone Model Railroad Historical Society in Mechanicsburg, Pa.
pc Harrisburg Station early pc harrisburg 1910Passenger Station in 1910.
pdy4 10.1 pdy4 10.2
gg1 4911Electrification ended at Harrisburg. This GG-1 will be replaced by a diesel locomotive before heading west. GG1 hbgAnother GG-1 at Harrisburg.
P1010001Judging by the attention it is getting, this is likely the first trip of the first diesel passenger locomotive on the Pennsy, E7 #5900. Photo of a photo on display at the Harrisburg Passenger Station. First E7EMD E7 #5901, half of the first pair of diesel passenger locomotives on the Pennsy, makes its first appearance in Harrisburg circa 1945. Raymond Muller photo; collection of Jerry Britton.
hbg REAA pair of EMD E8's have been placed on lead for this train to head west of Harrisburg. pdy5 57.1
pdy5 57.2 psy1 47
b1 5691B1 "Rat" electric locomotives were the mainstay for switching passenger cars. b1 rendering
three b1 hbg IMG 0030
harrisburg 19601960 view of the east end of the passenger station.  Harrisburg Electro Motive Test Car 462EMD E8 demonstration units at Harrisburg.
IMG 0029June 1965. E7Baldwin BP60 "Centipede" #5816. Collection of T. S. Martorano; collection of Jerry Britton.
harrisburgThe Track 10 end of the train shed. The two tracks in the foreground are the freight mains. View is eastbound. The "Lemonade Squeeze" text is an eBay label. pdy2 39Looking eastbound from the Passenger Station as AeroTrain approaches in 1956.
pdy4 11Interesting scene... Resding Company passenger station is at right, but Reading coaches are on train on Pennsy's Track 10. Perhaps an excursion train? A lashup of Baldwin Centipedes are making a runaround on the eastbound freight main. pdy6 98
IMG 0016The Duquesne lesving Harrisburg at HARRIS tower. January 5, 1963. Kerry Jury photo; collection of Jerry Britton.  
IMG 0018Train 571 arrives in Harrisburg, coming off the Cumberland Valley Branch. Harrisburg Gas Company is in the background. January 5, 1963. Kerry Jury photo; collection of Jerry Britton.  IMG 0017Train 571 leaves Harrisburg for Buffalo. January 5, 1963. Kerry Jury photo; collection of Jerry Britton. 
IMG 0020EMD E8 at Harrisburg. December 1967. Kerry Jury photo; collection of Jerry Britton.  IMG 0021EMD E7 at Harrisburg. January 1968. Kerry Jury photo; collection of Jerry Britton. 
IMG 0019EMD E8 at Harrisburg. February 27, 1968. Kerry Jury photo; collection of Jerry Britton.   
triumph2 220.1 triumph2 220.2
361550pu Early Amtrak era photo documenting the Mulberry Street bridge. This is the east end of the Passenger Station. 361554puEarly Amtrak era photo documenting the Mulberry Street bridge. This is the east end of the Passenger Station looking eastbound..
The Harrisburg Passenger Station was renovated in the 1980s. The plans below are from the Library of Congress.
hbg 3 site hbg 4 lb
hbg 5 l1 hbg 6 l23
hbg 7 elev hbg 8 cs
hbg 9 cs  

 

103.8 "State" Interlocking

STATE tower was located within the physical building of the Harrisburg Passenger Station. It controlled movements at the eastward end of the station.

The following photo essay of STATE was provided to me years ago. Unfortunately they are of poor quality, but they are the best available.
STATE STATE left
STATE left model STATE right
STATE 1 STATE 2
STATE in action STATE DEDSTATE dragging equipment detector (DED).
STATE blocksheet STATE blocksheet 2
STATE blocksheet close STATE all lit up
STATE desk 2 STATE desk2 mint
STATE machine STATE levers
State levers 2 STATE levers 3
STATE throw STATE blockline
STATE WestSTATE WEST was on a separate machine and I believe controlled the interchange with the Reading Company. STATE West close
STATE ROYEventually, ROY was remoted from STATE. ROY was Royalton, just east of Middletown. ROY Machine close

 

103.8 Junc. Reading Co.

ph p jct 19211921 view eastward up the Reading Company line. The interchange with the PRR is behind the photographer. CAPITOL 19601960 view eastward up the Reading Company line. The interchange with the PRR is behind the photographer to the right.
pc reading hbgThe Reading Company passenger station at Harrisburg was adjacent to the PRR station and directly behind the photographer in the above photos. Reading P TrainA Reading Company train departing their Harrisburg passenger station. The Pennsy interchange is to the left of the station building at top left.
Reading interchangeA Reading switcher and caboose on the interchange track in September, 1957.  

 


east state m

Annotated valuation map.

harris 

HarrisburgSheet12a

Sanborn maps of the area described below. East is at the bottom; west to the top.

HarrisburgSheet41

103.9 Keystone Warehouse Co. No. 2

"Keystone Warehouse Co." was a formal name for the PRR's freight warehouses. This warehouse does not appear on the later Sanborn maps, nor is it in the 1949 or 1954 Polk directories, so it must have been razed prior.

104.0 Montgomery & Co.

Downtown side, on siding right next to HARRIS tower. Have 1929 photo showing box cars spotted there.

The 1930 Polk City directory places (p. 453) Montgomery & Co. at "627 Walnut Street" and indicates this is a warehouse for "storage, drayage, transfer and distribution."

Witman-Schwarz Co. was on the same siding but beyond Montgomery & Co., near where the Adams Express once was (1895 Sanborn map). As Fred Wertz pointed out, the later Sanborn indicates the address contributed to the parking lot where the gas station was more recently; then replaced by the Forum Place building.

The 1930 Polk City directory places (p. 660) Witman-Schwarz Corp. "in liquidation" at "615 Walnut Street".

The Sanborn maps, combined with the city directories, place the following businesses at a string of addresses:

601-607 - Keystone Oil Products (the gas station)

619 - Alexandre, Jules, Inc. (radio sets and supplies); Jacob Miller Inc. (furniture warehouse) home appliance warehouse (aerial photo shows billboard on roof that reads "Crosly", which is a brand of automobile, appliances, and radio network; and Pierce Phelps.

625 - Herbert H. Fidler (agricultural implements); and Montgomery & Co. (storage warehouse & trucking)

627 - Paul L. Schubauer (hardware wholesaler).

629 - Montgomery & Co. (warehouse); Philadelphia Seed Co.; Proctor & Gamble (warehouse); Eastern Chemical Corp.; and The DuBois Co. (wholesale chemicals).

104.0 "Harris" Tower

HARRIS 1961HARRIS tower in 1961. harris 001
HARRIS and BoxHARRIS tower (then HG tower) in 1929.  
HARRIS tower has been restored by the Harrisburg Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society. The photos that follow are post-restoration.
1417741 1417387
1417388 1417390
1417391 1417392
1417381 1417382
1417383 1417384
1417393 1417394 1417395
P1010007Jerry Meyer, second trick operator, at 6:33 p.m. on August 1, 1969, as Amtrak #41, the Broadway Limited, departs westbound. Photo of a photo that was on display at the Harrisburg Passenger Station. P1010004 Photo of a photo that was on display at the Harrisburg Passenger Station.

 

104.0 Market Street Delivery

Cameron Street side.

104.0 Pennsylvania Power & Light Co. No. 9

Cameron Street side. Elec. Supplies Warehouse on later Sanborn map, near Pa. State Bureau of Publication building. (PP&L has three sidings - 9, 10, 11 - in this area on the 1945 CT1000. There is no way to really know which is which. In the 1923 CT1000 this was the Hbg. Light & Power Co. with sidings numbered 1 & 3.

104.0 Pennsylvania State Bureau of Publication

Cameron Street side. Bob Lyter confirmed the building was on the corner of 10th and Market streets; its back side permits entry of rail service across 9th Street. Later Sanborn maps confirm this.

104.0 Pennsylvania Power & Light No. 10

104.0 Pennsylvania Power & Light No. 11

104.0 Passenger Car Storage

harrisburg 1960 west endView eastbound from the Soldiers and Sailors Bridge in 1960. Passenger Car Storage is at left. HARRIS tower is near the top right. The Reading Company passenger station is near the top left. harrisburg 1960 west end 2View westbound from the Soldiers and Sailors Bridge in 1960. North Street Delivery is near the top left. Harrisburg Steel is to the right. The Harrisburg Shops are in the distance.
triumph2 221 Signal bridge at State Street bridge at Harrisburg PajpegEarly westbound signals at the Soldiers and Sailors Bridge.
IMG 1450  

state herr m

Annotated valuation map.

104.0 Harrisburg Steel Corp. No. 1

Previously Harrisburg Pipe & Pipe Bending Co.

Cameron Street side. Trestle, visible on Sanborn maps partially remains; I have photos. This trestle appears in the background of a photo on page 100 of Pennsy Diesel Years 6 -- there appears to be a four-bay hopper, a covered hopper, and a box car spotted on the trestle. The very end of the trestle can be viewed in the background of a shot on page 46 of Pennsy Steam Years. Another photo appears on page 62 of Pennsy Steam Years 2 and provides a nice backdrop of the Harrisburg Steel sign with a Reading covered hopper on the trestle.

Later known as HARSCO.

HarrisburgSheet31Sanborn map of Harrisburg Steel. West is to the left. HarrisburgSheet32Another section of Sanborn map of Harrisburg Steel. East is to the right.
IMG 0026A fleet of EMD GP's leads an eastbound freight. To the right is Harrisburg Steel Company with the Car Load Delivery Trestle visible. January 5, 1963. Kerry Jury photo; collection of Jerry Britton. Harrisburg Steel 1936 FloodHarrisburg Steel during the 1936 flood.

 

104.2 Harrisburg Steel Corp. No. 2

104.2 North Street Delivery

Downtown side. Included a gantry. Located between the main line and the Swift plant.

Harrisburg Gantry 1951 1951 view shows the gantry at North Street Delivery.

104.2 Swift & Co. No 1 and United Ice & Coal Co. No. 1

Downtown side.

And where were the stock pens for the Swift plant? I suspect that they might be what the Sanborn map labels as "Tankage"... due to its proximity to the slaughterhouse portion of the plant and rail access. Ken Britton recalls them being right along 7th Street, but doesn't know for sure.

The Swift plant shows a "coal pile" on the 1956 Sanborn. How was the coal delivered... truck, rail? Was there a coal dump underneath one of the spurs?

United Ice & Coal was gone by 1954. The 1949 Polk city directory lists other locations, but none in this area.

1929 Sanborn shows Milleisens Coal & Wood Yard, obviously the predecessor to United Ice & Coal, occupying 817-931 N. 7th Street. Central Contruction & Supply Co. occupies the area of 943 N. 7th Street.

IMG 0028The Swift & Company plant is visible behind a lashup of EMD's. Also visible is the gantry of North Street Delivery. January 5, 1963. Kerry Jury photo; collection of Jerry Britton. HarrisburgSheet16aSanborn map.

 

104.2 American Rag & Metal Co.

Downtown side.

104.2 Simon Michlovitz

While connection was at this location, the siding extended (railroad) west to 1127 North 7th Street. Business was actually named Commonwealth Junk Co., owned by Simon Michlovitz.

HarrisburgSheet20aSanborn map.  

 


herr west m

Annotated valuation map.

104.5 Herr Street

104.5 Herr Street -- Carload Delivery and Carload Delivery Trestle


104.6 Harrisburg Shop

From "Harrisburg Engine Facilities",  Rails Northeast, August 1976:

"Harrisburg, Pa. western terminus of over 2200 miles of electrified operations was the natural location for new diesel engine facilities when the PRR began to invest heavily in diesel electric motive power used in east-west passenger operations. Counterpart to the Harrisburg facilities for maintaining freight diesel power is the nearly identical facility at Enola across the river. The $3-5 million dollar facility was designed to service some 125 units consisting of a four track light repair section for inspection and servicing and a heavy repair section with three repair tracks and a wheel recease track.

"The facility lies between McClay and State streets a mile from the Harrisburg Station and directly west of the 30 stall enginehouse built in 1937. The diesel house is a steel frame and brick veneer structure 200' wide and 268' in length. A 97' wide by 102' long extension one story high is connected to the east end of the heavy repair section. It houses a machine shop, offices, and storage facilities. The heavy repair portion of the building is 51' high compared to the light repair portion of the building rising 35'. The light running repair portion of the building are through tracks while the heavy section are stub end type.

"The diesel shop is connected to the roundhouse by an enclosed walkway. With the future for the steam engine greatly reduced four of the stalls in the roundhouse were converted to a storage area.

"Fueling, sanding, water, wash and rinse facilities are on the north side of the shop. Fuel storage tanks west of the shop can hold 735,000 gallons.

"An inbound engine moves west from the station to the service racks. Once fueled, watered, washed it is moved west to clear the switch and reversed moving it wast to the light repair and inspection station where they are gone over thoroughly. If the unit passes inspection it is moved outside for dispatching to the passenger station.

"The light repair side of the shop is arranged to permit adequate work access. Tracks are 23'8" to 28' apart. The four running repair tracks are elevated 30" above the floor service supported on H-beams set at 5' intervals. An inspection pit runs beneath the running track nearly the length of the shop. 230' deck level platforms 4'8" above the rail are placed on each side of the running repair tracks with varying width. They run the entire length of the building.

"Platforms of concrete slab form are placed between tracks 1 & 2 and between 3 & 4. They are level with the diesel roof eliminating the need for maintenance people to have to climb on the roof. They run lengthwise and are 179' long not quite as long as their lower deck level platform counterpart. Stairways connect all levels at each end. Draw bridges are provided at the east end enabling movement between the various platforms. Each running track has a one ton traveling crane which traverses the length of each running track and can be operated from the deck facilitating the removal of roof hatch covers, changing pistons and light maintenance.

"The heavy repair section holds trsacks 5 through 8. These are all of the stub end type. Tracks 5 & 8 are elevated like those in the light running repair section. The balance of the floor in the heavy repair section is at track level. Track 5 & 8 also has the various platform levels found in the running repair shop. Repairs are done st tracks 5, 7 & 8 while track 6 id used to hold wheel sets and exchange trucks. The track to hold wheels and trucks is stub ended 54' west of the building. Two 30 ton capacity service cranes are on rasils overhead, one over tracks 5 & 6 and the other for 7 & 8. Each 30 ton crane has a 10 ton auxilisry hoist.

"Track 6 has four 50 ton body jacks and a 54" wheel lathe. To change wheels and trucks a drop pit 23'9" wide and 22' deep extends the width of the shop at the west wall side. The pit has two drop tables with cradles.

"Flourescent lighting runs the length of running repair tracks beneath the deck level to illuminate under body of power. 400 watt mercury vapor lamps and 1500 watt incandescent lamps provide and almost day light condition regardless of time or outside conditions.

"Lower parts of the building walls, roof support columns, platform posts, and rail supports are painted dark green to a level of 4 feet. Above this level including the ceilings and walls, are painted light pastel green. All moving machinery, handrails are painted focal yellow while pipes are painted various colors designating purpose.

"Radiant heating is extensively used with pipes embedded in the concrete floor levels. Blast heaters are employed above ground level just beneath platform deck. They serve to pump fresh air as well as force warmed air for heating purposes. Grid heaters are counted appropriately to buffet cold air that might enter when the doors are rolled up to permit movement of diesels to and from the outside.

"Ventilation is through 10 48" fans over the heavy repair shop. 40 36" fans, 10 over each track are used in the light repair section.

"The service rack centers between two tracks on a 19' center base. At the esast end is a sand plant holding 75 tons of wet sand and 40 tons of dry sand. A skip hoist delivers wet sand to an overhead bin where a steam dryer drys and screens the sand.

"Six fueling points 30' to 35' apart make up the fuel and water station. Each fueling point has a cluster of 5 pipes: two wster, two oil, and one fire foam. Fuel can be pumped on at the rate of 1,000 gallons per minute. Two washers and two rinsing machines complete the service rack at the west end.

"Up to 335,000 gallons of fuel is stored in five steel storage tanks each holding 67,000 gallons. Oil is delivered by tank car to a 6 position two track unloading station.

"Two larger fuel tanks have been built nearby as support storage to hold over 2 million gallons of fuel.

"When merger took place E-units of the NYC were serviced mostly at Collinwood in Cleveland while Pennsylvania were handled at Harrisburg. Within the past couple years we have seen the shifting of servicing E units from Collinwood to Harrisburg concurrent with the decline of passenger train services and retiring worn out power. Today Harrisburg services the shrinking list of E7 & E8 both railroad owned and those bought by Amtrak. Another 25 SD-45's and 45 SD-40's call Harrisburg home along with a hand full of yard engines. The shop has plenty to do with power exchange or set outs from through trains bypassing Enola through Harrisburg.

"The roundhouse is used to store and service power now that there is no need to perform steam engine engine servicing [steam locomotive use ceased in 1957 - Ed]. The roundhouse, far from its inspection appearance of 1937 today is dressed with the sears of age and lack of upkeep.

"Only East Altoona (264), Enolda (169), could handle more steam locomotives than Harrisburg's capacity of 166 in 1946. A 750 ton concrete coal wharf straddled three outbound steam engine tracks while three tenders could be losded within three to five minutes. Three buckets, each holding 63 cubit feet, served the wharf by loading and storing 120 tons of coal an hour. 75 tons of wet sand and 15 tons of dry sand could also be stored at this wharf.

"The roundhouse, a brick structure built in 1937, consisted of 30 stalls, 12 of which were 140' long and 18 120' long. Each stall had a work pit the length of the stall. Four stalls adjacent to the machine shop were equipped with two 80 ton drop tables. It had one of the only two 125' turntables on the system with the other being installed at East Altoona.

"Inbound steam engines were inspected on three 130' inspection pits, then moved to the two 220' wall ash pits where fires were cleared and then moved to the 125' wash platform where the engine was cleaned. The engine was moved to the turntable and either put to bed in the house or moved to one of three work pits: two 130' and 1 200' pit when making repairs underneath the steaam engine. The storage yard held 73 steam engines."

The Harrisburg Shops were razed in the early 1980s.

Regarding the Harrisburg coal wharf demolition, Bill Volkmer relates...

"The date was Tuesday October 30, 1962. I remember it well as it scared the begeezes out of half the residents of the city. First a word about the national news on TV that dark and chilly evening. For several days running up to the moment, all we saw on the TV news was that President Kennedy was having a verbal war with Fidel Castro and Castro had a bunch of Russian missles down in Cuba aimed northward, so everybody was 'on edge' hoping World War III wasn't about to begin.

"On that evening my wife was 8.75 months pregnant and I was working the daylight shift at Enola EH so we decided to motor down to Market Street about 7 PM (it was already pitch dark) to view the town's Halloween Parade.

"So here we were standing on a curb about a half mile at the most from Riley Street where the coal wharf was located when all of a sudden a loud boom of explosives went off. The resulting vibration set off the air raid sirens and because I was an employee of the railroad, I knew instantly what the source of the noise was since I'd been aware they were working on that project, but had no idea when they were going to set it off.

"Well, let me tell you, at that very moment half the city of Harrisburg had a collective heart attack and people were running around like crazy looking for a sewer grate to jump into.

"To tell you the truth, I don't remember a thing about the parade, but I sure remember the event!" -- WKV

Steam aerialHarrisburg entine terminal area, 1938, showing the Harrisburg yard to the left, eastbound relay tracks to the right going behind the roundhouse. Over twenty Pennsy steamers sitting in this shot taken by the PRR. roundhouseThe Harrisburg roundhouse from the light standard overlooking the turntable, present diesel house now sits where the empty field is in the upper left, 1938. Photo by PRR.
diesel rne ground2Looking east towards the diesel shops at Harrisburg, Pa., shortly after the shops were built by the Pennsy. PRR photo. diesel rne groundSouthwest corner view of the engine terminal providing a good view of the structure. PRR photo.
hbg loco air 49Harrisburg Shops in 1949.  
PRR 6541 at Harrisburg Pa 1946An 0-6-0 steam locomotive idles next to the roundhouse at Harrisburg in 1946. IMG 0027Coal wharf and water tanks at the Harrisburg Shop. October 1962. Kerry Jury photo; collection of Jerry Britton.
hbg1 hbg2
bgbd2 101.4The Harrisburg diesel shop handled passenger locomotives; freight locomotives were serviced at Enola. bgbd2 101.3A diesel taking on sand, which is used for traction when needed.
bgbd2 101.1Unlike freight locomotives, passenger locomotives got regular baths! bgbd2 101.2EMD E7 locomotive taking on fuel at the Harrisburg shops.
triumph2 228 irp 80 The coal wharf at the Harrisburg Shops.
coal wharf rneThe 750 ton coal wharf which once filled the tenders of 166 steamers a day back in the days of coal fired motive power. Dick Erdlac photo, Rails Northeast. Electric serviceGG-1 #4853, ready for sanding in this 1937 shot of the sand rack facilities behind the round house at Harrisburg. PRR photo.
pdy2 40 pdy3 45
rne4Several views of the interior of the heavy repair bays . Keith Withers photo, Rails Northeast.showing various switchers and road units in for maintenance. P. Keith Withers photos, Rails Northeast. rne5
rne6 cross sectionCross section cut of the Harrisburg diesel locomotive shop. Railway Age.
rne3Lineup of E's and FP's in the diesel shop with the walkways down between service tracks. P. Keith Withers photo, Rails Northeast. rne2PC E units at the sand rack on the north side of the engine house. Kerry Jury photo, Rails Northeast.
rne1View of the east side of the light service and inspection area. Kerry Jury photo, Rails Northeast. planHarrisburg engine terminal track schematic showing the track arrangements as it was constructed. Railway Age.

 

104.6 Max Cohen

104.9 New Idea Spreader Co.

104.8 Harrisburg Steel Corp. No. 3 and Defense Plant Corp.

104.8 Harrisburg Building Block Co.

104.8 B. Abrams & Son

104.8 Arnold Coal Co.

105.0 International Harvester Co. Inc.

Cameron Street side.

The 1930 Polk City directory places (p. 348) International Harvester at "813-815 Market Street". The later Sanborn maps clearly show this address served only by the Reading Railroad. However, served by the PRR a block to the northwest is a warehouse labeled "Farm Equip". May have been a second location.

105.0 Harrisburg Grocery Co.

105.2 Maclay Street

105.2 Scales

105.2 Delivery

105.3 Hbg. State Hospital

105.6 Pennsylvania State Farm Show

105.3 Maclay Street Freight Station and American Oil Co. No. 2

McClay St Station McClay Street Station pc
McClay Street Station pc2  

 

105.3 Wilsbach & Co.

105.4 Stock Yard Delivery

Stock Yard at McClay St stock1
stock2  

 

105.5 United Ice & Coal Co. No. 2

105.5 Atlantic Refining Co. No. 3

Hbg Atlantic Refining hbg Atlantic Refining 2

 

105.5 Mock & Hartman

105.5 Loose-Wiles Biscuit Co.

105.6 Harrisburg Machinery Corp. No. 1

105.6 Hoover Furniture Co.

105.7 Harrisburg Machinery Corp. No. 2

105.8 United Ice & Coal Co. No. 3

106.0 Division Street

106.0 Carload Delivery

106.5 Penna. Supply Co.

106.5 Rubin Bros. Co.

106.5 Capital Iron & Steel Co.

106.5 John Stapf and Bestco Corp.

106.5 Standard Oil Co. No. 2