Flat Cars with Tractors

I was trolling through this online archive today and came across a picture of an A&A freight train pulling a flat car with what looks to be a load of tractors. I have never seen any A&A pictures of flat cars in trains before, much less ones loaded with farm equipment. Was one of the automobile dealers on main street a tractor-supply company in the past? Does anyone have any information/pictures to share? Thanks!

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=1238929

Ben - There were a couple of farm equipment dealers on West Main Street in Arcade, along the original B&S portion of the A&A. One was CM & MC Drake (who also had a feed business) on same side of Main as Delightful's is now. They sold Oliver and later White farm equipment. Drake's feed business was across Main where the two old blue boxcars were stored in to the 90s. The other equipment dealer was on the opposite side of West Main adjacent to the old Jenny Lee Dairy restaurant. They sold mostly Ford and New Holland and other manufacturer's equipment (if memory serves me correctly). The photo you provide a link to actually shows what appears to be Gehl or New Holland hay or corn choppers (I could be wrong). The A&A also delivered farm equipment to Orertner's (spelling) in North Java, south of the village proper, south of the cemetery. Orertner's, who sold McCormick-Deering and later International Harvester farm equipment was originally located in Darien Center NY near the Erie main line through town. It moved to North Java sometime in the late 60's I believe. There is a photo of a North Java bound train with a flat car load of International Harvester tractors in Ed Lewis' book from the late 60s early 70s.

Thanks for that information. The picture I linked to says it was taken in 1999.

I don't think that picture is 1999. More like 1979.

I'll have to check on the last tractor shipments. I am sure, as Chris said, that it was not in 1999. Might that be the upload date on the pictures? The other shots in the album, of the coaches could be around that date. There is one shot of the plow all painted up. It has to be from the late 70's or early 80's. It appears that there is a major ballast project going on under it.

Back to the tractors, Romance Tractors in Arcade (just to the west of MC&CM Drakes) was the last to get in tractor shipments I believe. That was under CR. Earlier on there was a dealer of farm implements that unloaded at a dock at Java Center.

Pat

Yes Pat you are right - Larry Romance Farm Equipment on the north side of west main next to the former Jenny Lee Dairy restaurant. Pieces of farm equipment on the flatcar in the photo you reference Ben appear to be haybines.

Thanks guys for the update. I didn't know if they received tractors and unloaded them at the concrete ramp on the team-track section of the Arcade wye.