Manayunk Canal Railroad

The train apparently hit a tree, the tree fell and struck a pedestrian bridge that collapsed.

http://roxborough.patch.com/articles/cr ... to-9375766

NS 2100 and two tank cars passing under the Green Lane bridge at approx. 11am today.

It appears they cut the track in the runaround inside the plant. Yesterday I saw a maroon boxcar on the I76 west side of the plant. Is this car stranded or do they still move boxcars to and from the plant? Thanks

olneytrains wrote:It appears they cut the track in the runaround inside the plant. Yesterday I saw a maroon boxcar on the I76 west side of the plant. Is this car stranded or do they still move boxcars to and from the plant? Thanks

What? The line is still active and served, as per my reply from the 28th.



Remember that former pedestrian, now utility "bridge"?

Well, I have some bad news. It's gone. Taken today:

Part of the ROW is submerged due to the recent flooding.

https://scontent-b-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/hph ... e=53651638


https://scontent-b-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/hph ... e=5365373A

https://scontent-b-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/hph ... e=5364F504

I walked the Manayunk Canal Path today and noticed the rails to the box factory look like it has been a while since a train has moved on the line. There are usually two gray tank cars parked on the east side of the factory visible from the path and today there were none. Also, they used to stage their tankers and box cars on the north end of Falls Yard at US. 1 I have not seen the cars there for some time.

A little update, this spur known as the Venice Industrial Track will be switched by ESPN #52 starting 2-1-2016 as posted on rrpicturearchives.net.

The plant will be closing on or around April 1st, 2017. Unless something else steps in, it is likely the end of the branch.

scotty269 wrote:The plant will be closing on or around April 1st, 2017. Unless something else steps in, it is likely the end of the branch.

What plant is closing? the Paper Mill or Box plant ....or both?

It would be cool if they made this spur into something like the Astoria Riverfront Trolley. Someone could buy the line, build a short platform near the papermill, and buy an old PCC car or something, put a generator in it or a small diesel engine, and just run it from the mill to the interchange yard across the river. This trip is short enough that you might be able to get a good deal of business from people who just come in from the street and didn't actually plan on visiting. This would also be helped by the fact that it's across the canal from a busy shopping area. You might even get people who use it instead of walking.

3/2/2017

ESPN 52 ran on the Venice IT today. Three empty tanks out and three clay slurry tank car loads in. Paper Works plant will close on April 14th, 2017.

Album of ten photos-
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/archiv ... ?id=121183" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Here's all ten individual photos with a description.

VEN02 already assembled the empties when I got there and were just starting to head out of the plant-
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=4657140" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ESPN 52 engineer's side-
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=4657141" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Schuylkill River Trail Towpath-
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=4657142" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Lock Street-
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=4657144" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Coming over the Schuylkill River with three loaded tank cars of clay slurry after working Falls Yard-
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=4657145" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Approaching the Leverington Ave. bridge-
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=4657147" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Approaching Fountain Street-
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=4657149" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ran around their train and approaching the switch into the Paper Works plant-
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=4657150" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Shoving back into the plant-
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=4657152" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Dropping the three cars-
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... id=4657154" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Back in the late 70s, I used to work in the White building at the Paper Mill, which was then Container Corporation of America. Is that plant now closed, or closing?

The Venice Industrial Track has seen a train for the last time as of today:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BSeNQmBgDq0/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This is your chance - their switcher is parked at the property limits up front. Get some pics before it's gone!

Hey all, sorry to bump this old thread.

After doing some research, I found out that the paper mill is still open. Do they still ship by rail? Considering the condition of the turnout onto the branch, I somehow doubt it.

I find it weird that paper, a heavy commodity, wouldn’t be shipped by rail.