Manayunk Canal Railroad

I was doing some exploring in Manayunk today and noticed there is a railroad track running along the canal path, and although it looks like something Gilford might come up with, it is marked like an active railroad, is it still used?

Former Reading Venice Industrial Track. Still serves the Smurfit-Stone Container mill, apparently.

Wow, I'd hate to drive down that track, especially that big dip where it goes down under the road that crosses the river into the town.

Went to Fountain Street Bridge today, looked north and saw a brown boxcar on the property usually there are tankers.

yes its active.
Ive only once seen a train on it, about 9 years ago.

GooStats wrote:yes its active.
Ive only once seen a train on it, about 9 years ago.

In the newest issue of Railpace there is a pic of an NS switcher pulling a boxcar and 2 tankers thru Manayunk on the branch. Apparently theres still alil life left as Jefferson Smurfit to do business on the railroad. Im guessing this is really an irregular move. Its still nice to see

I live within eyesight of the industrial track, and have for about five years. I've wanted to see movement there since the day I arrived. My luck seems to be unkind, as I have yet to see any action. HOWEVER, I take note of the boxcars (what color, at which door it's located, etc.) each day on the Schuylkill side of the building, and to my astonishment they are switched out about every week.

StephenJohnson wrote:I live within eyesight of the industrial track, and have for about five years. I've wanted to see movement there since the day I arrived. My luck seems to be unkind, as I have yet to see any action. HOWEVER, I take note of the boxcars (what color, at which door it's located, etc.) each day on the Schuylkill side of the building, and to my astonishment they are switched out about every week.

WHat would you say, about once a week? Can you tell generally what day of the week you think they do it?

Yes, I would generally say once a week. However, unless I go exploring to the canal side of the island, I only have a view of the boxcars - therefore I cannot vouch for the tank traffic. Two weeks ago, and three weeks ago, both changes took place at the same time- sometime between Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday early morning (before rush hour). As of this morning, the same two boxcars have been there since Wednesday rush hour on the 21st. Both boxcars are old Southern (Southern Serves The South) cars. I've seen up to four on the siding at one time. I will take extra notice until the leaves come back on the trees to see when these cars move and are replaced, etc.

Venice Industrial Track; Smurfit-Stone Philadelphia plant; Schuylkill side of the building:

Today replacing the two (2) Southern boxcars were two (2) RailBox boxcars, one (1) Norfolk Southern Boxcar, and one (1) Southern boxcar. The move happened between morning rush hour 4 February and morning rush hour 5 February. This move is fifteen (15) days after the previous move.

If you use the maps.live.com for the far NW end of the island, and use the 'birds-eye' function and rotate it a bit, you will see a great overhead shot of blue SW, two box cars and three tank cars being drilled. You have to move the viewpoint and play around with the birds-eye view a bit, but if you are patient, it's there!!
Back in the late 70s early 80s, I worked for Container Corporation of America at that location, office was actually in what had at one time been the mule barn for the canal. Back then there was a mill, a boxboard (folding carton) plant and a corrugated box plant, as well as a HUGE pile of baled recycled paper under a shed roof at the far end of the island. Daily rail traffic for all three facilities back then.

That would be one heck of a prize photo if you could catch the train running on the track with the right sunlight conditions.

There are cool some shots of this line over on railpictures dot net, like these:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=33529

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=108862

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=143654

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=33530

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=145983

Quite a piece of unique trackage.

The last pic in above series (145983)is at the old Container Corporation of America (where I worked for a time) (now Smurfit-Stone) boxboard mill, folding carton and corrugated box plants on the West end of Venice Island IIRC the tank cars are for bleach for pulp. Used to be many carloadings of paperboard rolls and boxes in and out of this facility, as well as recycled paper for a huge mountain that used to be at far end of the island. Paper mills were on the island from before the War Between the States. (Manayunk Pulp Works) When I was there, the old mule barn for the canal was still in place.(just out of sight to the right edge of photo) Old canal lock is still there at far end of the island.

Finally, after 15 years of watching and wondering, they do run! Taken south of Green Lane Bridge, parked. Will post pic shortly. 1 NS SW and 1 tanker.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/archiv ... x?id=71004