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Today - Baldwin Locomotive Works circa 1908:

http://www.shorpy.com/Baldwin_Locomotiv ... to+Blog%29

Full size - it's Shorpy huge:

http://www.shorpy.com/Baldwin_Locomotiv ... =_original

/Mitch

The wagons, buggies and the double-deck, automotive omnibus on the street are what make the image interesting.

In addition to the horse-drawn vehicles (and a bit of "exhaust" visible in the street) the bus, at least one bicyclist, and all those pedestrians, it's interesting to note how tall this plant is--nothing at all like the sprawling, mostly single-level locomotive works that would show up later, including Lima, Schenectady, and of course, Eddystone.

It's also a much changed facility compared with how it looked in 1866:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lehig ... e_1866.jpg

Also of note is what appears to be a depressed railroad line under the bus; a glimpse of a "banjo" signal at the left suggests this is a Reading line. Which road is it, really?

Just think, we are also looking at the birthplace of EBT's 12 and Southern's 4501, just to pick two better-known examples. . .

How much would some of us give to borrow Mr. Peabody's WABAC ("way back") machine to take a little trip, maybe see if we can visit Sam Vauclain?

It's the original Main Line of Public Works, bought by the Philadelphia & Reading about 1850 when the Main Line was rerouted via what's now 30th St. Station. The Broad St. grade crossing was eliminated about 3/27/98. This photo, showing the bridge getting its 1st paving, also shows that the Locomotive Works still had some growing up in its future:
http://www.phillyhistory.org/PhotoArchive/Detail.aspx?assetId=5137
Use Broad & Nobel Sts. as a search term there.