Today on Shorpy: The PRR Ferries in Philadelphia & Camden

Mgoldman · **Posted:** Thu Apr 12, 2012 3:41 am

Every so often a truly remarkable railroad related image shows up on "Shorpy".

Today's image is a ridiculously (though typical for Shorpy) hi-resolution photograph showing the former Pennsylvania Railroad ferries in Philadelphia (along with those on the other side of the Delaware River in Camden, NJ).

It sure puts things into place when you see a location from it's origins.

A truly remarkable photograph!

http://www.shorpy.com/node/12707?size=_original

/Mitch

S. Weaver · **Posted:** Thu Apr 12, 2012 7:59 am

Thank you, Mitch. Today the same view could be another planet ...

Richard Glueck · **Posted:** Thu Apr 12, 2012 8:45 am

Pictures like this reveal something very cherished by people such as ourselves. The iron work is beautifully turned, little touches of extra elegance appears where it is uncalled for, Note the setting of the cobblestones in the street; functional, but also attractive to the eye. The building facade features iron columns and urns depicting Grecian architecture.
It kills me to think of the roads ripped up and paved over, the iron work broken and buried, and then , of course, nobody has their face in a iPhone while they are walking.

Mgoldman · **Posted:** Thu Apr 12, 2012 10:51 am

Another ball of yarn unravels - here, a link to the ferries on the Camden, NJ side, both PRR and the rather massive Reading Railroad terminals. (Wow).

http://www.dvrbs.com/postcards/CamdenPo ... ngTerm.jpg

http://www.dvrbs.com/camden/DB-PF/KP-FERRY-1923.JPG

http://www.dvrbs.com/camden/DB-PF/KP-FERRY-1923-a1.JPG

Who knew? It's almost like looking at pictures from NY /Hoboken /Jersey City!

http://www.dvrbs.com/postcards/CamdenNJ ... erries.htm

/Mitch

Mark Trebing · **Posted:** Thu Apr 12, 2012 1:03 pm

This is a very interesting picture to me.

My Great Grandfather, Grandfather and Father all rode these ferries many times. The ferries were gone before I was old enough to ride them. My Great Grandfather was a shoemaker in Camden and got pre-cut lasts and soles from a supplier in Philadelphia. My Grandfather delivered meat from Swift & Co. in a horse drawn wagon similar to those visible in the foreground. I think the Swift warehouse was a few blocks north (to the left) of here. So the ferries served for more than just a connection for the passengers going to the rail lines in South Jersey.

In 1908 there's no sign of the RCA-Victor buildings that are still major landmarks today.

-Mark

Mgoldman · **Posted:** Thu Apr 12, 2012 5:51 pm

Mark Trebing wrote:

In 1908 there's no sign of the RCA-Victor buildings that are still major landmarks today.
-Mark

They were there in this picture from 1928:
http://www.dvrbs.com/camden-business/Wa ... 28-01b.jpg

But according to the web site, they are "gone" today.

Foot of Market Street 1996
"I've Got Plenty of Nothing"

ALL GONE:
RCA Victor Factory
Campbell Soup Factory
The Ferry and Railroad Terminal

http://www.dvrbs.com/camden-streets/Mar ... 96-001.jpg

/Mitch